Over The Counter Continuous Glucose Monitor?

joesxm3 said:
My doctor said " I've never heard of that test. I would never order it. I would not know how to interpret the results."
Click to expand...
I am amazed that a doctor would say this. Due to diabetes history in my family I had a glucose tolerance test 55 years ago when I was a teenager. It was fairly common in the '60s so surprised that your doctor would not know it today.
 
EastWest Gal said:
Does anyone know how the probe holds up while swimming?
Click to expand...
No issues with swimming. The G7 and Stelo actually come with an 'overpatch' that goes on after the sensor and improves the seal and durability. The overpatch is waterproof whereas the adhesive material affixing the sensor itself is not. With the G6 the overpatch wasn't provided but you could buy aftermarket and were a good idea for active individuals and especially active children.
 
I had to replace my Stelo today. It was supposed to be good until the 12th, so 3 days earlier. The app notified me that Stelo needed to be replaced.

I decided to swap arms and it doesn’t feel as comfortable as before. The measurements also seem to vary more than before. I’ll give it a few more days to see what happens, but I’m wondering if it didn’t install correctly.
 
Thanks for the update. One of my concern about Stelo was the high fall out before 15 days. They publish the failure rate vs. days of service. I think if I used it for a few months to see how my lifestyle affects my blood sugar, it would be too big a deal if some units only lasted 12 days.
 
  • One week report:
  • Just a week in so I will see how the first sensor plays out and use the second one. Not impressed with the accuracy but my biggest issues are ones that Dexcom could fix without changing the physical sensor they are all software/service, so
  • There is a weakness of not having a live contact to discuss issues.
  • the app readout does not allow calibration (would solve my main misreading).
  • the app should allow a correction or deletion of false compression lows, without this the time in range is not useful.
  • I have not found the Stelo to be accurate but it is consistent so of some use . I have finger stick records daily for 4+ years, every morning and sometimes several times a day. I know the difference between interstitial and finger sticks ( and lab blood work. both A1Cs and OGTT and individual readings). In my case (first Stelo) it was consistently running 20 points low. Barely useful for food or other spikes and seeing trends (since I cannot adjust for false lows). I will see how the next sensor goes and will probably not renew and try another CGM. I Notice over the week that the Stelo readings and the finger sticks are drifting closer, the Stelo creeping up on the finger sticks only about 10 points lower now. Will see how the second sensor works out.
  • I think a CGM can be a useful tool like finger sticks and A1Cs to help understand and manage blood sugar but IMHO the Stelo is not a compelling tool at this time. I will be watching to see if there are improvements (which are not sensor issues) and follow reports on other CGMs to see the best way forward
 
My second Stelo stopped working yesterday, after 6 days.

I think it was installed by a muscle, so not an ideal placement, but 6 days is disappointing. I don’t have another Stelo to install and I’m debating if I should order another pair.

I’m going to open up a service request with Stelo to see why it failed so quickly.
 
tulak said:
My second Stelo stopped working yesterday, after 6 days.

I think it was installed by a muscle, so not an ideal placement, but 6 days is disappointing. I don’t have another Stelo to install and I’m debating if I should order another pair.

I’m going to open up a service request with Stelo to see why it failed so quickly.
Click to expand...

I opened a ticket and they automatically are sending me a replacement. I say automatically because right after I filled out the form, they said I qualify for a replacement and sent me a replacement confirmation email.

That’s good customer service. Hopefully the new unit will last longer.
 
I ordered the Lifestyle Libre 3 and it never worked. Abbott sent me replacement which also didn’t work so I think this product is defective. When I called their customer service back and asked for a refund, they said they don’t really do refunds and if I wanted one I have to go through a complicated process for refund which they’re unlikely to issue.
 
Well I finally got around to putting my Stelo on. It was easier than expected. I did use a mirror the entire time. It is warming up now.

