It’ll be 3 three years this March that ive been diagnosed with diabetes. ive recently gone to my doctor and showed up with zero BS writen down for her to look at. IM HORRIBLE WITH IT! how do yall do it? do you always write it down? do you never? is it better to? does it really help? just wondering yalls opinion!
I don’t bother with a log anymore. I do horrible at keeping one, I will start out meaning to and then quit doing it. Since I have the pump and cgms I can download my readings to the computer. Other than that I don’t keep one even though I should.
Talking for experience (and I’m NOT the best role model). I haven’t used a Log in years BUT (thanks mostly to going on the Pump and in part to my computer geek/ultra-organized stats freak husband). I do download my sugars monthly into my computer and bring those numbers with me to the doctor. It does help the doctor tell you what you can do to get better control (and that is ALWAYS the goal). The doctor can’t help you if you don’t give him a place to start.
I don’t write down. Ever. I suggest investing in the connector cord that fits your meter to download on the computer. That’s what I do.
It was well worth the investment.
They never ask to see anything, They just upload my meter readings on to the computer =]]
I second that, Cody. I rely on the upload abilities of my pump, meters, and CGMS. But from age 10 (diagnosis) to age 18 (college - let’s not talk about that…), I kept beautiful logs. I haven’t kept a decent written log since then.
Your doctor really does need this info, Brea. If old-school logging doesn’t work for you with paper and pen, try checking out our “Pattern Management” group in Groups and seeing some of the online options some members use. Or invest in a meter cable for your Freestyle Lite, like Cara mentioned doing. I use a Freestyle Flash and bought the cable (couldn’t find it for cheaper than $27ish online). Then you can upload it all into Freestyle’s free CoPilot software (which I LOVE).
I really should do the upload thing. Sometimes I use different meters (keep one upstairs & downstairs), which might make it confusing.
At the risk of sounding anal, I log every reading (with insulin dosage, if it’s before meals). It’s helped me day to day see what’s going on.
My first doctor insisted on seeing this, so it became a habit.
Whatever method, you should have a record to show your doctor. A1c’s don’t tell the real picture.
I sent you the wrong link for CoPilot. Try this one instead.
And here are some other companies that offer the data cable.
So Iam the odd one out–I log except for very bad or crazy days–then they are apparent too…too hard to put relative notes in the upload funtion (i do upload my pump and print reports for my endo)…but I put in log if it is high stress, little sleep, shopping spree…what we call at our house “f” it days…makes my endo laugh…and he likes it becuase it really shows mood, and stress indicators–even in how I write and when I don’t… notes when my boss pisses me off cause he gets mad that I have to eat or such…even can tell whne my husbands not doing well by my log…
Aww. Don’t worry Brea. I don’t keep a log whatsoever. I cannot remember to write things in, the spaces are too small, it’s too time consuming, and I am gung-ho for a day or so then I lose the log. It will be 34 years next march since my diagnosis. i was dx’d at only 7 hours old. i was really red, crying uncontrollably and severely lethargic. my sugar came back at 945. i was almost ready to quit breathing until they gave me a ton of insulin.
Personally, I prefer the PrecisionLink software, also available from Abbott - it allows you to “hide” readings, which is good when you’re doing a retest and don’t want your average thrown off by the TWO obscenely high #s, or if there’s a clear misread. I couldn’t find a way to do that with CoPilot.
PrecisionLink also has fancy graphs. Me like graphs.
I started out being extremely detailed in my logging…I would highlight unusual #'s…my endo called me the “ideal patient.” That lasted 3 or 4 months. I never seemed to get the control I hoped for and I lost interest. Now my endo downloads my #'s from my meter and we both scratch our heads for a bit and then I go away for 3 months. Logging would track trends for me if I was on any sort of schedule or routine, but I dose for the appropriate carbs and or activity and correction dose or treat lows when I need to. I have to check check and check some more. The only thing I have figured out is, the less the carbs, or the more the insulin, the lower my #'s.
I used to keep track of my readings, I gave up. 12 years of diabetes and 3 kids keep me way too busy to do it, although my endo is not pleased with me. Live a week in my shoes and tell me how good you are keeping track!
I need to search for a computer program so I can just download it and look at it. I think this would be much easier.
thank you guys so much for all your help. i didnt even know you could get a program for you computer so you can just upload them. thats awesome and im definately going to look into it!