Ask HN: I've quit six systems for tracking my illness. What works?

Reducing friction is what worked for me. I've been using a headache tracking app for a few months now. I had to sort through a bunch of bad apps. Eventually I settled on one that only requires three taps to log symptoms after it sends a notification once a day (the key is you can set custom buttons to record the specific info you want). That's low enough overhead that I stick with it, and because of that I actually discovered and was able to address the root cause of my headaches, which is life-changing for me!

For something even lower friction than that, I just got this new device "Index 01" https://repebble.com/index. It's a ring with one button that you can hold down and dictate short voice notes to yourself that are transcribed and saved on your phone, set reminders and alarms, etc. It's super low friction because it's always there, you can do it one-handed, and you don't need to get out your phone so there's no distraction. The software is open source and hackable too, so you can customize what it does with the notes and add new voice commands. I think it would be perfect for low friction journaling of illness symptoms.

This is a great idea for a potential startup or, even better, some free software. I started developing something like this but didn't go far.

Where? I don't see a single one from clicking around a bit on the site.

The landing page doesn't even say what it is, just some audio thing somehow tied to Dr Oz (can't actually exercise it, because I run firefox). Why is the first thing you're expecting me to do is talk to my browser?

What if I'm deaf, mute, or blind and using accessibility tools? What am I even supposed to be talking about?

In the menu, projects doesn't do anything (and what's a project anyway in this context?)

There's 94 programs... for what? If I go open a program, https://medicare.dev/program/71152-general-enrollment-period... there's still no disclaimer, and still no explanation about the reason someone should be using the site. I guess this is to build.. AI something? Maybe for use in medicare.gov? Is this entire site meant to be used by folks working for medicare (and if so, should I even be able to see this much?)

Messages takes me to a login screen with no sign-up.

Forms and Invest take me to the same page, giving me a chance to invest in foreign markets(?), but not what the investments are in? (codify.city seems like it's created by you as well, similarly says sweet nothing about what purpose it's serving)

"How it works"... doesn't? "The walkthrough isn’t available yet."

"Wiki" seems to be providing some examples of what seems to be instructions to AI agents, but no indication how you'd even use them. (also if you scroll the box, there's an error "Syntax error in text mermaid version 11.16.0"

This whole site fails to nail the very basics, and seems like slop-coded nonsense. I'd encourage you to stop building features, and start doing the boring groundwork. If you're actually expecting anyone to use it, explain it.

Also yet to see any of the disclaimers you claim are all over the place. They're really not.

> Where? I don't see a single one from clicking around a bit on the site. > The landing page doesn't even say what it is, just some audio thing somehow tied to Dr Oz (can't actually exercise it, because I run firefox). Why is the first thing you're expecting me to do is talk to my browser?

You have no invite; so what you are seeing is not what the test users currently see

> What if I'm deaf, mute, or blind and using accessibility tools? What am I even supposed to be talking about?

Then you would have come from another portal titally

In the menu, projects doesn't do anything (and what's a project anyway in this context?)

>

> There's 94 programs... for what? If I go open a program, https://medicare.dev/program/71152-general-enrollment-period... there's still no disclaimer, and still no explanation about the reason someone should be using the site. I guess this is to build.. AI something? Maybe for use in medicare.gov? Is this entire site meant to be used by folks working for medicare (and if so, should I even be able to see this much?)

Agents run the programs

> Messages takes me to a login screen with no sign-up.

Because you have no invite/ref code - so you are in a blank context

> Forms and Invest take me to the same page, giving me a chance to invest in foreign markets(?), but not what the investments are in? (codify.city seems like it's created by you as well, similarly says sweet nothing about what purpose it's serving)

Forms is an entry gate for people on the management side w/ specific intents

> "How it works"... doesn't? "The walkthrough isn’t available yet."

This is not done yet; i have several videos but they are all linked to specific cases and since you have no invite/ref code they are not available in your session

> "Wiki" seems to be providing some examples of what seems to be instructions to AI agents, but no indication how you'd even use them. (also if you scroll the box, there's an error "Syntax error in text mermaid version 11.16.0"

Yes, there are a few things I have to work with on this

> This whole site fails to nail the very basics, and seems like slop-coded nonsense. I'd encourage you to stop building features, and start doing the boring groundwork. If you're actually expecting anyone to use it, explain it.

I am working on this now; and no - its not slop coded; you are just being reductive and ignorant. I have made no claim this is a production effort you are seemingly just one of those ignorant people that assumes things and then reacts to their unverified assumptions

> Also yet to see any of the disclaimers you claim are all over the place. They're really not.

Yes, they are; they literally are in every single email when a user has the proper ref code.

People like you are the problem in my opinion; this was not a show HN I was responding to a comment and used and example from something I have been working on - you have used this to try and make yourself feel some sense of superiority by projecting claims of "completeness" that I never made. I am very glad that the majority of people I have worked with in tech are nothing like you are and I wish you well.

The most important thing is to make this as simple as possible to track.

The more data you have to collect, the more tiresome it becomes. The more tiresome it becomes, the harder it is to build a habit.

Start with one. Then go to two. Then go to three. If you notice you start dropping off again go back to two.