Your body is unique
Is it eba or amala raising your blood sugar? Your own body will tell you.
Photo: daughter helping her mother put on the sensorA small sensor on your arm checks your blood sugar all day and all night, for 14 or 30 days. You see the number on your phone at any time. No needle pricks.
First things first
What is a CGM? Let us explain it simply.
CGM is short for three words. Each word tells you what it does.
It never stops. It keeps checking, day and night, even while you sleep.
Glucose is the sugar in your blood. This is the number your doctor talks about.
It watches and shows you. The number appears on your phone.
Photo: the small round sensor on the back of the armWorn on the back of the armThink of it like this
A finger prick is like taking one photo. It shows you one moment.
A CGM is like a video that never stops. It shows you what happens before you eat, while you eat, and for hours after.
With one photo, you can miss everything. With the video, you see the whole story.
Why the finger prick is not enough
A finger prick tells you one moment. Your sugar moves all day.
Say you eat eba at 2pm and prick your finger at 2:30pm. The machine gives you one number. That is all.
It cannot tell you if your sugar kept rising after that. It cannot tell you if it stayed high until evening. It cannot tell you what happened at night while you slept.
The CGM checks every few minutes, for 14 or 30 days. Whatever you eat, at any time, you can open the app and see what it did to your blood sugar.
Not every rise is bad
All food raises your sugar a little. What matters is how high, and for how long.
When you eat, your blood sugar goes up. That is normal. Even healthy people see a rise.
Some foods raise it a little, and soon it comes back down. Those foods are okay for your body.
Other foods push it up high and keep it there for two or three hours. Those are the ones that hurt you over time. Those are the foods to cut down or stop.
Here is the surprise: the bad ones can be natural, local food. It is not only sweets and soft drinks.
Same food. Different bodies.
Two people eat the same two dinners. They get opposite results.
This is why one general list of "good food" and "bad food" is not enough. Your body is not the same as your neighbour's. Only your own readings can tell you the truth about you.
Photo: amala with ewedu and gbegiri beside eba with egusi
Photo: Person A eating amalaPerson APerson A: amala is the problem
Photo: Person B eating ebaPerson BPerson B: eba is the problem
These are examples to show how people differ. Your own results will be different. That is exactly what the CGM shows you.
You may be surprised
The food raising your sugar may not be the one you think
We are not saying these foods are bad for everybody. Many people eat them with no problem. But for some bodies, they push sugar up and keep it up. The CGM tells you which group you are in.
For sons and daughters
We want our parents with us for as long as possible
We all know that one day our parents will go, and one day we will go too. But while they are here, we want them healthy, strong and happy.
Your mother does not have to understand the technology. The sensor sits on her arm. The app shows the readings on the phone. You can see what is happening.
Then you can call and ask: "Mummy, what did you eat at 2 o'clock? Your sugar went up and stayed there for three hours."
Then you call the cook or the house help: "Please, don't make that for Mummy again."
No more guessing. No more waiting for the next hospital visit to find out something is wrong.
How you see the readings: the sensor connects to the app on the phone it is paired with. If the app on your parent's phone allows family sharing, you can follow from your own phone. If not, they or the house help can send you a screenshot on WhatsApp. We will help you set this up.
Photo: son showing his mother her readingsabove 200 for 3 hours
There is hope
Diabetes does not have to be a death sentence
Many people live long, full lives with diabetes. The ones who do well usually have one thing in common: they know their numbers.
When you can see your blood sugar, you can see which foods to stay away from. You can see when your medicine is working. You can show your doctor real readings instead of guessing.
There are many teas and products out there promising to fix diabetes. The CGM does not promise magic. It does something simpler and more useful. It shows you the truth about your own body, so you and your doctor can act on it.
Take it to your doctor
Your doctor sees one reading. Now you can show 14 or 30 days.
At the clinic, the doctor checks your sugar once. That one number may be high because you rushed there, or low because you didn't eat. It doesn't tell the full story.
With the CGM, you walk in with every reading from the last 14 or 30 days, day and night, before and after meals. Your doctor can see the real pattern of your sugar.
This helps your doctor decide if your medicine is working, if the dose needs to change, and which foods to advise you on. It turns guessing into knowing.
Only your doctor should change your medicine. Bring the readings and let the doctor decide.
