How Can I Check Blood Sugar At Home
What Type Of Diabetes Do I Have, What Causes Diabetes What Causes Low Blood Sugar how can i check blood sugar at home UDUAL.
Normal blood sugar or blood glucose levels are between eighty and one hundred thirty mg dL That quantity is an average of what is normal for individuals with diabetes When blood sugar levels are too high, the particular person may expertise hyperglycemia Hyperglycemia can be characterized by excessive thirst and urination, blurred vision, or shakiness, sweating, dizziness, or confusion When the particular person has low blood glucose, they could expertise hypoglycemia which can be characterized by sweating, dizziness, or confusion.
It s a fact of life that blood sugar fluctuates all through UDUAL how can i check blood sugar at home the day These ups and downs depend on a handful of factors, like if you get up, what you eat, the drugs you take, and how you manage stress So, some variation is normal, to the point that you simply won t even discover it CGMs are environment friendly and effective, however they want to be used only after consulting your doctor or physician who s properly aware of your medical condition CGMs make it easier to maintain track of your blood sugar level as most of them come with alarms or alerts when there is a sudden drop or rise in your blood sugar levels It also has a feature known as the time in a spread, which tells us how much the blood sugar level changed inside a limited interval.
Tips For Checking Your Blood Sugar With Less Pain
Fingertips have more nerve endings, so this part of the finger tends to be the most sensitive.
If you use a finger prick to check your blood sugar level, a few techniques can make the process less painful whether youre using a glucometer or a continuous glucose monitor.
Blood sugar testing is crucial to diabetes management because high or low blood sugar can cause severe complications. If too much blood sugar accumulates in your bloodstream, you can experience major complications such as:
- nerve damage
- difficulty speaking
- shaking
Blood sugar can fluctuate throughout the day especially after meals, after exercising, and during stressful events. So its important to carefully monitor your blood sugar and keep it within a healthy range.
A blood sugar level less than 140 milligrams per deciliter , but greater than 70 mg/dL is typically considered in the target range.
You should check your blood sugar regularly, even if you arent experiencing symptoms of a high or low glucose level. Some people with high and low blood sugar dont have any symptoms.
Blood Sugar And Diabetes
Blood sugar, or blood glucose, is the main type of sugar in your body. This is different from the sugar that you eat in foods. Everything you eat or drink is broken down into basic pieces as you digest them. Glucose is the most basic form of the food you eat, and it’s the main form of energy your body uses.
For your body to work well, every cell needs a regular supply of glucose to function. They also need a chemical called insulin that moves this glucose from your bloodstream into the cells that need it. Without insulin, glucose will keep floating through your bloodstream, never entering the cells.
With diabetes, your body either can’t make insulin, can’t make enough insulin, or has developed a resistance to your insulin that prevents glucose from being moved into your cells. This can cause your cells to starve as the glucose levels in your blood rise and create a host of other problems.
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Monitoring Your Blood Sugar Level
Last Updated February 2021 | This article was created by familydoctor.org editorial staff and reviewed by Robert “Chuck” Rich, Jr., MD, FAAFP
If you have diabetes, its important to monitor your blood sugar at different times of the day and throughout the year. There are 3 tools that can help you do this and, therefore, manage your diabetes: A blood test done every three months, blood tests taken every day, and a system that constantly monitors your blood glucose.
The 3-month blood test is called an A1C test. This test reflects your blood sugar control over the past 2-3 months. Testing your A1C level every 3 months is the best way for you and your doctor to understand how well your blood sugar levels are controlled. Your doctor will likely be the one who orders an A1C test. However, you can also purchase over-the-counter A1C testing kits that you can use at home. Your A1C goal will be determined by your doctor. However, the goal is generally less than 7% or 8%, depending on your age.
The daily blood test is done with a blood glucose monitor . This is also called a home blood sugar meter, a glucometer, or a glucose meter. This type of testing is often referred to as self-monitoring of blood glucose. Your doctor may prescribe a BGM, especially if your blood sugar fluctuates. They will show you how to use it.
