Technology to manage Type 1.

Saikoudaze

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi all,

I've had type 1 diabetes for over a decade now and just started on an insulin pump a few weeks ago.

Since then the whole world of how technology can help to manage diabetes has opened up to me. I can produce graphs, and make small adjustments much easier than I could previously.

What I wanted to spark a discussion about was, what technology do you guys use to manage your dm? I've heard of a wearable tech called fitbit that can monitor heart rate and activity, which would be great to match up to blood glucose readings and carbs to have a complete picture of my diabetes.

Does anyone else have any recommendations for applications or tech that they use?
 
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PaulinaB

Well-Known Member
Messages
594
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi! Welcome to the forum!

I'm a tech geek (work in IT), so I like to stay up-to-date with technology!
I use:
1) glucose meter (as anyone)
2) fitbit charge hr tracker - tracks activity, heart rate, steps, distance, etc
3) dexcom g4 cgm for continuous bg tracking
4) manually log insulin doses (though I get bored every now and then!)

I wrote myself a piece of software that puts it all together for me, creating graphs like this:
Screen Shot 2015-08-17 at 19.56.48.png


Shows my BG from CGM (black line), BG readings from meter (blue dots) and heart rate from fitbit (yellow-orange-red depending on level of hr), plus vertical lines mark insulin doses - N X for novorapid dose, L X for levemir dose.
I'm experimenting at looking at HR versus number of steps made to see which one has more obvious effect on BG.

The graph shows my readings from 2 weeks ago when I was eating carbs again. Horrible, as you can see. Since then I went back to LCHF and my levels are much better. Plus, almost no insulin doses (apart from Levemir).

From that kind of data I generate more graphs, like average BG over days, standard deviation of levels, approximate HbA1c, daily profile, AGP, etc, etc.

Hope this helps :)
 
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Saikoudaze

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Pump
That looks fantastic! I'm unfortunately not using cgm at the moment. I'd love to use a charge hr, but I work in the nhs and with their strict bare below the elbows policy I'm not sure I could get away with wearing one around my wrist, unless I can persuade them it's for health reasons. Do you self fund for the g4?
 
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Suzannelife

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You spark a really great discussion. I used to an APP to monitor my glucose.
 

PaulinaB

Well-Known Member
Messages
594
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
That looks fantastic! I'm unfortunately not using cgm at the moment. I'd love to use a charge hr, but I work in the nhs and with their strict bare below the elbows policy I'm not sure I could get away with wearing one around my wrist, unless I can persuade them it's for health reasons. Do you self fund for the g4?
Yes, I self fund the dexcom.

As per hr - I found that there's more correlation with BG and steps than hr for me. But this is simply due to the fact that my hr doesn't go very high even when I'm fairly active.
For example if I go on a brisk walk, my hr won't go up so visibly as my steps - and a walk like this is likely to affect my BG is some way (even more with a bolus on board).
So, even though hr information is interesting to see, the general activity (steps) is much more useful. So maybe you can take a look at one of those pedometers that can be clipped under clothes? I know Fitbit makes one of those as well.
 
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Hi! Welcome to the forum!

I'm a tech geek (work in IT), so I like to stay up-to-date with technology!
I use:
1) glucose meter (as anyone)
2) fitbit charge hr tracker - tracks activity, heart rate, steps, distance, etc
3) dexcom g4 cgm for continuous bg tracking
4) manually log insulin doses (though I get bored every now and then!)

I wrote myself a piece of software that puts it all together for me, creating graphs like this:
View attachment 14909

Shows my BG from CGM (black line), BG readings from meter (blue dots) and heart rate from fitbit (yellow-orange-red depending on level of hr), plus vertical lines mark insulin doses - N X for novorapid dose, L X for levemir dose.
I'm experimenting at looking at HR versus number of steps made to see which one has more obvious effect on BG.

The graph shows my readings from 2 weeks ago when I was eating carbs again. Horrible, as you can see. Since then I went back to LCHF and my levels are much better. Plus, almost no insulin doses (apart from Levemir).

From that kind of data I generate more graphs, like average BG over days, standard deviation of levels, approximate HbA1c, daily profile, AGP, etc, etc.