What to show your doctor
- Your graph for the last 14 or 30 days
- Time in range: how much of the day your sugar stayed in the safe zone
- Your average blood sugar
- Highs and lows: when your sugar went too high or too low, especially at night
- Your meal notes: which foods sent your sugar up and kept it there
Tip: before the visit, take screenshots of the app or show the doctor straight from your phone. Write down any meals that made your sugar stay high.
How to use it
Five simple steps
Photo: putting on the sensorStep 1 takes about a minutePut the sensor on your arm
Press the applicator on the back of your upper arm. Our short video shows you exactly how. Most people say it feels like a quick press.
Connect it to the phone
Download the app and connect it. The video shows this too. If you get stuck, message us on WhatsApp.
Eat your normal food
Don't change anything in the first days. Let the sensor learn what your usual meals do.
Check the app after meals
One hour and two hours after eating, look at the line. Did it go up and come back down? Or did it go up and stay up?
Keep the good foods, cut the bad ones
Keep the foods that stay in the safe range. Cut down the ones that keep you high. Show your doctor your readings.
Side by side
Finger prick or CGM?
| Finger prick | CGM | |
|---|---|---|
| How many readings | 1 to 3 a day, if you remember | Every few minutes, all day and night |
| Pain | A needle every time | One quick press every 14 days |
| At night | Almost never checked | Shows if sugar goes too high or too low while you sleep |
| After meals | One number, one moment | How high it went and how long it stayed |
| Family can see it | No | Yes, by sharing or a screenshot |
Keep your glucometer. It is still useful for a quick check. The CGM shows what the glucometer cannot.
What you get
Everything you need, plus our help
M8 CGM sensor
One sensor lasts 14 days. The 30-day kit has two. Applicator included.
Setup video
A short video shows you how to put it on, connect the app and read your numbers.
WhatsApp help
Stuck? Message us. We will walk you through it.
Weekly check-in
Send us your graph. We show you your spikes and which meals caused them.
Nigerian meal plan
Simple swaps for the food you already eat.
Pay when it arrives
No payment before delivery. Cash or transfer at your door.
A taste of the meal plan
Your CGM shows which swaps work for your own body. Check before and after.
Questions people ask
Everything you want to ask
Tap any question to see the answer.
Wearing it every day
Can I take my bath with it on?
Yes. The sensor is waterproof, so you can bathe with it every day for the 14 days. You don't need to cover it. Just follow three small rules:
- Don't scrub the sensor with your sponge. Wash around it gently.
- After bathing, pat it dry with your towel. Don't rub it.
- Don't put body cream, oil or shea butter on the sensor or right around it. Oil makes the plaster loose.
Can I swim with it?
Bathing is fine. For swimming, ask us first and we'll tell you what this sensor allows. Deep water or a long swim can loosen the plaster.
Can I sleep with it?
Yes. Sleep as normal. One tip: if you lie heavily on that arm all night, the reading can drop for a short time because the sensor is being pressed. When you turn over, it goes back to normal. If you see a sudden low reading at night and you feel fine, this is often the reason.
Will it fall off?
It sticks like a strong plaster and is made to stay on for 14 days. To help it stay:
- Clean the spot with the alcohol swab and let it dry before you put it on.
- Keep cream and oil away from that spot.
- Be careful when wearing or removing tight sleeves, so you don't drag it.
If it falls off early, message us on WhatsApp with a photo straight away.
Can I go to work, church, the market or the gym with it?
Yes. It's small (about the size of a ₦50 coin) and sits on the back of your arm. Under a sleeve, nobody will see it. Sweating is fine; just pat it dry after.
Does it hurt? Is there a needle inside my arm?
The applicator uses a tiny needle only to place the sensor. The needle comes out straight away. What stays under your skin is a very thin, soft thread, thinner than a hair. Most people say it feels like a quick press. After that, you don't feel it.
Where do I put it?
On the back of your upper arm, the soft part. When you change to a new sensor, use the other arm or a slightly different spot so the skin can rest.
What if my skin itches or gets red?
A little redness when you remove it is normal and goes away. If you get a rash, itching that doesn't stop, or pain, remove the sensor and message us. If it's serious, see a doctor.
How do I remove it after 14 days?
Peel it off slowly, like removing a plaster. That's all. Throw it away. One sensor cannot be used again.
Using the phone app
What phone do I need?
A smartphone with Bluetooth, the kind you use for WhatsApp. When we call to confirm your order, we'll check that your phone works with the app.
My mother doesn't have a smartphone. What can we do?
The sensor needs a smartphone near her to show the readings. Many families use an old Android phone that stays at home with her, or the phone of someone who lives with her. Tell us on the call and we'll help you choose.
