Type 1 - Juvenile Diabetics

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What digital tools are you using?

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forestplay
forestplay Posts: 63 Member
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I would like to hear what others are using for recording exercise, food and insulin and how easy or useful is it for managing your diabetes.

It's a given that most of us are using MFP. I also use FitBit every day and DigiFit with a Heart Rate Monitor for exercise. All of these are linked and share data to some degree.

I've not found a great digital tool for recording BG and notes about lows or other notes about readings. This week I'm trying the iPhone app "Glooko". With the cable it can download readings from my OneTouch UltraLink (which also sends the BG reading to my Paradigm pump).

OneTouch cable at Amazon: http://fplay.bz/XbC9b
AccuCheck cable at Amazon: http://fplay.bz/Em9mZ

I'm trying to get in the habit of marking each reading on the meter and also entering my food and exercise info into the Glooko app. I'll download my BG readings each night to complete the log.

Glooko can create a pdf report which can be mailed to my medical staff, but I haven't tried that yet.

Any one have other system that work well? I'd sure like to hear about it.

-Bob

Replies

  • k_winder
    k_winder Posts: 65 Member
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    I was invited to beta test an app called mysugr (it's available outside the USA already, but can only be accessed from within the USA through private invite). I'm using it on my iPad mini. It lets me enter my blood sugars, carbs eaten (and a note about what I ate), insulin given, how I feel, what time of day it is, what meal I am eating, what I am doing at the time, activity I am doing and for how long. It also lets me enter info about any temporary basal rates I use and for how long I use them.
  • forestplay
    forestplay Posts: 63 Member
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    Sounds great. Any sense on when it will be generally available?

    Is all the data entered manually? What I mean is, can it download pump data from a pump, can it download BG readings from a meter?

    I really hate having to enter data in multiple locations. I always forget to do one or another.
  • vickicutshall
    vickicutshall Posts: 25 Member
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    Hi Bob,
    I see that if I send in $49 or so, to FitBit, they have a "premier" version of their program that would let us enter more blood glucose readings. Still, as you have pointed out, this is separate, AND in addition to our work with CareLink and our meter downloads. I've gone ahead and moved to the Contour linked meter with my Paradigm (our insurance changed from Lifescan to Bayer, but I think they're going back again:noway: ) and it sort of forces you to add a few marks. I haven't added any phone apps since that just seems like too many different places for my data.

    The Capture Events feature on our pump is also a way to add data that we're already doing into the CareLink reports. And, though I haven't done it, I think we can add comments into the Logbook feature of CareLink. Are you using a sensor with your pump. They're sure spendy, but incredible information from them.

    Still, when it really comes down to improving my performance, I still go back and write it down in the little Medtronic Daily Journal. That's actually where it all comes together for me and studies confirm that writing it down is associated with best outcomes. I last about a week or so, then I go back to MFP and CareLink.
    Vicki
  • forestplay
    forestplay Posts: 63 Member
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    Hi Vicki,

    Last I heard, the Glucose recording feature of Fitbit wasn't ready for prime time. Since that would be the only reason I want to upgrade, I'm hesitant to spend $50/year for this feature. It's not even mentioned on their sales page for the premium service. I did a Google search and the descriptions I found show that it actually is not designed for diabetic patients. They don't say that, but the features are such that it would have very limited usefulness for someone who measures multiple (4+) times per day.

    I don't use a continuous BG sensor, although I tried using the MiniMed product with my pump a while back. I thought the system was not reliable enough to help me. It required far too much calibration and, once calibrated, worked for far too little time before the process had to be started again. I've heard the Dex system is better and I might consider that in the future.

    I use the OneTouch UltraLink meter with my Paradigm and it has the ability to tag readings. I try to do this most of the time. I don't know that this pump has the "capture events" feature. I think that is only available on the Revel. Am I mistaken?

    I just received a new Bayer meter from Minimed. The features for tagging seem nearly identical to the tagging feature of the OneTouch UltraLink. I do like the backlit, color screen. Using it, including downloading data to Carelink seems troublesome. I would have to download data from the meter, then download data from my pump. I don't see how it has any advantage over using my OneTouch meter.

    The Carelink system by Minimed has a huge missing part that makes it less than useful to me. there's no way to record exercise, except by visiting the site manually. Frankly, that site is not easy to use for recording manual data.

    Because I tend to be lazy, I want to avoid paper logs and have all my data recorded as automatically as possible. I work really hard at my laziness. :-)

    -Bob

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