I’m curious what apps people are using to keep track of their total daily dose, meals, and the insulin that they take. Also curious about apps for carb counting.
I came across this thread, but it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for (just a couple of options other than the Dex or xDrip).
I thought it might be helpful to have a post that collected people’s diabetes tracking apps and/or techniques. We are searching for a solution still (trying Diabetes:M this week - thanks, @kenrick ). It’s hard to want to commit to the more expensive apps, if people don’t really like them. So I figured I’d ask you guys what you like!
EH and I are back to carb counting and trying to figure out all the ratios and TDD to get ready for the OmniPod.
I log everything in my pump and CGM and download them to Diasend to analyze data. If I take an IM injection, I enter that into either my CGM or Contour Next USB meter (this is one reason I haven’t upgraded to the Next One, though I do own one, I can’t log insulin doses). I also try to enter carbohydrates I eat with no bolus, such as treating a low, into either my CGM or meter so that it’ll show up in Diasend.
I use the Fitbit app to automatically record exercise (this unfortunately doesn’t integrate into Diasend very well). I can also log detailed meals (exactly what I ate and macronutrients) through this app, but I only do that occasionally when I feel like my diet is getting off track.
I use the CalorieKing app to look up carbohydrate counts. (I also have a tiny scale that I carry around in my bag to weigh things like apples, so I can look up the exact number of carbohydrates it has rather than guessing.)
I use the sugar mate app that follows dexcom - you can capture carbs / take photos of the food ! : look up carb content of brands and common foods
It’s better than dexcom as you can scroll backwards as far as you want - it also estimates your a1c
Developers have told me they are about tor release the following also
calorie counter
protein counter
insulin calculator - how much to dose for carb and protein and how much of bolus you have left
Find it pretty useful - the only downside is the doctor can’t download
The Glooko app lets you up upload Omnipod and Dexcom data. I have the app linked to the Dex on my iPhone but have to do a msnual upload of the pump data from the PDM.
Once you get going with the pump, you can use it for logging.
But until then, calorie king is good for for counting carbs. And just writing down numbers for a few good days that seem “normal” will give you a good ballpark for TDD.
You just want to get in the ballpark, because once you start it, you will be making adjustments to fine-tune it.
I am part of a dwindling minority. (Of several, probably.) While I am far from a technophobe, I find I prefer a certain simplicity in life. And so I keep the same pen-and-paper records I did while on MDI.
My PDM logs, and uploads to Diasend, test results and carb and insulin numbers, but I do not use any apps. I do refer to various carb databases (online, not on a phone). On the same monthly printout page I’ve used for decades, I write down test results, carbs, and doses, with notes such as “no prebolus” or a number for level of activity or an ® for a low. Finding the info I need is easier and faster than scrolling through the PDM history or logging into Diasend. I also keep a 200-page notebook in which I write down every single thing I eat, with carb breakdown and any pertinent notes, such as the details of an extended bolus, or that I didn’t finish my dessert. (Well, maybe not that last one.)
It may seem like a lot of writing, but it really isn’t, and I’ve been doing it for more than 25 years so it just seems second nature. I tell myself almost daily that it’s largely redundant given my PDM and Diasend, but I can find, within seconds, any D information I need for a particular day in any recent year.
I tried a bunch of them and for now I’ve been using PredictBGL to log everything and MyFitnessPal to count carbs. I wish it would sync with MFP but I like how it syncs with the dex… I absorb both carbs and insulin more slowly than the default setting predict and still haven’t figured out exactly how to use the exercise factors.
Hmmm, the only app I use for food intake is my brain and memory, such as they are. I do record all my insulin intake in my BG meter so I can figure TDD and watch for changes. I used a spreadsheet and even a portable scale a decade ago or so when I got serious about counting carb and applying the food and insulin lessons in the excellent Using Insulin book by Walsh.
Not the answer you are looking for but… I use Android APS running on my smart phone (with xdrip+ as the data collector for the Dexcom G5) and Nightscout running on a free web service account.
Android APS has a nice interface to log data into Nightscout Careportal so I log sensor changes, pod changes, extended boluses, temp basals, carbs, boluses, and notes.
Nightscout also does all sorts of data analysis and stats so I have never felt in want of any reporting to take in to the endo.
…but then again I am a bit of a tech guy and this is not for the faint of tech.
All the hardware you need for this now is an Andriod phone and a Dexcom G5.
And here is an example of the data and the notes that are available (on the left is the pump basal profile I am using)…
i am very old school about it. i do everything manually with a pen and paper. i made up graphs for myself, each day on a page. i literally write down and document EVERYTHING. it makes it very easy for me to see patterns in the event that i need to make changes in my pump. i can change basal rates, ICRs, TBs, corrections, etc etc. also, i can easily go backwards and see what worked at other times or what didn’t work at all. i do this month by month and then i staple the pages together and file them away. i generally do about 3 months at a time so that when its time to go to my endo, i have everything on hand. ( i even write down things like illnesses and food reactions, exercise, activity levels)
hope this helps you or anyone else out there. i know that paper and pen are not the most high tech thing these days, but it works great for me
Right now we use MyNetDiary, Diabetes version (about $60/year) for everything. It has worked well for us because we can all see everything. But I intend to try Nightscout as a consolidator.
As a beginner I wrote everything in one of those marbled essay books so that I could learn cause and effect. But after I got the Dex and started surfing, I no longer had the patience for all those records. I even pollute the data I give to the t:slim bolus wizard by adjusting the carbs I enter rather than taking the extra steps to enter BG. Now I maintain a written notebook for just 2 purposes. First, I write down BG / SG 4 times per day so that I can “prove” that I check my BG. Second, I write down all time-sensitive data, such as set changes, sensor changes and restarts, and cartridge changes and refills. I use a physical notebook because it works even when I don’t have internet. And also because I’m old and like paper.
Hi @CatLady ,
I know this is an old thread but still wanted to post - thank you for this article, it really speaks to how I feel/ what I want from all the apps, diabetes-related tech out there.
I need to lose about 10 pounds, and thought I’d check in here to see if anyone recommends a good calorie counter? There are so many in the app store. Any suggestions?
I am starting with something called CarbManager. It seems good so far. I tried something else first that for me was a little off-putting. It was called Myhealth or something like that - had more of a coaching flavor to it and charged me $5/ month. this one also has a premium version, but you can do fine I think on the free one. Stay tuned…
but… I use Android APS running on my smart phone (with xdrip+ as the data collector for the Dexcom G5) and Nightscout running on a free web service account.
