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Message
Stelo OTC CGM now available
Posted on 9/5/24 at 9:06 am
Posted on 9/5/24 at 9:06 am
Dexcom has released a non-prescription version of it's Dexcom G7 continuous glucose monitor. It seems they have disabled some of the alerting features to make it a sensor only.
The sensor last 15 days. You can order a 2 pack directly from the website for $90. No prescription. No doctor approval. FSA/HSA eligible.
Stelo
As a reformed T2D and a technical geek I've been interested in getting a CGM for quite a while. I plan buy some and test the impact of various foods over time. I currently only measure once a day. My T2D is well controlled but I'm really curious as to how long it takes glucose to drop after eating certain foods.
Anyway, I thought some here might be interested
The sensor last 15 days. You can order a 2 pack directly from the website for $90. No prescription. No doctor approval. FSA/HSA eligible.
Stelo
As a reformed T2D and a technical geek I've been interested in getting a CGM for quite a while. I plan buy some and test the impact of various foods over time. I currently only measure once a day. My T2D is well controlled but I'm really curious as to how long it takes glucose to drop after eating certain foods.
Anyway, I thought some here might be interested
This post was edited on 9/5/24 at 9:29 am
1
Posted on 9/5/24 at 11:43 am to hob
quote:
It seems they have disabled some of the alerting features to make it a sensor only.
So if you are dropping say... in your sleep or while exercising, it won't alert you? You have to either wake up or stop and actively check your level? What's the point? Other than the 15 seconds it takes to stick and read...
I mean... I get it, yeah, it's convenient... but if it doesn't alert... that sort of defeats half the reason for getting one, doesn't it?
Posted on 9/5/24 at 12:11 pm to MemphisGuy
Correct, it doesn't alert on hypoglycemic events.
It's a sensor. In my case, I'd like to see the how my body reacts to eating certain foods. How high does it go and how long does it last? I could stick my finger multiple times but I'd prefer to have continuous data for a while. It would also be useful to see the relationship between the length of nightly fast to the morning glucose reading. Just a bunch of things I've wondered about.
Again, I don't want this to be a long term thing.I want to use it to fine tune what I already do.
In March 2021 my A1C was 12.4. Six months after that it was 5.3. I'm pretty strict in what I eat and I'd like to add a few things.
It's a sensor. In my case, I'd like to see the how my body reacts to eating certain foods. How high does it go and how long does it last? I could stick my finger multiple times but I'd prefer to have continuous data for a while. It would also be useful to see the relationship between the length of nightly fast to the morning glucose reading. Just a bunch of things I've wondered about.
Again, I don't want this to be a long term thing.I want to use it to fine tune what I already do.
In March 2021 my A1C was 12.4. Six months after that it was 5.3. I'm pretty strict in what I eat and I'd like to add a few things.
Posted on 9/5/24 at 1:27 pm to hob
quote:
Correct, it doesn't alert on hypoglycemic events.
That's one of the main reasons I'd want it...
I'm a type 2, but no longer on any medication. I still check when I wake up, before I start walking and when I go to bed. More out of habit, I guess. I have trouble staying over say... 92 or so... and when I go walking, it is rare that my sugar doesn't plummet within the first mile. It's usually right around 98 or so when I start, then the bottom "drops out". Or at least that's what it feels like. Three or so glucose tabs or a bottle of the glucose stuff and I'm back to normal within 10 minutes or so. I guess I could just check it and see what it is at those times... that's alot of trouble, and with a CGM, I could instantly check it when I feel the need to do so. Plus, no more finger sticks. That's be nice.
Anyways, sorry for rambling.
I'll still probably look into it and get one because... why not?
I would expect that the Libre Rio would be coming out shortly. I might wait for it and see it's price, although I'd expect it to be about the same. Measures every minute rather than every 5 minutes, is a bit smaller and doesn't need to be "overpatched".
This post was edited on 9/5/24 at 1:48 pm
Posted on 9/7/24 at 9:58 am to MemphisGuy
Okay... so I went ahead and got a couple... $80, so I thought why not.
Ordered on Thursday, waiting at front door when we got home on Friday.
After wearing for a whole 14 hours, here's what I have so far...
Meh... it doesn't even measure below 70... doesn't alert when going low... can't do "instant" readings... reports to the app/watch every 15 minutes, but gives 5 minutes readings, if that makes sense...
Just not very useful at all.
One interesting thing.. apparently between 1 and 3 am, I am going below 70, based on the graph... there's a line going from 1 until about 3 am where it's all at 70... but since it doesn't go lower than 70... and since it doesn't alert if you go below a set number... and since you are asleep.... and since you obviously woke up, meaning, I guess, no harm no foul, what's the point? If that makes sense.
Maybe the Libre Rio will have better reporting, read lower than 70 and give alerts if you go below a certain target.
To sum up, unless you are using to just to sort of keep up with your Keto things or something like that, I just can't see the point in it.
Maybe after a week or so, I'll change my tune. Or maybe they can improve their app to alert, read below 70... things like that.
The g6 or g7 would be so much more useful, but BCBS only covers those if you are insulin dependent type 1. And they are more than 80 bucks.
Update: This thing seems to be nothing more than junk. It's been reading at 70 or below for the past 4 hours. Compare that to my fingersticks of 135... 128... 110... 95...95... 92.. 92...
Not very useful if it's just flat wrong.
Ordered on Thursday, waiting at front door when we got home on Friday.
After wearing for a whole 14 hours, here's what I have so far...
Meh... it doesn't even measure below 70... doesn't alert when going low... can't do "instant" readings... reports to the app/watch every 15 minutes, but gives 5 minutes readings, if that makes sense...
