The Right Way To Monitor Blood Sugar
People with diabetes must monitor blood sugar, also called blood glucose, to better manage their condition. Checking blood sugar periodically throughout the day can provide a picture of the effects that food, stress, medicines, and activity level have on blood glucose levels. With this information, a person with diabetes can stay healthier. Good blood sugar control can delay or even prevent serious complications of diabetes such as kidney failure and the consequences of nerve damage that can ultimately lead to amputation. When you monitor blood sugar levels, you learn what the normal range of blood glucose is for you, and how far below or above that level you are. Your blood sugar level will give you an idea of how well your treatment plan is working. How often you need to monitor blood sugar varies from individual to individual and should be guided by your doctor’s advice. For example, many people who take insulin need to test blood sugar three or four times per day, while other treatment regimens demand less frequent monitoring. When you are ill or keeping an irregular schedule, you may need to test more frequently. The ultimate goal when you monitor blood sugar is to hit your ideal blood glucose target level, which your doctor will determine for you. If your blood glucose readings are not ideal, you may need to alter your medication dosage and diet. Monitoring With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Blood sugar monitoring is important both for people with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is the result of an autoimmune disorder; your body's immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that enables your body to convert the food you eat into energy. People with type 1 always need to take insulin because their Continue reading >>
Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices
What does this test do? This is a test system for use at home to measure the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. What is glucose? Glucose is a sugar that your body uses as a source of energy. Unless you have diabetes, your body regulates the amount of glucose in your blood. People with diabetes may need special diets and medications to control blood glucose. What type of test is this? This is a quantitative test, which means that you will find out the amount of glucose present in your blood sample. Why should you take this test? You should take this test if you have diabetes and you need to monitor your blood sugar (glucose) levels. You and your doctor can use the results to: determine your daily adjustments in treatment know if you have dangerously high or low levels of glucose understand how your diet and exercise change your glucose levels The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (1993) showed that good glucose control using home monitors led to fewer disease complications. How often should you test your glucose? Follow your doctor's recommendations about how often you test your glucose. You may need to test yourself several times each day to determine adjustments in your diet or treatment. What should your glucose levels be? According to the American Diabetes Association (Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes 2011, Diabetes Care, January 2011, vol.34, Supplement 1, S11-S61) the blood glucose levels for an adult without diabetes are below 100 mg/dL before meals and fasting and are less than 140 mg/dL two hours after meals. People with diabetes should consult their doctor or health care provider to set appropriate blood glucose goals. You should treat your low or high blood glucose as recommended by your health care provider. How accurate is this test? The ac Continue reading >>
Symptoms, Diagnosis & Monitoring Of Diabetes
According to the latest American Heart Association's Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, about 8 million people 18 years and older in the United States have type 2 diabetes and do not know it. Often type 1 diabetes remains undiagnosed until symptoms become severe and hospitalization is required. Left untreated, diabetes can cause a number of health complications. That's why it's so important to both know what warning signs to look for and to see a health care provider regularly for routine wellness screenings. Symptoms In incidences of prediabetes, there are no symptoms. People may not be aware that they have type 1 or type 2 diabetes because they have no symptoms or because the symptoms are so mild that they go unnoticed for quite some time. However, some individuals do experience warning signs, so it's important to be familiar with them. Prediabetes Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes No symptoms Increased or extreme thirst Increased thirst Increased appetite Increased appetite Increased fatigue Fatigue Increased or frequent urination Increased urination, especially at night Unusual weight loss Weight loss Blurred vision Blurred vision Fruity odor or breath Sores that do not heal In some cases, no symptoms In some cases, no symptoms If you have any of these symptoms, see your health care provider right away. Diabetes can only be diagnosed by your healthcare provider. Who should be tested for prediabetes and diabetes? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you should be tested if you are: If your blood glucose levels are in normal range, testing should be done about every three years. If you have prediabetes, you should be checked for diabetes every one to two years after diagnosis. Tests for Diagnosing Prediabetes and Diabetes There are three ty Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar Testing: Why, When And How
