Dr. Benjamin H. Krasne, M.D.
Board-certified physicianBoard-certified in anesthesiology, he reads medications and metabolism with a pharmacologist's eye, which shapes how he doses weight loss and longevity care.
See your glucose around the clock
Continuous glucose monitoring online with a clinician
A continuous glucose monitor tracks your glucose day and night, turning a single fingerstick number into a moving picture. Here's how the technology works, who tends to benefit and how a clinician can help you use the data well.
- Free 5–10 minute consultation
- FreeStyle Libre sensors when appropriate
- Help reading your glucose reports
Free to book. You pay only if you go ahead with treatment.
$149starting price, per month
Licensed U.S. clinician review
Readings: Every few minutes, to your phone
From $149/motransparent price
5–10 minphone or video
No insuranceneeded
LicensedU.S. clinicians
Why get continuous glucose monitoring with us
Trends, not snapshots
A wearable sensor sends readings to your phone every few minutes, so you can see how meals, exercise and sleep move your glucose.
Clinician-guided setup
A licensed U.S. clinician reviews your history and medicines, sets a sensible target range with you and prescribes sensors when a CGM is appropriate.
Data you can act on
Get help reading time in range, daily patterns and lows, plus advice on follow-up labs such as an A1c if your numbers run high.
Clear starting price
The monthly plan starts at $149 for a month of 14-day FreeStyle Libre sensors. Your first consultation is free and no insurance is needed.
How to start continuous glucose monitoring
- 1
Pick a time for your free visit
In a free 5–10 minute phone or video consult, a clinician asks about your goals, history and medicines to see whether a CGM fits.
- 2
Start your monthly plan
The plan sends a month of FreeStyle Libre sensors at a time, each lasting 14 days, so you can try it briefly or keep tracking.
- 3
Wear the sensor and log your day
Keep notes on meals, exercise and sleep in the app; context is what turns numbers into insight.
- 4
Review your data with a clinician
Review trends together, test one change at a time and decide whether more monitoring or lab work is useful.
Who continuous glucose monitoring is for
Diabetes treated with insulin
This is where the evidence is strongest. Continuous data and alerts help with dosing decisions and catching lows; this care is usually managed by a diabetes team.
Type 2 diabetes without insulin
A CGM can show how food, activity and medicines affect glucose, which may help with day-to-day choices.
Prediabetes
The CDC estimates more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults have prediabetes. Seeing your own after-meal patterns can make lifestyle advice feel concrete.
Weight-loss medication users
Glucose data can complement GLP-1 treatment by showing how changing meals affect your numbers.
Healthy adults curious about glucose
Some healthy adults wear a CGM for a few weeks to learn. The benefit for this group is less well studied, so it's worth setting realistic expectations first.
Prescription CGM vs. over-the-counter CGM vs. fingersticks
| Feature | Prescription CGM | Over-the-counter CGM | Fingerstick meter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Readings | Every few minutes, day and night | Every few minutes, day and night | One number per test |
| Best suited to | Decided with your clinician | Adults 18+ who don't use insulin | — |
| Clinician review | Included | — | — |
| Low glucose | Your clinician reviews lows with you | Not designed to alert to dangerous lows | — |
| Price here | From $149/mo | — | — |
What does a continuous glucose monitor do?
A fingerstick meter or a fasting blood test tells you your glucose at one moment. An A1c gives a long-term average over about two to three months. Neither shows what happens after breakfast, during a stressful afternoon or at 3 a.m. Continuous glucose monitoring fills that gap.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a CGM uses a small sensor placed under the skin, usually on the belly or arm, to estimate glucose every few minutes. It measures glucose in the fluid between cells, which closely tracks blood glucose, and a transmitter sends the readings to a phone or receiver.
CGMs began as tools for people who use insulin. Today their use is broader. In March 2024 the FDA cleared the first over-the-counter CGM for adults who don't use insulin, including people without diabetes. This program uses prescription FreeStyle Libre sensors, chosen and reviewed with a licensed clinician.
How to read continuous glucose monitor data
Your app turns thousands of readings into a few summaries. These are the ones most worth understanding.
- Glucose graph: the line over 24 hours, showing peaks after meals and how quickly levels come back down.
- Time in range: the share of the day your glucose stays inside a target range your clinician sets with you.
- Average glucose and variability: how high your glucose runs on average and how much it swings.
- Daily patterns: an overlay of several days that highlights repeated rises, such as after the same breakfast.
- Lows: periods below range, which matter most for people taking insulin or medicines that can cause hypoglycemia.
Prescription vs. over-the-counter CGMs
Over-the-counter CGMs are sold directly to consumers. The FDA's 2024 clearance covered adults 18 and older who don't use insulin, and the agency noted that the device isn't meant for people with problematic low blood sugar because it isn't designed to alert users to dangerous lows.
