The Apple Watch as a Health Monitoring Tool

This post was originally published for subscribers of Tech.pinions. Our subscribers gave us feedback this story should be made available to the public. If you are interested in subscribing and getting a daily analysis of the tech industry, you can learn more here.

Many of my colleagues at Tech.pinions have weighed in on the anniversary of the Apple Watch and shared their various opinions on its success and challenges ahead. But in my first year of using the Apple Watch, it has become a device that literally has impacted my personal life and health.

We all know about the market for health trackers but, in my case, the Apple Watch has become an indispensable health monitor. I have been a type 2 diabetic for about 25 years and, until March of 2015, I was able to control it by diet, exercise, and oral medications. But last March when I was on a trip, my blood sugar readings skyrocketed and no amount of medication or diet would help.

When I got home, I went to see my doctor and he explained that, over time with many people, oral drugs cease to work and they have to move to insulin. I had been fighting this move for the previous 5 years, but under the circumstances, I needed insulin to get my blood sugar numbers under control. But the transition to using insulin was a difficult one. Getting the right amount based on carb counting and other factors was tough. I was pricking my fingers up to seven times a day to see what my blood sugars were. As a working person who travels a lot, doing this is just a bit difficult.

Over the last year, I have been very interested in a new category that has emerged with the Apple Watch called “health monitoring”. I have checked out things like the Withing Blood Pressure Cuff where the results can be shown on the Apple Watch, to a new Apple Watch band that can record an EKG and display it on the Watch. So I began to search to see if perhaps there was a blood sugar monitoring system on the market and discovered the Dexcom 5 Continuous Glucose Monitoring system.

I was aware of their early models but had read they had some problems and was hesitant to get it in its early days on the market. But when the Dexcom 5 came out, I saw more positive comments on it. What sold me was the fact the readings could be displayed on my iPhone and the Apple Watch.

Thankfully, it was covered by my insurance and I asked my doctor to prescribe it for me as it takes a doctor’s OK to get it. About two months ago, I received it and started using it to monitor my blood sugars.

It uses a sensor and a BLE transmitter that sits on top of the sensor. Each sensor lasts seven days. The sensor has a small needle-like prong that is the thickness of two human hairs. It embeds into my stomach (I hardly feel it going in) and monitors my blood sugar fluids 24X7.

Dexcom explains that these fluids are a bit different than monitoring the actual blood but they are accurate to within 5-20% of any actual true blood sugar reading. After two months of using it, I find a Dexcom reading vs a pin prick reading of my blood is actually pretty close most of the time and, when different, the Dexcom is off only about 10-15%. However, even with those discrepancies, I can now tell with pretty good accuracy what my blood sugar readings are all of the time.

They also have a separate transmitter I could carry but since it works with my iPhone I don’t need it. More importantly, that reading is on the Watch and, at any time, I can check it and see what my blood glucose numbers are. In the past, I had no idea what the numbers were without doing a pin prick blood test. The other thing that has been transformative is that when I eat something with carbs in it, within 15 minutes I know how it has impacted my blood sugar numbers.

My actual target with my blood sugars are to keep them under 160 and no lower than 80. With this app, I can set alerts that let me know when my numbers go over 160 or under 80 and it gives me a loud beep as a warning. I actually try to keep the numbers under 140, and this app really helps do that. Using the Dexcom 5 sensors and the Apple watch app, I now always know what my blood sugar ranges are.

For those with Type 1 diabetes that are insulin dependent, the Dexcom 5 and the Apple Watch changes their lives. The alarms alone are worth the price. Yet, as a Type 2 diabetic, this device has also become a life changing tool and, at least for me, the combination of this sensor system and the Apple watch is now something I can’t live without. Yes, I could go back to only using pin pricks but I could never do this all day, every day. With this new health monitoring device and the Apple Watch, I have one of the most effective tools I have ever used to help me deal with this disease in a highly proactive manner.

Today, there are over 29 million diabetics in the US and unfortunately, that number is growing. While the best thing would be for science to discover a cure, a tool like this can go a long way towards helping those of us with this disease monitor and manage it.

