The Big Picture: Checking Your Blood Sugar
Blood sugar monitoring is the primary tool you have to find out if your blood glucose levels are within your target range. This tells you your blood glucose level at any one time.
Its important for blood sugar levels to stay in a healthy range. If glucose levels get too low, we can lose the ability to think and function normally. If they get too high and stay high, it can cause damage or complications to the body over the course of many years.
The logging of your results is vital. When you bring your log to your healthcare provider, youll have a good picture of your body’s response to your diabetes care plan. To help keep track of your levels, we have a glucose log. We also have a blood glucose log available for purchase that is smaller so you can carry it with you.
Faqs About Different Blood Glucose Readings
Q. How does squeezing fingers affect blood sugar?
Ans. It is advised not to squeeze fingers or to put pressure after pricking. Blood sugar results may vary due to applied pressure.
Squeezing the finger can dilute the specimen with plasma, that is the tissue fluid. Blood sugar readings are lower when you apply pressure on the finger.
After collecting the blood, you may apply slight pressure to stop the bleeding. This process will give an accurate reading.
Q.Why is my blood sugar high in the mornings?
Ans. Rebound hyperglycemia or the Somogyi effect is one of the main reasons behind high blood sugar in the morning. Other than this, the food that you ate last night may also impact on blood sugar level in the morning.
Particular medicines and the release of hormones from the body between 4 am to 7 am can sometimes spike the sugar level in the blood. Check your sugar level before breakfast.
Q. What is the difference between GRBS and RBS?
Ans. RBS refers to Random Blood Sugar. This means measuring the blood sugar randomly, regardless of taking food or not.
GRBS is the short form of General Random Blood Sugar. GRBS and RBS are the same tests done for the same purpose. There is no difference between these two.
On the other hand, Postprandial Blood Sugar is checked after 2 hours. Testing blood sugar 1 hour after eating mightgive an inaccurate reading.
Q. Which finger is best to test blood sugar?
Q. Why is blood sugar reading different in each hand?
Thyroid And Blood Sugar Relationship
In order to function properly, your body needs energy.
Blood sugar, also known as blood glucose, is the primary source of fuel for energy production, particularly for your muscles, brain, and other parts of the body.
In addition, blood sugar is a building block for bigger molecule structures and plays a major role in your health and wellbeing.
Changes in blood sugar levels affect the metabolic processes and affect the entire body.
Since thyroid problems are common as well as problems with blood sugar, it is impossible not to wonder if they could be connected to some people.
Youll find more info about this important subject below.
Read Also: Can Stress Lower Blood Sugar
Second Drop Sometimes Ok For Blood Sugar Testing
4 Min Read
NEW YORK – People with diabetes are urged to always wash their hands before testing their blood sugar. But if soap and water are nowhere to be found, using the second drop of blood may be OK, a new study suggests.
Many people with diabetes have to test their blood sugar every day, in order to adjust their dose of insulin, plan their next meal and generally manage the disease. They do that by making a small prick on a fingertip, then placing a drop of blood on a test strip that is read by a glucose monitor.
The American Diabetes Association and other groups say that people should thoroughly wash and dry their hands, then test the first drop of blood that comes from the finger.
They do not, however, have advice on what to do when you cannot wash your hands.
For the new study, Dutch researchers had 123 people with diabetes test their blood sugar under various conditions: after thoroughly washing and drying their hands without handwashing after handling fruit, which leaves sugar on the fingers and after washing their fruity fingers.
The participants also tested their blood sugar using varying amounts of pressure to squeeze a drop of blood from the tested finger.
Overall, the study found, clean hands are still key.
Based on that, the researchers recommend that people wash and dry their hands before testing, then use the first blood drop. But if they cannot wash up for some reason, its acceptable to use the second drop after wiping away the first.
What Is Hemoglobin A1c
Hemoglobin is a protein that sits inside red blood cells and is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body. Interestingly, hemoglobin can also attach to glucose traveling in your blood, and that hemoglobin-glucose combination is known as glycosylated hemoglobin, hemoglobin A1C, or HbA1C. The higher your blood sugar levels are, the higher your hemoglobin A1C levels will be.
Read Also: What’s The Recommended Amount Of Sugar Per Day
/98 Factors That Can Give An Inaccurate Blood Sugar Reading
As per the International Diabetes Foundation, 42.5 crore people suffer from diabetes globally and this number is expected to increase to 62.9 crores by 2045.
Talking about India, studies have shown that prevalence of diabetes in urban areas has increased from 2 per cent in 1970 to 25 per cent in 2015 and in rural areas from 1 per cent to 14-16 per cent, respectively.
The data is shocking and alarming. To keep our blood sugar levels in check, we rely on glucose testing. But the thing is, these readings might be inaccurate sometimes. Though with the advancement in technology, modern meters have made inaccurate readings less common. But it still can happen and here’s why.
Here are eight reasons why your meter can show inaccurate reading and what you can do about it.
