Dr. Wy, why won’t my doctor prescribe me a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for my prediabetes? It would really help me watch my diet!

Ask Dr. Wy…

Richard Wyderski, MD, FACP

Dr. Wy, why won’t my doctor prescribe me a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for my prediabetes? It would really help me watch my diet!

If you’re an American Ninja Warrior fan like my wife and me, you may have seen competitor Katie Bone wearing a CGM device on her upper arm. She is a type 1 diabetic and uses an insulin pump to closely control her blood sugars. Not enough or too much insulin could land her in the ICU with diabetic ketoacidosis or severe low blood sugar. Her device helps her always know her blood sugar to fine tune her food and insulin intake. It has been a boon for people with type 1 diabetes.

Many insurers will now also cover a CGM for type 2 diabetes who are taking insulin, but it’s rare for diabetics that don’t. A review article combining data from different studies demonstrated that type 2 diabetics on insulin using a CGM demonstrated a significant improvement in their hemoglobin a1c blood levels, the gold standard test for measuring diabetes control. This was also true for type 2 diabetics not on insulin. It really works!

What about prediabetes? Actually, one device, the Dexcom Stelo, has been approved by the FDA for use in prediabetics and type 2 diabetics not on insulin, and it’s available without a prescription. It will even pair with your Oura Ring if you have one so you can track your blood sugar on your phone’s Oura app along with the other biometric items it monitors. How cool is that?!

If you have prediabetes and would like to increase your chances of not becoming diabetic, think about using a CGM. You’ll be glad you did!

 

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