Pender
#1
For those who want to measure their blood sugar continuously without talking to a doctor, the Stello CGM is now available for order without a prescription in the USA.
$99 for two 2-week sensors.
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AnUser
#2
See previous thread here as well:
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Right. I’m waiting for user reviews. Also, I’m waiting for the Abbott OTC CGM, pricing and reviews. I think Dexcom CGMs at some point had like 10 day sensors, so 14 days is an improvement; I wonder if you start getting rashes, itching or some kind of rejection toward the end of those two weeks.
Both Stello (Dexcom) and Lingo (Abbott) OTC CGMs are pretty similar in price.
The app permissions for both Stelo and Lingo are onerous for those that value data privacy. It is clear that they both want to gather as much information as they can about users in hopes of selling us future products and services.
In the case of Lingo, they are developing ketone, lactate and alcohol meters as well:
The Apple Health integration seems one sided (so Abbott can collect information about our workouts, etc). There is no way to export the raw glucose data from Lingo to anywhere else (all you can see is a graph within the app).
The information from these CGMs is useful but the apps are designed as walled gardens, meant to learn as much as they can about those wearing the CGMs while limiting the export of the useful data they contain. There is no way to turn off the annoying reminders to enter workout or meal information into Lingo. You have to accept/ignore these negative features for the privilege of viewing your glucose graph in the Lingo app.
On the positive side the adhesive works just fine for me. I don’t swim often but exercise almost every day. No concern whatsoever about the Lingo sensor falling off while working out or in the shower. I am not prediabetic/diabetic but others in my family are and I love data. Therefore, I check my A1C and blood glucose often and insulin (to calculate HOMA-IR) occasionally. My lingo readings are consistent with those measurements. The hardware works well.
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Thank you HealthSpanMaximalist for this valuable info. I am imminently in the market for an OTC CGM and facing the choice between these two. You selected Lingo - can you disclose why Lingo and not the Dexcom offering? I’m prediabetic and intend to use a CGM for possibly as long as a year - starting before I take rapa and empa, and then following what my BG does short-medium-longer term. Thank you!
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I can’t believe how expensive cgm still are. I started using the freestyle Libre about 5 years ago, and back then it was about 200/month for a 1 year prescription. I stopped using them around 2022 or so.
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These OTC products are new but functionally very similar to the existing rx models with some minor differences (approved wear time, app features, etc) and some major differences for insulin dependent diabetics (lack of real time alarm functionality, glucose reading range, ability to link an insulin pump or caregiver app).
As a non diabetic the glucose reading range of both the Stelo and Lingo work for me and the other missing features (alarm, pump integration, etc do not impact me at all). Since the Stelo and Lingo prices are similar (Lingo may be slightly cheaper with a subscription) I would assign my decision making process to the following weights:
- 90% app permissions (Lingo app permissions are onerous, but Stelo is worse)
- 7% subjectively the adhesive for Lingo (comparable to freestyle libre 3) seemed slightly better than the Stelo adhesive (similar to the Dexcom gx7). Some people address this by adding their own additional adhesive over the meter but I don’t think its a problem for most users.
- 3% price (they are close depending on your subscription terms)
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I believe the Lingo is now $249 for 12 weeks and Stelo is $89 per 30 days (both with a subscription). Hopefully the prices come down more and or more features (ketones, lactate, etc) are added to new models for the same price
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Thank you very much HSM, this is exactly the information I was looking for! I’m leaning toward the Abbott product. I will order within days.
One other question, if I may prevail upon you: where do you personally affix the CGM? I ask, because the providers warn against putting it on the arm etc., if you are going to roll over it at night, or sleep on it… and unfortunately, I tend to toss at night and turn from one side to the other many times a night, I can’t really control it, so I wonder what other people do 
Good question! I actually have the same problem myself (rolling over at night). I had the same concern but so far the adhesive has held up fine (both for the Lingo and for the similar Freestyle Libre when I tested that) on the back of my arm even when I roll over onto it. I haven’t noticed any big changes in the overnight graph to suggest the pressure on the sensor by being on my side at time have impacted the readings.
Regarding sleep, I still have room for improvement but found this book very helpful:
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Thank you, HSM, that’s very helpful! I’ll be ordering the Lingo toward the end of this coming week.
Does anyone know how to get these outside of the US? Dexcom and Abbott only seem to ship within the US. I’ve moved to the Philippines and they don’t seem to be available here yet.
I am in the UK and have used both. I prefer Dexcom.
