Boston: Type 2 Diabetes - Why and When to Test Glucose

Boston,

The key to staying fit and healthy with diabetes is to keep track of your blood sugar levels. However, as any diabetic, me included will tell you, testing your sugar levels can be something of a literal pain, requiring as it does the use of a lancet to draw blood. This can be quite boring when done four times a day.

However it’s important to understand straightaway, that no matter how inconvenient or uncomfortable it may be, it is a very important part of keeping fit and avoiding some of the long-term complications of diabetes.

Blood sugar levels can change in the blink of an eye, most obviously when food is eaten but also when one is fasting at night. I have often found that despite not eating for eight hours or more, my blood sugar levels can be quite high first thing in the morning. It is therefore important that diabetics check their blood sugar levels at least three times a day; before breakfast before lunch and before the evening meal as a minimum.

This is particularly important if you are taking insulin and you are just your insulin dose for each meal. It’s impossible to know what that dose should be unless you first know what your actual blood glucose levels are. It is also important, if you are taking insulin, to take a reading first thing in the morning after fasting all night.

However, keeping tight control of your diabetes by the use of insulin can lead to a greater risk of a hypoglycaemic episode than those who control their diabetes by diet and exercise alone. This can be particularly awkward if you are pregnant or ill, making it especially important to keep regular checks on your blood glucose throughout the day.

If you are not taking insulin to control your diabetes but are using a combination of diet and exercise, the situation is a little different. This is because you cannot control your glucose levels in the same way as someone who is taking insulin and can adjust their dose. It may be that your doctor asks you to take glucose readings before breakfast and dinner, but this is to keep a more general track of your sugar levels so that your diabetes can be monitored and if necessary medication or insulin introduced at a later date.

It can also be quite stressful for type 2 diabetics who are not controlling their diabetes with insulin to check their blood glucose levels regularly. This is because it can lead to worry, stress and depression if they see that their sugars are higher than they should be but they can do little about it, as opposed to those who do use insulin and who can simply respond by increasing the dose.

As is usually the case, it is best to seek and act on the advice given by your diabetic team, who will advise on what is best for you and your own circumstances.

Source by Toby Dushieney

Type 2 Diabetes - Why and When to Test Glucose