Wow, wow, wow. This week I came across something which has literally changed my life (from a diabetes point of view). The only thing cooler than using this system to log my BGs, carbs, insulin and exercise would be, ermmm, not to have to log my BGs, carbs, insulin and exercise at all. Check it out!
The little beauty of a system can be found here: https://www.logforlife.com/.
Seriously, I downloaded this on Sunday night and it has already spurred me on to record my blood sugars and all that goes with it in more detail.
Here’s the skinny. You can use this just as a web-based tool, but where it has spun my wheels is that there is an iPhone app that syncs with it. I take my iPhone EVERYWHERE I go. And I spend a lot of time on it now that I can really only give it a quick glance during the day, and get on the computer at night. So the fact that I can quickly hit a touch-screen and be prompted to enter my current BG, and any other relevant info such as carbs, bolus, correction bolus and notes is SO easy. It even takes the time from your iPhone or computer so you don’t even have to think about it.
All through my pregnancy I was carrying around a little notebook with A3 sheets of paper, which was a bit of a pain. I really hate paperwork at the best of times.
I’m using the trial version right now, but in 29 days when my trial is up, you can bet your ass I’ll be signing up for the US$9 a month fee. It’s NZ$12-13 worth of time-saving for sure.
If I’ve not convinced you yet, here are a few other points:
1. The fortnightly summary view (you can choose a time period that suits you)
2. The hour by hour pdf which shows averages on a graph for the time period you choose, plus individual results by time and date (this would be perfect for pump users trying to isolate problem areas with basal rates)
3. You can also get a CSV export (I wasn’t that bothered by that) or you can view a daily list like the image above (click on it to see it bigger).
4. If you don’t have an iPhone, you can send your results to the web app via email or mobile.
5. It was designed and built by a fellow Type 1.
** Do bear in mind that the examples I’ve linked to only hold one day worth of records, so the info in these is probably not that useful just yet.
Here’s the short promotional video:
[and no, I'm not being paid a penny to endorse this, I just think it's rad!]
Posted in Technology & Equipment
Tagged as BG, iPhone, Monitoring
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17 comments have been made on this post
Lucy wrote
Looks great. Can you put in seperate columns for Basal and Bolus? Had a quick look but too lazy to work it out.
Nic wrote
There’s no entry area for basal rates… but you wouldn’t be recording those on a daily basis, right? So when you were working with the reports that’s when you’d write in your basal and correction and carb ratios so you could do the proper analysis.
Sianne wrote
Cool. Another thing to help me convince hubby that I need an Iphone
Nic wrote
Ha ha ha, exactly Sianne. Or an iPod Touch if you have to compromise (they are great, and much cheaper)
Lucy wrote
Yes thanks Nic. I did email them to check that they didn’t have a pump option and they answered….
“We don’t currently have a separate way to log basal rates. For the moment, when you change your basal rate you could log it as a note. Our initial set of features have been aimed at diabetics that don’t use pumps (our designer is a T1 who does not use a pump), but we definitely want to make it work well for all diabetics.
Do you see any other missing features that would be really useful for diabetics who use an insulin pump?”
So i emailed them back the format I used whn I was pregnant, hopefully they will do a basal addition for us pumpers. A great tool tho. Now I want an iphone too!
Nic wrote
Nice one Lucy! Can you possibly email me the format you used when you were pregnant? I was going to do a post on different sheets people use, and I’ve only got the one I made up for myself. On that note, Sianne you’ve got a pretty good one too don’t you? Can you send me yours too please?
Cheers
Nic
Aaron wrote
I’m jumping on this bandwagon with a megaphone and a placard!
As soon as Nic told me about this yesterday I signed up and started uploading my info (until 1am this morning). My colleagues had to put up with me raving about it all day yesterday (I work at a digital agency) as a perfect example of how to do ‘it’ right.
