Are you monitoring your blood sugar properly? Blood Sugar Monitoring is essential for controlling diabetes.

If you have diabetes, you're probably often asked, "Have you checked your blood sugar?" While it can sometimes feel like a hassle, it's actually one of the most important keys to managing your diabetes. Like the dashboard of a car, it shows you what's going on inside your body. Regularly checking your blood sugar levels can help you and your doctor understand how well your treatment plan is working.

Why do I need to check my blood sugar regularly?

Think of your blood sugar level as a "report card" for how well you're managing your diabetes. It's the only way to know how your blood sugar levels are changing with things like the food you eat, the exercise you do, the medications you take, and the stress you're under. This is especially important if you're on insulin.

Blood sugar levels can fluctuate due to various things in our lives. Some things we can control through experience. But some things are very difficult to control. That is why it is important to check your blood sugar regularly, as your doctor says.

Look, things like these can usually cause your blood sugar to rise :

• Eating foods containing carbohydrates: When you eat starchy foods like rice, bread, and potatoes.
• Skipping or not taking enough diabetes medication or insulin: Not taking medication on time.
• Lack of exercise: When the body gets less exercise than usual.
• Certain medications: Especially when taking steroids (corticosteroids).
• Illness, surgery, or stress: During times like these, sugar levels rise due to hormonal changes in the body.
• Dawn phenomenon: This is a bit of a strange thing. It's called the natural hormonal changes in our bodies that cause our blood sugar levels to rise in the morning.
• Smoking.
• Dehydration.
• Puberty: This condition can be seen with hormonal changes in young children.

Also, things like these can cause your blood sugar to drop :

• Skipping meals.
• Taking too much medication or insulin for diabetes.
• Exercise: Exercise usually lowers blood sugar levels.

Sometimes, your blood sugar can go both high and low . It depends on your body and other factors.

• Menstruation in women.
• The relationship between food and medication/insulin intake times.
• Drinking alcohol.
• Medicines taken for other diseases.

What are the ways to check blood sugar at home?

You can monitor your blood sugar at home in two main ways.

1. Using a glucose meter and test strips: This is what we call a "finger stick check." The method involves pricking your finger with a needle and taking a drop of blood.

2. Using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM): This is a new method of monitoring sugar levels 24 hours a day through a small sensor implanted under the skin.

Whether you choose one or both of these methods is something you should discuss with your doctor. There are several factors that influence this. For example, the cost of the equipment, the type of diabetes you have, and how often your doctor recommends checking your blood sugar.

Glucose meters and test strips

This is the traditional method that we all know and use. You prick your fingertip with a small needle called a lancet and take a drop of blood. Then, you put that drop of blood on a test strip on a glucose meter. In a few seconds, your blood sugar value is displayed on the meter's screen.

Because this method only provides the value at the time of checking, some people, especially those who take insulin, have to check this way several times a day.

CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor)

This is a relatively new technology. It's like attaching a small sensor to your body and monitoring your blood sugar levels 24 hours a day. This allows you to see how your blood sugar levels change throughout the day in a graph.

But remember, no matter how good this technology is, it can sometimes give inaccurate readings. If you feel like you're having symptoms of low blood sugar, but your CGM is showing a normal reading, be sure to take a fingerstick and recheck with a regular meter.

The correct procedure for checking blood sugar

When checking your blood sugar with a glucose meter, generally follow these steps.

1. First, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. If your fingers are dirty with food particles, the results may be inaccurate. Wipe your fingers with soap and water or an alcohol wipe.

2. Insert a test strip into the meter.

3. Use the lancet to prick the side of your fingertip. It is less painful to prick the side than the middle.

4. Touch the drop of blood to the tip of the test strip. The meter will automatically draw the required amount of blood.

5. The result will appear on the screen in a few seconds.

When should you check your blood sugar?

Your doctor will decide how often and at what time of day you should check your blood sugar. It varies from person to person. However, it is important to check your blood sugar whenever you feel symptoms of low or high blood sugar.

The table below will help you understand the importance of checking your blood sugar at different times of the day.

What do these numbers mean?

Your healthy blood sugar level (target range) is something that is unique to you. It should be decided by talking to your doctor. It depends on many things, such as your age, how long you have had diabetes, and whether you have other medical conditions.

However, the following are the general values ​​recommended by the American Diabetes Association for non-pregnant adults:

• Before meals: Between 80 - 130 mg/dL.
• 1-2 hours after a meal: Less than 180 mg/dL.

If your blood sugar level drops (Hypoglycemia)

This condition usually occurs when blood sugar levels drop below 70 mg/dL. This can be dangerous, so it's important to take action as soon as you notice the symptoms.

If you have these symptoms, immediately eat something with a little sugar (e.g. a glucose toffee, a banana, some fruit juice). If your blood sugar drops too low, you may even lose consciousness. This is an emergency.

If blood sugar levels increase (Hyperglycemia)

This condition usually occurs when blood sugar levels exceed 180 mg/dL. However, many people start to experience symptoms when they exceed 250 mg/dL.

If you are taking insulin, you should take the insulin dose as prescribed by your doctor. Sometimes, if symptoms such as vomiting and extreme fatigue accompany high blood sugar, it could be a dangerous condition called Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). If this happens, call your doctor immediately or go to the nearest hospital's Emergency Department (ETU).

The difficulties this causes and their solutions

Although there are many benefits to checking blood sugar, it can cause some discomfort for some people.

• Fingertip soreness: Fingertip soreness can occur when you prick your finger repeatedly. To solve this, prick your finger on the side instead of in the middle. Also, don't use the same lancet (needle) over and over again, but always use a new one.
• Cost: The cost of test strips and CGM systems can be difficult for some people to afford. Talk to your doctor about this. He or she may be able to advise you on ways to reduce the cost.
• Psychological impact: It is normal to feel sad, angry, or frustrated when seeing your blood sugar levels on some days.

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