MAKE FINGER STICKS WORTH IT
6. How to make sticking your finger worth it
7. How to choose a blood glucose meter
8. How to use your blood glucose meter
9. How to get a good drop of blood the first time
10. How to write a useful logbook
6 How to make sticking your finger worth it
One day, a method may be created so that people with diabetes no longer have to prick or pierce their body parts to obtain blood glucose readings. Until that time, you’ll need to make use of the devices that are on the market now.
It may be hard to appreciate the blood glucose meters of today, but they have come a long way. In the 1980s, most people were testing their urine to determine blood glucose levels, because meters were still in their infancy and not covered by insurance. Individuals would collect urine in a container, add special chemicals, shake or stir, and have to carefully time the testing procedure, only to get a “color” result that had to be compared to a color chart for interpretation. The ranges were varied, and the testing was, at best, awkward and not always accurate. So, despite your reservations about testing, know that things have come a long way and that with a glucose meter, you currently have the fastest and most accurate way to control your diabetes.
A FINGER STICK COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS
Testing your blood glucose is not generally a pleasant experience. But consider the following points when trying to determine whether finger-stick testing is worth it.
YOU CAN BE PROVEN RIGHT
Who doesn’t like to be right? It can certainly boost your ego. If you have had diabetes for a while, you may feel like you can predict your blood glucose (within 5 mg/dl, of course) without even removing your meter from its case. This is a special gift, but it’s a gift you need to verify, especially since symptoms of high or low blood glucose can become less noticeable with time. Prove yourself right and test to confirm.
IT IS A GOOD EXCUSE FOR A 5-MINUTE BREAK
Most meters provide a test result in as few as 5 seconds. However, no one at work needs to know that. Tell your coworkers it takes 5 minutes and make it seem like an inconvenience. A small break seems like a just reward for a deed well done.
IT IS A CONVERSATION STARTER
If you pull out a blood glucose meter in front of friends, it is sure to get the questions going. Be honest about what you are doing. Diabetes is a growing epidemic; you might learn that someone else has diabetes and can be a future source of support or camaraderie. Talk about how diabetes affects you, so everyone can understand diabetes better.
ENJOY A MEAL IN PEACE
A nice dinner can be ruined by fretting, as each bite makes you think, “I wonder what this will do to my blood glucose?” Stop fretting and test to find out. Ideally, test before a meal and 2 hours after to see what effect the food and/ or your medication has on your blood glucose.
Depending on some other factors, you can expect about a 40–60 mg/dl difference from a pre-meal blood glucose reading and a reading 2 hours after a meal. If the difference is larger than this, it could mean:
GET A GOOD NIGHT’S REST
High blood glucose levels usually mean more trips to the bathroom. Not only is this inconvenient for you, but it disturbs other members of the household as well. If you test often, you maybe able to identify high blood glucose levels at certain times. Take this information to your health care team so that your management plan (and/or medications) can be adjusted. Good control means less hyperglycemia, and fewer symptoms like getting up in the middle of the night. Lack of sleep can make you feel tired, stressed, and even depressed. Everyone needs their ZZZs.
PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY
Unstable blood glucose levels can cause unclear thinking or poor choices. Having high or low blood glucose behind the wheel of a car can lead to disastrous results—especially if your family is with you. You should definitely check your blood glucose when:
ENSURE YOU TAKE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MEDICATION
There are quite a few diabetes medications, insulin especially, that need to be timed to meals and based on your blood glucose readings. Medications are expensive and have been prescribed to improve your control. Don’t waste your money—test your blood glucose to know the right amount of medication to take.
LESS HYPOGLYCEMIA
Checking your glucose often can teach you how your body reacts to different activities and situations. If you take insulin or an oral medication that can cause hypoglycemia, this knowledge can help you prepare and prevent severe low blood glucose levels. No one likes hypoglycemia. Testing can help you also identify when your blood glucose may be sliding down and allow you to take measures to prevent hypoglycemia immediately.
BE A SUCCESS STORY
You can brag all you want about how well you control your diabetes, but you need the numbers to prove it. How often you test is up to you and your health care team, but be sure you that once you have