Whether you use insulin or are controlling your diabetes with diet and exercise, your doctor has probably asked you to use a blood glucose monitor to keep track of your blood sugar at least once a day. If you are using insulin, you'll probably have to check your blood sugar several times a day, such as after sleeping and before and after meals. There are dozens of monitors available, some loaded with features and some more basic, but they all do the same thing--help you keep track of your blood sugar, control your diabetes, and reduce the possibility of long-term health consequences from the disease.
Benefits
Blood sugar is needed to prevent conditions, such as insulin shock, and reduce your chances of nerve, blood vessel and heart damage from exposure to long-term high blood sugar. Testing will also help you choose the correct dose of insulin. Some monitors connect to insulin pumps and dispense the correct dose automatically.
Supplies
All meters come with detailed instructions. Read them carefully to find out what your meter requires. Most come with a few days worth of supplies, including a blood glucose meter, testing strips made for your meter, sugar control solution, lancets, a lancet holder and cotton balls.
Procedure
Each meter is different and comes with specific instructions that must be followed exactly for accurate results. In general, here is perform a blood glucose test. Check the expiration date of your testing-strip supply. If they're out of date, open a new package. Testing strips have a code number. Make sure that the code on your strips matches that showing in your meter. If they don't match, change the meter to match the code on the strips. Wash your hands with warm water and soap, or clean the area you will draw blood from with a cotton ball and alcohol. Moisture and alcohol left on the site can influence results, so make sure that your hands are completely dry before using the lancet. Put a clean lancet in its holder. Take a test strip from its package and immediately seal it. Moisture can affect results, so keep the test strips dry and clean. Prepare the monitor according to the manufacturer's detailed instructions. Stick the side of your finger, forearm or palm with the lancet, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place the drop of blood on the test strip according the manufacturer's instructions. Stop the flow of blood with a clean cotton ball or pad. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to get, evaluate and store the results of your test. Understand that most blood glucose meters can store weeks, sometimes months, worth of results. If your does not, record your results, including the date, time, circumstances and blood sugar level. Your doctor will want to review them with you at your next appointment.
Results
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, blood sugar levels for men and non-pregnant women should be 70 mg/dL (5 mmol/L) to 130 mg/dL (7.2 mmol/L) before meals and less than 180 mg/dL (10 mmol/L) two hours after a meal. For women who are pregnant and have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, recommended levels are 95 mg/dL (5.3 mmol/L) or less before breakfast and 140 mg/dL (7.7 mmol/L) or less than one hour after a meal. Consult your doctor to find out what your blood sugar should be before and after meals. Exercise, diet and other medical conditions can influence blood sugar.
Accuracy
Most doctors recommend testing blood sugar in a lab two to four times a year. While you are there, check your blood sugar with your monitor. If the test results are about the same, your monitor is accurate. If not, your monitor may not be accurate and will need adjusting. Every monitor is different, so follow the manufacturer's instructions for adjusting it.
Warnings and Tips
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that you use a different finger every time you test to prevent them from becoming sore. Be sure to always stick the side of your finger, not the tip. This will give you more accurate results with less squeezing. To prevent infection, always wash your hands before testing and use a clean lancet. Don't throw used lancets in everyday trash--someone handling it later might get an unintentional stick. The ADA recommends storing them in a heavy plastic container, such as a liquid laundry soap or fabric softener bottle. When you are ready to throw the bottle away, make sure that the lid is screwed on tightly. Your trash hauler can give you additional advice on dispose of used lancets safely. Your meter came with detailed instructions. Follow them exactly for the most accurate test results. The target blood sugar levels offered here are recommended by the ADA. However, you should follow your doctor's recommendations for best results.
Sources
Meters and supplies are available online, at discount stores, drug stores and by mail. See the Resources section below for an example of the online sites available.
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