Glucameter Testing

Depending on whether you are being treated with diet, diabetic pills, or insulin, you may need to check the blood sugars at different times to see how well your blood sugars are controlled with your meal, exercise, and other variables. Checking blood sugars after meals tells how well your body can handle the number of carbohydrates you ate. Certain types of food make the blood sugars go much higher than average. Similarly, the effects of exercise on blood sugar can be evaluated by testing blood glucose; this helps adjust your diabetic regimen appropriately. If you notice blood sugars are tending to be low after exercise, you may need to take a snack before exercise or reduce the amount of insulin you take before exercising. On the other hand, if your blood sugars are high, you may need to reduce the carbohydrate intake for a particular meal. If the 2-hour postprandial blood sugars are elevated, exercising after that meal may lower blood sugar.

Wash your hand with soap, using a comfortable lancet that causes minimum pain to stab your finger or alternate testing site. Squeeze a drop of blood; check the blood glucose with the Glucometer. Lancet and syringe needles should be disposed of appropriately and not go into the landfill. Keep a record of your blood glucose test to the meal timing etc., and these should be shown to your doctor.

Frequency of Blood Glucose Monitoring:

Type 1 Diabetics on multiple insulin shots or an insulin pump should check blood sugars before meals, 2-hours after meals, at 3:00 a.m. occasionally, or if they have any symptoms of low or high blood sugars. Type 2 Diabetics on multiple insulin regimens should do the same. Type 2 Diabetics who are on oral diabetic pills or just diet should have their blood sugars checked on-and-off before breakfast, 2-hours after meals, and show these to their Primary Care Physician for further adjustments of their diabetic medication and/ or diet.

Blood glucose readings may need to be checked more often if you have a history of low blood sugars, before you drive, before any strenuous activity or if working at heights when you are sick when you have symptoms of low or high blood sugars when any change to your treatment plan has been instituted such as the change in your diabetic pills or insulin doses.

Keep close tabs on foods that make your blood sugars go high, variations that cause your blood sugars to go low, effects of alcohol and exercise. Over time, minor adjustments to such issues will help to improve your blood sugar control.

The blood sugar goals should be between 80 and 120 before meals and fasting around 140 two hours after the meal; again, these blood sugar goals will depend on your particular situation. This needs to be discussed with your Personal Care Physician. Tight blood sugar control may not be appropriate for some people, such as the elderly, especially if living alone or in patients with severe hypoglycemic issues who are extremely sensitive to insulin.