Why Is Glucose Reading Different In Different Fingers

Testing And Your Child

An essential part of managing your child’s diabetes is frequently testing their blood sugar levels (also known as blood glucose levels) to help avoid highs and lows – and knowing when to test for ketones. At times, this testing may be difficult – both for you and your child, especially if they’re very young. Good diabetes management is important both for your child’s day-to-day health and to help prevent any diabetes-related problems in later life. Regular testing of your child’s blood sugar level is a key part of this. Your paediatric diabetes team will give you a blood glucose meter, used to check your child’s blood sugar levels. Normally, there are a few to choose from and your diabetes team will help you and your child make the right choice. Your meter comes with a finger-pricking device and an initial supply of lancets (to take a drop of blood from the finger) and testing strips (to apply a drop of blood to, in order to get the result). Your diabetes team will also explain to you how to get further free supplies of these on prescription from your GP. Many parents worry or are anxious about testing their child’s blood sugar levels. Pricking their fingers can be painful, especially at first, and no parent wants to hurt their child. Then there’s the anxiety about what the levels will be. You’ll be told your child’s target levels to aim for, and it can be frustrating and even scary if you’re not meeting these. Wash your child’s hands. Prick the side of your child’s finger rather than the tip, as this keeps pain to a minimum. Don’t prick too near the nail and don’t prick the index finger or thumb. Devices are now available that allow you to take blood from different parts of the body, such as the base of the thumb or the arm. Talk to your Continue reading >>

Why Meters Can't Tell Us Our Blood Sugar Levels

Diabetes advocate and author Riva Greenberg has been on a "meter accuracy kick" lately — researching the heck out of this controversial topic. Very timely considering I've been seeing loads of expensive TV ads for Accu-Chek's new Nano meter, claiming that it's "23% more accurate" (!) Riva recently published a piece at the Huffington Post on why meter accuracy is both less, and more, critical than you might think. Truth is, she tells us, meter accuracy is only one part of a much larger story. A Guest Post by Riva Greenberg After being lucky enough to receive an iBGStar meter from Sanofi the day before its launch, I ran a few comparison tests between it and the Bayer Contour USB, which I'd been using the past two years, and discovered that the iBGStar consistently gave me a reading 20-25 points higher. So I took out all my meters. There were several, (Sanofi studies show most people use 4 meters on average) and I even ordered two new free meters from FreeStyle. I checked my blood sugar several times on my collection of 7 meters (some think I was a little obsessed) and saw it was rare when two meters gave me the same number! Given that I feel like my meter is my lifeline, I wanted to find out how meters work and why different meters give different results. I talked with a number of Chief Medical Officers, MDs and Medical Safety Officers at several meter manufacturers and I'm going to tell you what I learned in layman's terms. To better understand the science behind meter and strip technology, you can google "meter accuracy" for white papers and posts that would delight even the geekiest engineer. To better know how accurate your own meter is (in percentage terms), you can "check the package insert that comes with the strips and look online at prescribing information," sa Continue reading >>

Little Things That Can Have A Big Impact On Your Blood Glucose Reading

When you have diabetes, it's vital to make sure you're getting the most accurate reading when checking your blood glucose levels to ensure tight diabetes control. Emmy Suhl, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., at Joslin Diabetes Center, reviews different things that can impact your blood glucose reading and how to avoid them. Things that Can Affect your Blood Glucose Reading A dirty meter. Outdated test strips. If test strips are not compatible with the meter you're using, results may be inaccurate or no result will be obtained. If the wrong strip is used, it may not even fit into the slot or it may fit, but the meter won’t turn on, Suhl says. Substances left on your hands. For example, if there is a sugary substance on the finger used for lancing, even if it’s a small amount that can’t be seen, a high blood glucose reading can result. Temperature changes (heat/humidity/cold air). Not a big enough blood sample on the test strip. Wet fingers. Fluid mixes with blood and can cause an inaccurate reading. How to Avoid an Inaccurate Blood Glucose Reading Before using the meter for the first time and then again every few weeks, check your meter using the control solution, Suhl says. Control solution is only good for three months once opened. Label the control solution bottle with the date you open it. Check the date and shake control solution before using. The value the control solution gives should be in the target range printed on the strips container. Make sure strips are not expired. Check the date on the strip container. Make sure code on strip container matches the code on the meter. Wash hands in warm water and dry them off after. Massage hands before checking. Select site on one side of the center of a fingertip. Rotate sites for each check. Apply gentle pressure to lanced finge Continue reading >>