Blood sugar testing is an important part of diabetes care. Find out when to test your blood sugar level, how to use a testing meter, and more. If you have diabetes, self-testing your blood sugar (blood glucose) can be an important tool in managing your treatment plan and preventing long-term complications of diabetes. You can test your blood sugar at home with a portable electronic device (glucose meter) that measures sugar level in a small drop of your blood. Why test your blood sugar Blood sugar testing — or self-monitoring blood glucose — provides useful information for diabetes management. It can help you: Judge how well you're reaching overall treatment goals Understand how diet and exercise affect blood sugar levels Understand how other factors, such as illness or stress, affect blood sugar levels Monitor the effect of diabetes medications on blood sugar levels Identify blood sugar levels that are high or low When to test your blood sugar Your doctor will advise you on how often you should check your blood sugar level. In general, the frequency of testing depends on the type of diabetes you have and your treatment plan. Type 1 diabetes. Your doctor may recommend blood sugar testing four to eight times a day if you have type 1 diabetes. You may need to test before meals and snacks, before and after exercise, before bed, and occasionally during the night. You may also need to check your blood sugar level more often if you are ill, change your daily routine or begin a new medication. Type 2 diabetes. If you take insulin to manage type 2 diabetes, your doctor may recommend blood sugar testing two or more times a day, depending on the type and amount of insulin you need. Testing is usually recommended before meals, and sometimes before bedtime. If you manage type 2 Continue reading >>
Monitoring Your Own Glucose Levels
You measure your glucose levels through a finger-prick test. You should have been shown how to do this when you were told that you had gestational diabetes. You will also have discussed the ideal blood glucose levels for you during your pregnancy. The ideal target glucose levels are below but your team may have talked to you about your individual target level: fasting: 5.3 mmol/litre 1 hour after meals: 7.8 mmol/litre 2 hours after meals: 6.4 mmol/litre. How to monitor your blood glucose levels Watch this film from Diabetes UK or read the instructions below. To monitor your glucose, you will be given a blood glucose monitor. This is designed for you to measure your own blood glucose levels at home, or wherever you happen to be, by checking a drop of your blood. You produce the blood by using a finger pricker. There is less sensation in the sides of your fingers than the tips or the underneath. Try to prick the side of your finger, near the tip. To monitor your glucose, you will be given a blood glucose monitor. This is designed for you to measure your own blood glucose levels at home, or wherever you happen to be, by checking a drop of your blood. You produce the blood by using a finger pricker. There are many different brands of meter on the market, but they all work in similar ways: Step 1 Wash your hands. Step 2 Set up a finger pricker with a clean needle. Step 3 Insert one end of a test strip (usually a long, thin paper-type strip) into the meter. Step 4 Use the finger pricker to prick the side of your finger. Step 5 When a spot of blood appears where you pricked you finger, place it onto the end of the testing strip that is sticking out of the meter to transfer the blood. Step 6 After a few seconds, the meter will display your blood glucose level. Step 7 Clean the Continue reading >>
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Blood Sugar Monitoring: When To Check And Why
Managing diabetes is one part investigation and two parts action. Unlike some other diseases that rely primarily on professional medical treatment, diabetes treatment requires active participation by the person who has it. Monitoring your blood sugar level on a regular basis and analyzing the results is believed by many to be a crucial part of the treatment equation. When someone is first diagnosed with diabetes, he is usually given a blood sugar meter (or told to go buy one) and told how and when to use it, as well as what numbers to shoot for. However, the advice a person receives on when to monitor and what the results should be generally depend on his type of diabetes, age, and state of overall health. It can also depend on a health-care provider’s philosophy of care and which set of diabetes care guidelines he follows. At least three major health organizations have published slightly different recommendations regarding goals for blood sugar levels. There is some common ground when it comes to blood sugar monitoring practices. For example, most people take a fasting reading before breakfast every morning. Some people also monitor before lunch, dinner, and bedtime; some monitor after each meal; and some monitor both before and after all meals. However, when monitoring after meals, some people do it two hours after the first bite of the meal, while others prefer to check one hour after the start of a meal. To help sort out the whys and when of monitoring, three diabetes experts weigh in with their opinions. While they don’t agree on all the details, they do agree on one thing: Regular monitoring is critical in diabetes care. Why monitor? Self-monitoring is an integral part of diabetes management because it puts you in charge. Regardless of how you manage your diab Continue reading >>
