5 ms·

I’m not diabetic, but I’m using a CGM for a few weeks, out of curiosity. My only surprising finding was that diet sodas don’t spike my glucose, but they do cra

I’m not diabetic, but I’m using a CGM for a few weeks, out of curiosity. My only surprising finding was that diet sodas don’t spike my glucose, but they do crash it, probably because my insulin response is triggered by perceived sweetness.

1123581321 6y ago
That is interesting. My response is flat, but of course my insulin production is all but non-existent.
nikkwong 6y ago
How did you get it prescribed? I can't get my doctor to give me one.
- gazzini 6y ago
  I have a friend who is a doctor. He was using it himself & offered to write me an Rx. I’m now doing it a second time, using the levels health app [0]. If you can make it to the front of their massive waiting list (and don’t mind paying their fee), it’s the easiest way to get one. [0]: https://www.levelshealth.com https://www.levelshealth.com
  - novok 6y ago
    What did the doctor write to get it covered by insurance? How much does levels cost?
    - gazzini 6y ago
      It wasn’t covered by insurance, but the Freestyle Libre CGM was $37 at CVS & lasts for 2 weeks. The major cost factor (for most people) is getting a doctor to write you an Rx. Levels is around $400, but all you have to do is fill out a form online & wait. They get a doctor to evaluate your profile & write an Rx, and then they fill the prescription & send it to you with patches & everything. Their app also does more data analysis than the default Libre app, and it puts the food-log directly on the glucose graph, which is surprisingly useful.
specialist 6y ago
I thought this was common knowledge. Late 80s, my bro tech'd for his prof, who was researching artificial sweeteners, esp aspartame. He told me a burger w/ diet coke was worse than normal coke, because the excess insulin produced will then metabolize whatever useful protein is found into fat. He also said the fake sugars were more addictive, which I totally believe.
- novok 6y ago
  No it's far from common knowledge, if the way you find out is through some university professor. My understanding is / was that fake sugars do not have response and do not cause you to get fat, while you've demonstrated there is an insulin response which is pretty major. Now I have to figure out another way to deal with the bitterness of coffee other than my current 2 packets of stevia method.
  - Spooky23 6y ago
    Trade sugar for good cream. Skip the fake dairy crap like soy/oat/etc. Find a creamy half and half or even heavy cream cut with half and half. A little goes a long way. I put two tablespoons in a 30oz travel cup. I live in the northeast and find the Aldi brand heavy cream is fabulous and cheap. It is processed at ultra dairy in Syracuse, NY, shop around for a brand you like, but use the plant codes on the box to figure out who makes it — each dairy is different.
    - specialist 6y ago
      Surprising myself, as a long time breve partisan and hater of all things coconut, I've fallen hard for heavy coconut cream and now homemade oatmeal milk. I started making oatmeal "cream" at home as base for my smoothies. (Two birds, one stone.) Put oats, chia, honey, banana, water in vitamix. Frappe a bit. Walk the dog (about an hour). Voila, oatmeal cream. Then add the other ingredients as normal. Dr Google says the enzymes break down the oatmeal. I have no idea how or why.
      - 6y ago
kortex 6y ago
Did you know it was diet? Given this article and some of the linked research, it seems like even incorrect knowledge of the caloric content has effects on the system. Would be cool to blind yourself to it and analyze the results of caloric vs diet soda.
vowelless 6y ago
How did you acquire a CGM, if you don't mind me asking?
SkyPuncher 6y ago
I use to have the same problem. I met my wife who preferred diet and eventually transitioned to diet pretty much entirely without getting that sugar issue. I do have a problem with aspartame. Diet Pepsi is okay, but diet Coke is not.

1123581321 6y ago

That is interesting. My response is flat, but of course my insulin production is all but non-existent.

nikkwong 6y ago

How did you get it prescribed? I can't get my doctor to give me one.

gazzini 6y ago
I have a friend who is a doctor. He was using it himself & offered to write me an Rx. I’m now doing it a second time, using the levels health app [0]. If you can make it to the front of their massive waiting list (and don’t mind paying their fee), it’s the easiest way to get one. [0]: https://www.levelshealth.com https://www.levelshealth.com
- novok 6y ago
  What did the doctor write to get it covered by insurance? How much does levels cost?
  - gazzini 6y ago
    It wasn’t covered by insurance, but the Freestyle Libre CGM was $37 at CVS & lasts for 2 weeks. The major cost factor (for most people) is getting a doctor to write you an Rx. Levels is around $400, but all you have to do is fill out a form online & wait. They get a doctor to evaluate your profile & write an Rx, and then they fill the prescription & send it to you with patches & everything. Their app also does more data analysis than the default Libre app, and it puts the food-log directly on the glucose graph, which is surprisingly useful.

specialist 6y ago

I thought this was common knowledge. Late 80s, my bro tech'd for his prof, who was researching artificial sweeteners, esp aspartame. He told me a burger w/ diet coke was worse than normal coke, because the excess insulin produced will then metabolize whatever useful protein is found into fat. He also said the fake sugars were more addictive, which I totally believe.

novok 6y ago
No it's far from common knowledge, if the way you find out is through some university professor. My understanding is / was that fake sugars do not have response and do not cause you to get fat, while you've demonstrated there is an insulin response which is pretty major. Now I have to figure out another way to deal with the bitterness of coffee other than my current 2 packets of stevia method.
- Spooky23 6y ago
  Trade sugar for good cream. Skip the fake dairy crap like soy/oat/etc. Find a creamy half and half or even heavy cream cut with half and half. A little goes a long way. I put two tablespoons in a 30oz travel cup. I live in the northeast and find the Aldi brand heavy cream is fabulous and cheap. It is processed at ultra dairy in Syracuse, NY, shop around for a brand you like, but use the plant codes on the box to figure out who makes it — each dairy is different.
  - specialist 6y ago
    Surprising myself, as a long time breve partisan and hater of all things coconut, I've fallen hard for heavy coconut cream and now homemade oatmeal milk. I started making oatmeal "cream" at home as base for my smoothies. (Two birds, one stone.) Put oats, chia, honey, banana, water in vitamix. Frappe a bit. Walk the dog (about an hour). Voila, oatmeal cream. Then add the other ingredients as normal. Dr Google says the enzymes break down the oatmeal. I have no idea how or why.
    - 6y ago

kortex 6y ago

Did you know it was diet? Given this article and some of the linked research, it seems like even incorrect knowledge of the caloric content has effects on the system. Would be cool to blind yourself to it and analyze the results of caloric vs diet soda.

vowelless 6y ago

How did you acquire a CGM, if you don't mind me asking?

SkyPuncher 6y ago

I use to have the same problem. I met my wife who preferred diet and eventually transitioned to diet pretty much entirely without getting that sugar issue. I do have a problem with aspartame. Diet Pepsi is okay, but diet Coke is not.