I had bought a blood test for cholesterol balance that required lancing a finger and collecting into a tiny tube. That was an absolute disaster. I used three lancers and a case cutter and barely got any blood to come out. Then did not reject my sample but the results are suspicious. I ordered a second kit. Maybe using the fingers that I stick daily was a mistake. I hope I do better next time. I wish my doctor would order the test so I could have a normal blood draw.

I was afraid the stelo might be a similar disaster. I hope it works and stays on properly.

One thing I dont like is having to keep the phone within 20 feet at all times. I usually leave the phone on the counter and don't carry in my pocket at home.

I will report results once I get used to it.
 
I got my first reading. Stelo says 99. My keto mojo said 92 at 4:25 90 minutes after eating and said 91 just after the stelo reading. I realize that stelo trails the keto mojo by 15 minutes or so, but I think my glucose level is relatively stable at the moment.

I wonder if I will get low readings from sleeping on it.

Btw I was buying the keto mojo combo pack from Amazon but used up many more glucose strips than ketone strips. I discovered that I can buy boxes of only glucose strips on the keto mojo web site.

Glucose strips cost less than ketone strips.
 
I received replacement Stelo yesterday. I was impressed that I received it the next day, but likely a fluke since the receipt says 3 day shipping. I haven’t installed it yet, probably will get to it in the next few days.
 
I got one and have worn it for 10 days. After five days I calibrated it against a blood glucose monitor (a friend has one) and it has tested twice within 5-10 mg/dL so pretty accurate. It it tracking glucose spikes within 10 minutes of eating foods that do that to me. I am very pleased with it. I am not diabetic but diabetes runs in my family and I have a wicked sweet tooth so this helps me keep myself in check. I probably will use it for a few months.
 
timbervest said:
I got one and have worn it for 10 days. After five days I calibrated it against a blood glucose monitor (a friend has one) and it has tested twice within 5-10 mg/dL so pretty accurate. It it tracking glucose spikes within 10 minutes of eating foods that do that to me. I am very pleased with it. I am not diabetic but diabetes runs in my family and I have a wicked sweet tooth so this helps me keep myself in check. I probably will use it for a few months.
Click to expand...
I find it to be reassuring but don't pay much attention to the absolute numbers (Libre3). I pay very close attention to the slope of the ups and downs. Sharp steep slopes are "OK" as it shows good insulin response from what I read. Long drawn out down slope is not good as it shows my insulin resistance. Most of my spikes are related to bread and rice and sometimes noodles which I really love to eat. I just cut back on the quantity. Breads are the worst for me. Rice is best as long as I moderate it. Noodles are bad but not as bad as bread as noodles decay with a steeper downslope than bread which seems to be consistent with carbo loading techniques.

Overall, it is fun and enjoyable to get instant feedback. There is slight variances in different CGMs (two week durations) related to the hardware being less precise than ideal. I also calibrate against my blood readings and it is pretty close, usually less than 10 points variance and if I take multiple blood readings it is usually very close on average.

It has also caused me to make severe modifications to my eating of sweets. I always ate a lot of sweets my entire life and now I probably eat the equivalent of a half bag of M&Ms per week. It is just so easy to look at sweets now and think about my glucose reading. Truly frustration-free abstinence for something I truly enjoy (eating sweets).
 
joesxm3 said:
I had bought a blood test for cholesterol balance that required lancing a finger and collecting into a tiny tube. That was an absolute disaster. I used three lancers and a case cutter and barely got any blood to come out. Then did not reject my sample but the results are suspicious. I ordered a second kit. Maybe using the fingers that I stick daily was a mistake. I hope I do better next time. I wish my doctor would order the test so I could have a normal blood draw.
Click to expand...
Online blood test ordering works well and for a regular cholesterol test is relatively inexpensive. You go to a local lab and the online part takes care of the doctor order. Regulated by each state so some difference across states.
 
