How To Test Blood Sugar Levels Without Blood

How To Use A Blood Sugar Meter

There are different kinds of meters, but most of them work the same way. Ask your health care team to show you the benefits of each. In addition to you, have someone else learn how to use your meter in case youre sick and cant check your blood sugar yourself.

Below are tips for how to use a blood sugar meter.

Special Features Of A Cgm

CGMs are always on and recording glucose levelswhether youre showering, working, exercising, or sleeping. Many CGMs have special features that work with information from your glucose readings:

• An alarm can sound when your glucose level goes too low or too high.
• You can note your meals, physical activity, and medicines in a CGM device, too, alongside your glucose levels.
• You can download data to a computer or smart device to more easily see your glucose trends.

Some models can send information right away to a second persons smartphoneperhaps a parent, partner, or caregiver. For example, if a childs glucose drops dangerously low overnight, the CGM could be set to wake a parent in the next room.

Currently, one CGM model is approved for treatment decisions, the Dexcom G5 Mobile. That means you can make changes to your diabetes care plan based on CGM results alone. With other models, you must first confirm a CGM reading with a finger-stick blood glucose test before you take insulin or treat hypoglycemia.

Test Your Blood Sugar Level

If youre like most people, you probably use a blood sugar meter to track blood sugar levels. But there are other ways to check blood sugar levels without a meter. In this guide, youll learn how to read blood sugar levels in the comfort of your own home. Youll also find out how to test your blood sugar levels in a variety of scenarios, including when youre fasting, during exercise, or after eating a low-carbohydrate meal.

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The Guardian Connect System

The Guardian Connect System is a CGM device that can send early warnings of potential high glucose levels to a person before they occur. The company reportedly works with over 600 insurance companies to help people get the system at a lower price.

The Guardian Connect System features:

• a rechargeable transmitter that does not need replacing
• a smartphone app for Android and iOS devices
• a free 30-day trial

FDA approval in 2018.

It measures the glucose in the interstitial fluids every 5 minutes before sending information to the linked app. The sensors work for up to 90 days, so a person needs to replace them every 3 months.

However, the device requires individuals to visit their doctors office for insertion, so it may not be the best option for those unable to leave their house or see their doctor in person.

Additionally, the Eversense CGM can be sensitive to direct sunlight. This may affect the insertion site, often in the upper arm.

What Should I Do After I Check My Blood Glucose

Write the blood glucose number in a log book or on a log sheet , and:

• Include all of your blood glucose numbers.
• Write a comment if there is a reason the blood glucose is above or below target.

• Take your blood glucose meter with you when you are away from home.
• Know your blood glucose numbers when you call the clinic or the doctor.
• Bring your blood glucose meter and blood glucose records to all your appointments.
• Bring a list of any questions that you may have.

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Random Blood Sugar Test

This measures your blood sugar at the time youre tested. You can take this test at any time and dont need to fast first. A blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL or higher indicates you have diabetes.

*Results for gestational diabetes can differ. Ask your health care provider what your results mean if youre being tested for gestational diabetes.Source: American Diabetes Association

If your doctor thinks you have type 1 diabetes, your blood may also tested for autoantibodies that are often present in type 1 diabetes but not in type 2 diabetes. You may have your urine tested for ketones , which also indicate type 1 diabetes instead of type 2 diabetes.

What Is Blood Sugar

Blood sugar, or glucose, is your body’s main energy source. We get glucose from the food we eat, and our blood carries it around to all the cells in the body to give them energy to function. Glucose mainly comes from the carbohydrates we eat, though our bodies can convert protein and fat into sugar too if needed.

Glucose from protein is typically stored in the liver and doesn’t enter the bloodstream, so eating protein-rich foods won’t raise your blood sugar too much. Fats slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, which causes a delayed rise in blood sugar. High blood sugar can be an issue because it usually leads to sugar crashes, which are no fun — symptoms include fatigue, headaches and the jitters. So, eat meals balanced with protein, fat and carbs to avoid this.

