Medically Reviewed. Whether you need to or are able to perform more frequent testing depends on a number of factors: Are you newly diagnosed? If so, you will need to take blood sugar tests more often to give your doctors the data they need to shape an appropriate treatment plan.
Are you taking insulin? Doctors recommend that people who need insulin to treat their type 2 diabetes perform three or more blood sugar tests throughout the day, especially if they take multiple daily doses or are using an insulin pump. Are you leading an active lifestyle? People participating in sports or working out regularly need to test their blood glucose more often. Are there safety concerns? Patients who drive or operate heavy machinery should test their blood sugar beforehand, to protect both themselves and those around them.
Are there factors in your life that limit your ability to test often? For example, people who type at their jobs may need to limit their testing if their fingertips become too painful to work a keyboard. Others may not be able to afford the cost of the test strips needed for frequent testing or can't fit frequent tests into their busy lives. The A1C test tells you and your health care team your average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months. It also helps you and your team decide the type and amount of diabetes medicine you need.
For many people with diabetes, the A1C goal is below 7. This number is different from the blood sugar numbers that you check each day. You and your health care team will decide on an A1C goal that is right for you. Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans pay for the A1C test and some of the cost of supplies for checking your blood sugar. Check your plan or ask your health care team for help finding low cost or free supplies. Ask your health care team what to do if you run out of test strips.
There may be times when you have trouble reaching your blood sugar goals. This does not mean that you have failed. It means that you and your health care team should see if changes are needed.
Call your health care team if your blood sugar is often too high or too low. Taking action will help you be healthy today and in the future. At each visit, John and his health care team look at his A1C test results, his blood glucose meter and his blood sugar record to see if his treatment is working.
John and his health care team talk about what he can do to get closer to his A1C and blood sugar goals. John decides he will be more active.
He will:. Work with your health care team and decide what changes you need to make to reach your blood sugar goals. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Funnell, M.
This tip sheet tells you Why do I need to know my blood sugar numbers? How is blood sugar measured? How do I check my blood sugar? What are target blood sugar levels for people with diabetes? How often should I check my blood sugar? What should I do if my blood sugar gets too high? What should I do if my blood sugar gets too low? What do I need to know about the A1C test? What is a good A1C goal for me? How often do I need an A1C test?
When testing in pairs pre-meal and post-meal , a pre-meal reading can act as a reference for how the food you eat and any pre-meal medications affect your glucose levels.
The food you consume has a large effect on your blood sugar levels. To determine if your blood sugar level is where it should be, work with your healthcare professional to establish your target after-meal glucose range. A blood sugar reading taken before bedtime can tell you if your blood sugar is in a safe range, or if you need to have a snack before going to bed.
It is also a point of reference for your morning blood sugar test, to compare and get a picture of how your blood sugar levels changed overnight. For people with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, those at risk for severe hypoglycemia, or those who have other medical needs, testing during the night may be advised. Common times to test at night are right before bed, 2 hours after you fall asleep and at a. It is important to keep a fast-acting carbohydrate snack, such as a small juice box, by your bedside in the event you need to treat a low blood sugar.
Physical activity can have varied effects on people depending on the intensity, duration, and type of exercise. Since exercise often lowers blood sugar, it is important to check your blood sugar before a workout and to have a snack if blood sugar is below your target to help prevent hypoglycemia. If you are having symptoms of hypoglycemia during a workout, stop, test, and treat accordingly. According to the ADA , blood sugar levels can be affected after exercise for up to 24 hours or more.
Testing after physical activity can help you get familiar with how your body responds to particular activities, so you can plan accordingly. Remember, even cleaning the house or yard work counts as physical activity. These guidelines apply to those types of daily activities as well. You can be more precise in treating a high or low blood sugar by understanding how your current blood sugar level correlates to your symptoms, and determining the appropriate treatment.
Symptoms can vary from mild to severe, so the only way to truly know your blood sugar level is to test if you have a meter or continuous glucose monitor handy. Balancing food, medication, and physical activity to keep blood sugar in range can be difficult.
Additional factors such as stress, illness, and pain can also raise blood sugar. Testing more often during times of illness or stress may be recommended by your healthcare professional as well as testing for ketones if blood sugar levels become very high.
For people using an insulin pump or insulin injections throughout the day, the ADA recommends testing multiple times daily. If you take another kind of medication, test your blood sugar level as often as your healthcare team recommends. Testing frequently and recording your results in a printable logbook or app allows you to observe trends.
If you notice an out-of-range result that occurs at the same time of day for several days in a row, take a closer look to see if there is a common factor that may be the cause. Your healthcare professional or diabetes educator can help you identify these patterns and offer a plan to bring readings closer to your target range. You may be wondering when to check your blood sugar based on the type of diabetes you have or the medications you take.
Testing schedules are different for each person based on their type of diabetes, medications, lifestyle, and other factors. For those with type 1 diabetes, the pancreas can no longer make insulin to regulate blood sugar so levels will vary depending on food intake particularly carbohydrate , insulin doses, activity levels, and more.
The ADA recommends a blood sugar testing frequency that helps people with type 1 to meet their specific needs and goals, including:. People with type 2 diabetes who take insulin or certain glucose lowering medications may need to test multiple times per day. Since insulin and other diabetes medications like sulfonylureas or meglitinides can increase your chances of hypoglycemia, testing more often may be recommended to help prevent a severe low blood sugar.
A treatment plan for someone with gestational diabetes may include testing in the morning, before and after meals, and at bedtime for women who take insulin injections during their pregnancy.
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