Just got this email from Tandem - which I find a bit confusing from a marketing perspective. I’ll reprint the email below, but it prompts the question - should I use this thing called sugarmate, and why?
Does anyone know why I would want to do what Tandem suggests in the email? Tandem doesn’t give me any reason - it acts like I know why I would want to do this. Can you help?
Here’s the email:
We’re excited to share that you may now link your Tandem Source platform account within Sugarmate by Tandem!
This means you can use it as your primary data sharing app by linking Tandem Source and enabling data sharing within the Sugarmate by Tandem app (version 4.2).
With Sugarmate by Tandem, you can share your CGM data with up to 20 followers.
To get started, download the app and create an account, selecting Tandem Source when prompted to choose a data source. Please note that you must also have the most recent version of the Tandem t:slim mobile app (version 2.12.1) to fully support this feature.
Obviously I’m trending too low lately, and highs are still a struggle. I like being able to see my trends next to each other, instead of having to switch back and forth between time periods like on the Dexcom G7 app.
Sugarmate also has a web browser option. It’s the best way I’ve found to glance at my blood sugar throughout the workday without constantly picking up my phone or pump.
That said, I don’t plan to switch my Sugarmate data source to Tandem Source. I use Dexcom Follow as my data source. My pump tends to lose connection with my CGM more than my phone, so no reason for me to change yet. Now if they ever auto-import the Tandem Source insulin data too, then I’d be all in! Sugarmate could be a good logbook tool (add timestamped notes, carb/meal data, exercise, etc.) if I didn’t have to manually enter insulin.
@bostrav59 Interestingly, I have a SugarMate account and haven’t received an email yet. I set it up before Tandem bought them out, I think, and before going on Trio. I use it for the phone call service at night for lows. It’s been useful a handful of times. Trio, Loop, and other platforms will alarm and wake me up now, but I’ve maintained the SugarMate acct as a back up, though probably unneeded now. I know some folks don’t wake up to various alarms, but will for a phone call. I also used it at times for a check on data points from Trio (when it first started development) though probably not needed now.
I also have a SugarMate account, but I did receive the email.
If you find that you don’t have enough devices and apps giving you alarms then SugarMate can help fill the gap.
I originally started using SugarMate because I had an iWatch 4 that I bought for the sole purpose of having my blood glucose available on my wrist. After a few years of that working very well Apple updated the watch and cut the font size of the complication in half, making it unreadable. SugarMate has a feature that puts your current glucose reading into a calendar event (the calendar escapes limits on update frequency that apply to most apps to conserve power), letting me get a readable blood glucose value back on my phone.
The best feature to me for Sugarmate was the phonecalls you could receive (wake up calls), for highs and lows.
But I retired it after using it for many years once I found sugar Pixel. Also by having the BG as a calendar event, I could set up a watch “complication” to see bgs on my watch. I never really looked at watch bgs so didn’t mind losing that functionality.
I also received an email, plus I was asked to download Sugarmate as part of a beta trial. I did it and nothing ever populated in the app, my questions went unanswered, so I deleted it. FWIW, I don’t see the any benefit beyond the data I already receive from the t:slim mobile app, or the reports from Tandem Source (which I only look at quarterly, before my endo visits)
@YOGAO I think the value depends on what apps you already have for CGM, AID, pumps, and nighttime/sleep notifications. My AID app and Dexcom fulfill most of my needs, but originally (when on MDI) having the phone call was a good back up alarm when the phone was on silent (by mistake). The DIY AID I use now breaks thru my phone silence, so Sugarmate is less useful. The other aspect that comes into play is whether internet is available. I go on cruises, to some remote locations on travel and phone access and internet aren’t always available/usable. We learn quickly how connections are important and back ups for them when not!
It’s been a while since I used sugarmate, but I think you need to get into the “watch” section to get this set up.
It’s my understanding that Sugarmate AUTOMATICALLY sets up and manages calendar events.
How to Enable the Sugarmate Calendar Feature
Open the Sugarmate app on your iPhone and log in.
Connect your continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data source (such as Dexcom).