Hope this helps :)

Very impressive and looks very informative, but I am no good with all this IT stuff :oops:
 

Gaz-M

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Hi! Welcome to the forum!

I'm a tech geek (work in IT), so I like to stay up-to-date with technology!
I use:
1) glucose meter (as anyone)
2) fitbit charge hr tracker - tracks activity, heart rate, steps, distance, etc
3) dexcom g4 cgm for continuous bg tracking
4) manually log insulin doses (though I get bored every now and then!)

I wrote myself a piece of software that puts it all together for me, creating graphs like this:
View attachment 14909

Shows my BG from CGM (black line), BG readings from meter (blue dots) and heart rate from fitbit (yellow-orange-red depending on level of hr), plus vertical lines mark insulin doses - N X for novorapid dose, L X for levemir dose.
I'm experimenting at looking at HR versus number of steps made to see which one has more obvious effect on BG.

The graph shows my readings from 2 weeks ago when I was eating carbs again. Horrible, as you can see. Since then I went back to LCHF and my levels are much better. Plus, almost no insulin doses (apart from Levemir).

From that kind of data I generate more graphs, like average BG over days, standard deviation of levels, approximate HbA1c, daily profile, AGP, etc, etc.

Hope this helps :)


thats a neat looking programme
 

Saikoudaze

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I'd be interested to know your conclusion. With regard to steps, I migt buy a flex rather than a charge hr then I can just wear it round my ankle.
 

donnellysdogs

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I have a fitbit surge and it is brilliant. Great as a watch too!!

I'm amazed at how it monitors sleep. I know I'm a bad sleeper although hugely improved since stopping aspartame etc but out of 9 hours sleep I only get an average of 4 hours asleep. The rest will be awake or restless... Goodness knows what I would have shown previously.

Love the little gadget. It really is a motivator to get off your bum and do something.
 

donnellysdogs

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It amazes me that you really do need to do so much exercise to basically eat!!! I love my surge.

Have "loaned" it to hubby to do comparisons for sleep. It confirms my sleep is **** with more time being restless or awake. He has started wearing it today and rang me to say that after after starting work at 2pm and after going to gym this morn he still only achieved 7000 steps compared to my 10000 steps from 9am to 3pm gardening.... It really does motivate you to do more and to comptete with each other!!
 

Saikoudaze

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I bought a jawbone up move from amazon. A company similar to fitbit, but this device is incredibly cheap and monitors almost everything bar the heart rate. It only cost £32.50! I wouldn't be able to wear a wrist band at work sadly due to infection control.
 
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silverbirch

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90
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Can you tech guys come and stay with me for a week or two, (maybe 3), and teach me all this wizardry. ;)
 
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Saikoudaze

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Haha, it's not as hard as you might think, although I suppose I did grow up with computers. Are you type 1? Anything specific you'd like to try? Some of these things can genuinely make your life easier if you put in the time.
 
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donnellysdogs

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My stepdad has just bought a new lapetop windows 10???? If he can fo that at 82 you are never too old to learn new gadgetry!!
 

PaulinaB

Well-Known Member
Messages
594
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'd be interested to know your conclusion. With regard to steps, I migt buy a flex rather than a charge hr then I can just wear it round my ankle.
I'd confirm with Fitbit that flex can be worn on an ankle first.

As for steps - well, it's all very personal, but basically more steps = lower BG :) unless you're going into "intense" for longer periods (hr comes useful here for confirmation) as this causes my liver to dump glucose. In hr this, for me, means going into top of fat burn and into the cardio zone. Which is probably not surprising.
I can try getting the same graph as above but with steps instead of hr, if that may be interesting to anyone :)
 

rosserk

Well-Known Member
Messages
288
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi! Welcome to the forum!

I'm a tech geek (work in IT), so I like to stay up-to-date with technology!
I use:
1) glucose meter (as anyone)
2) fitbit charge hr tracker - tracks activity, heart rate, steps, distance, etc
3) dexcom g4 cgm for continuous bg tracking
4) manually log insulin doses (though I get bored every now and then!)

I wrote myself a piece of software that puts it all together for me, creating graphs like this:
View attachment 14909

Shows my BG from CGM (black line), BG readings from meter (blue dots) and heart rate from fitbit (yellow-orange-red depending on level of hr), plus vertical lines mark insulin doses - N X for novorapid dose, L X for levemir dose.
I'm experimenting at looking at HR versus number of steps made to see which one has more obvious effect on BG.