Does the phone need to be close to me?
Yes. The sensor talks to the phone by Bluetooth, so keep the phone close to you, in the same room. If you go out, take the phone along.
Do I need data or internet?
You need internet to download and set up the app. The readings travel from the sensor to the phone by Bluetooth. Keep some data on the phone so the app can save and share your readings.
Can my children abroad see my readings?
The readings show on the phone paired with the sensor. If the app allows family sharing, your children can follow from their own phones. If not, you or someone at home can send them a screenshot on WhatsApp. We'll help you set it up.
What happens in the first few hours?
After you put on a new sensor, it needs a short warm-up period before it shows readings. On the first day, the numbers can be a little less steady. This is normal. By the second day it settles.
Readings and accuracy
Why is the CGM number different from my finger prick?
A finger prick checks the blood in your finger. The CGM checks the fluid just under your skin. That fluid follows your blood sugar about 10 to 15 minutes behind. So right after eating, or when sugar is rising or falling fast, the two numbers can differ a little. This is normal. Look at the line: is it going up, down, or staying flat?
Should I throw away my glucometer?
No, keep it. If the CGM number doesn't match how you feel (for example, you feel dizzy, shaky or very weak), check with a finger prick too. Never ignore how your body feels.
What number is "good"?
For most adults with diabetes, doctors aim for 80 to 130 before meals, and below 180 about 1 to 2 hours after eating. The app shows a safe range (often 70 to 180). Your own doctor may give you a different target, so follow your doctor.
How do I know which food is the problem?
Look at your line 1 hour and 2 hours after a meal. If it went up a little and came back down, that food is okay for you. If it went high and stayed high for 2 or 3 hours, that food is the problem. Eat one main food at a time so you know which one did it.
Health and safety
Can I show my readings to my doctor?
Yes, and you should. Instead of one reading at the clinic, your doctor can see 14 or 30 days of your sugar, day and night. Show the graph, your time in range, your average, and any highs or lows. It helps your doctor know if your medicine is working. Take screenshots before the visit or show the app on your phone.
Will it cure my diabetes?
No. It measures your blood sugar. It does not treat diabetes. It shows you and your doctor what's happening, so you can make better choices. Keep taking your medicine.
Can I use it with my tablets or insulin?
Yes. It doesn't affect your medicine. Seeing your readings can help you and your doctor know if the medicine is working. Never change or stop your medicine without your doctor.
Who can use it?
Adults aged 18 and above with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, or anyone who wants to understand how food affects their blood sugar. If you are pregnant, ask your doctor first.
I'm going for a scan or X-ray. What do I do?
Tell the hospital staff you're wearing a glucose sensor. Remove it before an MRI, CT scan or X-ray, as they advise.
Can two people share one sensor?
No. One sensor is for one person, one time. It cannot be removed and put on again.
Who checks my readings on WhatsApp?
Our support team looks at your weekly graph and points out patterns, like which meals cause spikes. This is guidance on food and habits, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before changing any medicine.
Ordering, payment and delivery
Why pay for this when I can prick my finger?
A finger prick shows one moment. The CGM shows every moment for 14 or 30 days, including at night and hours after meals, when you would never prick. That's how you find out which foods keep your sugar high. Many people wear it for one month, learn their pattern, change their food, then go back to pricking with a clear plan.
Should I buy 14 days or 30 days?
14 days is enough to compare your main meals, like eba and amala. 30 days lets you test more foods and confirm what you learnt, and it saves you ₦39,999 compared with buying two 14-day kits.
Do I pay before delivery?
No. You pay when the kit arrives, by cash or bank transfer at your door.
How long does delivery take?
We deliver nationwide. When we call to confirm your order, we'll tell you the delivery day for your area.
I live abroad. Can I order for my parent in Nigeria?
Yes. Choose "For my parent" on the order form and give their address. We deliver to them, and we can arrange for you to pay by transfer if they shouldn't pay at the door.
What should I check when it arrives?
Make sure the box is sealed and not damaged before you pay. Check the expiry date on the box. If anything looks wrong, don't accept it, and call us.
What happens after 14 or 30 days?
You can stop, or order another kit to keep tracking. We'll message you a few days before your sensor ends.
Important: The M8 CGM kit from Gadloop is for monitoring blood sugar. It does not replace your doctor or your medicine. If your readings are very high or very low, or you feel unwell, see a doctor or go to the nearest hospital.