Tap your profile avatar or the menu icon in the upper left-hand or right-hand corner.
Select Apple Watch (the calendar sync feature is housed under this menu).
Follow the guided setup instructions to link and create a dedicated Sugarmate calendar in your Apple/iCloud account.
Generate an app-specific password from your Apple ID account if prompted, and enter it into Sugarmate to allow the app to populate your calendar with readings every 5 minutes
The background to this is that SugarMate was a free (IRC) and widely used app that was developed independent of the industry; just a regular app. I used it for a long time and I liked it. It had decent integration with the iDiabetic devices I used and it had a sufficiently simple and straightforward interface (a novelty these days) that my wife found it great. It was also (again IRC, it was a long time ago) biPlatform; i.e. it worked on both Google and Apple devices.
What is more the developers had really good customer support; I remember the original developers directly helped me.
At some point the app was bought out by one of the major players (Tandem?) At this point I stopped using it not because I have some curious religion opposed to particular private companies but because while I trusted the original app not to share or use my data I didn’t so trust the purchaser. I mean “use” as in “make a profit from”. I should add that I’m perfectly happy for other people to make money from my data just so long as they pay me.
I look at all iDiabetic apps that use my data this way; if I use one of those apps I start of by expecting to be paid. I’m not talking about apps that do not use my data and I believe SugarMate was originally one of those apps. I might have paid for it.
SugarMate originally had a lot of novel and useful features. I assume it still does. The question everyone needs to ask is whether it has an adequate guarantee not to “use” (as defined above) the data it accumulates. The new commercial implementation may well have; it’s just a matter of reading the contract carefully.
I think the main benefit is having another way to view and share your CGM data. Sugarmate offers more customizable alerts and allows you to share with up to 20 followers, so it could be useful if family or caregivers need to follow your readings. If you’re happy with Tandem Source and don’t need those features, I don’t think you necessarily need to switch.
I recently downloaded Sugarmate, and while I do like some of the tiles, I pretty much never think to actually open the app. I really wish there was an option to have the tiles connected to notifications. I would love a notification to come through if my 24 hour time in range dropped below a certain value, for example.
Thanks everyone for great replies. In a prior life I did work in new product development and success. I even wrote an article titled: “Do you have a winner?”.
This discussion thread reminds me of that because this sugarmate app has some features that a few may value highly, while some don’t value them at all, and others see potential issues. Like @Eric said, it’s hard to imagine sharing my glucose data with 2 people, let alone 20, but i bet for some people that might be very useful.
My general view on technology in managing diabetes is like Occam’s razor - use as little as possible - less is always better than more. That might be mostly laziness on my part. But for me I find it difficult to justify putting in the time and effort to add an additional app to my diabetes technology without having a need for the benefits. So i think I’ll pass.
The other thing that surprised me about the Tandem email was that the tone was rather pre-emptory - it listed out a set of steps without really specifying what benefit I would get from doing those steps. There was not a lot of selling going on. Maybe lots of people use this already (although I hadn’t really heard of it …).
Their UI is just so different, I don’t think I could do it! I had to use an iMac for work for a couple months and was so grateful to then get approved for an HP desktop with Windows and two monitors. I could finally just do my job without thinking about how to find my windows (“I thought I just minimized that? Where did it go?”) and files anymore.
The OS for Mac vs Windows on PCs is a lot different from phones. Much the same…how you swipe windows away and such are slightly different, but not insurmountable differences imo.
I switched for @Liam-M for the DIY Omniloop many years ago. Wouldn’t have if not for that. But I like it now that I’ve used it for quite a few years. Big benefit is that most apps get built for Apple first, or it used to be that way at least.
I agree w/r/t pc’s. I use HP computers running windows but also have an iphone apple watch etc.
My son switched from android last year and it wasn’t a big difference.
I had to preside over ‘holy wars’ between PC and Mac users during my time at a professional services firm – both camps believed they were right and righteous. It was painful.
I like being able to see my trends next to each other, instead of having to switch back and forth between time periods like on the Dexcom G7 app.
