How many of you track your numbers manually, even though you wear a pump? My daughter has been pumping for 3 years, we don’t have a CGM and I find that since I’m not daily looking at numbers I’m slow to catch on to trends and I’m not making changes to her insulin quick enough. I’m probably not downloading her pump often enough either, but I find that to be a royal pain, so I would like a better system for tracking daily.
What is everyone else doing? Downloading more? Using an app? Using a log book? Any feedback would be helpful!
The whole idea of logging, to my mind, is becoming familiar with the numbers so that you can respond appropriately with inevitable adjustments to insulin treatment. A manual logging system works because its very nature requires that you observe data, write it down, and hopefully look at it several times more. I view learning as repetitive brain traces using multiple sensory systems (sight and touch, like writing, primarily). Students who take notes and rewrite those notes often do much better at learning the topic than those who just try to wing it.
That being said, I am lazy about old fashioned writing. I use the Dexcom Clarity web-based reports (sorry - for CGM) for my several times per day every day way of staying in touch with my data. This is just a visual mode of learning but the spaced repetition works for me. My favorite report that provides actionable data is the Clarity 14-day Standard Day report.
There is software for uploading and integrating meter and pump data for reports and analysis. I like Diasend for this. You’ll need to register but it’s free.
Very few people with diabetes actually do this (maybe 10-20% at most) but the TuD community probably are over-represented in the “data nerd” category. I have found a powerful connection in me between watching the numbers and subconsciously trying to influence those numbers and push them in a better direction.
I’ve been using the Glooko app for a couple of months and it’s helped me a lot. I never used to download BG data and now I feel much more in control and able to make adjustments to my insulin with food/exercise now that I can actually see patterns. I use an Omnipod pump so my BG and pump data all gets uploaded at once through my PDM, but you should be able to find a convenient way to download data to Glooko depending on which meter/pump you use.
I like using a meter with storage that can be downloaded to an app. I use Accu-Chk connect but almost all major meter companies have some software. The key is to get the data to an application that will allow one to look at them.
Thank you! I downloaded Diasend as I don’t have the proper cable for Glooko, but I love how easy Diasend is for uploading and I liked their report. So handy to just be able to upload from her meter’s… I already adjusted her night-time basal and her evening sensitivity so I will try do this often.
Since I’ve been a diabetic since 1965, I’ve always written down what my sugars and ketones were, what time I tested, where I had my insulin and how much insulin I had. When I added the CGM, I just added that to the mix. Now that I have the pump, I add that too. I have a spread sheet on my tablet and I put in the Dexcom when I wear that, the Tandem’s CGM’s number and my Next meter’s readings. I also still put in how much insulin I’m having. I also download the pump, meter and Dexcom to Diasend and T Connect. My doctor uses Diasend, and I prefer to have the spreadsheet for myself.
I enter every bg into my pump - easy for downloading everything, having info like IOB, whether or not I bolus (I only eat when at fasting) so I have a lot of entries without dosed insulin data. I also keep a manual log. It is easier for me to enter things like unusual physical exercise/work, if an infusion set came out - that sort of thing. My endo practice always focuses on the rogue numbers (never notices the long periods of time I am in my self-defined range). And while we all have rogue numbers, not all rogue numbers are do to our mis-behavior etc. I also use about 4 different meters throughout the day (one at home, one in purse, one in gym bag, one in dance bag) so it makes sense to have all bg’s entered into the pump - one device and all data in one place.
I use Dexcom and I input everything into it, exercise, insulin,carbs etc. I also download every week and make adjustments as needed. That being said,I do indeed keep a manual log. I find it helps when looking at the downloads. I can go back and see what food I had at which ever meal is causing me problems. I us Smart Charts from Diabetesnet.com It allows you to graph your blood sugars on top page and bottom page is where I put foods and carb totals. Also room to put exercise and top page and room at bottom for any notes. I usually put when I do infusion set changes and CGM changes or restarts. Very handy when seeing the doctor or CDE and they ask that wonderful question, What do you do on Wednesday three weeks ago? I get 12 months for $21.45 and it fits in my meter case. I believe Joe Walsh designed them. He wrote Pumping Insulin and Using Insulin.