The graph shows my readings from 2 weeks ago when I was eating carbs again. Horrible, as you can see. Since then I went back to LCHF and my levels are much better. Plus, almost no insulin doses (apart from Levemir).

From that kind of data I generate more graphs, like average BG over days, standard deviation of levels, approximate HbA1c, daily profile, AGP, etc, etc.

Hope this helps :)

Brilliant work! I've been trying to work out the correlation between my rising and falling blood sugars and the symptoms I'm having at the time. Albeit not as indepth as you. I don't have CGM so rely on blood monitor, Fitbit and have added blood pressure monitor. It's early days yet so not able to form any conclusive opinions of the results yet. I'm trying to relate my readings to how I'm feeling at the time. For example, I very often feel light headed, blurred vision and extremely weak, devoid of enerergy and start sweating. However when I check my levels, heart rate and blood pressure I'm not seeing anything conclusive. I'm concluding that the side effects I'm having are a recovery to an episode of high or low blood sugar and the symptoms I'm getting is the recovery phase (the bodies fight or flight mechanism kicking in) This is where you have an advantage over me because your CGM would clearly show a drop or rise in blood sugars that I'm likely missing with my manual monitoring. Keep us posted really interesting!
 

Engineer88

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,130
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Pump (animas vibe)
CGM (dexcom self funded)
Apple watch (won it im not made of money lol - works same as fitbit ect)

I find the CGM the most useful tool for sure
 

donnellysdogs

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Well my surge is superb.. It really is. I now ensure I walk my 10000 steps a day using it as it is so accurate.
Heart rate is fantastic as I can constantly view the stress reactions on the actual clock face at all times.
My hubby wore it into work last Fri and his colleagues spotted it and thought he was wearing a watch... When he showed them how easy it is to swipe to see how many steps, BP, miles, calories n floors achieved - they all want one now for xmas!!
I am absolutely thrilled with mine. Morivates me everyday to do a little more.
 

sdet

Newbie
Messages
1
Hi! Welcome to the forum!

I'm a tech geek (work in IT), so I like to stay up-to-date with technology!
I use:
1) glucose meter (as anyone)
2) fitbit charge hr tracker - tracks activity, heart rate, steps, distance, etc
3) dexcom g4 cgm for continuous bg tracking
4) manually log insulin doses (though I get bored every now and then!)

I wrote myself a piece of software that puts it all together for me, creating graphs like this:
View attachment 14909

Shows my BG from CGM (black line), BG readings from meter (blue dots) and heart rate from fitbit (yellow-orange-red depending on level of hr), plus vertical lines mark insulin doses - N X for novorapid dose, L X for levemir dose.
I'm experimenting at looking at HR versus number of steps made to see which one has more obvious effect on BG.

The graph shows my readings from 2 weeks ago when I was eating carbs again. Horrible, as you can see. Since then I went back to LCHF and my levels are much better. Plus, almost no insulin doses (apart from Levemir).

From that kind of data I generate more graphs, like average BG over days, standard deviation of levels, approximate HbA1c, daily profile, AGP, etc, etc.

Hope this helps :)

Hi PaulinaB, I came across Diabetes.co.uk because of your comment here: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/technology-to-manage-type-1.82045/

As I'm also in IT, I found it fascinating the data you were collecting. I was considering a FitBit HR for 24/7 HR monitoring to monitor my panic disorder. I realize it's not a medical device, but I was wondering if it might just fit the bill... and since they have an open API... it seemed interesting.

I was wondering if you could tell me a couple things about the FitBit HR data you collect?
Namely:
- What's the HR resolution like? how often does it take a reading? Can it show heart rate data in a 10min window? 30min window? Or is it checking hour by hour?
- I'm assuming you're pulling data from the FitBit site, rather than the machine itself... so their API... is the data streamed, or is it avail. at the end of a 24hr period? I'm looking for something I could pull data from on a regular basis. Or if you are pulling data from the machine, that's great, is that documented?

Well I hope my questions aren't too much of an intrusion. I was inspired by your graph.