A prescription CGM through a clinician adds medical context. Your clinician can look at your history and medicines, suggest follow-up tests when readings are concerning and connect glucose data to treatments such as metformin or GLP-1 medicines. Pricing for this program starts at $149 a month for a month of 14-day Libre sensors.
Common continuous glucose monitoring mistakes
It's easy to over-read a single spike. Glucose naturally rises after eating, even in healthy people, and the sensor reads fluid under the skin, so it lags behind blood by several minutes. Focus on repeated patterns and change one thing at a time. Remember that a CGM can't diagnose diabetes. If your numbers are consistently high, the next step is a standard test such as an A1c.
Continuous glucose monitoring side effects and safety
CGMs are generally safe to wear. Most issues are minor, but a few situations call for care.
- Redness, itching or irritation from the adhesive is the most common side effect; rotating sites helps.
- CGM readings are estimates; confirm with a fingerstick test if you doubt a reading or are changing insulin doses.
- Remove the sensor before MRI, CT scans and certain heat treatments, following the device instructions.
- Large doses of vitamin C can falsely raise readings on some sensors.
- Severe symptoms of high or low blood sugar, such as confusion, fainting or vomiting, need urgent medical care regardless of what the sensor shows.
Physicians who oversee your care
Independently licensed U.S. physicians supervise every treatment we offer.
Dr. Johnathan Chance Miller, M.D.
PhysicianTrained at Columbia and Washington University, he pairs prescriptions with practical habits around food, training and sleep.
Dr. Vanessa Niles, R.N., M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
OB-GYN, board certifiedAn OB-GYN for more than 40 years and a Fellow of ACOG, she leads women's health care, from perimenopause to PCOS.
Continuous glucose monitoring FAQs
Still deciding? The first consultation is free and takes about 5–10 minutes.
Book a free consultationWhat does a continuous glucose monitor do?
Continuous glucose monitoring uses a small wearable sensor to estimate your glucose every few minutes, day and night. The readings are sent to your phone so you can see trends rather than single numbers.
How does a CGM measure glucose without blood?
A thin filament under the skin measures glucose in the fluid between cells. That level closely follows blood glucose, with a delay of several minutes.
Who should use a continuous glucose monitor?
CGMs are most established for people with diabetes, especially those using insulin. People with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and those on weight-loss medicines may also find the data useful. A clinician can help you decide.
Is a CGM worth it if I don't have diabetes?
It can be educational, showing how meals, exercise and sleep affect your glucose. The health benefit for people without diabetes is less proven, so treat it as a learning tool rather than a diagnosis.
How much does a CGM cost without insurance?
The monthly plan starts at $149 for a month of 14-day FreeStyle Libre sensors. The first consultation is free and no insurance is needed.
Are over-the-counter CGMs the same as prescription ones?
They use similar technology but are cleared for different users. The first over-the-counter CGM, cleared in 2024, is for adults who don't use insulin and isn't meant for people with problematic lows.
What is a normal glucose spike after eating?
Glucose rises after meals in everyone. How high it goes and how long it stays up depend on the food, the portion and the person. Your clinician can help you set a sensible target range rather than chasing every spike.
What does time in range mean?
It's the percentage of the day your glucose stays within a target range. It's a helpful single number for tracking progress, alongside your average and how much your levels vary.
Can a CGM diagnose diabetes or prediabetes?
No. Diabetes and prediabetes are diagnosed with lab tests such as A1c or fasting glucose. If your CGM readings run high, your clinician can order the right test.
How long should I wear a CGM?
Many people learn a lot in two to six weeks. Others with diabetes wear one continuously. Your goals and your clinician's advice will guide the right length.
Does wearing a CGM hurt?
Most people feel little when the sensor is applied and don't notice it after that. Some have mild skin irritation from the adhesive.
Can I use a CGM with medicines like metformin or a GLP-1?
Yes. Glucose data can show how your treatment and eating habits work together. Tell your clinician about any lows, especially if you take other diabetes medicines.
Can I get a CGM prescription online?
Yes. Book a free consult, and if a clinician decides a CGM is appropriate, you'll be prescribed FreeStyle Libre sensors. Our CGM prescription page explains the monthly plan in detail.
Start continuous glucose monitoring today
Book a free phone or video consultation. If a CGM fits your goals, a clinician prescribes FreeStyle Libre sensors, on a monthly plan from $149.
Related services
References
- NIDDK (NIH): Continuous Glucose Monitoring
- FDA: FDA Clears First Over-the-Counter Continuous Glucose Monitor
- CDC: 1 in 3 Americans Have Prediabetes
- MedlinePlus: Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) Test
Medically reviewed October 2026. This page is general information and not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. Read our editorial policy.
$149starting price, per month
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