7 Ways To Make Blood-sugar Testing Less Painful

No more sore fingers You need to prick your finger to obtain a drop of blood for home blood-glucose monitoring. Does it hurt? Some people say yes, but they've gotten used to it. Others say they find it virtually painless. Only you can decide. But here are 7 tried-and-true methods for making it less painful. Find out what works for you When Nancy Chiller Janow, age 54, was first diagnosed with type 2, her endocrinologist "punctured me so hard in the middle of the finger pad, that I never wanted to test again," she says. "It really hurt." Janow's internist recommended she experiment to find a more comfortable spot. "I did and finally found that testing on the side of the pad, close to the nail, is the most comfortable," she says. "I often use my thumb. Maybe because that's more callused, it's more comfortable and doesn't hurt when I stick it." Avoid pricking the finger’s tip This part of the finger is especially sensitive and can be more painful than other parts of your finger. Aim for the side of your finger. Fingertips are a poor choice because they tend to have more nerve endings, says Nadine Uplinger, director of the Gutman Diabetes Institute at Albert Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia. "We teach people to monitor on the sides of their fingers, not down by the knuckle but up by the nail bed on the fleshy part and not on the tips," she says. "Another thing to do is pinch or put pressure on where you're going to test to seal it and that seems to minimize pain." Continue reading >>

Home Blood Glucose Test

A A A Test Overview A home blood glucose test measures the amount of a type of sugar, called glucose, in your blood at the time of testing. The test can be done at home or anywhere, using a small portable machine called a blood glucose meter. Home blood sugar testing can be used to monitor your blood sugar levels. Talk with your doctor about how often to check your blood sugar. How often you need to check it depends on your diabetes treatment, how well your diabetes is controlled, and your overall health. People who take insulin to control their diabetes may need to check their blood sugar level several times a day. Testing blood sugar at home is often called home blood sugar monitoring or self-testing. If you use insulin rarely or don't use it at all, blood sugar testing can be very helpful in learning how your body reacts to foods, illness, stress, exercise, medicines, and other activities. Testing before and after eating can help you adjust what you eat. Some types of glucose meters can store hundreds of glucose readings. This allows you to review collected glucose readings over time and to predict glucose levels at certain times of the day. It also allows you to quickly spot any major changes in your glucose levels. Some of these systems also allow information to be saved to a computer so that it can be turned into a graph or another easily analyzed form. Some newer models of home glucose meters can communicate with insulin pumps. Insulin pumps are machines that deliver insulin through the day. The meter helps to decide how much insulin you need to keep your blood sugar level in your target range. Why It Is Done A home blood glucose test is an accurate way to measure your blood sugar level at the time of testing. If you have diabetes, testing your blood glucose leve Continue reading >>

Testing Blood Sugar Levels

Why are we testing and monitoring blood sugar levels? Anyone diagnosed with gestational diabetes should regularly test their blood sugar levels. Sometimes ladies that are higher risk or classed as borderline, or those that have had gestational diabetes in previous pregnancies may also be advised to test and monitor levels. This is the best way to see what is happening with your blood sugar levels and how much glucose is remaining in your blood after eating and therefore being passed on to your baby. It's just a guide These capillary tests are a 'guideline' only and not 100% accurate. The only way to get an accurate blood glucose test result is from a blood test which has been analysed in a sterile laboratory environment. Therefore if you test multiple fingers, one after another, you could get different readings each time. Many ladies get frustrated when they hear this and think what is the point if the tests are not 100%, but for a mobile device they do a pretty good job of building up a good picture as to what's happening and a guide is much better than not be aware at all. If you feel there are any inaccuracies with your test monitor then please consult your healthcare professional. Large differences in readings may mean that your machine is faulty or could need calibrating. Test times and targets Different test times and targets are used all across the UK and Ireland, even a hospital a few miles away may have different guidance to yours. Please follow the guidance YOU have been given from your diabetes team/consultant and medical professionals. You may wish to take additional tests, but it important to provide your diabetes team with the information they require. Here are some examples of test times used: one hour post meals two hours post meals pre meals pre meals a Continue reading >>

Little Things That Can Have A Big Impact On Your Blood Glucose Reading

When you have diabetes, it's vital to make sure you're getting the most accurate reading when checking your blood glucose levels to ensure tight diabetes control. Emmy Suhl, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., at Joslin Diabetes Center, reviews different things that can impact your blood glucose reading and how to avoid them. Things that Can Affect your Blood Glucose Reading A dirty meter. Outdated test strips. If test strips are not compatible with the meter you're using, results may be inaccurate or no result will be obtained. If the wrong strip is used, it may not even fit into the slot or it may fit, but the meter won’t turn on, Suhl says. Substances left on your hands. For example, if there is a sugary substance on the finger used for lancing, even if it’s a small amount that can’t be seen, a high blood glucose reading can result. Temperature changes (heat/humidity/cold air). Not a big enough blood sample on the test strip. Wet fingers. Fluid mixes with blood and can cause an inaccurate reading. How to Avoid an Inaccurate Blood Glucose Reading Before using the meter for the first time and then again every few weeks, check your meter using the control solution, Suhl says. Control solution is only good for three months once opened. Label the control solution bottle with the date you open it. Check the date and shake control solution before using. The value the control solution gives should be in the target range printed on the strips container. Make sure strips are not expired. Check the date on the strip container. Make sure code on strip container matches the code on the meter. Wash hands in warm water and dry them off after. Massage hands before checking. Select site on one side of the center of a fingertip. Rotate sites for each check. Apply gentle pressure to lanced finge Continue reading >>

Why Does My Bg Vary From One Hand To The Other?

