Blood Glucose Control
To know how good your diabetes control is, you have blood sugar monitoring. Tests will reveal your blood sugar. Having a record of all your test results is essential. When you show your medical practitioner this record, he can tell you how well your body has responded to your diabetic plan.
Who Has to Check for Blood Sugar?
Enquire from your medical practitioner whether there is a need for checking your blood glucose. Testing blood sugar ought to be done by people :
- who are pregnant.
- have ketones as a result of high blood sugar levels. (see Ketones Tests)
- using insulin.(see Insulin Uses)
- suffering from low blood sugar levels.
- having difficulty controlling their blood sugar levels. (see Tight Blood Glucose Control)
- suffering from low blood sugar levels without any of the known warning signs. (see Hypoglycemia Management)
How To Test Your Blood Glucose (Sugar) Levels – Video Guide
How to Check?
- With clean hands, insert into your meter a test strip.
- Get a blood sample by pricking the fingertip with the lancing device.
- Touch as well as hold the test strip’s edge to the blood sample. Then, wait for the results.
- The level of your blood sugar will be shown by the meter.
see How to Test Your Blood Glucose?
Note : that every meter is a little bit different, so remember to read the user’s manual for that particular meter’s instructions.
Other tips for checking:
- With certain meters, other fleshy parts of the body can also be used, such as the forearm and the thigh.
- Pricking can be less painful with the use of spring-loaded lancing devices.
- If your fingertip is used, you can avoid soreness by pricking less often used parts such as the side of your fingernail
What are the Blood Sugar Targets?
Blood sugar targets depend upon the individual and are based:
- Hypoglycemia unawareness.
- Comorbid conditions.
- Age/life expectancy.
- Duration of the condition.
- The patient’s particular considerations.
- Advanced microvascular complications or CVD.
see ADA-ACE Recommended Blood Glucose Numbers.
Below are targets recommended by The ADA(American Diabetes Association) for most adult diabetics who are not pregnant. The glycemic goals may need adjustment to make them appropriate to all individuals.
Understanding My Results?
Whenever a blood glucose check has been made, record the results so that a review can be carried out to understand the effects of food, physical activity as well as stress has on your blood sugar. Examine your records to find out if your blood sugar level is too low or too high at almost the same time for several consecutive days. If you find that the same extreme levels keep occurring, you may have to adjust your plan. Discuss with your diabetes educator or doctor to understand the implications of the results for you. This may take some time. Ask your doctor the necessity to inform him immediately by phone of results which is not within a particular range.
Remember that blood glucose results often cause strong feelings. Blood glucose results may cause you to be angry, upset, frustrated, confused, or depressed. It is not difficult to criticize yourself. At such times, just remember that your blood sugar level is merely to show how suitable your diabetes plan is for you. It cannot be used as a judgment on a person. Your results can indicate the necessity for you to adjust the plan.
see Blood Glucose Test – Results Explained.
Are Urine Tests for Glucose Accurate?
Tests for sugar in the urine ought not to be used unless it is not possible to do a blood test because urine tests’ accuracy is not as good as for blood tests. However, urine tests for ketones is necessary when you have lost control of your blood sugar levels or when you are suffering from a sickness. All diabetics ought to be able to test their urine for the presence of ketones.