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Diabetes Center

Checking Your Blood Sugar with Diabetes

Vital Healthcare Group

If you have diabetes, checking your blood sugar is important to stay well and avoid diabetes complications. Regular blood sugar monitoring is the most effective way to see if your blood glucose is controlled.

What is a Blood Glucose Meter?

A blood glucose meter is the most accurate way to check your blood sugar with sugar diabetes. Using a blood glucose meter, it is recommended to check your blood sugar before meals and again at bedtime.

There are many different types of blood glucose meters, but they all work in a similar way. Most blood glucose meters come with the following:

Test strips
Lancets or small needles for pricking the skin
A journal or logbook for recording your numbers.

Each time you check your blood sugar with diabetes, you will get a number on the display monitor of the blood glucose meter. Write down this number in a daily journal with the time and date. You can show this journal to your doctor at your next visit. Your doctor will know if your diabetes is well-controlled with your diabetes plan.

How Do I Check My Blood Sugar?

Here's the process used in checking blood sugar:

Wash your hands carefully before using the blood glucose meter.
Insert the test strip into your blood glucose meter.
Now use the lancing device to get a drop of blood from the side of your fingertip. (Some blood glucose meters use the thigh, part of the hand or forearm.)
Gently squeeze the finger until a drop of blood pools onto the fingertip.
Hold the edge of the diabetes test strip to the drop of blood.
The result of your blood sugar level will then appear on the display monitor of your blood glucose meter.

Because all blood glucose meters are different, it's important to read the directions. Your blood glucose meter user's manual will explain how to use your particular meter.

Who Benefits from Blood Glucose Monitoring?

Diabetes experts believe that anyone with sugar diabetes should check their blood sugar regularly. The American Diabetes Association recommends blood glucose checks for the following people with diabetes:

If you take insulin or diabetes medicine
If you are pregnant and have diabetes or gestational diabetes
If you have difficulty managing your blood sugar levels
If you have severe low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia)
If you have severe high blood sugar levels with ketones (hyperglycemia)
If you have no warning signs when your blood sugar levels are low.