Blood Glucose Monitoring: Tips To Monitor Your Blood Sugar Successfully
Blood sugar testing is an essential part of managing and controlling diabetes. Knowing your blood sugar level quickly can help alert you to when your level has fallen or risen outside the target range. In some cases, this will help prevent an emergency situation. You’ll also be able to record and track your blood glucose readings over time. This will show you how exercise, food, and medicine affect your levels. Conveniently enough, testing your blood glucose level can be done just about anywhere and at any time. In as little as a minute or two, you can test your blood and have a reading using an at-home blood sugar meter or blood glucose monitor. Learn more: Choosing a glucose meter » Whether you test several times a day or only once, following a testing routine will help you prevent infection, return true results, and better monitor your blood sugar. Here’s a step-by-step routine you can follow: Wash your hands with warm, soapy water. Then dry them well with a clean towel. If you use an alcohol swab, be sure to let the area dry completely before testing. Prepare a clean lancet device by inserting a clean needle. This spring-loaded device that holds the needle is what you will use to prick the end of your finger. Remove one test strip from your bottle or box of strips. Be sure to close the bottle or box completely to avoid contaminating the other strips with dirt or moisture. All modern meters now have you insert the strip into the meter before you collect blood, so you can add the blood sample to the strip when it is in the meter. With some older meters, you put the blood on the strip first, and then put the strip in the meter. Stick the side of your fingertip with the lancet. Some blood sugar machines allow for testing from different sites on your body, such as t Continue reading >>
How To Test Blood Sugar | Accu-chek
The steps are similar for many meters, and generally look like this: Wash and dry your handsusing warm water may help the blood flow.1 Turn on the meter and prepare a test strip as outlined in your owner's booklet. Many Accu-Chek meters turn on automatically when a strip is inserted. Choose your spotdon't check from the same finger all the time. Using the side of the fingertip may be less painful than the pads.1 Prepare the lancing device according to the user guide provided, then lance your fingertip or other approved site to get a drop of blood.2 Touch and hold the test strip opening to the drop until it has absorbed enough blood to begin the test. View your test result and take the proper steps if your blood sugar is high or low, based on your healthcare professionals' recommendations. Record the results in a logbook, hold them in the meter's memory or download to an app or computer so you can review and analyze them later. For meter-specific instructions on how to test your blood sugar levels, visit the Accu-Chek Support page for your meter. 1Joslin Diabetes Center. Tips for more pain-free blood glucose monitoring. Available at: . Accessed March 11, 2016. 2Talk with your healthcare professional before deciding if alternate site testing is right for you. Continue reading >>
Self Monitoring Of Blood Glucose (smbg)
Tweet Self monitoring of blood glucose or SMBG refers to home blood glucose testing for people with diabetes. Self monitoring is the use of regular blood testing to understand one’s diabetes control and inform changes to improve one’s control or wider regime. Self monitoring of blood glucose levels has been a hotly disputed issue for a number of years, particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes who are not on insulin. For information and advice on what to do if your access to testing supplies is restricted, see our availability of test strips page. Benefits of self monitoring of blood glucose There are a number of benefits of home blood glucose testing: Helps to determine which foods or diet are best for one’s control Helps inform the patient and doctor about how well the medication regime is working Reduces anxiety about, and increases understanding of, hypoglycemia Its important for undertaking dangerous tasks which could be influenced by high or low blood sugar, such as driving and handling dangerous machinery Willingness and committment The benefits tend to be most pronounced when the patient displays a willingness and commitment to test and has been given enough education on when to test blood glucose levels and interpreting the results to get the most out of the testing. Disadvantages of home blood glucose testing The disadvantages are mainly seen when either the patient lacks motivation to test or does not have sufficient education on how to interpret the results to make sufficient use of home testing equipment. Where this is the case, the following disadvantages may outweigh the potential benefits: Anxiety about one’s blood sugar control and state of health The physical pain of finger pricking Tweet Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic d Continue reading >>