There is always a discrepancy when I test my blood glucose levels on one hand versus the other. This morning I tested my left hand and got a blood glucose reading of 153. I immediately tested my right hand, and it read 167. Why is this happening? Sometimes the difference is as much as 50 mg/dl. Continue reading >>

Everything You Need To Know About Diabetes Test Strips

Update: A lot of our readers ask us where can they find the best deals for test strips. We personally recommend Amazon. You can check the list of selections they offer by clicking here. Blood glucose test strips play a crucial role in helping you to monitor your daily blood glucose level and giving your doctor the data to adjust your medication to control your diabetes symptoms. Without the help from these little disposable strips, life with diabetes can become even more chaotic than ever. But what exactly are these thin little plastic slip and why are they so expensive? Are there any alternative method I can use? Where can I get the best deal on these test strips? This article will answer many of your questions and concerns regarding these blood glucose test strips: Table of Contents History on Glucose Test Strips How Does the Test Strips Work Why Are the Strips So Expensive? And Why the Price Discrepancy? Why Must Diabetic Patients Use Glucometer and Test Strip? How Often Should You Administer A Blood Glucose Test? How to Find Out if Your Glucose Monitor is Accurate? How Accurate Are the Test Strips? How to Find Out if Your Glucose Monitor is Accurate? What is a Urine Glucose Test? Can’t I Use This Procedure Instead? Expiration of Test Strips Medicare Plan B Coverage for Glucose Test Strips Where to Get the Best Deal on Test Strips? Ways to Save of Test Strips How to Avoid Counterfeit Blood Glucose Test Strips Can You Reuse Test Strips? Can You Make Your Own Test Strip? 4 Most Affordable Meters How to Pick the Right Glucometer? How to Dispose Used Test Strips, Lancets, and Needles? What to Do with All These Test Strip Containers? Selling Your Glucose Test Strips A Good Idea? Odd Way to Earn Some Money Back Questions? History on Glucose Test Strips The first glucomet Continue reading >>

Why Is My Finger Stick Often Different That The Laboratory Glucose Test?

Most of my old blogs were lost during the hacking attack and other website changes. I plan to update and repeat some of the previous blogs . We all use home glucose test to manage our diabetes . Home glucose testing has been one of the major improvements in the day to day management of diabetes. It is not perfect but it is still a fantastic improvement when I think about the old urine glucose test that we previously used to make treatment decisions. We assume that our home glucose test are accurate and we feel comfortable making management decisions based on those results. I believe that our home glucose test meet the requirements needed for very good glucose management. However, have you ever wondered why you finger stick capillary test is often different than the venous glucose test done in a laboratory. Lets take a little closer look at the glucose test processes. The meter you are using is require to have an error rate of < 20% at glucose levels of 30 to 400mg/dl. so our result could be somewhere between 65 and 95 mg/dl assuming an error rate of 19%. From my own personal experience in the hospital, where I frequently compared finger stick results with hospital lab. results, I believe the error rate on most meters is small and not a major issue. What else effects the results? The source of the blood effects the results. Arterial blood is about 5% higher than capillary blood and 10% higher than venous blood. You are not likely to be using arterial blood but you will be comparing capillary blood ( finger stick sample) to venous blood that is usually taken from your arm by a lab. Tech. This means ,that if you did a fingerstick test( capillary blood )at the same time as a laboratory test( venous blood) , your result may be a little higher than the lab result by about 5% Continue reading >>

Home Blood Glucose Test

Test Overview A home blood glucose test measures the amount of a type of sugar, called glucose, in your blood at the time of testing. The test can be done at home or anywhere, using a small portable machine called a blood glucose meter. Home blood sugar testing can be used to monitor your blood sugar levels. Talk with your doctor about how often to check your blood sugar. How often you need to check it depends on your diabetes treatment, how well your diabetes is controlled, and your overall health. People who take insulin to control their diabetes may need to check their blood sugar level often. Testing blood sugar at home is often called home blood sugar monitoring or self-testing. If you use insulin rarely or don't use it at all, blood sugar testing can be very helpful in learning how your body reacts to foods, illness, stress, exercise, medicines, and other activities. Testing before and after eating can help you adjust what you eat. Some types of glucose meters can store hundreds of glucose readings. This allows you to review collected glucose readings over time and to predict glucose levels at certain times of the day. It also allows you to quickly spot any major changes in your glucose levels. Some of these systems also allow information to be saved to a computer so that it can be turned into a graph or another easily analyzed form. Some newer models of home glucose meters can communicate with insulin pumps. Insulin pumps are machines that deliver insulin through the day. The meter helps to decide how much insulin you need to keep your blood sugar level in your target range. Continue reading >>

