How To Take Blood Sugar With Glucometer

Galleryi Cant Get Enough Blood For My Glucometer

Here is a question we received from a woman with diabetes

I am diabetic and i am not bleeding enough to take my blood sugar had to prick my self 6 times to get enough? I had to prick myself 6 times to get enough blood blood sugar was 437 why was i not bleeding almost nothing. Please help, Amy

My answer:

Hi Amy,

There are a few reasons that you are unable to get enough blood.1. Some people have thicker skin and need to change the setting on the lancet device to go deeper2. If you test in the same area, something like scar tissue can temporarily make the skin thicker in that area.3. When you have diabetes, blood circulation decreases to the extremeties 4. When your blood sugar because very high your body tries to get rid of the extra sugar by peeing it out -which makes you dehydrated and more difficult to bleed for the blood test.

Hints to make it easier:1. If you are pricking your finger -it can work better to prick slightly to the side of the finger pad instead of in the middle.2. If you are pricking your finger -rub your fingers/hands together to get the blood flowing3. In the future you can get a machine that allows testing in alternative places instead of just finger testing.

Take care and good luck!

What Does A Blood Sugar Test Do

Your doctor may order a blood sugar test to see if you have diabetes or prediabetes. The test will measure the amount of glucose in your blood.

Your body takes carbohydrates found in foods like grains and fruits and converts them into glucose. Glucose, a sugar, is one of the bodys main sources of energy.

For people with diabetes, a home test helps monitor blood sugar levels. Taking a blood sugar test can help determine your blood sugar level to see if you need to adjust your diet, exercise, or diabetes medications.

Low blood sugar can lead to seizures or a coma if left untreated. High blood sugar can lead to ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition thats often a concern for those with type 1 diabetes.

Ketoacidosis occurs when your body starts using only fat for fuel. Hyperglycemia over a long period can increase your risk for neuropathy , along with heart, kidney, and eye diseases.

Why Check Blood Sugar Levels

If you take certain medication, like insulin or sulphonylureas, checking your blood sugars is a vital part of living with diabetes. It can help you work out when you need to take more medication, when you need to eat something or for when you want to get up and move around more.

Routine checks can help you know when you might be starting to go too low or too high . Its a way of getting to know your body and how it works. It can help you and your healthcare team spot patterns too. Do you write your results down? You might find that helpful.

But importantly, it will help you stay healthy and prevent serious diabetes complications now and in the future. By complications, we mean serious problems in places like your feet and your eyes. This happens because too much sugar in the blood damages your blood vessels, making it harder for blood to flow around your body. This can lead to very serious problems like sight loss and needing an amputation.

The higher your blood sugar levels are and the longer theyre high for, the more at risk you are.

Recommended Reading: How To Cure High Sugar Level

What Is A Glucometer

A Glucometer, also known as a glucose meter, is a home blood glucose monitoring device. It is used to approximately determine the blood glucose level of a person. A lancet is used to prick the persons finger for a small drop of blood, which is placed on a disposable test strip in which the meter reads and displays the blood glucose level.

A glucometer is easily available in the market at a very low cost. It can last from 2 to 5 years and only the test strips must be replenished regularly. Thus, it is a very feasible device to keep ones sugar level in check.

How Can I Check My Blood Sugar

Use a blood sugar meter or a continuous glucose monitor to check your blood sugar. A blood sugar meter measures the amount of sugar in a small sample of blood, usually from your fingertip. A CGM uses a sensor inserted under the skin to measure your blood sugar every few minutes. If you use a CGM, youll still need to test daily with a blood sugar meter to make sure your CGM readings are accurate.

Don’t Miss: How To Take Your Blood Sugar

Monitoring Your Blood Sugar

Regular blood sugar monitoring is the most important thing you can do to manage type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Youll be able to see what makes your numbers go up or down, such as eating different foods, taking your medicine, or being physically active. With this information, you can work with your health care team to make decisions about your best diabetes care plan. These decisions can help delay or prevent diabetes complications such as heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and amputation. Your doctor will tell you when and how often to check your blood sugar levels.

Most blood sugar meters allow you to save your results and you can use an app on your cell phone to track your levels. If you dont have a smart phone, keep a written daily record like the one in the photo. You should bring your meter, phone, or paper record with you each time you visit your health care provider.

Sometimes having high blood sugar can feel like a test you didnt pass. But numbers are just numbers. Think of them instead as information. Did a certain food or activity make your levels go up or down? Armed with that knowledge, you can make adjustments and get closer to your target range more often.