Home Blood Glucose Test: How To Test For Diabetes At Home
Home blood glucose testing is a safe and affordable way to detect diabetes before it becomes a health issue. Diabetes, especially in the early stages, does not always cause symptoms. Almost half of people with the disease don't know they have it. For people already diagnosed with diabetes, a simple diabetes home test is vital in the management of blood sugar levels. It could even be lifesaving. How to test for diabetes at home Home blood glucose monitoring is designed to offer a picture of how the body is processing glucose. A doctor might recommend testing at three different times, and often over the course of several days: Morning fasting reading: This provides information about blood glucose levels before eating or drinking anything. Morning blood glucose readings give a baseline number that offers clues about how the body processes glucose during the day. Before a meal: Blood glucose before a meal tends to be low, so high blood glucose readings suggest difficulties managing blood sugar. After a meal: Post meal testing gives a good idea about how your body reacts to food, and if sugar is able to efficiently get into the cells for use. Blood glucose readings after a meal can help diagnose gestational diabetes, which happens during pregnancy. Most doctors recommend testing about 2 hours after a meal. For the most accurate testing, people should log the food they eat, and notice trends in their blood glucose readings. Whether you consume a high or low carbohydrate meal, if your blood sugar reading is higher than normal afterwards, this suggests the body is having difficulty managing meals and lowering blood glucose. After consulting a doctor about the right testing schedule and frequency, people should take the following steps: Read the manual for the blood glucose moni Continue reading >>
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Am I Diabetic? How To Test Your Blood Sugar To Find Out
If you have not been diagnosed with diabetes but suspect you might have something wrong with your blood sugar, there is a simple way to find out. What you need to do is to test your blood sugar after you have eaten a meal that contains about sixty grams of carbohydrates. You can ask your doctor to test your blood sugar in the office if you have an appointment that takes place an hour or two after you've eaten or, if this isn't an option, you can use an inexpensive blood sugar meter to test your post-meal blood sugar yourself at home. You do not need a prescription to buy the meter or strips. One advantage of testing yourself at home is that with self-testing you do not run the risk of having a "diabetes" diagnosis written into your medical records which might make it impossible for you to buy health or life insurance. To run a post-meal blood sugar test do following: Borrow a family member's meter or buy an inexpensive meter and strips at the drug store or Walmart. The Walmart Relion meter store brand meters sold at pharamcies like CVS, Walgreens, etc are usually the least expensive. Some meters come with 10 free strips. Check to see if the meter you have bought includes strips. If it doesn't, buy the smallest package size available. Strips do not keep for very long once opened, so don't buy more than you need for a couple tests. Familiarize yourself with the instructions that came with your meter so that you know how to run a blood test. Practice a few times before you run your official test. Each meter is different. Be sure you understand how yours works. The first thing in the morning after you wake up but before you have eaten anything, test your blood sugar. Write down the result. This is your "fasting blood sugar." Now eat something containing at 60 - 70 grams of Continue reading >>
7 Blood Sugar Testing Mistakes To Avoid
1 / 8 Understand Diabetes Testing If you have diabetes, it's imperative that you learn to effectively self-test your blood sugar to keep your glucose levels in check. For example, results from a study of more than 5,000 people living with diabetes showed that even those people who don't take medication for diabetes have better blood sugar control if they test regularly. The study participants' risk of early kidney damage, strokes, and death from diabetes-related causes was also reduced by one-third. Of course, the accuracy of your results is tied to the accuracy of your checking — and to your understanding of what all the numbers mean. "The most important point to me is that people are learning something from checking their blood sugar," says Sacha Uelmen, RDN, CDE, director of nutrition for the American Diabetes Association. "Don't just look at those numbers, write them down, and move on. If you have diabetes, take an active role in your health." To get the most useful readings, learn these common blood sugar testing mistakes and how to avoid them. Continue reading >>
How To Test Your Blood Glucose
