Anyone using a CGM?

(cheryl) #1

HI THere,

Are you using one? Would you recommend it?

What is the downside of using one?

Have you found a service that is affordable?

Thanks in advance

-C

#2

When I did it, it was before subscription based CGM’s were a thing, so I had to just buy one, honestly, while it’s definitely cool to see the responses throughout the day, I stopped the whole Insulin fear thing, so it became a waste of money for me. Where they are nice is seeing a real life graph of your response back to baseline, which IMO if far more important than what any one food does do your BG levels.

Nutrisense and Levels are the super popular ones, but they’re geared towards also coaching people, and you pay for that. Here’s a list of a handful of them, seems for somebody that wants the numbers but not the hand holding, January would be a good and affordable fit.

#3

Hello…
I use one occasionally. I also use a continuous ketone monitor… more often than the CGM. I’m one of these people that like to see how food, sleep, exercise and stress affects my glucose and ketone levels. When I use the CGM, it is a Freestyle Libre 2 which is simple to apply and use with the corresponding app you download to your phone. You can see your glucose readings 24/7 for 14 days before you need to apply a new one. The continuous ketone monitor is from SiBio. I actually really like to see what my ketones are doing through the day and it is a new product from this company. Like the glucose monitor, you apply the ketone monitor to the back of your arm, download and corresponding app to your phone and you can monitor your ketones in real time 24/7 for 14 days. Downside of both monitors is the cost, so I use them when I feel I need to be more dialed into my diet and see what’s happening with both my glucose and ketones. Cheers!

#4

Freestyle Libre 3 has been available for a while and is smaller.

In certain non US countries you can just buy them. In the US you need a prescription. Your insurance may not pay for it if you are not diabetic or prediabetic but some MDs will give you a prescription if you explain why you need one and many will not.

If you are member of Costco, paying out of pocket with their discount card, just ask, available to all members for human prescriptions (not dogs which Costco is cheaper usually if they carry it) it was less than $40 a sensor when someone I know purchased them about 6 months ago, paying out of pocket with a prescription. The sensor lasts two weeks. I do think it is important to see what you react to. Some people spike from certain low carb fruits, others do not

#5

I understand why you would recommend the January system but in my situation I know I eat things that are triggering and I am constantly trying to reevaluate my diet to optimize my BG even though I rarely check. I don’t need an AI to tell me what they think my BG might be based on what it was last month. Also some things are seasonal, affected by travel. I doubt my BG in February, when I am doing nothing special except going to work and the gym will be the same as in December when I went to a bunch of holiday parties and stayed out late for New Year’s as an example. I have not tried it though so if anyone has would love to hear