Setting Preferences
Diabetes Pilot allows you to set several different options in the program. These options can customize the behavior of Diabetes Pilot to your needs and help save you time while entering data.
General Preferences
To set general program preferences, tap the "Tasks..." button, then choose "Settings..." from the menu that appears. The general preferences screen allows you to set several options that determine how Diabetes Pilot works:
- Blood glucose ranges. Set your limits for high and low blood sugars and a target range. These values are used with various reports.
- Default Exercise: This allows you to specify the exercise that appears as a default when you are entering a new exercise entry.
- Default Medication: This allows you to specify the medication that appears as a default when you are entering a new medication entry.
- For Meals Show: This specifies which nutrient is displayed on the main record listing screen for meal entries. You can choose from carbohydrates, fiber, protein, fat, calories, saturated fat, sugars, sodium, cholesterol, calories from fat, and net carbs (carbohydrates minus fiber).
- Glucose Units: This items allows you to select between either mg/dL units (typically used in the United States) or mmol/L units (typically used throughout the world) for glucose measurements. Please note that if you change this setting, your existing glucose data and target glucose ranges will be converted to the system of measurement that you select. Please note that converting back and forth between the two systems of measurement may result in small changes to your data that are caused by rounding during the conversion process. For this reason, we recommend that you select the system that you prefer and then leave this setting unchanged.
- Weight Units: Specifies the units that you'd like to use for weight records. Choose pounds (lb) or kilograms (kg)
- Smart Categories: With this option selected, Diabetes Pilot will try to preelect a category for new records based on the patterns in your past entries. This can save time in data entry, and you can always change the category to whatever you'd like. If you turn this off, new records default to the "Unfiled" category.
- Share New Foods: When selected, new foods that you enter into a database will be sent to Diabetes Pilot for possible sharing with other users in the future. Only the nutrition data that you enter for the foods is shared - no personal information or records are transmitted. You can turn this off if you'd prefer to not participate.
- Show Newer Records at Top: Sorts the record list with newer records at the top and older records at the bottom of the record list.
Insulin Calculation Settings
Diabetes Pilot can calculate an estimated insulin dose when you are entering a glucose reading or a meal. These calculations are based solely on parameters that you enter. To use the insulin calculation features, these parameters must be configured for your personal needs, and the feature must be turned on.
The insulin calculation feature is provided as an educational tool that some people may find useful. It is not appropriate for everyone or for all circumstances. THE INSULIN CACLULATION FUNCTION IS A SIMPLE CALCULATION, MUCH LIKE YOU MIGHT PERFORM YOURSELF USING A POCKET CALCULATOR - IT IS NOT INTENDED AS MEDICAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE USED AS SUCH. If you do not understand this feature, please do not use it. If you do not understand what values to use on the configuration screen, please consult your doctor. In any case, by using Diabetes Pilot, you agree to assume full responsibility for your health care and you agree that Diabetes Pilot and its authors are not liable for any direct or indirect consequences of any results (correct or incorrect) returned by the program.
ALWAYS VERIFY THE CALCULATIONS WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH PRACTITIONER.
Please note that the insulin calculations presented by the program when you are making glucose and meal entries consider only the current entry. The calculations do not consider any other factors, such as exercise, previous doses, previous food, or other circumstances that could significantly affect the amount of insulin that is required. You must use your own judgement to account for these various factors.
To configure the insulin calculation feature, tap the "Insulin Calcs..." button at the top of the preferences/settings screen. The configuration screen will be displayed:
- Use 1 U per __ g carbohydrate: If this switch is turned on, an insulin calculation will be displayed on the meal detail record screen when you are making a meal entry. Insulin is calculated by dividing the carbohydrate content of the meal by the value entered. So, for example, if you take 1 unit of insulin for every 15 grams of carbohydrate in a meal, you would enter "15" in the space provided.
- Subtract fiber from carbs: If this switch is turned on, the fiber content of the meal will be subtracted from the overall carbohydrate total when performing the calculation described above.
- Add 1U per __ g Protein: If this switch is turned on, an additional quantity of insulin will be calculated according to the protein content of the meal. Insulin is calculated by dividing the protein content of the meal by the value entered. So, for example, if you take an additional 1 unit of insulin for every 7 grams of protein in a meal, you would enter "7" in the space provided. Note that this is in addition to the carbohydrate calculation described above and is only available when the carbohydrate calculation is used.
- Calculate Insulin Required to Lower Glucose: If this switch is turned on, an insulin calculation will be displayed on the glucose record detail screen when you are making a glucose entry. The insulin estimate is calculated by taking the difference between your target and the glucose entry you are currently making and dividing it by the factor that you have entered. (If the glucose reading you are entering is below your target, no correction is shown).
Editing Categories
Diabetes Pilot allows you to categorize your records however you would like. Many people like to use these categories to group their records by time of day. However, you can change the category names to anything that you'd like.
To edit the category list:
On the main screen, tap the "Tasks..." button, then select "Edit Categories...". Then,
- Use the "+" button to add a new category.
- Use the "-" button next to a category to delete it.
- Drag the categories into the order that you prefer by dragging the bars on the right side of each category listing.