Tweet Testing your blood glucose with a blood glucose meter allows you manage your diabetes. Watch a video guide on how to test your blood glucose (sugar) levels. For people new to diabetes, this guide to testing your blood glucose levels should get you started. Testing your blood sugar levels helps you to make informed decisions about your diet, activity and, if self-adjusting insulin, dosing requirements. Bear in mind that not all blood glucose meters are the same, so you may need to slightly the modify the method here. What do I need to test my blood sugar? In order to test your blood sugar levels, you will need: a blood glucose meter a test strip and a lancing device Some blood glucose meters may come with test strips and/or lancing devices. If in doubt, ask your healthcare professional. How to test your blood glucose Prepare your kit ready for testing. This should include: your meter, a test strip to hand (it may be advisable to have a spare strip to hand too), the finger pricker (lancing device), cotton wool (optional) and a monitoring diary to record the results Ensure that the finger pricking device has been loaded with a new lancet. Wash and dry your hands - to ensure that the result is not influenced by any sugars that may be present on your fingers A fuller drop of blood will be obtained if your fingers are warm, so it’s worth warming your hands up if you can. Be careful not to overheat your fingers so as not to hurt yourself. Put a test strip into your meter Prick your finger with the lancing device at the sides of the finger as there are less nerve ending here than at the tips or the ‘pads’. Recommended finger: the World Health Organisation recommends the middle or ring fingers are used for blood glucose tests (second and third fingers). You may want Continue reading >>
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Ways To Test Your Blood Sugar
Everyone with diabetes should test their blood sugar (glucose) levels regularly. Knowing the results lets you tweak your strategy for keeping the disease in check, as needed. Regular testing can also help you avoid getting long-term health problems that can stem from the condition. Research shows that in people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, sticking to your target blood sugar and HbA1c levels makes complications less likely. 1. Traditional Home Glucose Monitoring You prick your finger with a lancet (a small, sharp needle), put a drop of blood on a test strip, and then place the strip into a meter that displays your blood sugar levels. Meters vary in features, portability, speed, size, cost, and readability (with larger displays or spoken instructions if you have vision problems). Devices deliver results in less than 15 seconds and store this information for future use. Some meters also calculate an average blood sugar level over a span of time. Some also feature software kits that take information from the meter and display graphs and charts of your past test results. Blood sugar meters and strips are available at your local pharmacy. 2. Meters That Test Other Parts of Your Body. Some devices let you test you upper arm, forearm, base of the thumb, and thigh. These results may differ from the blood sugar levels gotten from a fingertip stick. Levels in the fingertips show changes more quickly. This is especially true when your sugar is changing fast, like after a meal or after exercise. If you have symptoms of low blood sugar, don’t rely on test results from other parts of your body. 3. Continuous Glucose Monitoring System Some of these devices are combined with insulin pumps. They're not as accurate as finger-stick glucose results. But they can help you find p Continue reading >>
A Diabetes Test You Can Do Yourself
Are you urinating more often, feeling very thirsty, hungry, or tired? Maybe you’re losing weight. You may have type 2 diabetes. To find out, you can make an appointment with your doctor and have your blood tested for the condition. Or you can go to the drug store, buy a blood glucose meter, and give yourself a diabetes test. An estimated 40 percent of adults with type 2 diabetes don’t know they have it, which means they aren’t getting treatment that could protect them from very serious health problems down the road, such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, and kidney failure. The best option is to go to a doctor if you’re having symptoms of diabetes. But if you’re reluctant to do that, for whatever reason, the next best thing is to buy an over-the-counter diabetes test kit. "If you have a family history of diabetes, are obese, or have high blood pressure, you should test yourself for diabetes, if your doctor hasn’t already done so," says Marvin M. Lipman, M.D., Consumer Reports' chief medical adviser. "By being a proactive person, you might save yourself a lot of grief in the future.” Blood glucose meters can be purchased without a prescription. Models in our Ratings of more than two dozen devices cost $10 to $75. They usually come with 10 lancets, but you might have to buy a pack of test strips separately, which can cost $18 and up; check the package to see what it includes. If the meter doesn’t come with strips, make sure you buy a pack made for that model or you’ll get inaccurate results. Most models come with batteries. Here’s what you need to do next: Fast overnight. Don’t have anything to eat or drink (except water) for at least 8 hours, then test yourself first thing in the morning, before breakfast. Follow directions. Read the manual to ma Continue reading >>