Blood Glucose Meter Calibration Quality And Coding
In order to trust the data your meter is providing you, make sure youre getting a quality meter. We discuss this more below, but manufacturers must meet certain standards to be considered accurate. If youre unsure about the quality of the meter, check for the latest updates and versions by the maker.
When you first set up your meter, follow the directions included with it. The calibration process can vary per manufacturer and meter. Finally, your meter will need to match a calibration code with the number on the test strip vial. Some meters are the exception to this. For example, with an Accu-Chek meter, theres no need to code it, so you have fewer steps in glucose testing.
Recommended Reading: How Do You Bring Sugar Levels Down Quickly
What Causes High Blood Sugar Levels In Non
To fully understand what causes high blood sugar levels in non-diabetics, it makes sense to go back to first principles of blood glucose regulation.
You will be glad you did, because by the end of this blog post, you will have the fundamental knowledge to connect all the dots regarding why blood sugar may be high in a non-diabetic.
So, lets do that, shall we:
Behind your stomach is an organ called the pancreas. The pancreas has a cluster of cells scattered within it called the beta cells.
The beta cells are very important to us. As little in size as they are, their importance cannot be over-emphasized.
Why is this?
Because Beta cells of the pancreas are responsible for producing, storing and releasing insulin when called upon.
You need insulin to survive. Without insulin your cells cannot access the glucose in the blood circulation. Without insulin energy production will cease. Insulin is the hormone that drives sugar from the blood circulation into the cells.
When glucose gets inside the cells, it can then be used by the mitochondria to produce energy. This is the energy we need to perform both basic and advanced everyday activities.
How does insulin interact with the food we eat? When you eat, digestion of food begins in the mouth. The glucose in the food you eat gets released by the process of digestion via enzymes in your saliva and stomach.
This is called Second Phase Insulin Release.
A1c Blood Sugar Tests
The A1C test measures the percentage of glucose bound hemoglobin in a persons blood.
According to The National Institutes of Health , this gives a general picture of a persons blood glucose levels over the past 23 months.
Abnormal A1C test results do not necessarily mean a person has diabetes. A doctor will confirm these findings with another blood glucose test.
The doctor may recommend running more tests, such as blood work, to rule out other conditions that can affect blood sugar levels.
You May Like: What Can You Eat To Bring Your Sugar Level Down
Different Blood Glucose Readings With In Minutes What To Believe
Are you concerned about getting different blood sugar readings at the same time? Or are you tired of seeing blood sugar fluctuations within minutes? Because most of us are!
Different blood glucose readings within minutes can be both tiresome and confusing. Trust me when I say this, it is something very commonly faced while taking the reading in a glucometer!
But why does this incident happen so often? Is it an instrumental error message on the glucose meter or a mistake that we are doing unknowingly?
Todays discussion is on this simple yet important topic. Let there be no more doubts about this. To know more, read through the next sections!
Table of Content
| Less than 140 mg/dl | Less than 180 mg/dl |
It is important to know what can influence our blood sugar level. Some surprising reasons are discussed below
Artificial Sweeteners
Many diabetic people take artificial sweeteners with their food. They think that diet sodas and drinks with artificial sweeteners are a good sugar substitute.
But, little do they know how this practice is slowly pushing them towards darkness! These sweeteners are bad for health. It is advised to take sugar-free drinks if you have diabetes.
Food Residue
Often patients get confused by seeing different readings on different fingers. This might happen due to the remaining food residue on the fingertips.
Dehydration
Menstrual Cycles
Too Much Caffeine
Instrumental Error
What Happens During A Blood Glucose Test
A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. For some types of glucose blood tests, you will need to drink a sugary drink before your blood is drawn.
If you have diabetes, your health care provider may recommend a kit to monitor your blood sugar at home. Most kits include a device to prick your finger . You will use this to collect a drop of blood for testing. There are some newer kits available that dont require pricking your finger. For more information on at-home test kits, talk to your health care provider.
Also Check: How Much Sugar In Old Fashioned
Other Types Of Glucose Testing
Random glucose testing isnt a substitute for your normal glucose testing schedule. You should also perform fasting tests and tests after meals, as suggested by your doctor.
A fasting blood glucose test is usually performed upon waking, before you eat. Testing after meals measures glucose levels around two hours after the start of a meal. Different testing times will yield different results. These are affected by:
- the food youve eaten
- medications youre taking
- any exercise youve done
For some people, its important to test every day. This helps you get a sense of your overall blood sugar control and can help you make treatment decisions. Testing is the best way to learn how your blood sugar is affected by your lifestyle, medications, or both.
Food Taken At The Previous Night
A diabetic patient has to follow a strict diet. The number of carbohydrates and sugar cannot exceed the doctors prescribed amount.
A blood sugar spike in the morning can occur if the patient takes more food than the medications can handle. Try to remember the last meal that you took before going to bed.
You have most likely taken more food than what your endocrinologist advised you to have.
