In alt.support.diabetes on Mon, 9 Apr 2007 12:04:59 -0700 in Msg.#

Software that goes with my meter. I find it very useful.

I think a spreadsheet is as effective.

I don't.  I don't see the sense in tracking anything.  I just use pen and
paper and write it all down in a log book.  I get them free from Bayer.  I
can also make notes for things like illness or eating foods out of the
ordinary.

Excel, personally. The free OpenOffice would be fine.

Nicky.

Personally, I made my own Excel spreadsheet which I used for
the first year. After a while recording everything lost it's
value, so I stopped. But in that first year the graphs and
tables I created definitely assisted when I discussed things
with my doc and I could show him the copies of meter
readings that went beyond his quarterly FBG and A1c.

I no longer have that. The best free software I've seen was
created by a regular here (anyone heard from Hi_Therre
lately?) and is available here:

http://healthdiabeticsoftware.com/
Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
d&e, metformin 1500mg, ezetrol 10mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
--
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
latest: A Pause to Reflect

I use whatever software is provided for the meter I happen to be using.
Usually One Touch. I find it much easier than keeping a log book. All
you have to do is download the contents of your meter to your computer
now and then. When the doctor wants to see some numbers you can just
print out the last couple of weeks worth of data and take it with you.

        Jerry Vrooman

I have an old-fashioned journal I keep track of things in.  I try to
put stuff from there into spreadsheets or other programs, but usually
forget.  

Pen & notebook for records (& notes, comments, etc.).
Eyeball scan to get a general sense of things.
bj

i use the One Touch software for the LifeScan
Ultra series of meters...... i think that the
Basic works with this software too

good luck

kate

When I was diagnosed, I was at a hospital and they sent a diabetic
educator to my room and we talked about diabetes for around 45 minutes.
She gave me a One Touch Ultra monitor and told me of the importance of
using the log book that came with it.

Being as though I work in the computer field. The first thing I did when
I got home was to set up an Excel spreadsheet to record my BG readings.
The spreadsheet is fairly simple; its really just an electronic version
of the log booklet that came with my BG test meter, but it averages the
readings down each column and its broken out into one week blocks, just
like the paper log.

I use this spreadsheet every day, including when I travel over night. I
keep the primary copy on a computer in my office that's accessible
anywhere I have Internet access. I keep a link to the spreadsheet on my
laptop and my desktop at home. I just click on the link and it starts up
Excel and loads the copy from my server in my office, then I enter the
reading and close the spreadsheet.

It works great. When I travel, I take my laptop with me and I load a
copy of the spreadsheet on it just in case I can't get Internet access.
Every year on January 1, I make a fresh copy of the spreadsheet, so it
never has more than a year's worth of readings in it. The old ones are
on my server, and they all get automatically backed up every day.

I did try a shareware program on my Palm Pilot, but it was way too
clunky, so I just use my spreadsheet.

I keep all my numbers in spreadsheets. I have general purpose
chronological sheets into which everything goes. I make graphs of my
entire BG response to some specific standard meals. I extract this
data into a separate spreadsheet for that meal so I can compare how
the graphs change over time.

Small notes go in as comment in the spreadsheet. Longer discussions,
reports of doctor's visits etc. go in a chrononlogical dated journal.

I prefer the DIY approach rather than someone's specific software
because it means my data is in a standard format I can export anywhere
into anything, and it means I can easily cook up any specific graphs I
want to see.

It's not difficult learning how to use use spreadsheets, and very well
worth while. They do for numbers what Word does for text.

Chris Malcolm

I use 2 way.

1)  My Diabetic Counselor wanted me to track and report 2 weeks of
readings (4 times/day) so I made a spreadsheet with 2 weeks of
readings (date, "L"/"R" for which hand (alternating), and 4 readings)
that I could copy and email.  Also have tabs with a line chart showing
readings, with upper/lower limit lines, and another with a pie chart.
I print the sheet and use it as a log, and fill the sheet on my PC at
the end of a day.

2)  I also keep a long term database record.  Six columns/record
(date, 4 readings, average).  This goes back years.  I can glance at
the daily  average to see my long term trend.  Also provides something
I can give a new doctor if necessary.

--
======== Tecknomage ========
Computer Systems Specialist
    San Diego, CA

www.bgtracker.com
Used to be and think still is free. You can make some pretty good  graphs
once you work out the finer points. Downside is it takes a little getting
used to. Can add more than one patient too, if need be.
Best Wishes,
Craig, Type 2
NSW, Australia