To Test or Not To Test?

Depending on your type of diabetes and also the medications you have been prescribed, your Doctor might ask you to begin testing your blood sugar (also called blood glucose). If your Doctor has not asked you to do this yet the process is done by pricking a finger with a small needle (called a lancet) and placing a drop of blood onto a test strip which registers to your blood glucose meter what your current blood sugar number is.

Testing your blood sugar is an extremely important part of controlling your diabetes and getting your A1C under 7. Without those numbers, you and your doctor will have no idea if what you are currently doing is working or not. Also it is the biggest indicator of what your A1C will be. Is it fun? No. Can it be a pain to have to do before each meal? Yes, I am sure it can be. Will it hurt if I skip one? No, however in my experience missing one can lead to two….can lead to a lot…and all of a sudden you have gotten away from consistent testing. Does it take a lot of time? No, once you are used to it you will be able to test effectively in under a minute!

There are many different types of meter brands and your Doctor or Diabetes Educator will provide you with one that they feel will work the best or whichever is covered by your insurance company. The strips for the meters are NOT cheap so it is important to make sure it is covered and also that you have good technique so you don’t waste any strips. The 2 biggest tips I want to give you are:

#1 Always wash your hands first. I know this sounds “motherly” however it can make a big difference especially if prior to testing you touched anything sugary (fruit, syrup, juice). I have heard that even some lotions can cause inaccurate numbers. The last thing you would want is for the meter to read higher than you really are.

#2 Get a big enough drop of blood to cover the strip. If you do not cover the strip it will read error and you will need to waste that one. Some of the newest meters use strips that require a very small amount of blood. And actually the meter I am most familiar with through work is the Bayer Contour Next. Not only does it use a very tiny amount of blood, it will also allow you 5 seconds to add additional blood if there is not enough. It sounds silly and small but strips average about $1 a piece so wasting any amount will really add up. Another small thing you can do prior testing that can help is wash your hands with warm water to get the blood moving and once you prick your finger you can hold your finger down and push the blood to the tip of your finger.

Your Doctor will determine if you need to begin testing your blood sugar and how often. Once you are asked to test it is a good idea to keep your numbers either written down or in a computer program that can be downloaded from your meter and printed for your Doctor. This is one of the best things you can do prior to your appointments! Just like me, your Doctor wants you to succeed however he/she is only able to help you with the information you provide them. So help them (and you) out by giving them this information. They will be very grateful- at least I would be!!!