Monitoring your blood sugar

The only true way to get a good picture of your usual blood sugars from day to day is to check and record your blood sugars daily. Look at 3 days of blood sugars or more and see if there is a pattern that shows you need to make a change in your management.

When to monitor

It is recommended to vary the times throughout the day. Suggested times are before meals and 2 hours after meals, before bedtime and occasionally overnight. This may not be possible every day so you may need to rotate the different times to see patterns at all the times. However someone who takes multiple daily injections or who uses mixed insulin that works at multiple times of the day should check a minimum of four times a day. You may also need to check at other times, example feeling “low” symptoms or otherwise unwell, illness, before driving a vehicle.

You would need to keep a log book or download your meter and print off the reports in order to see patterns.

Meters

There are multiple brands and models to pick from. Your pharmacist and diabetes educator could help you to decide which is best for you. Please book an appointment with the pharmacy team so they can instruct you on the proper use of your meter. To check, have clean hands, a sharp lancet and appropriate strips that have not expired. Finger stick is still the most accurate method of obtaining an accurate sample over alternate site testing. You can discuss this further with your educator.

Take your meter with you everywhere in case you feel low or are unsure. Guessing is risky and many people do not experience symptoms of lows or highs.

Glucose sensors

A glucose sensor not only provides your blood sugar reading but also the direction and rate of change of your blood sugar. There are several glucose sensors available, each having different features. If you are considering wearing one or would like more information, please talk to your diabetes educator or health care provider.

 

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