New Diabetes Software

1. I rarely upload my data to a computer (despite being an incurable geek). I just don’t find a bunch of graphs are all that helpful. The software really needs a bit more analysis to be really useful.

2. Guest posts are always welcome (unless they’re rubbish)!

I never upload my meter results, I occassionally look at my CGM data on the computer, but only a couple of times a year max. The only thing I graph regularly is my HbA1c results and that’s so that I have strong evidence in case anyone ever tries to take away funding for my pump and CGM.

I manually input my meter results (cos I dont like the graphs that Accutrend make) and create my own graphs (from excel) which do the analysis I find useful (and I like graphs, and they confuse my DSN, which I find amusing in itself).

I’ve only ever used the software provided by the meter manufacturers to download my meter and then export the data so I could load it into my own custom software. Yeah, I’m a do-it-yourself-er. Yeah, I run open-source software too .

@jay451 – what’s your custom stuff done in? I was thinking of creating my own thing in Excel or Access (or open source equivalent) but haven’t got very far. Mainly because I can’t be bothered.

I have to say I love meters you can download – it’s the only way I manage to record anything.. Back in the old days of “diabetic diary” I didn’t test much anyway, and would spend 15mins before my hospital check-up making up months worth of results (I gave myself perfect control with the odd hypo and high flyer to make it look more realistic..)
You can still cheat on downloads, but why bother.. I was on Accu-Chek compass like Teloz, but it didn’t work when I upgraded my laptop with Windows 7.

So I bought myself a new meter (any gadget to inspire me to test – it works for a bit!) and got the Contour USB which comes with Glucofacts – all seems well so far..

I used to love printing out the Compass piecharts and data to show the consultant – or even e-mail them in advance.. the results pre-pump were still scarce and rubbish, but at least I was trying a bit.. roll on “the cat ate it” or “the printer wasn’t working/ran out of ink”

I can’t use the excuse that I didn’t have a pen and paper handy, (so didn’t test – what was the point if I had nothing to show for it – my old “old” excuse) but it’s one less thing to have to faff about with if the meter has a better memory than you do..

For two years and nearly one month, I’ve been feeding my daily readings to Glucosurfer via mobile phone. And after heaping such dreadful insults on the head of the potential good giver* of a Contour USB, I guess I’m going to continue doing it for a few years more…

*Sir Timothy Brown

@ckoei – I just have to review the damned thing first! Then it’s all yours!

I have been using Accu Chek “Smart Pix”. A small device that plugs into PC (does not work on a mac, grrrr) and receives date from the meter via infra-red.

It gives me heaps of reports that can occasionally pick out trends but then it is up to me to test rigorously at the exact same times etc… Only as good as the user eh?? I tend to save them as a PDF and whizz them off to the docs.

The novelty of bar charts wears of rapidly. I prefer mars bars.

@ckoei – hang in there, I couldn’t wait and just got one.. highly recommended from me! And you won’t need a new bag to carry it around (it’s very small and neat) but then again, what excuse does any girl need for a new bag?!

@charlie: This girl solemnly promises to buy the new baby a Stripykat phony sleeping bag…though I’m not going to forsake my older sibling Glucosurfer completely – in the absence of a pump, it does offer a pretty nifty bolus calculator, and even if its charts aren’t exactly edible, the one called “Comparison of days – Heat map” is a rather eye-catching technicolour dreamcoat.

Software and mod meters aside, I still pen down all results on printed out Sanofi Aventis log sheets too, to see if it is L- or R-day (I practice crop rotation when it comes to finger pricking).

@Tim: My custom software is written in C mostly, with a couple of shell scripts to facilitate importing data. It uses a flat-file for the data; I really need to re-work that back end.

@ckoei – top tip for the day, if you do really want to buy something from stripykat (and you’re not obliged too!) then hold on a bit. I’m doing a new website at the minute and when it’s launched I’m going to a) promote it shamelessly here, b) give Shoot Up users a promo code which’ll get them money off purchases – there have to be some benefits to being diabetic and reading this blog!

@charlie – new bag, eh? I wonder if you’ve ever heard of http://www.stripykat.com? Fantastic, unique, handmade handbags designed and handmade in sunny Edinburgh? If not, just thought I’d mention it!

@jay451 – inter-vesting!

@tim and you mentioned you never knew how to spam! lol