Blood sugar is closely related to insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas that helps your body use glucose that’s in the carbohydrates you eat. Insulin helps regulate your blood sugar levels — if you eat more sugar than you need in the moment, the hormone helps store the glucose in your liver until it’s needed for energy.

You probably also know about blood sugar in the context of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which people are unable to make insulin, so they need to inject the hormone in order to keep their blood sugar levels stable. People with Type 2 diabetes, which usually occurs later in life, either don’t secrete insulin or are resistant to it.

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If You Dont Have Diabetes Should You Monitor Your Blood Sugar

Several companies are working hard to make this sort of ad a reality, as they begin marketing implantable blood sugar measuring devices to people without diabetes. Called continuous glucose monitoring systems, or CGMs, they are often used by people who do have diabetes. These companies could reap enormous profits by convincing healthy people to start monitoring blood sugar. Already, many of us monitor our weight, heart rate, or steps per day.

CGMs use tiny sensor wires, or filaments, that pierce the skin to frequently and easily assess blood sugar levels. The filaments remain in place, usually on the upper arm or abdomen, protected by an adhesive patch. Results are displayed on a receiver or transmitted to the users phone.

Suggested Glucose Target Ranges

The American Diabetes Association published a position statement in 2005 on the standard of care for children with type 1 diabetes. Below is a table with the ADA’s recommendations on age-specific blood sugar goal ranges. Blood glucose goals should be higher than those listed in the table for children who have frequent cases of hypoglycemia and don’t experience the associated signs and symptoms.

Your child’s diabetes health care team will recommend an individualized target range for blood sugar levels. The general goal is to maintain as normal as possible blood sugar levels without causing frequent low blood sugar. Research has shown that in children under the age of 6, frequent, severe low blood sugar levels may result in neuro-cognitive deficits problems related to intellectual ability so target ranges are higher in this age group.

Adolescents should strive to achieve similar target ranges as adults. However, this may be difficult because of higher hormone levels, such as growth hormones, which counteract the effects of insulin. If your child’s sugar levels are in the ranges listed below at least 50 percent of the time, then blood sugar control is considered reasonable. If sugars levels exceed the range more than 50 percent of the time, then sugar control is not optimal and the diabetes plan should be changed.

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Test Your Glucose Level

If youre like most people, you probably use a blood sugar meter to track blood sugar levels. But there are other ways to check blood sugar levels without a meter. In this guide, youll learn how to read blood sugar levels in the comfort of your own home. Youll also find out how to test your blood sugar levels in a variety of scenarios, including when youre fasting, during exercise, or after eating a low-carbohydrate meal.

Tests For Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed using blood tests. Youll probably be tested between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. If your risk is higher for getting gestational diabetes , your doctor may test you earlier. Blood sugar thats higher than normal early in your pregnancy may indicate you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes rather than gestational diabetes.

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Why Test 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.

What Are The Costs Of Glucose Meters

CGMs require a doctors prescription and are typically covered by private health insurance as well as Medicare. Depending on your plan, you may still have out-of-pocket costs. Keep in mind that insurance companies may be less willing to cover meters that have additional features that arent considered necessities.

If you dont have insurance, you can still obtain a prescription for a CGM. Its estimated that CGMs cost at least $100 per month without insurance.

You may ask the pharmacist or manufacturer about possible coupons and discounts to help offset the costs.

, the FreeStyle Libre was the first CGM on the market for adults with diabetes that didnt require blood samples from finger pricks. Instead, this meter reads glucose from interstitial fluids just underneath the skin.

The FreeStyle Libre works via a sensor you wear on the back of your upper arm, which you apply every 14 days. To read your glucose numbers, you wave the monitor in front of the sensor. Its recommended that you repeat the process several times per day.

The original Libre system doesnt come with alarms to alert you when your blood sugar is too low or too high. However, the Libre 2 system does have these features.

