How To Use Glucometer To Check Blood Sugar

Habitation Blood Sugar Testing

Medically Reviewed past Michael Dansinger, MD on June 23, 2021

Most people with diabetes should test their blood sugar (aka blood glucose) levels regularly. Knowing the results lets you suit your strategy for keeping the disease in check.

Regular testing tin as well assistance you lot avoid getting long-term wellness problems that tin can stem from the condition, similar:

Heart disease
Stroke
High blood pressure level
Loftier cholesterol
Blindness
Kidney disease
Skin problems

Enquiry shows that in people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, sticking to your target blood sugar and HbA1c levels makes complications less likely.

Ways to Test Your Blood Carbohydrate

Traditional home glucose monitoring

You prick your finger with a minor, sharp needle called a lancet, put a drop of blood on a test strip, and so place the strip into a meter that displays your blood sugar levels. Tape the test results so you can share them with your doctor. Based on your results, the two of you lot may accommodate your diet, exercise, or medication.

Meters vary in features, portability, speed, size, cost, and readability (with larger displays or spoken instructions if you have vision bug). Devices evangelize results in less than 15 seconds and store this information for future use.

Some meters also calculate an average blood sugar level over a bridge of time. Some also characteristic software kits that take information from the meter and brandish graphs and charts of your past exam results. Claret saccharide meters and strips are available at your local chemist's shop.

Meters that test other parts of your body

Some devices permit y'all examination your upper arm, forearm, base of the thumb, and thigh.

These results may differ from the blood sugar levels gotten from a fingertip stick. Levels in the fingertips bear witness changes more quickly. This is especially true when your sugar is changing fast, like subsequently a repast or after exercise.

If you have symptoms of depression blood sugar, don't rely on test results from other parts of your torso.

Continuous glucose monitoring system

Some of these devices are combined with insulin pumps. They're not as accurate equally finger-stick glucose results. Only they can help you find patterns and trends in your sugar levels. You lot may as well hear doctors telephone call these "interstitial glucose measuring devices." If you choose this method, your doctor will identify a tiny sensor under your skin to check blood saccharide levels every 5 minutes. Information technology sends data to a monitor that y'all wear similar a pager for a few days.

You lot'll withal need to cheque your levels throughout the day; continuous glucose monitoring doesn't replace that. Information technology gives your doc more information about trends that cocky-checking might not evidence.

When Should I Exam My Blood Saccharide?

Each person is different. Your md volition tell you when and how often you should check your levels.

If you utilize insulin more than than once a twenty-four hour period or utilise an insulin pump, experts recommend checking your blood saccharide at least iii times daily.

What Can Touch on My Results?

They may not be accurate if you have anemia or gout. If it's hot, humid, or y'all're at a high altitude, that can interfere with the results, too. So can vitamin C.

If y'all consistently see results that aren't expected, recalibrate your meter and check the strips.

The chart below shows you the ideal claret sugar ranges for most adults except for pregnant women. Your ideal range may exist different from another person's and will change throughout the day, so check with your dr. for your targets.

Time of Examination	Ideal for Adults With Diabetes
Before a meal	70-130 mg/dL
1 to 2 hours after beginning a repast	Less than 180 mg/dL

Home Blood Sugar Monitoring and HbA1c

Checking your HbA1c level is also of import. Many home glucose monitors can display an average blood sugar reading, which correlates to the HbA1c test.

Boilerplate Blood Glucose Level (mg/dL)	HbA1c (%)
125 mg/dL	6
154 mg/dL	7
183 mg/dL	eight
212 mg/dL	9
240 mg/dL	10
269 mg/dL	xi
298 mg/dL	12

When Should I Call My Doctor?

Ask your doctor near your target blood sugar range. Also, piece of work together to plan for how to handle blood sugar readings that are either too high or likewise low and when to call your doctor. Learn about the warning signs of high or low blood carbohydrate, and know what you tin do if you lot begin to accept symptoms.

Track It Over Fourth dimension

Keep records of all your examination results. Most glucose monitors too have retentivity for that. Your records tin can alert you to any bug or trends.

Likewise, these test records assist your dr. make any needed changes in your meal plan, medicine, or exercise program. Bring these records with you lot to every checkup.

How to Examination Your Claret Sugar at Home

Follow these steps:

Wash and dry your easily well.
Insert a test strip into your meter.
Prick the side of your fingertip with the lancet provided with your test kit.
Gently squeeze or massage your finger until a drib of blood forms.
Touch and agree the border of the test strip to the drib of blood.
The meter volition display your blood glucose level on a screen after a few seconds.

Why You Should Bank check Your Blood Sugar

Testing claret glucose can assistance yous manage diabetes past showing you:

How well your diabetes handling programme is working
How practice and food affect your blood sugar levels
How things like stress and illness touch your levels
How well your diabetes medication is working
When your blood sugar levels are too high or too low

Who Should Cheque Their Claret Carbohydrate?

You'll need to exam your levels if yous're:

Taking insulin
Meaning
Having a difficult time controlling blood glucose levels
Having low blood glucose levels, specially without warning signs
Have ketones from loftier blood glucose levels

When Should You Test Your Blood Sugar?

Information technology depends on which blazon of diabetes you have:

Type 1 diabetes. It'due south up to your doctor. They could suggest you exam anywhere betwixt four and 10 times a day. For example, y'all could test earlier meals and snacks, before and later exercise, before bed, and fifty-fifty during the dark. Y'all may too demand to check more often if you're sick, making changes to your daily routine, or starting a new medication.
Type ii diabetes. It depends on what you take to treat your diabetes:
Insulin. The doc may tell you to test a few times a twenty-four hours, depending on the type and corporeality of insulin you utilise. Yous'll probably exam before meals and at bedtime if you're taking multiple daily injections. You lot may demand to test only twice daily, before breakfast and dinner, if y'all only utilise a long-interim insulin.
Medications. If you apply drugs to manage diabetes, your doctor will tell yous how ofttimes to cheque your claret sugar.
Lifestyle changes. If you're relying on diet and exercise, y'all may not need to test your blood saccharide daily.