I know there have been several threads about CGM watches, watch faces. Apple watch vs. Pebble vs. Android Wear, etc., but with the upcoming talk from Gary Scheiner on CGM watch options, I thought this warranted a new thread. 
I have the Dexcom G4 with Share, which I bought as an early upgrade when it became available; however, I do not own an iPhone or a compatible iPod Touch, so did not use the Share features for quite a while after I bought it. I’ve questioned the value in that upgrade - as I could easily have waited until my insurance provided me an upgrade for much less out-of-pocket cost. At the time, I counted on the “promise” that an Android app would be forthcoming, either from Dexcom or from the lamented Asante.
I waited… and waited… and, to some degree am still waiting… In the meantime, Asante went out of business; I tried the Omnipod, then the Animas Vibe - which gave me another option for viewing my Dexcom data (on the pump) - and time passed… Last I heard, Dexcom was going to release an Android version of Share by the end of the year (2015!)…
BUT, along the way, someone here (I think it was @Jake) suggested I try xDrip and Nightwatch to read the bluetooth data and display it on my Android phone. It worked great! I wondered WHY I didn’t try it sooner. Meanwhile, I read about people viewing their CGM data on smart watches and wondered WHY would I want YET ANOTHER DEVICE to show me the BG data?? Kept telling myself, it’s JUST ANOTHER TOY.
Well, sometime last might, I decided to treat myself to one of those smart watch “TOYS” – stuck with Android wear – and for most of its functionality, I still think it IS a toy. BUT – and it’s a big BUT – I used Nightwatch to display CGM data on the device and I used xDrip to send data to Share – AND, the more time that passes that I’m using the watch for CGM access, the more I wonder, WHAT WAS I WAITING FOR??
It’s a great help to be able to just glance at my watch to see my current status, rather than have to dig out my receiver or unclip my pump (which means somehow getting it re-clipped again!). Even though it’s added a level of complexity, it’s added a lot of convenience. But that’s not all…
I’ve been reading Gary Scheiner’s Practical CGM and, like most people, probably, have found that I could be using my CGM even better than I have been so far (and I don’t think I’ve been doing that badly as it is…). For example, y high and low settings maybe should be adjusted, alarms changed, etc. On the other hand, for many occasions - like overnight - I LIKE the way my current settings are set, and changing them could cause more sleep interruption or worry - which I do not need. Changing receiver settings for every occasion does NOT appeal to me, and Dexcom offers no way to have “day/night” alternative settings, except manually (they should!).
Enter xDrip/Nightwatch… The apps have much more granular alarm options than either the Dexcom or the Vibe. For example, I could have my low/high alert settings set to 72 and 117, if I’m so-inclined (I’m not)… and I can set whatever sounds or tunes I like – any available on the phone – for alarms. I can also have my watch settings/alarms be very different from my receiver settings/alarms without a problem. I don’t wear the watch at night, so this gives my simple day/night alternatives, for example.
I’m looking forward to Gary’s talk (even if I have to listen to the recording instead of live), but I’m already VERY HAPPY with the set-up I have now…
… and I’m much less-anxiously looking forward to Dexcom’s release of Share for Android – unless they give me at LEAST the same level of functionality I have now!