HIV App - Health Management... who knew.

[red_Dragon888]

Here is an App to keep track of your health.

http://www.healthywithhiv.com/healthy-with-hiv/healthywithhiv/hiv_healthy/index.jsp

[mecch]

I like my Isentress.  Thank you Merck.  That said, considering all the billions you make with your HIV drugs, this "app" seems rather... I dunno. Nothing offensive about it, but  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCRZZC-DH7M

[red_Dragon888]

I like my Isentress.  Thank you Merck.  That said, considering all the billions you make with your HIV drugs, this "app" seems rather... I dunno. Nothing offensive about it, but  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCRZZC-DH7M

BIG BUSINESS MOTTO...

GREED IS GOOD

[oksikoko]

There are a ton of these apps. When I was trying to find one I liked, there was always at least 1 thing wrong: one was attractive, but only in Greek, another required you to choose your pills from a dropdown, but Stribild wasn't on their list yet, another wouldn't let me choose a date in the past for when I started the Stribild, which seems dumb if you're creating a record...

I put up a list of some HIV-related apps about a month ago in a Google+ group I moderate. I'll paste some of that info below, though it's already out of date!

Incidentally, I just decided to use a spreadsheet and put it in my Dropbox so it was accessible from any device. I'm a developer, though, and I'm about 2 feet and 2 days away from building my own site/app combo... Seriously.

Oh, and the Greek one wasn't in this list. It's here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id532189186?mt=8


PRE-INSTALLED iOS APPS

• Reminders •
You probably already know about this one, but if not, give it a spin. It's part of the iCloud ecosystem, so it's pre-installed on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch as well as OSX.8 Mountain Lion. You can also access it with your other iCloud data at iCloud.com. This is the big selling point for me. Whether I'm at my computer or out somewhere, I always get a reminder when it's time, for instance, to take a pill. Everything stays in sync, so if I check it off on my phone, my computer doesn't nag me about it.

Google Tasks, which I don't use since the iOS 5 update, unfortunately doesn't sync with Reminders (yet). If you're a Google Tasks person with an iPhone and you don't want to use Reminders, try GoTasks ( https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gotasks-google-tasks-client/id389113399?mt=8 ). It's not integrated into iOS like Reminders, but it does sync with Google tasks which I usually have open on my calendar anyway.

iTUNES STORE

• iStayHealthy •
http://blogs.poz.com/istayhealthy/
I had planned to keep a Google Sheet to track my CD4 count and viral load, etc., but I think I'll be using this instead. In addition to being able to track and chart those numbers, you can also enter your medication regimen and track missed doses and side effects. If your regimen changes, that's all tracked as well, so you can see how your numbers are affected by changes to your plan. There's an alert section which has the same basic functionality as Reminders, but without the syncing and tight integration into the OS. Finally there's a general health section where youc an keep track of other medications, illnesses and surgeries and clinics that you've been to. I think it's going to be handy later on to have ll this stuff in one place and to be able to give my doctor info by glancing at my phone. The data is stored as XML, so it's portable in case you ever wanted to switch tracking systems, and there's an automatic way to back it all up to Dropbox, which I recommend using regardless of this app.

• My Health Matters • (from Merck)
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-health-matters/id512943758?mt=8
This seems to have very similar functionality t iStayHealthy, though I just found it and haven't used it. If anyone has, let us know what you think. iStayHealthy is backed by POZ magainze, I think, but it still seems to be the work of an independent developer. I'm an indy developer too, though, so I'm biased.

• HIV Testing and Care Services Locator •
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hiv-testing-care-services/id560141508?mt=8 It's just what it sounds like: a map with HIV services in these categories: HIV Testing, Housing Assistance, Health Centers, Ryan White HIV Care, Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Family Planning

• HIV iCHart •
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hiv-ichart/id400661251?mt=8
In theory, you can choose your medication, HIV and non, in this app to identify potential adverse interactions. I found it tricky, though. For instance, even though the database updates every time you log on, implying that it's the latest data, Stribild wasn't one of the options. I had to search for its constituent parts. Three were there, but still cobicistat wasn't an option unless it was under a different name. These drugs can be so confusing. Oy vey.

• AIDSinfo HIV Glossary •
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/aidsinfo-hiv-aids-glossary/id397417517?mt=8
I tend to just go to Google for unfamiliar terms, but if you like having everything compiled, this one seems pretty thorough and also comes in Spanish.

PROBLEMATIC APPS

• The Animated Pocket Dictionary of HIV and AIDS  •
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hiv-aids-animated-pocket-dictionary/id491128840?mt=8
The videos were kind of weird. I couldn't get audio if there was any, and it seemed like I was 'missing something'. Maybe one of you will like it, though.

• HIV and Your Heart for iPhone •
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hiv-and-your-heart-for-iphone/id429801112?mt=8
This crashed my phone every time, but maybe that's just my setup. I'm on iPhone 4, but my OS is up to date, so…

• HIV/AIDS Patient Treatment Companion •
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hiv-aids-patient-treatment/id480113309?mt=8
This seems similar to iStayHealthy, but it also crashed my phone every time. Let me know if it works for any of you.

[mecch]

Oksikoko - thanks for that very informative post, and your first post was helpful too.
Welcome to the forum. Interesting name.