The Sugar Scam: How a $89 Glucose Monitor is Turning Us into Guinea Pigs
As a wearables reviewer, I’ve been forced to confront the harsh reality of my own mortality. For the past two weeks, I’ve been strapped to a Dexcom Stelo, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that’s supposed to help me manage my blood sugar levels. But what I’ve discovered is a system that’s more interested in making a quick buck than actually helping people with diabetes.
The Stelo is part of a new wave of over-the-counter CGMs that’s been touted as a game-changer for people with Type 2 diabetes. But let’s be real, this is just a fancy way of saying "expensive gadget" that’s only accessible to those who can afford it. And even then, it’s not like it’s going to magically cure your diabetes or anything.
The pitch is that the Stelo can help people with Type 2 diabetes get their blood sugar levels under control, without the need for insulin. But what about the people who can’t afford it? What about the ones who are already struggling to make ends meet? It’s a system that’s designed to profit off of people’s fear and ignorance, rather than actually helping them.
And don’t even get me started on the app. It’s clunky, confusing, and completely lacking in any real-world context. I’ve been trying to use it to track my glucose levels, but it’s been a nightmare. The data is all over the place, and I’ve had to resort to taking screenshots just to keep track of my progress.
But hey, at least the needle is painless, right? Wrong. The Stelo uses a big ol’ needle to insert the sensor under your skin, and let me tell you, it’s not exactly a pleasant experience. And what about the people who are afraid of needles? What about the ones who are already anxious about their health?
I’ve been testing the Stelo for two weeks now, and I’ve seen some concerning trends in my data. My average glucose level is higher than it was when I was using a different CGM, and I’ve had a bunch of glucose spikes that I can’t explain. But hey, at least I’m not alone, right? I mean, there are plenty of other people out there who are using the Stelo, and who knows, maybe they’re all just as confused as I am.
But here’s the thing, the Stelo is just the tip of the iceberg. There are plenty of other companies out there that are peddling CGMs as a way to "fix" metabolic health, without actually providing any real-world benefits. It’s a scam, plain and simple.
So, what’s the solution? Well, for starters, we need to stop pretending that CGMs are some kind of magic bullet for diabetes. We need to start focusing on actual solutions, like better access to healthcare and more affordable treatments. And we need to stop treating people with diabetes like they’re just a bunch of guinea pigs, waiting to be experimented on.
The Stelo may be a fancy gadget, but it’s not the answer to our problems. It’s just a symptom of a larger issue, one that we need to address head-on. So, let’s stop pretending that CGMs are the solution, and let’s start working towards a world where everyone has access to the healthcare they deserve.
