When To Check Blood Sugar

Knowing when to check your blood sugar is a crucial point. Blood sugar testing is an important part of diabetes care. If you have diabetes, self-testing your blood sugar can be an important tool in managing your treatment plan and preventing long-term complications of diabetes.

Timing your routine or daily testing as recommended can help you see how your meals, medications and activities affect your blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that you routinely test blood sugar levels as an effective part of any self-care program.

Blood sugar tests are performed with a portable electronic device that measures sugar levels in a small drop of your blood. Using a meter is the most accurate way to check. Keep a log of your results and review them with your team to gauge how well your diabetes plan is working. Keeping a log of your results is vital. When you bring this record to your health care provider, you have a good picture of your body's response to your diabetes care plan.

When Is The Best Time To Check Blood Sugar?

 

Your doctor will advise you on how often you should check your blood sugar level. In general, the frequency of testing depends on the type of diabetes you have and your treatment plan.

• Type 1 diabetes. Your doctor may recommend blood sugar testing three or more times a day if you have type 1 diabetes. Testing may be before and after certain meals, before and after exercise, before bed, and occasionally during the night. You may also need to check your blood sugar level more often if you are ill, change your daily routine or begin a new medication. 
• Type 2 diabetes. If you take insulin to manage type 2 diabetes, your doctor may recommend blood sugar testing one or more times a day, depending on the number of insulin doses you take. Testing is commonly done before meals, after fasting for at least eight hours and sometimes after meals if instructed by your provider. If you manage type 2 diabetes with noninsulin medications or with diet and exercise alone, you may not need to test your blood sugar daily.
• For people using insulin, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends testing 3 or more times a day. If you take another kind of medication, test your blood sugar level as often as your healthcare team recommends.

Structured Testing 

 

In addition to your routine or daily testing schedule, you may want to consider testing your blood sugar levels in a structured way if you:

• Adjust your insulin or oral medication
• Begin a new medication unrelated to diabetes
• Change your activity program, meal plan, work or school schedule

Short-term structured testing supports your routine or daily testing by having you check your blood sugar before and after the things you do. It can help you determine if you're in a safe range and to problem-solve around how the things you do are connected to your blood sugar. Use these tools to make changes one step at a time, instead of trying to change everything at once.

Who Should Check Blood Sugar Level? 

 

Talk to your doctor about whether you should be checking your blood glucose. People that may benefit from checking blood glucose include those:

• Taking insulin
• That are pregnant
• Having a hard time controlling your blood glucose levels
• Having low blood glucose levels 
• Having low blood glucose levels without the usual warning signs
• Have ketones from high blood glucose levels 

How Do I Check?

 

You can check your blood sugar level by following these steps:

1. After washing your hands, insert a test strip into your meter.
2. Use your lancing device on the side of your fingertip to get a drop of blood.
3. Touch and hold the edge of the test strip to the drop of blood, and wait for the result.
4. Your blood glucose level will appear on the meter's display.

Note: All meters are slightly different, so always refer to your user's manual for specific instructions.

Other tips for checking:

• With some meters, you can also use your forearm, thigh or fleshy part of your hand.
• There are spring-loaded lancing devices that make sticking yourself less painful.
• If you use your fingertip, stick the side of your fingertip by your fingernail to avoid having sore spots on the frequently used part of your finger. 

What Are The Target Ranges?

Your doctor will set target blood sugar test results based on several factors, including:

• Type and severity of diabetes
• Age
• Duration of disease
• Pregnancy status
• Comorbid conditions
• Known CVD or advanced microvascular complications
• Hypoglycemia unawareness
• The presence of diabetes complications
• Overall health and the presence of other medical conditions

More or less stringent glycemic goals may be appropriate for each individual. For many people who have diabetes, target levels are:

• Before meals — between 70 and 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 4 and 7 millimoles per liter (mmol/L)
• One to two hours after meals — lower than 180 mg/dL (10 mmol/L)
• Fasting at least eight hours — between 90 and 130 mg/dL (5 and 7 mmol/L)

Article Reference:

• http://www.diabetes.org 
• http://www.mayoclinic.com  
• https://www.accu-chek.com