How To Check High Blood Sugar At Home

When To Test Your Blood Sugar

The number of times that you need to check your blood sugar each day depends on the type of diabetes you have, the type of medicine you take to treat your diabetes, and how well your blood sugar levels are controlled. For example, people who take insulin injections or use an insulin pump, may need to check their blood sugar more frequently than those who take diabetes pills. Some people test their blood sugar before eating meals or snacks, before and after exercise, when they feel sick, or when they think their blood glucose is low. Talk with your health care team about how often you should check your blood sugar.

Right Before Lunch Or Dinner

Checking your blood sugar before your next meal can tell you two things:

• How well your body and/or medication dosages handled your last meal
• How well your body and/or medication dosages handled your blood sugar in the last few hours without food being digested.

Keep in mind that some meals take longer to digest than others. High-fat meals that are also high in carbohydrates can take many hours to digest, affecting your blood sugar for many hours, too.

A high blood sugar level before lunch or dinner could suggest:

• What you ate or drank at your last meal was more than your body could handle on your current diabetes management regimen.
• Your body may need some extra help from a diabetes medication.
• Your current diabetes medications may need a change in dosage.
• Your current diabetes medication may not be the right fit for you.
• Its time to try a different type of diabetes medication.
• Your overall insulin production or insulin resistance level has changed and your body needs more support from a new or current medication.

A low blood sugar level before your next meal could suggest:

• Youre getting too much of a certain diabetes medication .
• Your insulin sensitivity or insulin production has improved, which means your medication dosages need to be adjusted by your healthcare team.

Talk to your healthcare team about making any adjustments to your diabetes regimen to help you achieve your blood sugar goals.

Why You Should Test Your Blood Sugar

Self-testing is called self-monitoring of blood glucose . It’s an important tool that can tell if your diabetes treatment plan is working. While your health care provider will still check your hemoglobin A1C levels when you come in for a checkup, many people need to augment this with blood glucose monitoring at home. The A1C test gives a good overall picture of how well your blood sugar has been managed over the past three months. But testing your blood sugar at home can provide a quick measurement of your blood sugar level at any given time. The results of home blood sugar testing can help you make appropriate adjustments to your diabetes medicine, diet, and/or level of physical activity. Your diabetes health care team will give you specific advice on how to keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range.

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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.

How Can I Treat High Blood Sugar

Talk to your doctor about how to keep your blood sugar levels within your target range. Your doctor may suggest the following:

• Be more active. Regular exercise can help keep your blood sugar levels on track. Important: dont exercise if ketones are present in your urine. This can make your blood sugar go even higher.
• Take medicine as instructed. If your blood sugar is often high, your doctor may change how much medicine you take or when you take it.
• Follow your diabetes meal plan. Ask your doctor or dietitian for help if youre having trouble sticking to it.
• Check your blood sugar as directed by your doctor. Check more often if youre sick or if youre concerned about high or low blood sugar.
• Talk to your doctor about adjusting how much insulin you take and what types of insulin to use.

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What If I Have Trouble Getting To My Blood Sugar Goals

There may be times when you have trouble reaching your blood sugar goals. This does not mean that you have failed. It means that you and your health care team should see if changes are needed. Call your health care team if your blood sugar is often too high or too low. Taking action will help you be healthy today and in the future.

How To Test Your Blood Sugar At Home

Follow these steps:

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What Do The Numbers Mean

Now the challenging part: How do you know if you blood sugar numbers are good or bad?

First off, its important to know that everyone will have different blood sugar goals. Your provider should let you know what numbers you need to aim for. Your goal range will depend on multiple factors, including your health and age, the medications you take, and how far your diabetes has progressed.

Second, your numbers will change depending on what and when you eat. Your numbers will rise after eating and will gradually go down after you finish eating. The American Diabetes Association recommends that most people have a blood sugar reading of 80 mg/dL to 130 mg/dL before a meal, and less than 180 mg/dL 1 to 2 hours after a meal. But this is also one of the reasons why most providers use a hemoglobin A1C test on top of your at-home blood glucose tests. A1C is a measure of your average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months.

