Monitoring Your Blood Sugar Level

Path to improved health

What supplies do I need?

For a BGM, you’ll need a glucose meter, alcohol pads, sterile finger lancets (small needles), and sterile test strips. A CGM comes as a complete set, including a sensor, a transmitter, and a receiver or reader.

How do I pick a glucose meter?

Your doctor will make a recommendation. Check with your health insurance plan to see if it will pay for your BGM, its supplies, or a CGM. If so, your plan may only pay for a certain meter.

Shop around and compare costs. Consider what features are important to you. For example, some meters are made for people who have poor eyesight. If you want to pay a little more money, you can get a BGM that stores the results in its memory. This allows you to compare results from several days at one time.

How do I measure my blood sugar level?

Follow your doctor’s advice and the instructions that come with the BGM or CGM. Different meters work differently, so be sure to check with your doctor for advice specifically for you. With a BGM, you’ll usually follow the steps below:

• Wash your hands and dry them well before doing the test.
• Use an alcohol pad to clean the area that you’re going to prick. For most glucose meters, you will prick your fingertip. However, with some meters, you can also use your forearm, thigh, or the fleshy part of your hand. Ask your doctor what area you should use with your meter.
• Prick yourself with a sterile lancet to get a drop of blood. (If you prick your fingertip, it may be easier and less painful to prick it on one side, not on the pad.)
• Place the drop of blood on the test strip.
• Follow the instructions for inserting the test strip into your glucose meter.
• The meter will give you a number for your blood sugar level.

If you have a CGM, you’ll follow the insertion directions that come with the monitor. Once it’s warmed up, the transmitter wirelessly sends the data to your computer or smartphone.

What if I can’t get a drop of blood for a fingerstick?

If you want to get blood from your fingertip, try washing your hands in hot water to get the blood flowing. Then dangle your hand below your heart for a minute. Prick your finger quickly and then put your hand back down below your heart. You might also try slowly squeezing the finger from the base to the tip.

How often should I test my blood sugar level?

Your family doctor will recommend how often you should test. Testing times are based on the kind of medicine you take and on how well your blood sugar levels are controlled. You’ll probably need to check your blood sugar more often at first. You’ll also check it more often when you feel sick or stressed, when you change your medicine, or if you’re pregnant.

What do I do with the results?

You need to keep track of your results. There are a few ways you can do this. You can write them down in a record book. Use a small notebook or ask your doctor for a blood testing record book. Depending on the type of monitor you have, you may be able to keep track of the results on your computer or smartphone. Whatever method you use, you may also want to keep track of what you have eaten, when you took medicine or insulin, and how active you’ve been during the day. This will help you see how these things affect your blood sugar. Talk with your doctor about what is a good range for your blood sugar level and what to do if your blood sugar is not within that range.