Just not very useful at all.
One interesting thing.. apparently between 1 and 3 am, I am going below 70, based on the graph... there's a line going from 1 until about 3 am where it's all at 70... but since it doesn't go lower than 70... and since it doesn't alert if you go below a set number... and since you are asleep.... and since you obviously woke up, meaning, I guess, no harm no foul, what's the point? If that makes sense.
Maybe the Libre Rio will have better reporting, read lower than 70 and give alerts if you go below a certain target.
To sum up, unless you are using to just to sort of keep up with your Keto things or something like that, I just can't see the point in it.
Maybe after a week or so, I'll change my tune. Or maybe they can improve their app to alert, read below 70... things like that.
The g6 or g7 would be so much more useful, but BCBS only covers those if you are insulin dependent type 1. And they are more than 80 bucks.
Update: This thing seems to be nothing more than junk. It's been reading at 70 or below for the past 4 hours. Compare that to my fingersticks of 135... 128... 110... 95...95... 92.. 92...
Not very useful if it's just flat wrong.
This post was edited on 9/7/24 at 10:06 pm
Posted on 9/7/24 at 10:37 pm to MemphisGuy
The lack of accuracy is concerning. I did read that these can’t be calibrated but the g7 can be.
The lack of alert is intentional. The device is sold without prescription as a sensor. If it had alerting and monitoring then it becomes a medical device and needs a prescription.
The lack of alert is intentional. The device is sold without prescription as a sensor. If it had alerting and monitoring then it becomes a medical device and needs a prescription.
Posted on 9/7/24 at 10:46 pm to hob
quote:
The lack of alert is intentional.
Seems like that would be a very simple function of the app. Any app. Apple Health... Sugarmate... something... this won't even share data with Sugarmate... I guess I get it, but at the same time... I don't get it.
I could very easily get a script for a G7... or a Libre 3... just because this is OTC doesn't mean (or shouldn't mean) that it can't alert you if you are going low. Oh well...
With a script and the goodrx app, the G7 works out to be about $145 a month... the Libre 3 is about $115 (without BCBS covering)... it's more than the Stelo, but not enough more to keep one from getting it if one wanted to. Which is probably what I'll end up doing. Then comparing with the fingersticks... and see if I can't work out a viable tracking solution. Makes sense to me, anyways.
Libre 3 is what I'm leaning towards. Seems to have better tracking utility... notifications... that sort of thing.
The Stelo... well, it gives the last reading it got as a number... and your "average"... but you can't go back and look at numerical figures... just dots on a graph. Or at least I haven't figured out how to do that yet.
Probably ought to talk to my PCP about it... but he's an idiot, so there's that. "Well, your A1C looks good..." That's about what I get out of him.
What I'd like... a CGM with a screen that shows the reading on it... kind of... well, exactly like... a blood oxygen sensor they put on your finger.
Look down and boom... there's your number right there on the little screen. Is that too much to ask for?
Ok.. I've gotten off topic enough.
This post was edited on 9/7/24 at 10:54 pm
Posted on 9/8/24 at 5:56 am to MemphisGuy
Bottom line....sounds like a piece of shite.
Posted on 9/8/24 at 6:36 am to DrDenim
quote:
Bottom line....sounds like a piece of shite.
Yeah, just got up... checked the app... just a flat line reading 70 or below all night long... did a fingerstick... it was 89. Things is garbage. If anyone was thinking about getting one... don't.
There's really not any help to speak of. No phone number... just a suggestion to chat with their bot... which is... well, you can't even find the bot to chat with it. I have half a mind to remove it and dispute the charge as having received a defective product that the company then offered zero help with.
Posted on 9/8/24 at 8:42 am to MemphisGuy
I would, sounds like it is not capable of doing what it's advertised as being capable of doing. I knew it wouldn't be as feature rich as a cgm that a prescription could get a person, but I didn't think it would be so inaccurate. Disappointing.
Posted on 9/8/24 at 1:11 pm to DrDenim
Abbott has released the Lingo... not really for t2 diabetics, more for keto people and people just interested in tracking their glucose levels. It's apple only, doesn't integrate with Apple Health or the Apple watch... but it DOES read below 70 and seems to send data every minute or so. Same price as the Stelo.
My Stelo cut off during chuch... said the session was over and to remove and insert a new sensor. I have 2 of them, so I'll do that... see if it's a bad sensor or whatever... still... while it DID work... it was junk. I have it, though, might well stick it on. Since there quite literally is NO way to contact Dexcom about the Stelo... they say use SteloBot, but SteloBot is non existent at the moment... I disputed the charge... see if that gets anywhere.
Anyways... that's my brief experience with the Stelo. As of now... don't waste your money. If you are looking at just tracking glucose and what not... look at the Lingo... if you are a Type 2 looking for an OTC CGM, wait for the Libre Rio... I would think it would be out shortly, given the Lingo just came out.
My Stelo cut off during chuch... said the session was over and to remove and insert a new sensor. I have 2 of them, so I'll do that... see if it's a bad sensor or whatever... still... while it DID work... it was junk. I have it, though, might well stick it on. Since there quite literally is NO way to contact Dexcom about the Stelo... they say use SteloBot, but SteloBot is non existent at the moment... I disputed the charge... see if that gets anywhere.
Anyways... that's my brief experience with the Stelo. As of now... don't waste your money. If you are looking at just tracking glucose and what not... look at the Lingo... if you are a Type 2 looking for an OTC CGM, wait for the Libre Rio... I would think it would be out shortly, given the Lingo just came out.
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