If you are diabetic, it is absolutely necessary to monitor your blood glucose levels on a regular basis. However, getting a laboratory test is not the most feasible. For that, you can keep a handy blood glucose monitor at home.
Uncontrolled diabetes leads to several problems one after another.
Therefore, it is crucial to keep checking it in order to avoid, issues with the kidney, stroke, blindness, neuropathy or stroke.
It can also further help your doctor keep a check on your blood glucose levels and devise a medication plan accordingly.
This article discusses how a blood glucose monitor works.
Keep reading to know more!
What is a Blood Glucose Monitor?
Blood glucose monitors are also known as glucometers.
These are devices that measure the blood glucose levels from a sample.
The small sample is your fingertip.
It will give a reading once you prick your finger with a lancet.
The device comes in a package with a test strip, glucometer, and a lancet.
You run the test by inserting the strip right into the monitor.
Preparing for the Test
Before you check the blood glucose levels ensure that you have the necessary equipment.
While most blood glucose kits will include a pen-like lancet that pricks the finger, if yours does not have it, then you will need to purchase it.
You will also obviously need a glucometer, the device that will tell you the reading.
Know below what you should be looking for in it.
Besides these two, the most important thing to have is a swab.
The swab can be used to disinfect the needle whenever you use it.
But it is actually used to sterilize the puncture site.
There should be no bacteria or other microorganisms on your fingertip that may make their way to your blood after pricking.
Moreover, this swab can also stop the blood flow once you are done taking the reading.
While this is all you will need, you may have to keep another bandage in your kit.
In case, you suddenly take out more blood and it is hard to stop the bleeding as it continues beyond a few drops, then you will need to tie a bandage instead.
Now that you know what tools and equipment to take the reading with, let’s find out how to take it.
How to Use a Blood Glucose Monitor?
- Begin by washing your hands properly. If you are checking someone else’s blood sugar levels, tell them to clean their hands or you can simply use the swab and the alcohol wipes to clean the finger. However, ensure that the site has dried down before testing.
- You can also slightly rub the finger to circulate the blod flow however, that is not necessary.
- Following that, put the strip into the glucometer.
- At the same time, you will prick the finger with the lancet. All you need is a small drop but it can still hurt. Hence, go for the sides of the fingertip rather than the tip itself to reduce any pain and discomfort.
- Next, bring the test strip closer to the drop of blood and it follows through giving the reading to the glucometer.
- The monitor will analyze the blood and give the reading in less than a minute. Some new devices will give threading almost immediately.
- You can use a swab on the finger to control the bleeding. Though, you will rarely require a bandage. That will be in the case bleeding persists beyond a few drops.
When you follow the instructions properly, the glucometer will give you accurate readings.
However, if there is not enough blood on the test strip or you make other mistakes then it will immediately show an error.
New glucometers, also keep a record of your previous readings so that you can show it to your doctor and analyze your blood glucose levels.
For Type 1 diabetes, you will need to check your sugar 4 or more times in a day.
Usually before and after exercising or eating meals.
Check it more regularly when you are sick.
Type 2 diabetics do not need to test it as often.
Understanding Results and Risks
You will not entail many benefits from using the glucometer if you just ate food.
That is because your blood glucose levels will already be higher at this time.
Hence, you should check it early morning before you have had breakfast or in the evening after it has been some time since you had lunch.
But what are normal readings?
Well, that differs from person to person.
Usually, your fasting and premeal glucose levels where you have not eaten should range from 80 to 130 mg/dL.
However, the postprandial readings, i.e. glucose levels in plasma, 4 hours after eating the meal should be less than 180 mg/dL.
Two-hour post-meal values should not exceed 140 mg/dL.
Your target levels can be different from these.
That depends on your previous blood glucose levels and what target your doctor has set for you.
Risks
While there can be some risks of using the blood glucose monitor, they do not come close to what not monitoring sugar levels can do to your body.
Both low sugar levels and high ones can be dangerous for your well-being.
The risks of using the glucometer arise when you share the needles or lancet with another person.
The needles and testing supplies should not be the same for any two people.
Thus, if you share the testing needles and the supplies with someone else, then there is a natural risk of HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
Since this test takes blood, you can simply not share the needles.
Whether it is in the finger stick device, it is still a needle after all.
Do not create any unnecessary problems for yourself by using someone else’s needle.
Even if you use the same device, change the needles.
Choosing a Blood Glucose Monitor
Consider these factors while choosing the appropriate device for checking glucose levels.
Ease of Use
It is important to assess if the needles and the test strip along with the meter is easy to use and hold.
Check if you can easily see the numbers on screen and it is accessible.
Besides that, look into how easy it is to get blood on the strips.
If it does not reach easily, the meter will give you an error and you will have to draw blood again.
The device should be easy to use rather than making things further difficult for you.
Cost
The meters are available at different prices.
However, you should also look into the cost of the test strips while purchasing.
You will buy the meter once and the pen stick once.
However, you will have to keep purchasing the needles and test strips.
While the needles are not as expensive, the test strips are.
Hence, do not forget to account for that in the total cost.
Storing and Retrieving Information
Does this device store the readings from your last check?
Some of the glucometers are good enough to keep a record of the trends, times, dates and results over time.
This can help you share the readings with your doctor.
In fact, some may also have the feature of sharing the readings in real-time or download the results.
Special Features Included
Look for any special features that make it easy to use and accessible.
These include large buttons to use that are easy to handle, test strips that are wide enough and do not fall off, illuminated screens and audio reading.
These features can help the elderly as well as people with impaired vision.
Also look into whether your insurance covers it.
Tips
There are several diabetes devices now.
They differ for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Now you can check glucose levels even without pricking or using continuous glucose monitors besides glucometers.
But accurate results can be achieved as long as you use the device accurately.
Follow these tips of use to ensure you always get accurate results, whenever you need them.
- Check your test strips: Keep your strips out of moisture and the sun. Keep them at cooler room temperature, however, not freezing. Also, keep tabs on their expiry date. An expired test strip may not give an accurate reading.
- Check the meter: The meter comes with a control solution to see if the strips and meter are accurate. Take the meter to your doctor to compare it with their equipment as well.
- Prevent infection: Use the swab on your finger to disinfect. Then dispose of the strip and the lancet. Moreover, do not use your finger unless the bleeding has stopped.
- To prevent sore fingertips, prick on the side, not the pad, do not reuse the lancet, don’t squeeze the fingertip rigorously, increase blood flow by washing hands with warm water, don’t test on the same finger and hang your arm and hand down to allow for blood to pool.
- Establish a routine: Keep supplies with you at all times even if you are traveling and keep checking your blood glucose levels according to the routine.
So now you are aware of using the blood glucose monitor properly.
Add it to your routine to manage your blood glucose levels on a regular basis.
