Make A Note Of Your Readings
It may sound obvious, but you must record your readings. Note them down in a diary, a notebook or in your phone calendar. Some meters have software that lets you do this. You could try a diabetes app too.
You and your healthcare team can then look back over your results to see if you need to adjust your treatment.
How Do I Pick A Glucose Meter
Your doctor will make a recommendation. Check with your health insurance plan to see if it will pay for your BGM, its supplies, or a CGM. If so, your plan may only pay for a certain meter.
Shop around and compare costs. Consider what features are important to you. For example, some meters are made for people who have poor eyesight. If you want to pay a little more money, you can get a BGM that stores the results in its memory. This allows you to compare results from several days at one time.
Should I Test My Blood Glucose Levels
Attitudes to blood glucose testing can vary quite considerably. Some people with diabetes, particularly those that have not received any education on managing their diabetes, find that blood glucose testing is not helpful and only contributes to anxiety.
However, other people, particularly those that are aware of how to interpret results and take appropriate action, find blood glucose testing to be vital to their diabetes management
Some people with type 2 diabetes on non-insulin medication regimes may find it difficult to be prescribed blood glucose testing equipment.
For more on this issue, see availability of blood glucose test strips.
FREE blood glucose chart
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What Is Diabetesand Types Of Blood Sugar Tests
The main source of blood sugar is the food that we eat. The glucose collected from our food is released into the bloodstream and used for energy. When there is a high blood sugar our body asks the pancreas to produce insulin which helps in using the blood sugar for energy production.
Diabetes disturbs the process. As a result of diabetes, disorder body will stop producing enough insulin or resist using insulin. The shortage of insulin or the bodys resistance in using causes too much blood sugar to remain in the bloodstream. This may lead to serious health problems such as kidney disorders, heart diseases, and even vision loss.
Besides Glucose What Other Tests Might Be Done
Hemoglobin A1c is an indicator of long-term glucose control that is commonly ordered in patients with prediabetes and diabetes and can also be used as a screening test. Other less common tests, such as islet autoantibodies, insulin, and C-peptide, may sometimes be performed along with these tests to help determine the cause of abnormal glucose levels, to distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and to evaluate insulin production.
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What Does The Test Result Mean
Screening and Diagnosis
High levels of glucose most frequently indicate diabetes, but many other diseases and conditions can also cause elevated blood glucose.
A random glucose level in a person with signs and symptoms of diabetes and hyperglycemia that is equal to or greater than 200 mg/dL indicates diabetes.
The following table summarizes the meaning of fasting glucose results.
Is The A1c Test Used During Pregnancy
Health care professionals may use the A1C test early in pregnancy to see if a woman with risk factors had undiagnosed diabetes before becoming pregnant. Since the A1C test reflects your average blood glucose levels over the past 3 months, testing early in pregnancy may include values reflecting time before you were pregnant. The glucose challenge test or the oral glucose tolerance test are used to check for gestational diabetes, usually between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. If you had gestational diabetes, you should be tested for diabetes no later than 12 weeks after your baby is born. If your blood glucose is still high, you may have type 2 diabetes. Even if your blood glucose is normal, you still have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes in the future and should get tested every 3 years.
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The Only Way You Can Find Out If You Or A Loved One Has Diabetes Is From Blood Tests That Measure You Blood Glucose Levels These Can Be Arranged Through Your Gp
A diagnosis of diabetes is always confirmed by laboratory results. Youll usually get the results of your blood test back in a few days. If you have symptoms that came on quickly and youve been taken into hospital, the results should come back in an hour or two.
A finger prick test using a home testing kit may show you have high blood sugar levels but won’t confirm you have diabetes.
A normal blood test result will show you don’t have diabetes. But the result will also show if you have diabetes or are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
How Long For Blood Sugar To Drop
isn t extreme sufficient, inflammation results in insulin resistance, which solely worsens hyperglycemia What Is The Normal Blood Sugar Level Risk elements that result in cardiovascular issues are numerous, and excessive blood sugar is considered one of them Although What Is Sugar Blood Test Called evidence on this topic continues to be comparatively scarce, preliminary findings do show that hyperglycemia is a crucial prognostic think about acute Deadly high blood sugar levels heart failure Take breaks during a sedentary workday, add a walk across the block to your morning routine, or strive a new type of exercise These actions deliver nice benefit in both the brief and long run while serving to scale back your general stress Including common energy coaching and cardio exercise will assist to decrease glucose values, as properly.