When Should I Check My Blood Glucose Level

When you should check your blood glucose levels and how often you should check varies depending on each individual, the type of diabetes and the tablets and/or insulin being used. Your doctor or Credentialled Diabetes Educator will help you decide how many checks are needed and the levels to aim for. Possible times to check are:

• Before breakfast
• Before rigorous exercise
• When you are feeling unwell

Even though your meter may have a memory, it is important to keep a record of your readings in a diary and to take this with you to all appointments with your diabetes health team. This will provide both you and your diabetes health team with important information in deciding if and how your treatment may need to be adjusted.

Most meters on the market have software which allows you to download your records in different formats such as graphs and charts. Even if you can do this, it is still helpful to keep a diary, not only for your checks but also details of your daily activities, the food you eat and other relevant information. There are some apps that record all of this information in one place. Ask your doctor or diabetes educator how you can use a diary to help you to better manage your diabetes.

Checking four times a day is usually recommended for people with type 1 diabetes. However many people check more often, such as those using an insulin pump .

Don’t Miss: What Juice Has The Least Amount Of Sugar

How Do I Measure My Blood Sugar Level

Follow your doctors advice and the instructions that come with the BGM or CGM. Different meters work differently, so be sure to check with your doctor for advice specifically for you. With a BGM, youll usually follow the steps below:

• Wash your hands and dry them well before doing the test.
• Use an alcohol pad to clean the area that youre going to prick. For most glucose meters, you will prick your fingertip. However, with some meters, you can also use your forearm, thigh, or the fleshy part of your hand. Ask your doctor what area you should use with your meter.
• Prick yourself with a sterile lancet to get a drop of blood.
• Place the drop of blood on the test strip.
• Follow the instructions for inserting the test strip into your glucose meter.
• The meter will give you a number for your blood sugar level.

If you have a CGM, youll follow the insertion directions that come with the monitor. Once its warmed up, the transmitter wirelessly sends the data to your computer or smartphone.

How Does It Work

Blood sugar levels can be tested at home or at school using a blood glucose meter, which is a computerized device that measures the amount of glucose in a sample of your blood and displays it on a screen.

To get a sample of your blood, a small needle called a lancet is used to poke the skin to get one drop of blood. The drop of blood is placed on a testing strip that goes into the blood glucose meter. Within a few seconds, the blood glucose reading appears on a screen.

When you’re first diagnosed with diabetes, your mom or dad may help you test your blood sugar levels and keep track of the results. As you get older, you’ll learn how to use the blood glucose meter and keep track of your blood sugar levels on your own.

You or your doctor may want to get an even closer look at how your blood sugar levels change throughout the day and night. Wearable devices that measure blood sugar levels every 5 minutes are available. They let you download a computer printout of your blood sugar profile so you, your parents, and your doctor can look at it.

Page 1

Read Also: How Do Sugar Daddies Send Money

Types Of Blood Sugar Tests

You can take a blood sugar test two ways. People who are monitoring or managing their diabetes prick their finger using a glucometer for daily testing. The other method is drawing blood.

Blood samples are generally used to screen for diabetes. Your doctor will order a fasting blood sugar test. This test measures your blood sugar levels, or a glycosylated hemoglobin, also called a hemoglobin A1C test. The results of this test reflect your blood sugar levels over the previous 90 days. The results will show if you have prediabetes or diabetes and can monitor how your diabetes is controlled.

When and how often you should test your blood sugar depends on the type of diabetes you have and your treatment.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

When visiting your doctor, you might keep these questions in mind to ask during your appointment.

• What is my target blood sugar range?
• How often should I check my blood sugar?
• What do these numbers mean?
• Are there patterns that show I need to change my diabetes treatment?
• What changes need to be made to my diabetes care plan?

If you have other questions about your numbers or your ability to manage your diabetes, make sure to work closely with your doctor or health care team.

Read Also: How To Check Blood Sugar Levels At Home

What Causes Low Blood Sugar

Low blood sugar has many causes, including missing a meal, taking too much insulin, taking other diabetes medicines, exercising more than normal, and drinking alcohol. Blood sugar below 70 mg/dL is considered low.

Signs of low blood sugar are different for everyone. Common symptoms include:

• Shaking.
• Dizziness.
• Hunger.