How To Lower Your Hba1c Levels
If your levels have gone above your target since your last check, its understandable to be worried. Even a slightly high HbA1c level puts you more at risk of developing serious complications in your body. But knowing your numbers and what that means is an important and good first step now you need to know how to lower them.
Lots of things can cause your HbA1c levels to change and theres action you and your healthcare team can take to bring them down to your target level:
- Your diabetes team may need to review your medication and increase the dose or try a new one.
- Ask them about local diabetes education courses theres always more to learn with diabetes and a course will help you take practical steps to lower your HbA1c.
- Get more active moving more is good for everyone, but it can specifically help to bring down your HbA1c levels.
- Get advice on balanced, healthy eating.
- Stop smoking smoking makes it harder for blood to flow around your body.
And if you want to hear from others who are experiencing this too, think about joining our online forum. Its a place where you can chat to others or just read other peoples stories.
And dont forget, get advice from your healthcare team. Theyre here to help.
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How To Test Blood Sugar
People with diabetes usually check their blood sugar levels themselves. However, its a good idea to have a roommate, friend, or family member also know how to do it if you are sick and cant do it yourself.
To use a blood sugar meter, follow these steps:
If you are interested in CGM, you should talk to your healthcare provider since these are prescription devices. To use CGM, follow these steps:
You will also need to change the sensors on the CGM regularly, usually every one to two weeks.
How Often Should I Test My Blood Sugar Level
Your family doctor will recommend how often you should test. Testing times are based on the kind of medicine you take and on how well your blood sugar levels are controlled. Youll probably need to check your blood sugar more often at first. Youll also check it more often when you feel sick or stressed, when you change your medicine, or if youre pregnant.
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Tips For Accurate Testing
The fingers traditionally offer the most accurate results. Some tests allow you to prick your thigh or arm, but you need to check with your doctor before doing so.
According to the Mayo Clinic, your doctor will likely recommend a few tests per day if you take insulin .
Ask your doctor if and how often you should test yourself if you dont take insulin.
You may consider testing before and after meals to see how your diet affects blood glucose. Its especially important to test after eating simple carbohydrates or sugary foods to make sure your glucose isnt too high.
Its also important to test whenever you make a change to your treatment plan or if you feel youre getting sick.
A blood glucose chart is essential for tracking your results. Whether you keep track of your readings on paper or electronically, having this information can help you identify patterns and potential problems.
You should save your charts and take them to your next visit with the doctor. When writing down your results, also be sure to log:
- the date and time of the test
- any medications youre taking, as well as the dosage
- whether the test was before or after a meal
- foods you ate
- any workouts you did that day and when you did them
How To Use A Blood Sugar Meter
There are different kinds of meters, but most of them work the same way. Ask your health care team to show you the benefits of each. In addition to you, have someone else learn how to use your meter in case youre sick and cant check your blood sugar yourself.
Below are tips for how to use a blood sugar meter.
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Why You Should Check Your Blood Sugar
Testing blood glucose can help you manage diabetes by showing you:
- How well your diabetes treatment plan is working
- How exercise and food affect your blood sugar levels
- How things like stress and illness affect your levels
- How well your diabetes medication is working
- When your blood sugar levels are too high or too low
How Do I Pick A Glucose Meter
Your doctor will make a recommendation. Check with your health insurance plan to see if it will pay for your BGM, its supplies, or a CGM. If so, your plan may only pay for a certain meter.
Shop around and compare costs. Consider what features are important to you. For example, some meters are made for people who have poor eyesight. If you want to pay a little more money, you can get a BGM that stores the results in its memory. This allows you to compare results from several days at one time.
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How Do I Check My Blood Glucose
If you are unsure about how to use your blood glucose meter, there are various healthcare providers who can teach you, such as:
- a diabetes nurse educator
- the practice nurse at your GP surgery.
The following is a guide:
- Wash and dry your hands before testing.
