VitalSigns

Track anything by text message. No app, no login.

Think of it as a notebook that lives in your text messages — every text is saved with the date and time, so you build a history you can look back on. (Summaries and trends are on the way.)

+1 (206) 350-3997

Invitation only — you need a join code from someone who already uses it.

How it works

Text a measure and a value — your weight, blood pressure, steps, sleep, mood, whatever you're keeping an eye on. It's logged with a timestamp: one line, whenever you want.

weight 178
bp 120 80
steps 8500
mood pretty good

The measure is the first word; whatever comes after it is saved exactly as you typed it — a number, several numbers, or plain words. Nothing to set up.

Looking back

Text /recent weight — or any measure — and VitalSigns texts your latest entries back, newest first:

weight (last 3):
178 — Jul 16 08:12
179 — Jul 14 07:55
180 — Jul 10 08:03

It's all there in your texts — nothing to open, nothing to log into.

Writing values

  • One value or several. Put multiple values on one line, separated by spaces: bp 120 80.
  • Commas work too. You can separate values with commas as well as spaces: bp 120, 80.
  • Big numbers. Use commas as thousands separators if you like — steps 10,000 — but you never have to; steps 10000 is exactly the same.
  • Words. If your measure is just text, everything you type is kept exactly as written — commas, punctuation and all: mood cloudy, a little off.

Not just health

The measure is only a word, so VitalSigns can track anything you'd jot down over time — not just vitals:

hours 6.5
rainfall 0.4
coffee 3
fillup 11,234 10 54.99

Hours worked, the day's rainfall, cups of coffee, a gas-station fill-up — the same one-line habit, whatever you're tracking.

Giving a measure structure (optional)

Everything above works with no setup. If you'd like, you can tell VitalSigns what information belongs in a particular kind of entry — so it can check each one and keep the parts straight. Sign in at vital-signs.billbak.tech and open Measures.

Each part is called a field, and you give it a name, a kind of value, and an optional unit:

TypeAccepts
numberAny number, e.g. 98.6
whole numberCounts with no decimals, e.g. 12000
textWords, kept as written

For example, define fillup with three number fields — mileage, gallons, cost — then text:

fillup 11,234 10 54.99

…and it's checked and stored as those three parts.

If an entry doesn't match, nothing is lost. VitalSigns replies with what it expected and doesn't save — just send it again. For the three-part fillup above, texting fillup 10 54.99 (only two values) gets:

"fillup needs 3 values: mileage, gallons, cost. Not saved."

You can also mark a measure as one that adds up over time (like steps or miles) — that's what will drive running totals and averages in reports later.

A measure you haven't defined — or one defined as a single text field — simply keeps whatever you text, exactly as written.

Commands

CommandWhat it does
/recentShow recent entries for a measure, newest first (also /replay).
/listList the measures you've been tracking.
/saveSave a new value (an explicit alternative to a bare line).
/helpGet a short reminder of what you can do.
STOP / STARTStop or resume all messages at any time.

Common questions

Do I need an app? No — just the text messaging already on your phone.

iPhone or Android? Either one. If it can send a text, it works.

Is it only for health? No — track anything you like.

Joining

VitalSigns is invitation only. When someone invites you, you'll get a join code. Text JOIN <code> to the number above, then reply AGREE to confirm.

What you're agreeing to

Before you reply AGREE, understand what texting means here:

  • Anyone with access to your phone can see and send these messages.
  • SMS is not encrypted, and a SIM swap or a compromised phone could expose your data.
  • Your carrier and ours handle the messages in transit.

If you're comfortable with that, reply AGREE to finish joining.

Messaging & privacy

Standard message and data rates may apply. Message frequency depends on how often you text in. Reply STOP to opt out at any time, START to opt back in, and HELP for help. We don't sell your data — this is a personal project, not a company.

VitalSigns · a personal project · not a medical device