Know what your individual symptoms are so you can catch low blood sugar early and treat it. If you think you may have low blood sugar, check it even if you dont have symptoms. Low blood sugar can be dangerous and should be treated as soon as possible.

When To Check Blood Sugar Levels

Check your child’s blood sugar level at the following times:

• Before meals and bedtime, a minimum of four times a day.
• If you suspect your child has a low blood sugar level.
• Before and after your child exercises.
• When your child is ill.
• Two hours after the start of a meal, if results from before the meal don’t match HbA1c.
• During the night. This is particularly important if your child had a low blood sugar level during the day, exercised more than usual, made a change in the insulin dose or has been ill.

Read Also: Does Apple Watch Check Blood Sugar

How To Do Capillary Blood Glucose Monitoring

Related Articles

• Light Diets for Colonoscopies

While capillary blood glucose monitoring is most frequently recommended for people with diabetes, your doctor might also recommend the self-tests if you struggle with unstable blood sugar levels or during episodes of infection or other illness. Capillary blood glucose tests are simple and quick to perform they require just a simple stick to the fingertip, a small drop of blood and a few minutes of patience.

Blood Sugar Level Chart By Age

Blood sugar levels tend to rise with age due to an increase in insulin resistance and decrease in insulin sensitivity. In one study by the National Health Institute , each extra decade of age was linked to a 2.7 mg/dl increase in fasting glucose, and a 4.5 mg/dl increase in 2-hour post-prandial glucose levels.

Recommended Reading: Where Can I Get Coconut Sugar

What Should I Do If My Blood Sugar Gets Too Low

Low blood sugar is also called hypoglycemia . It means your blood sugar level drops below 70. Having low blood sugar is dangerous and needs to be treated right away. Anyone with diabetes can have low blood sugar. You have a greater chance of having low blood sugar if you take insulin or certain pills for diabetes.

Carry supplies for treating low blood sugar with you. If you feel shaky, sweaty, or very hungry, check your blood sugar. Even if you feel none of these things, but think you may have low blood sugar, check it.

If your meter shows that your blood sugar is lower than 70, do one of the following things right away:

• chew 4 glucose tablets
• drink 4 ounces of fruit juice
• drink 4 ounces of regular soda, not diet soda or
• chew 4 pieces of hard candy

After taking one of these treatments, wait for 15 minutes, then check your blood sugar again. Repeat these steps until your blood sugar is 70 or above. After your blood sugar gets back up to 70 or more, eat a snack if your next meal is 1 hour or more away.

If you often have low blood sugar, check your blood sugar before driving and treat it if it is low.

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.

You May Like: Does Nonfat Milk Have Sugar

Levels After Youve Eaten

Many foods have types of carbohydrates called starches and sugars. When you eat foods with these types of carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose, which is a type of simple sugar, and releases the glucose into your bloodstream. Aside from glucose produced by your liver, food is the main source of plasma glucose.

Two hours after eating, your blood sugar levels rise. They rise more when you eat more carbohydrates, when you do not eat fiber, fat, or protein with your carbs, and when you eat certain types of carbohydrates, such as refined sugars and starches.

These are target values from The Joslin Diabetes Center, which include levels for people with diabetes:

Why Measure Blood Glucose

• It can be used as a screening tool for diabetes mellitus .

• It is an important tool in the assessment of the unwell patient, especially in the young or old.

• Potentially life-threatening extremes of blood glucose can be detected to enable the patient, carer or health worker to respond to high and low blood glucose by adjusting the diet or using insulin.

Recommended Reading: How To Lower Sugar Levels Fast

When Should I Check My Blood Sugar

How often you check your blood sugar depends on the type of diabetes you have and if you take any diabetes medicines.

Typical times to check your blood sugar include:

• When you first wake up, before you eat or drink anything.
• Before a meal.
• Two hours after a meal.
• At bedtime.

If you have type 1 diabetes, have type 2 diabetes and take insulin, or often have low blood sugar, your doctor may want you to check your blood sugar more often, such as before and after youre physically active.

What Are The Benefits Of Blood Glucose Monitoring

Regular glucose monitoring is one way people with diabetes can learn more about their condition. When its time to make important decisions about medication dosage, exercise, and diet, knowing your blood glucose levels will help you, your doctor, and the rest of your healthcare team.

Your doctor will calculate the target range for your blood glucose based on your age, your type of diabetes, your overall health, and other factors. Its important to keep your glucose levels within your target range as best as you can.

Recommended Reading: Can High Blood Sugar Cause Tiredness