What Do I Do With The Results

You need to keep track of your results. There are a few ways you can do this. You can write them down in a record book. Use a small notebook or ask your doctor for a blood testing record book. Depending on the type of monitor you have, you may be able to keep track of the results on your computer or smartphone. Whatever method you use, you may also want to keep track of what you have eaten, when you took medicine or insulin, and how active youve been during the day. This will help you see how these things affect your blood sugar. Talk with your doctor about what is a good range for your blood sugar level and what to do if your blood sugar is not within that range.

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When Should I Test My Blood Sugar

You may need to check your blood sugar several times a day, such as before meals or exercise, at bedtime, before driving, and when you think your blood sugar levels are low.

Everyone is different, so ask your doctor when and how often you should check your blood sugar. If you’re sick, you’ll probably need to test your blood sugar more often.

Recommended Blood Sugar Targets For Most People With Diabetes*

Your targets may not be the same as the examples in this chart. Your targets are important and should be specific to you.

* This information is based on the Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada and is a guide.** A1C is a measurement of your average blood sugar control for the last two to three months and approximately 50 per cent of the value comes from the last 30 days.

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What Else Can I Do To Help Manage My Blood Sugar Levels

Eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting regular physical activity can all help. Other tips include:

• Keep track of your blood sugar levels to see what makes them go up or down.
• Eat at regular times, and dont skip meals.
• Choose foods lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt.
• Track your food, drink, and physical activity.
• Drink water instead of juice or soda.
• Limit alcoholic drinks.
• For a sweet treat, choose fruit.
• Control your food portions .

How To Check For High Hba1c Levels At Home

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What Is Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Continuous glucose monitoring allows you to know your blood sugar level at any time. This helps you notice patterns in blood sugar, and it can help you make decisions about food, exercise and medications. A continuous glucose monitor works with a tiny sensor that’s inserted under your skin, often in your abdomen or arm. The sensor measures your blood sugar every few minutes and sends the reading to the monitor, which you can keep in your pocket. Some monitors transmit blood sugar readings directly to an app or phone. Continuous glucose monitors can be part of an insulin pump or an individual device.

Most people who use continuous glucose monitors have type 1 diabetes. Your health care provider may suggest using this tool if you’re on intensive insulin therapy , have hypoglycemia unawareness or often have high or low blood sugar.

Testing your blood sugar at home as often as directed can help you learn if your diabetes treatment plan is working. Work with your health care team to learn how to interpret patterns in your readings and make adjustments in your food, exercise and medication regimen to help keep your blood sugar in a healthy range.

Originally published on June 14, 2013 clinically reviewed and updated June 17, 2021

Who Should Check

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

• taking insulin.
• having a hard time controlling blood sugar levels.
• having low blood sugar levels.
• having low blood sugar levels without the usual warning signs.
• have ketones from high blood sugar levels.

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How It Is Done

A home blood sugar test involves pricking your finger, palm, or forearm with a small needle to collect a drop of blood and placing the blood on a special test strip, which you insert into the blood glucose meter before you begin the test. The blood glucose meter displays the results of a blood sugar test within a minute after testing.

The instructions for testing are slightly different for each model of home blood glucose meter. For accurate results, follow the instructions for your meter carefully. When testing blood sugar using a home blood glucose meter:

Safely dispose of your lancets after using them. Do not throw them into the household trash. A used lancet might accidentally stick someone. Place used lancets into a plastic container, such as an empty detergent bottle. Seal the container when it is about three-quarters full. Check with your local trash disposal agency about the proper disposal of lancets. Some agencies have specific instructions for the disposal of medical waste. Sometimes your doctor’s office will dispose of them for you.

Know The Best Blood Sugar Levels By Age Gender And Heredity

know the best blood sugar levels by age, gender, and heredity, The issue of managing blood sugar levels is one that thousands of people deal with every day. For some people, blood sugar imbalances cause only a temporary problem requiring them to stop what theyre doing and adjust their actions accordingly. For others, however, significant changes in blood sugar can result in severe illness, hospitalization, or even death.