Last edited:
Route246 said:
It has also caused me to make severe modifications to my eating of sweets. I always ate a lot of sweets my entire life and now I probably eat the equivalent of a half bag of M&Ms per week. It is just so easy to look at sweets now and think about my glucose reading. Truly frustration-free abstinence for something I truly enjoy (eating sweets).
Click to expand...
Hasn't your sweet tooth diminished quite a bit already?
 
I buy tests from quest direct and things are fine. But this test is the cholesterol balance test from Boston Heart Diagnostics. They require a doctor order and the doctor to onboard with them. They said they would hook me up for a lab draw if I did it that way.

Unable to convince doctor I had to buy from EmpowerDX.com. I thought they were doing it in their lab but the FedEx label sent it to Boston Heart.

This test determines if you are in the 20% of people that absorb too much cholesterol from the intestine. If so ezetimibe works better than a statin, or maybe you take a low dose statins plus ezetimibe.
 
The Stelo seems to be working but I got the several hours of below range readings while sleeping. There was a time that I was pretty sure I was not laying on the sensor but still got low readings.

I found an android app setting that seems to restrict the app when the phone has not been used for a while. I turned that setting off. My theory is that the app may miss a sensor report and record it as off the low scale.
 
After 22 years as a T2, my husband just finished his first 10 days with the Dexcom G7. It’s been a real eye opener for both of us, and we are hopeful for much improved BG control with its continued use.
 
audreyh1 said:
Wow congrats! Care to elaborate? Thanks.
Click to expand...
He’s finding that he’s running high in the mornings—not unusual—but dropping really low, 50s and occasionally lower, at midafternoon and late at night.

Before the CGM, he had pretty much forgone finger stick testing and just relied on his A1C; his new endocrinologist does not think that’s adequate.

The CGM helps us see the spikes and deep valleys and adjust diet and exercise a bit. He’s also going to see his PCP Monday to see if his meds need to be adjusted.
 
First meal. 2 eggs, broccoli, nuts 6 blackberries coffee.

8am before waking 90, low before meal 74, high after meal 93, 2hrs after meal 83. Just computer activity.

Finger stick high 108.

Would not expect much spike from this sort of meal. I plan to add more berries and a little yogurt tomorrow and maybe some Ezekiel bread toast. I will also test steel it oats with raspberries and then test some Ezekiel cereal with yogurt and berries.

I have some diabetic emergency glucose syrup shot drinks. Each 15g glucose. I plan to drink five, 75g, to give myself an OGTT. That will be interesting but I am a little apprehensive of the result.
 
It seems that changing the app setting on my android phone fixed the off the scale low problem last night.

The setting was under "permissions" and called "remove permissions if app is unused." Other phones may be different.

The stelo numbers stayed between 82 and 89 and this morning the finger stick was only 1 different from the stelo.

However, yesterday after eating as the glucose number dropped they were off by 20 with the stelo being lower. This is making me wonder about the life cycle in blood vs arm fluid.
 
I just had a problem with my stelo app repeatedly stopping. Powering off my phone seems to have fixed it.

But it occurred to me that if you reinstall the app you may have to pair the sensor again. I dug my applicator out of the trash.

You may want to hang onto the pairing code.
 
I had been doing well with my normal low carb meals, staying below 120 after eating and less than 90 most of the other time.

Today I did a test and at an ear of butter sugar corn all by itself to see what would happen. The keto mojo jumped 60 points to 154 and the Stelo to 147. At 50 minutes the km was dropping but stelo still up.

At 95 minutes km 128 stelo 135.

So it is going down but not as much as I fast as I would like. I may wait to see 120 minutes but I am not keen on holding off walking or eating the rest of my meal.

This was the largest spike so far. I jumped to 143 after cereal berries with plain whole milk yogurt.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Backache medicine
2 3
twirler
T
Jerry1
Blood Pressure Monitor
Koolau
Koolau
E
CGM - Continuous Glucose Monitor
2
euro
euro
5
Conventional or Leadless Pacemaker?
51togo
5
P
Keto questions
audreyh1
audreyh1

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom