Blood Glucose Diary on Your Cell Phone: Record Your Glucometer Readings
The cell phone doesn't measure glucose: it becomes the diary where you write down each number that the glucometer shows, or receives that number directly from a compatible device.
Seven twelve in the morning, fasting: 104. After lunch: 162. Before bed: 128. Three measurements a day become ninety a month. The little notebook in the drawer can't hold up, the handwriting smudges, and on the day of the appointment, it stays at home.
With a blood glucose diary app, each measurement is entered in seconds, with the correct time, meal, and insulin dose included. At the end of the month, the numbers become a graph, and the graph shows what the notebook hid: the time when glucose rises, the meal that weighs most heavily, the week that got out of control. In this guide, you'll see the best apps for this and how to have everything ready for your next appointment.
mySugr: the journal that transforms numbers into graphs
mySugr is one of the most widely used diabetes diaries in the world. It belongs to Roche, the manufacturer of Accu-Chek glucometers. On Google Play, it has over 5 million downloads and a 4.6 rating with more than 143,000 reviews. On the App Store, it has a 4.7 rating in both Brazil and the United States.
- Full record: Blood glucose, carbohydrates, insulin, meal, physical activity, and observations are all in the same entry.
- Photo of the meal: Take a picture of the plate along with the measurement and then find out what caused the glucose to rise.
- Charts for the day, week, and month: You can see at a glance if the numbers are within the range agreed upon with the doctor.
- Estimated glycated hemoglobin: The app calculates an estimate of your HbA1c based on your measurements.
- Connection to glucometer: Accu-Chek devices compatible with Bluetooth send the measurement directly to the app, without any typing required.
- The monster of diabetes: Each entry "tames" the little monster on the screen. It sounds like a game, but it makes you write it down every day.
Some features, such as full reports, are available in mySugr Pro. The basic journal already covers the main needs: recording and tracking information.
How to register your first measurement on mySugr
- Install mySugr using the button at the top of this page, on Google Play, or on the App Store.
- Create your account and provide the type of diabetes, the unit of measurement (mg/dL or mmol/L), and the blood glucose range defined by your doctor.
- Measure your glucose using a glucometer, as you already do.
- Tap the plus sign in the app and enter the amount. The date and time will be automatically added.
- If you wish, add the meal, carbohydrates, insulin, and a photo of the dish.
- Save. Done: your first diary entry is complete.
If your glucometer has Bluetooth and is compatible, pair the device once in the app settings. From then on, the measurements will arrive automatically.
The times that matter
A diary is worth what you write in it. The entries that are most helpful for reference are usually these:
- Fast: Right after waking up, before breakfast.
- Before meals: to find out where the glucose comes from.
- Two hours after eating: to see the impact of that meal.
- Before going to sleep: To end the day.
- When you feel unwell: Dizziness, cold sweats, or weakness. Write down the number and what you were feeling.
Follow the frequency your doctor recommended. The app doesn't replace a doctor; it organizes the numbers to make the consultation more productive.
OneTouch Reveal: for those who use a OneTouch glucometer
If your device is from the OneTouch line with Bluetooth, OneTouch Reveal is the diary made for it. Measurements are transferred from the glucometer to your phone without typing, and the app identifies recurring patterns, such as high blood sugar levels always at the same time of day. It has a 3.8 rating on Google Play and has over 1 million downloads.
Contour Diabetes: for those who use a Contour glucometer
Contour Diabetes is Ascensia's app for Bluetooth-compatible Contour glucometers. The logic is the same: the device measures, the app receives and organizes the history into graphs. It has over 100,000 downloads on Google Play.
iPhone Health: the pre-installed diary
iPhone users now have a place to record their blood glucose levels without downloading anything. In the Health app, search for "Glucose" and tap "Add data" to record the value, date, and time. It's the quickest way for those who just want to note the number and view their history.
How to bring your diary to the appointment
The day of the appointment is when the diary pays off. Prepare like this:
- A week beforehand, check to make sure you haven't missed a single day of recording.
- Open the chart for the last 30 days and note the times when your glucose levels went outside the normal range.
- Mark the meals and days that deviated from the routine, such as birthdays, trips, or stressful weeks.
- Bring your phone with the app open or the exported report to show the doctor.
In a ten-minute consultation, the doctor sees three months of your glucose levels. The conversation stops being "I think I was fine" and becomes about numbers on the screen.
Which app to choose?
| Application | Best for | Note on Google Play | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|
| mySugr | Complete diary with charts, meals, and insulin. | 4,6 | 5 mi+ |
| OneTouch Reveal | Who uses a OneTouch glucometer with Bluetooth? | 3,8 | 1 mi+ |
| Contour Diabetes | Who uses a Contour glucometer with Bluetooth? | – | 100,000+ |
| Health (iPhone) | Recording blood glucose levels without installing anything. | – | – |
If you want an app to get started today, go with mySugr: it works with any glucometer, since you can type in the value, and it transforms each measurement into a graph. Install it using the button at the beginning of this page, record today's measurement, and arrive at your next appointment with the whole month's data at your fingertips.
