Endocrine Research Society
Diabetes Education | Monitoring your Blood Glucose
Checking your Blood Glucose
When you have diabetes, you may be asked to check your daily blood sugars using a glucometer with test strips or continuous glucose monitor (measures interstitial glucose), or your longer-term blood sugars at the laboratory. When using a glucometer, you should aim to check your blood sugars at various times of the day before you eat.
Watch the video below to learn more about how to check your blood glucose.
After checking your blood sugars, it's important to keep a record of them. Looking at your blood glucose at different times of the day and overtime tells you about your trends. Inconsistencies or frequent high blood sugars may indicate a need to modify your current lifestyle and medications.
Watch the video below to learn more about your blood glucose results.
It's important to understand how your blood sugars are because in the long run, they can lead to severe complications. These complications include damage to the blood vessels of major organs such as the kidneys, heart, nerves and eyes. As a result, it can lead to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, amputations, blindness, etc.
Watch the video below to learn more about complications that can arise.