However, simply eating healthy and exercising regularly may help to a great Lower Blood Sugar extent High fiber meals, green greens, low GI fruits are all good food How fast should blood sugar go down decisions for folks with diabetes And exercises like Zumba, yoga, or just walking for half hour every single day may be very useful for bringing the blood sugar degree again to normal.
This attack on the body s own cells is called autoimmune illness Scientists aren t positive why the autoimmune attack occurs Diabetes of all types can lead to complications in many elements of the physique and increase the general threat of dying prematurely.
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Shop For Your Own Lab Tests Online
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Symptoms Of Diabetes That May Prompt An A1c Test
As mentioned by the , a doctor may recommend an A1C test if a person shows signs of poor glucose control, diabetes, or prediabetes.
Warning signs can include:
- increased urination, especially at night
- increased hunger
- numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
- slow healing sores
- more than 45 years of age
- family history of diabetes
- long-term use of glucocorticoids, antipsychotics, and certain medications for HIV
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Why Is High Blood Sugar So Bad
Think of the glucose in your body as sugar in a gas tank of a car. Over time, this glucose can clog and slow down other systems like the engine, making them work less efficiently.
One example is the kidneys. Your kidneys are made up of a web of delicate filters, and too much glucose can clog these filters, making them less effective. Over time, high blood sugar can lead to kidney disease or even kidney failure.
Other complications of long-term uncontrolled high blood sugar can include:
- Damage to blood vessels
It’s possible to lose consciousness or even become comatose if your blood glucose levels become dangerously low. For people with diabetes, finding the right balance between high and low blood sugar is crucial.
Blood Glucose Levels Move Up And Down
Your results can vary because of natural changes in your blood glucose level. For example, your blood glucose level moves up and down when you eat or exercise. Sickness and stress also can affect your blood glucose test results. A1C tests are less likely to be affected by short-term changes than FPG or OGTT tests.
The following chart shows how multiple blood glucose measurements over 4 days compare with an A1C measurement.
Blood Glucose Measurements Compared with A1C Measurements over 4 Days
The straight black line shows an A1C measurement of 7.0 percent. The blue line shows an example of how blood glucose test results might look from self-monitoring four times a day over a 4-day period.
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Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
If your test results show you have prediabetes, ask your doctor or nurse if there is a lifestyle change program offered through the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program in your community. You can also search for an online or in-person program. Having prediabetes puts you at greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes, but participating in the program can lower your risk by as much as 58% .
Types Of Blood Sugar Tests
You can take a blood sugar test two ways. People who are monitoring or managing their diabetes prick their finger using a glucometer for daily testing. The other method is drawing blood.
Blood samples are generally used to screen for diabetes. Your doctor will order a fasting blood sugar test. This test measures your blood sugar levels, or a glycosylated hemoglobin, also called a hemoglobin A1C test. The results of this test reflect your blood sugar levels over the previous 90 days. The results will show if you have prediabetes or diabetes and can monitor how your diabetes is controlled.
When and how often you should test your blood sugar depends on the type of diabetes you have and your treatment.
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Who Is Most At Risk For Developing Diabetes
The following categories of people are considered “high-risk” candidates for developing diabetes:
- Individuals who have overweight or obesity.
- Individuals who are 45 years of age or older.
- Individuals with first-degree relatives with diabetes .
- Individuals who are Black, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asia American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders.
- People who developed diabetes while they were pregnant or gave birth to large babies .
- Individuals with high blood pressure .
- Individuals with high-density lipoprotein below 25 mg/dl or triglyceride levels at or above 250 mg/dl.
- Individuals who have impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance.
- Individuals who are physically inactive engaging in exercise less than three times a week.
- Individuals who have polycystic ovary syndrome, also called PCOS.
- Individuals who have acanthosis nigricans, which are dark, thick and velvety skin around your neck or armpits.
In addition to testing the above individuals at high risk, the American Diabetes Association also recommends screening all individuals age 45 and older.