6 Factors That Can Affect Blood Sugar Readings

When testing your blood sugar, there are a host of issues that can affect the accuracy of the results. This is not only frustrating but also dangerous—you want to make sure you’re giving yourself the right amount of insulin to regulate your blood sugar if you’re taking insulin, and you want to make sure you know your real numbers to work with your doctor to control your blood sugar and avoid complications. Avoid these six common problems before you prick that finger: User technique You may not be getting a big enough sample of blood on the test strip to precisely measure your blood sugar. You also may be using the same finger for every test. And there are other commonly performed missteps in testing. User error is a large contributor to inaccurate readings, so talk to your endocrinologist or CDE about how to properly perform all the steps involved in testing. Dirty testing site Are your fingers a little sticky from just-eaten food? If you ate an orange and left residue on your fingers, your meter will add the high sugar content from the citrus to your blood sugar measurement, resulting in a much higher number than you actually have. Leftover food, lotion, or fluid (including water) on your hands can cause wrong readings. Wash your hands with warm water and soap (don’t lick them or use rubbing alcohol), and thoroughly dry them before testing. Environment Believe it or not, your surroundings can also affect your blood sugar readings. The altitude, humidity, and room temperature of your environment can affect either your body or the strips you use, or both. Some meters come with instructions on how to get accurate results when in extreme environments. If your meter doesn’t include this information, ask your diabetes doctor about eliminating inaccurate results in 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 >>

Why Is Blood Sugar Testing Important?

Measuring blood sugar (glucose) levels at home has become a cornerstone of diabetes care. Measuring blood sugar regularly can: Help you know if your blood sugar is within your target range. Staying in a healthy range can help prevent or delay the long-term complications of high blood sugar, such as heart, kidney, eye, nerve, and circulation problems Help you know if your blood sugar is too low or too high and treatment is needed Help you know how much and which type of medicine to use Prevent low blood sugar at night Help you manage illness at home Let you know if you need to do a ketone test (if you have type 1 diabetes) Help you understand the effects of certain foods, exercise, and stress on your blood sugar Help your healthcare provider know if changes in your treatment are needed What supplies are needed? Doing a blood test requires: Finger-pricking (lancing) device: A finger-pricking device (called a lancet) is used to get a drop of blood for the test. The lancet can often be set at different depths for different people. Adjustable lancets are good for young children and tender skin and for when you do not need the lancet to go deep. Remember to change the lancet every day. A sharp and clean lancet helps prevent injury and infection. Blood glucose meter (glucometer): Most people use blood glucose meters to test blood sugar. Not all meters measure in the same way, so the results from different meters are not always the same. It doesn't matter which type of meter you choose as long as you always use the same meter. Bring the meter to each clinic visit. Your healthcare provider can get a record of the test results from the meter. Some features to look for in a meter include: Accuracy: Make sure the meter is accurate in the environment where you live, for example, in Continue reading >>

Home Blood Glucose Test

Test Overview A home blood glucose test measures the amount of a type of sugar, called glucose, in your blood at the time of testing. The test can be done at home or anywhere, using a small portable machine called a blood glucose meter. Home blood sugar testing can be used to monitor your blood sugar levels. Talk with your doctor about how often to check your blood sugar. How often you need to check it depends on your diabetes treatment, how well your diabetes is controlled, and your overall health. People who take insulin to control their diabetes may need to check their blood sugar level often. Testing blood sugar at home is often called home blood sugar monitoring or self-testing. If you use insulin rarely or don't use it at all, blood sugar testing can be very helpful in learning how your body reacts to foods, illness, stress, exercise, medicines, and other activities. Testing before and after eating can help you adjust what you eat. Some types of glucose meters can store hundreds of glucose readings. This allows you to review collected glucose readings over time and to predict glucose levels at certain times of the day. It also allows you to quickly spot any major changes in your glucose levels. Some of these systems also allow information to be saved to a computer so that it can be turned into a graph or another easily analyzed form. Some newer models of home glucose meters can communicate with insulin pumps. Insulin pumps are machines that deliver insulin through the day. The meter helps to decide how much insulin you need to keep your blood sugar level in your target range. Continue reading >>