Using Your Results
Regular blood sugar testing provides you with a wealth of information that becomes even more valuable when used to track your control over time.
Whether you use your meter's memory, keep a written log or track results on the computer, recording and reviewing your blood sugar test results may help you and your healthcare team make decisions about food, activity and medication in order to achieve better control.
Knowing Your Goals
Self-monitoring can't give you the maximum benefits if you don't know what you're aiming for. So it's important to have specific targets outlined by your healthcare team. Of course, your goals will take into account your current health, age, level of activity and other factors—and they're different for different times of day. So don't assume your targets will be the same as someone else's.
In general, the American Diabetes Association suggests:1
• premeal glucose levels between 90 and 130 mg/dL
• postmeal levels below 180 mg/dL
Your healthcare team will help you determine the right targets for you.
Understanding Patterns
If you discover a pattern in your blood sugar that is above or below your target range, you may be able to problem-solve by asking yourself a few questions:
• Did I change my meal plan or eat any unusual food?
• Did I change my exercise routine?
• Did I forget to take my medication, take too little or too much, or take it at the wrong time?
• Am I stressed about something?
• Do I have an infection or illness?
• Did I drink alcohol?
• Did I take a new medication that may affect my blood sugar?
Answering these questions might help you avoid future extremes in blood sugar levels. And keeping your blood sugar levels within the target range outlined by your healthcare team will help you feel better and can help prevent or slow the development of complications that affect the kidneys, eyes, nerves, heart and other parts of your body.
When to Call the Doctor
Sometimes your diary may show patterns in blood sugar levels that indicate a need to contact your doctor between office visits. Print this page and fill in the blanks with your healthcare team. Check off all the situations in which they'd like you to give them a call.
I will contact my doctor or certified diabetes educator when I have:
____ blood sugar above _____ mg/dL (high blood sugar)
____ blood sugar below _____ mg/dL (low blood sugar)
____ two or more high blood sugars in less than 24 hours
____ two or more low blood sugars in less than 24 hours
____ high blood sugar at the same time several days in a row
____ low blood sugar at the same time several days in a row
Improving Control
The goal of daily self-monitoring, as well as your quarterly A1C tests, is improved blood sugar control—you want to keep your blood sugar levels as close to the targets determined by your healthcare team.
By examining and understanding your test results, you can chart a course for better self-management. Work with your healthcare team to determine what steps you can take to achieve your goals, whether that means lowering blood sugar, getting more consistent results or having fewer blood sugar lows.
Some questions you may want to consider include:
• How often and under what conditions should I test my blood sugar?
• What should I do with the results?
• What patterns in my blood sugar results should I try to achieve?
• How often should my A1C be tested?
• What is my target A1C?
• How can I bring my A1C within the range my doctor has suggested?
• How often should I meet with a registered dietitian to review what I eat?
• What type of physical activity is best for me?
• What adjustments to my food or medication should I make if I plan to exercise?
• Is it time to meet with a certified diabetes educator to update my self-management skills?
This simple, direct conversation is a great starting point for making your self-care program work harder for you.
1 American Diabetes Association, “Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes,” Diabetes Care 27 (2004): S15-S35. Available at http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/27/suppl_1/s15 (Accessed February 3, 2006)