Fortunately, with the proper knowledge and the necessary determination, blood sugar levels can be managed, allowing for long and healthy lives. Everyday lifestyle changes, combined with medical intervention when necessary, can ensure that your blood sugar levels wont hold you back.

As with many health issues, knowledge is the most important part of managing blood sugar and preventing dangerous highs and lows. If blood sugar imbalances are a concern in your life or the life of someone you love, start educating yourself today.

In the book, youll learn the basics of blood sugar, and how you can take control. What exactly is blood sugar, and when is a blood sugar level considered high or low? Why is blood sugar so important, and what effects do low and high blood sugar have on your body? And, what is the often-discussed link between obesity and diabetes?

Hypoglycemia

Hyperglycemia

The Blood Sugar-Insulin Link

Blood Sugar Monitors

Do I Need to Invest in One?

How Do I Find the Right Monitor for Me?

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Why It Is Done

A home blood glucose test is an accurate way to measure your blood sugar level at the time of testing. If you have diabetes, testing your blood glucose levels at home provides information about:

• Your blood sugar level. It is important to know when your blood sugar is high or low, to prevent emergency situations from developing. It is also important to treat consistently high blood sugar levels so you can decrease your chances of developing heart, blood vessel, and nerve complications from diabetes.
• How much insulin to take before each meal. If you take rapid-acting or short-acting insulin before meals, the blood sugar test results can help you determine how much insulin to take before each meal. If your blood sugar level is high, you may need extra insulin. If your blood sugar level is low, you may need to eat before you take any insulin.
• How exercise, diet, stress, and being ill affect your blood sugar levels. Testing your blood sugar can help you learn how your body responds to these things. Where possible, you can adjust your lifestyle to improve your blood sugar level.

Home blood sugar testing also may be used to:

• Test blood sugar levels in people who have symptoms of high blood sugar or low blood sugar .

How Do I Check

People with diabetes check their blood sugar levels by poking their fingertips and using a blood glucose meter or a continuous glucose monitor to measure the blood glucose level at that moment. Read on to find out how to use a blood glucose meter. To find out more about CGMs, start by talking to your doctor.

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How Do I Pay For These Tests And Supplies

Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans pay for the A1C test and some of the cost of supplies for checking your blood sugar. Check your plan or ask your health care team for help finding low cost or free supplies. Ask your health care team what to do if you run out of test strips. For more information about Medicare and diabetes, go to .

Know Your Blood Sugar

Blood sugar is the amount of sugar in your blood at a given time. It’s important to check your blood sugar level, because it will:

• determine if you have a high or low blood sugar level at a given time
• show you how your lifestyle and medication affect your blood sugar levels
• help you and your diabetes health-care team make lifestyle and medication changes to improve your blood sugar levels

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Key Nutrients For Blood Sugar Balance: Protein Fat Fiber

Just because carbohydrates and sugar spike your blood sugar doesn’t mean you have to avoid them all the time. The best way to balance out your blood sugar is to pair your higher-carb foods and sugar with protein, healthy fats and ideally fiber. When you pair carbohydrates with protein or fat, the rate that the sugar or carbs are absorbed is slowed, making it easier on your blood sugar, according to Shapiro. When you look at your plate, the goal is to balance the ratio of carbs with healthy protein and fat so you know that your blood sugar won’t spike too high, which can result in a crash or dramatic dip later.

When To Go To The Er

High blood sugar can be very concerning because your body can start burning fat for energy instead of blood glucose.

This can cause conditions such as DKA and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome . These conditions are medical emergencies and can be fatal if left untreated.

DKA is a serious complication of type 1 diabetes. Its rare in people with type 2 diabetes, but can occur.

Symptoms that can indicate you should go to the emergency room include:

• ketones in your urine, as diagnosed using a urine dipstick test
• confusion
• stomach pain
• vomiting

High blood sugar levels can cause a fluid imbalance in the body and can cause the blood to become acidic in a manner that doesnt support life.

Medical treatments for these conditions include administering intravenous insulin on a continuous basis and IV fluids to correct dehydration.

Summary

High blood sugar can become a medical emergency. Go to the ER if you suspect DKA or HHS.

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