On the list of 10 biggest developments in diabetes management/technology during my lifetime it would currently go:
1) Novorapid
2) Insulin pumps
3) 5sec glucometers
4) Log For Life
Hats off to the Log For Life team and thank you!
Nic wrote
What do you have for numbers 5-10? I’m guessing Coke Zero makes the list?
Erin wrote
I did some research on diabetic iphone apps in the weekend as I’m getting one for work. I haven’t got the iphone yet so haven’t tried any out – but the demos looked good, and the good news is they are either free, or just have a one-off charge when you download it rather than a monthly cost.
The main difference I found was that half of them don’t record exercise which is a biggy for me. Here’s the list of ones I found:
Diabeteslog
Islet
Diamedic
UTS Diabetes
Glucose Buddy
Glucose Charter
If anyone has a chance to play with any of these I’d be keen to know any feedback, and once I get my iphone and can start playing I’ll let you know what I find too
Tory wrote
I use Glucose Buddy (hadn’t heard of Log for Life before this) since I found it as an iPhone app and downloaded it – it’s a free one. I find it really handy, and would probably surmise that all of these apps are hugely helpful. I guess some more than others. I better give Log for Life a go so I can give a more accurate appraisal!
Nic wrote
Hi Erin – the only other one I tried out (ages ago, back in July 08) is Sugar Tracker (see my post: http://www.beingdiabetic.co.nz/2008-07-21/sugar-tracker-for-iphone-meh/). However giving it the benefit of the doubt, it may have improved out of sight by now.
Cheers for the review on Glucose Buddy, Tory – will have to check that one out too (and indeed if time permits I’ll make my way through Erin’s list, if they’re free). It’s the simplicity of Log for Life that I love.
W. Andrew Loe III wrote
For the technically saavy I wrote some import tools in Ruby that pull from my Dexcom and OneTouch Ultra.
http://github.com/loe/log-for-life-importer
Karen wrote
On the most recent Medtronic Pump (Veo) you are able to enter into the pump information about other events which when you download the pump gives you a great picture of what is going on. I’ve used it alot when working out how to manage excercise events. It is so easy to track the before and after!
The reports can show you the following:
Excercise events
Insulin delivery (basal and bolus)
Carb consumed
Blood glucose value (both when you use the wizard feature or not)
Meal events (once again both when you use the wizard feature or not – e.g. extra carb before excercise that you don’t bolus for)
Any insulin delivered by injection
Or any other event – e.g a marker for a sick day etc.
Very cool
Nic wrote
Karen, you make a really good point… these programs will all be superceded by pumps which also store your glucose levels and into which you can add other notes like exercise, type of food consumed. Having it all in one place makes perfect sense. My pump doesn’t do this though so for now it’s bits here and there unfortunately!
Niko wrote
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve looked at their website and watched the video you posted but it does not appear that Log for Life contains a food database, which is a real bummer unless you’ve memorized the carb count of everything you are going to eat, us another app or carry along a separate book to look it up in.
For now I’ll continue to use Diabetes Pilot, which is also has an iPhone App and synchs over wi-fi with the stand alone desktop application if you want it to.
Nic wrote
Hi Niko – I’d not heard of Diabetes Pilot, will put it on my to do list to check it out. Thanks for the heads-up.
Misizith wrote
Hi all,
I’m currently trialling pocket compass with Roche.(Thanks heaps guys). Loving using its. Uses a palm pilot. But what I can’t figure out yet is the format that the data shows up on when downloaded. Does anyone use this? Has anyone looked at SiNovo or tried it? Also Niko what’ Diabetes Pilot like- is it available on a palm pilot?
I’m not so keen on paying for an iphone but don’t want to be carrying round a notebook all the time either and can’t use the web for work. I guess what I’m asking about is what kind of things do the reports show-raw data and trends and can these be emailed off to the diabetes team to look at?
I’ve also looked at Track3- emailed them heard nothing back.
Looking forward to any replies.
ta!