How Often Should I Test My Blood Sugar Level
Your family doctor will recommend how often you should test. Testing times are based on the kind of medicine you take and on how well your blood sugar levels are controlled. Youll probably need to check your blood sugar more often at first. Youll also check it more often when you feel sick or stressed, when you change your medicine, or if youre pregnant.
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Diabetes Testing In Children
Many children have no symptoms before they are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Most of the time, diabetes is discovered when a blood or urine test taken for other health problems shows diabetes.
Talk to your doctor about your child’s risk for diabetes. If your child’s blood sugar tests are higher than normal, but not yet at the level of diabetes , your doctor may instruct you in specific diet and exercise changes to help your child avoid getting diabetes altogether. Children with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes are almost always overweight or obese.
Testing For Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes
If diabetes is confirmed by the results of a blood test the type of diabetes you have is usually determined by factors like weight , age at diagnosis, family history and how quickly any symptoms came on.
The test results can also indicate if you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes even if you dont have it now.
If youre being tested for type 1 diabetes then further blood tests can check your blood ketone levels. Following this you may be sent to hospital for further assessment.
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Fasting Blood Glucose Level
A glucose level below 11.1 mmol/L on a random blood sample does not rule out diabetes. A blood test taken in the morning before you eat anything is a more accurate test. Do not eat or drink anything except water for 8-10 hours before a fasting blood glucose test. A level of 7.0 mmol/L or more indicates that you have diabetes.
If you have no symptoms of diabetes but the blood test shows a glucose level of 7.0 mmol/L or more, the blood test must be repeated to confirm you have diabetes. If you do have symptoms and the blood test shows a glucose level of 7.0 mmol/L or more, the test does not need to be repeated. See the separate leaflets called Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes for more details.
What Does It Mean To Have High Blood Sugar
Glucose levels in your bloodstream are normally regulated by your body and the insulin it makes. Insulin moves glucose into cells as they need it and stores the rest to use later.
When you have diabetes, either your body isn’t making any or enough insulin to move sugar into your cells, or there is more sugar in your blood than your body can process. This leads to a state called hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar.
When glucose is trapped in your blood and can’t enter your cells, several things can happen. If the problem is a lack of insulin or decreased sensitivity to insulin, the glucose stays in your blood and is unable to enter the cell and, therefore, starving your cells.
Symptoms of high blood sugar can include:
- Excessive thirst or hunger
- Increased urination
If you address your blood sugar level right away, these symptoms should subside. But blood sugar levels that remain high for most of the time, or become excessively high sometimes, can cause more serious complications.
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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.
Why Would I Need This Test
You might need this test if you are at risk of developing diabetes, or if you have had any symptoms or test results suggesting diabetes.
The standard blood glucose tests measure your blood sugar level at a particular time. The OGTT measures how you respond to glucose.
Pregnant women can develop a particular type of diabetes called gestational diabetes, and will be asked to have an OGTT around 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born.
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What Is Normal Fasting Blood Sugar And What Is A Diabetes Blood Sugar Level
The results of the fasting blood sugar test will come back as a number:
- 99 mg/dL or lower: This is a normal fasting blood sugar level.
- 100125 mg/dL: Fasting blood sugar in this range typically indicates prediabetes. This means your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
- 126 mg/dL or above: This indicates high blood sugar, the main sign of diabetes.
If you have a high fasting blood sugar level, your healthcare provider may repeat the test to make sure. If the test reveals that you have prediabetes, your healthcare provider will recommend you repeat the fasting blood sugar test every year or two. The results will help you know whether you are progressing to Type 2 diabetes.
What Is Blood Glucose Testing
The term blood glucose generally refers to the amount of glucose in your blood. Blood glucose testing is done when a healthcare provider needs to see if a person has diabetes, or how well they are managing their diabetes. People who are diagnosed with diabetes need to check their blood glucose often to make sure their diabetes is in control.
To diagnose and monitor diabetes, healthcare providers test plasma glucose levels or the percentage of glycosylated hemoglobin in your bloodstream with a laboratory test. People who have diabetes test their plasma glucose with a portable meter at home.
Both the fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c tests are used to diagnose diabetes in nonpregnant adults. For an accurate diagnosis, all results must be confirmed by a second test on a different day.
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