I won’t go as far as to say the Apple Watch is a life saver for me. On the other hand, it is now something I can’t live without since it has become a key part of how I manage this disease.

Published by

Tim Bajarin

Tim Bajarin is the President of Creative Strategies, Inc. He is recognized as one of the leading industry consultants, analysts and futurists covering the field of personal computers and consumer technology. Mr. Bajarin has been with Creative Strategies since 1981 and has served as a consultant to most of the leading hardware and software vendors in the industry including IBM, Apple, Xerox, Compaq, Dell, AT&T, Microsoft, Polaroid, Lotus, Epson, Toshiba and numerous others.

126 thoughts on “The Apple Watch as a Health Monitoring Tool”

  1. Thank you for sharing your experience. It is an interesting example of the use of a wearable as health monitor, but it does show that doctors/healthcare providers are gatekeepers to the use of this type of technology.

    Reply

    1. It is today because any device that actually that makes any form of diagnosis has to have FDA approval. That may change over time but that drives what is regulated and what does not get regulated today. So a fitness tracker needs no regulation. But the EKG watch band does.

      Reply

  2. This is valuable & vital…thanks for sharing your own personal story…I know a few folks who could benefit greatly in learning about the Dexcom 5 option

    Reply

  3. Hi Tim,
    When I went through 20/20 program in Washington state (which is great for dieting and exercise training) it was shown to me that insulin is produced as a body response for craving for sugar. One way to fight the sugar craving would be to _insolate_ type of foods that cause sugar cravings or eat separately. And of course educate pin pricks when it is feasible and avoid smoking. La briut!

    Reply

  21. I just like the helpful information you supply in your articles.I will bookmark your blog and test again right here regularly.I’m slightly sure I will learn many new stuff proper here!Good luck for the next!

    Reply

  26. I do consider all the concepts you have offered on your post. They are really convincing and can certainly work. Nonetheless, the posts are very short for newbies. May just you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.

    Reply

  28. Hi! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blogto rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good results.If you know of any please share. Thanks!

    Reply

  29. Hi my family member! I wish to say that this article is awesome, great written and include almost all vital infos. I would like to see more posts like this .

    Reply

  33. Is there free software or online database to keep track of scheduled blog posts? I would also like it to keep a record of past and future posts. I am trying to avoid creating a spreadsheet in Excel..

    Reply

  40. Aw, this was an incredibly nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to make a great article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole lot and don’t manage to get anything done.

    Reply

  45. What’s Happening i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve found It absolutely helpful and ithas aided me out loads. I am hoping to give a contribution & assist other users like its aided me.Good job.

    Reply

  46. What’s Going down i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve found It positively useful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & aid different users like its aided me. Great job.

    Reply

  49. I do agree with all the ideas you’ve presented to your post. They are very convincing and will definitely work. Still, the posts are very brief for novices. May just you please prolong them a little from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.

    Reply

  55. Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to your blog before but after looking at some of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m certainly happy I discovered it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly.

    Reply

  67. Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the images on this blogloading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end orif it’s the blog. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply

  72. Hello there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it’struly informative. I’m going to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future.Numerous people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

    Reply

  73. When I initially commented I clicked the -Alert me when new comments are added- checkbox and also now each time a comment is included I get four e-mails with the exact same remark. Is there any way you can eliminate me from that service? Thanks!

    Reply

  76. I will right away snatch your rss feed as I can’t to find your e-mail subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please allow me realize so that I may subscribe. Thanks.

    Reply

  77. Everyone loves what you guys tend to be up too.This kind of clever work and exposure! Keep up the terrific worksguys I’ve added you guys to blogroll.

    Reply

  79. continuously i used to read smaller articles or reviews thatas well clear their motive, and that is also happening with this paragraph which Iam reading at this place.

    Reply

  105. Very great post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I’ve trulyloved surfing around your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing on your feedand I hope you write again soon!

    Reply

  110. Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!

    Reply

  114. Thanks , I’ve just been looking for information approximately this subject for a while and yours is the best I’ve found out so far. But, what in regards to the conclusion? Are you sure in regards to the supply?

    Reply

  115. Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again very soon!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *