Are you monitoring your blood sugar properly? (Blood Sugar Monitoring) Let's be aware of this

If you have diabetes , you know how important it is to regularly check your blood sugar levels . It's like a 'report card' that shows how well your treatment plan is working. This information is used to make decisions about how to manage your diabetes on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. This is especially important if you use insulin .

Why do we need to check our blood sugar regularly?

Our blood sugar levels can fluctuate due to a variety of factors. While some things we can understand from experience, others are very difficult to predict. That's why it's important to check your blood sugar regularly, as your doctor tells you to.

Simply put, it's the only way to know exactly how your blood sugar levels change with things like your diet, exercise, and medications. With this information, you and your doctor can create a treatment plan that works best for you.

Think about what factors affect our blood sugar levels. Let's take a look.

What are some ways to check blood sugar at home?

There are two main ways to check your blood sugar levels at home.

1. Using a glucose meter and a finger prick (lancet).

2. Using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM).

Your decision to use one or both of these methods will depend on factors such as your doctor's advice, the type of diabetes you have, the cost of the equipment, and your insurance coverage.

Glucose meter and test strips

This is the most common method used by many people. Here, you prick your fingertip with a small needle called a lancet, take a drop of blood, and place it on a test strip attached to a glucose meter. In a few seconds, your blood sugar level is displayed on the meter's screen.

Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)

This is a slightly more advanced technology. What this does is, a small sensor is implanted under your skin. This measures the glucose levels in the interstitial fluid between your body's cells for 24 hours and displays them as a graph. This can give you a good picture of how your sugar levels change throughout the day. Many CGMs can also give you an alarm when your sugar levels are high or low.

But remember, there are times when a CGM isn't 100% accurate . So sometimes, especially if the CGM reading doesn't match the symptoms you're experiencing, it's wise to get a fingerstick blood test to confirm.

The correct way to check blood sugar and when to check it

How to check blood sugar with a glucose meter?

Although there are slight differences between each meter, these are the general steps to follow.

1. First, wash your hands thoroughly with soap. If your fingers have food on them, the reading may be inaccurate.

2. Take a test strip and insert it into the meter.

3. Prick the side of your fingertip with the lancet. Pricking the side is less painful than puncturing the middle.

4. Squeeze a drop of blood and touch it to the appropriate spot on the test strip. In a few seconds, your blood sugar level will be displayed on the meter screen.

When should you check your blood sugar?

This varies from person to person. Your doctor will tell you what times are best for you. But in general, checking your blood sugar levels at these times is very important to assess your treatment plan.

• Upon waking in the morning (Fasting glucose): You can find out how your blood sugar levels were throughout the night.
• Before meals: Helps you plan your meals and determine how much insulin to take.
• 2 hours after eating: This is the best time to understand how food affects your blood sugar levels.
• Before and after exercise: Although exercise usually lowers blood sugar levels, it can sometimes increase them. You can tell for sure.
• Before going to bed at night: Low blood sugar levels during sleep can be dangerous. And sleeping with high blood sugar levels is also harmful to your health in the long run.

Symptoms of low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia) and high blood sugar (Hyperglycemia)

Your body will give you signals when your sugar levels are low or high. It's important to be aware of these signs.

Benefits and challenges of checking blood sugar

Advantages

The main benefit of regularly checking your blood sugar is that you gain the power to control your diabetes. You can understand which foods increase sugar and how exercise can control it. With this information, your doctor can also create the most suitable treatment plan for you. This will help you delay and prevent complications caused by diabetes and lead a healthy life.

Challenges (Risks)

• Fingertip pain: Repeatedly pricking your finger can cause pain. To prevent this, prick the side of your finger, and don't use the same lancet repeatedly, and change it.
• Cost: Test strips and CGM systems can be expensive. Talk to your doctor about this and ask about your options.
• Psychological impact: Sometimes seeing your blood sugar reading can make you feel sad, angry, or frustrated.

If you are constantly feeling anxious or stressed because of your diabetes, talk to your doctor about it. It is also important to seek the help of a psychiatrist or counselor if necessary.