Don’t Miss: What Do You Eat To Bring Your Blood Sugar Down
If You Use Another Type Of Glucometer
- Evaluate the display of blood glucose results on glucometers used in the facility to determine if it contains potentially confusing language, terminology, alarm codes, or abbreviations. Whenever possible, configure glucometers to display the actual numeric blood glucose value rather than out-of-range codes and confusing alarm messages. Contact the manufacturer if necessary, or consider changing to a different manufacturers glucometer that allows such a configuration. Alert staff to the meaning of any alarm codes and warning messages if they must be displayed on the screen, particularly if they include numeric values.
When Your A1c Test Says You Have Diabetes But You Really Dont
The following conditions can falsely raise your A1C test results, making you think you have lots of glucose in your bloodstream when you dont.
-
Certain types of untreated anemias: Anemia caused by a lack of iron, vitamin B12, or folate can falsely raise your A1C test results. Your body needs these vitamins and minerals to create new, healthy, red blood cells and replace older, dying ones. If your body isnt making new blood cells, that means youll have more of the older cells floating around, including ones that have already picked up glucose.
-
Kidney failure or chronic kidney disease: Abnormal kidney functioning is a problem that can happen in people with diabetes. Chronic kidney disease can lead to low vitamin and mineral levels and anemia, which, as you saw above, can cause your A1C test results to be falsely high.
-
Extremely high triglycerides: Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. When you have too much of this fat , it can make your A1C levels seem higher on your test than they really are.
-
After a splenectomy: One purpose of your spleen is to remove old and damaged red blood cells from your bloodstream as you make new red blood cells. But if you had part or all of your spleen removed in a splenectomy, those old blood cells including the ones with hemoglobin A1C will sit around for longer.
You May Like: How To Cut Sugar From My Diet
Thyroid And Low Blood Sugar
When the term blood sugar comes to mind, we usually think of high blood glucose levels, insulin resistance, and other problems.
While these issues are common and pose a major threat to our wellbeing, it is also important to bear in mind low blood sugar isnt good for your health either.
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a potentially dangerous condition indicated by insufficient glucose amounts for production of energy in the bodys cells.
Main causes of low blood sugar are certain medications, tumors, endocrine disorders, and some medical conditions.
Studies reveal that hypothyroidism is associated with different hormonal, biochemical, and nervous system abnormalities which have the potential to contribute to hypoglycemia.
For example, hypothyroidism is related to low growth hormone and cortisol responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia, thus blocking the proper counter regulatory protection.
When blood sugar levels decrease, the adrenal glands address this issue by secreting hormone cortisol. Then, the hormone sends a signal which tells the liver to produce higher amounts of blood sugar, thus bringing the levels of glucose to normal.
The problem occurs when the repeated release of cortisol in patients with hypoglycemia suppresses pituitary function. The thyroid gland cant operate properly without adequate pituitary functioning.
Evidence suggests that dysfunction of pituitary could be a direct consequence of hypothyroidism, rather than a cause of thyroid dysfunction.
Errors Due To The Presentation Of Results On Accu
Problem: Glucose testing is one of the most frequent point-of-care tests performed in hospitals.1 While POC glucose testing offers immediate results that can be used to make important clinical decisions about the treatment of hypo- or hyperglycemia, errors can occur at any point in the testing process. For example, earlier studies have found that the most common types of errors associated with POC glucose testing are related to delays in testing due to the unavailability of trained staff2 and a failure to positively identify patients prior to testing.3 In the latter case, a study in a neonatal unit showed that staff failed to confirm two patient identifiers for 45% of the POC tests performed.3 Other factors that can affect POC glucose test results include hematocrit, ascorbic acid levels,4 and other sugars such as maltose,5 including maltose-containing medications or parenteral solutions.6,7
You May Like: What Are The Levels Of Sugar Diabetes
Sugar Sometimes Gets A Bad Rap But Its Not Always Bad
Blood sugaror blood glucoseis an important number when it comes to diabetes management.
Many foods break down into blood sugar, which is used for energy to fuel our brain, heart and muscles. Blood sugar either comes from the food we eat or is made by the liver, and is found in the blood stream and inside the cells .
If you’re struggling to manage your blood sugar levels, youre not alone.
The good news is, with the latest tools and strategies, you can take steps to manage your blood sugar, prevent serious complications and thrive.
Factors That Can Exaggerate Blood Pressure Readings
When you go to the doctors office, measuring blood pressure is one ofthe ways doctors can check up on your heart health. The only way to diagnosehigh blood pressure, or hypertension, is by a blood pressure test.
A healthy blood pressure reading is anywhere between 90/60 and 120/80.Anything 140/90 or above is considered a highblood pressure reading, which couldbe a diagnosis of hypertension, one of the leading causes of heart disease thatcan lead to heart attacks, kidney failure, stroke, and even dementia. If yourblood pressure measures below 90/60, that could be an indicator of hypotension,or low blood pressure, which can result in dizziness, fainting, and long-termdamage to the heart and brain.
Because of the associated risks, a higher or lower than normal blood pressurereading in a healthy adult can be alarming. But did you know there are a numberof factors that can cause a temporary spike or drop in your blood pressure,leading to a false reading? Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to preparefor your test to ensure an accurate reading.
Read Also: How Do I Quickly Lower My Blood Sugar