- Insert a test strip into your meter.
- Use your lancet device to get a drop of blood from the side of your fingertip to get a better-sized drop of blood, try warming your hands before testing.
- Touch and hold the edge of the test strip to the drop of blood and wait for the result.
- Your blood glucose reading will show up on the glucose meter display.
It’s important to record your blood glucose level. Some blood glucose meters may record your blood glucose levels automatically or you can record your results in a diabetes diaryor in an app on your phone. Read about diabetes apps. You need to take your blood glucose record book or app to all appointments with your doctor, diabetes nurse educator or diabetes nurse specialist. They can check your blood glucose levels and decide on any medicine changes.
Accommodating Employees With Diabetes
of family historical past and better charges of obesity and physical inactivity risk factors for Type 2 diabetes Obesity and is a results of insulin resistance and insulin deficiency Insulin resistance is a very common attribute of kind 2 diabetes in sufferers who re overweight, and thus sufferers typically have serum insulin concentrations that are greater than regular.
Keeping observe of the variety of energy provided by totally different foods can turn into difficult, so sufferers usually are advised to consult a nutritionist or dietitian An individualized, simple to handle diet plan may be set up for each patient Both the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association suggest diets primarily based on the use of meals trade lists Each meals exchange accommodates a identified amount of energy in the type of protein, fats, or carbohydrate A affected person how can i check blood sugar at home s food plan plan will consist of a sure number of exchanges from .
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Blood Glucose Monitors: What Are My Options
There are many devices on the market that can help you check your blood glucose, but they generally fall into 2 categories:
Self-monitoring blood glucose devices. With SMBG devices, you test your blood sugar multiple times a day, each time pricking your finger and testing a drop of blood with a test strip. Many of these devices can store your results over time. Some newer ones even allow you to send your results to your smartphone through an app. Popular SMBG devices include OneTouch Ultra 2, Coaguchek XS, and Contour Next.
Continuous glucose monitoring devices. In contrast to SMBG devices, CGM devices measure your blood sugar at regular intervals throughout the day. Popular CGM devices include Freestyle Libre 14 day, Dexcom G6, and Medtronic Guardian Sensor 3. These tend to be newer than SMBG devices and feature an adhesive patch with a small microneedle sensor that you attach to your skin . The sensor measures your blood sugar and sends your results to an app on your smartphone or another device you carry around with you. Some CGM devices come attached to insulin pumps that give you insulin when your blood sugar is high.
Restrain Your Pet Gently
This process necessitates that the pet remains calm and still for several minutes. The pet should be reasonably uninhibited. If you induce excessive stress to your pet while restraining it, you may not obtain an accurate blood pressure reading. This is especially true for cats, as their blood pressure can swiftly rise due to stress.
Of course, some struggling may occur, but if the pet becomes too anxious, you should would wait 15-30 minutes and attempt againrequest instruction from your veterinarian on how to properly restrain your pet. NEVER USE OVERWHELMING FORCE.
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Make A Note Of Your Readings
It may sound obvious, but you must record your readings. Note them down in a diary, a notebook or in your phone calendar. Some meters have software that lets you do this. You could try a diabetes app too.
You and your healthcare team can then look back over your results to see if you need to adjust your treatment.
When And How Often To Check Levels
How often you should test your childs blood sugar levels each day and when depends on a number of things and can even change from day to day. In general, most kids with diabetes test their blood sugar levels before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and at bedtime.
They may need to check more often when theyre sick or if there are changes in their diabetes treatment or daily habits. They may also need to check more often if they use an insulin pump or have a management plan that aims for very close control of blood sugar levels. The diabetes health care team can advise you on how often and when to check.
Sometimes parents need to check their childs blood sugar levels in the middle of the night. For example, kids having problems with hypoglycemia episodes may need middle-of-the-night tests. And those whove just been diagnosed with diabetes may need more frequent tests while they and their families are learning how insulin or other diabetes medicines affect blood sugar levels.
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