While the Libre is intended for adults, the Libre 2 may be suitable for children. Note that there is now a Libre 3 system, too, which is approved for use by people with diabetes in Europe.

While users enjoy the ability to check their blood glucose without the use of finger pricks, there are

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Normal Blood Sugar Levels

It is important to work with your healthcare provider to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. The following is a list of healthy blood sugar levels.

If an individual has type 1 diabetes the blood sugar should be the following:

• Before meals: From 90 to 130 mg/dL for adults
• After meals : Less than 180 mg/dL for adults
• At bedtime: From 90 to 150 mg/dL for adults

If an individual has type 2 diabetes, levels should be the following:

• Before meals: From 70 to 130 mg/dL for adults
• After meals : Less than 180 mg/dL for adults

How Can I Prevent Hypoglycemia

You may need to change what and when you eat to prevent low blood sugar levels. Follow the meal plan that you and the dietitian have planned. The following guidelines may help you keep your blood sugar levels under control.

• Eat 5 to 6 small meals each day instead of 3 large meals. Eat the same amount of carbohydrate at meals and snacks each day. Most people need about 3 to 4 servings of carbohydrate at meals and 1 to 2 servings for snacks. Do not skip meals. Carbohydrate counting can be used plan your meals. Ask your healthcare provider or dietitian for information about carbohydrate counting.
• Limit refined carbohydrates. Examples are white bread, pastries , regular sodas, syrups, and candy.
• Do not have drinks or foods that contain caffeine. Examples are coffee, tea, and certain types of sodas. Caffeine may cause you to have the same symptoms as hypoglycemia, and may cause you to feel worse.
• Limit or do not drink alcohol. Women should limit alcohol to 1 drink a day. Men should limit alcohol to 2 drinks a day. A drink of alcohol is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of liquor. Do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Drink alcohol with meals to avoid hypoglycemia.
• Include protein foods and vegetables in your meals. Some foods that are high in protein include beef, pork, fish, poultry , beans, and nuts. Eat a variety of vegetables with your meals.

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Ways To Test Your Blood Sugar

Traditional home glucose monitoring

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

Meters vary in features, portability, speed, size, cost, and readability . Devices deliver results in less than 15 seconds and store this information for future use.

Some meters also calculate an average blood sugar level over a span of time. Some also feature software kits that take information from the meter and display graphs and charts of your past test results. Blood sugar meters and strips are available at your local pharmacy.

Meters that test other parts of your body

Some devices let you test 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 show changes more quickly. This is especially true when your sugar is changing fast, like after a meal or after exercise.

If you have symptoms of low blood sugar, donât rely on test results from other parts of your body.

Continuous glucose monitoring system

You’ll still need to check your levels throughout the day continuous glucose monitoring doesn’t replace that. It gives your doctor more information about trends that self-checking might not show.

How Food Affects Blood Sugar

When you eat food, your body breaks it down into essential parts:

• Carbohydrates
• Fats
• Vitamins and minerals

All parts are necessary in a healthy diet, but the three types of carbohydrates are particularly important when it comes to your blood glucose level. While the general rule is that the more carbohydrates you eat, the higher your blood sugar level, not all three types of carbohydrates convert to blood sugar at the same rate.

The foods that fit into each carb category include:

• Starches, or complex carbohydrates: Starchy vegetables, dried beans, and grains
• Sugars: Fruits, baked goods, beverages, and processed food items like cereals or granola bars
• Fiber: Whole wheat products, chickpeas, lentils, berries, pears, and brussels sprouts

The glycemic index helps you find out which foods can increase or help decrease blood sugar levels. Based on a scale ranging from 0 to 100, high-indexed foods are rapidly digested, absorbed, and metabolized, resulting in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels, while low-indexed foods produce smaller fluctuations in your blood glucose.

The American Diabetes Association advises adding lean sources of protein and heart-healthy fats to help reduce the overall glycemic impact of a meal or snack.

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