Number four of the Nine essential things to know if you have diabetes
Blood glucose targets
There are a lot of numbers that are associated with having diabetes. What I mean is this: There are numbers to know when you check your glucose. There is the A1C. There are cholesterol values to know and understand. There is microalbumin to know about. And then there is the blood pressure target as well.
Ask your doctor what are my targets and when should I check my glucose
The American Diabetes Association targets for blood glucose are as follows: Before meals - 80 -130. 2 hours after meals - less than 180.
Your doctor may have other targets for you. Ask what are your specific targets for before meals and after meals and how often to check your glucose.
Getting lots of information with just a few checks
A person can get a lot of information with just one check a day if each day the glucose is checked at different times. For instance, on Monday, check before breakfast. On Tuesday, check two hours after breakfast. On Wednesday, check before lunch. On Thursday, check two hours after lunch.
Write down the the glucose number in a log book. I will talk more about how to look at these numbers in an upcoming post. Writing down the information will let you look at that information/data points and interpret them to see how your activity, food, and medicine is working or if changes need to be made to your plan so you can best manage your diabetes.
Why check?
All the blood glucose checks are ways to get information and about how your plan is working. If blood glucose checks are above or below the targets this doesn't mean they are bad numbers. It also is not a reflection on you as a person. They are just data points or information to make decisions with.
Your checks may indicate:
That you need to take your medicine for diabetes
That you may need to eat
Is it safe to have activity?
Did activity lower your glucose level? If so, how much?
If your A1C was higher than expected, glucose checks can help you determine when the glucose checks are higher.
Becoming a detective
Upcoming post on how to look at the glucose checks and what causes blood glucose to go up and down.
Action plan
Ask your doctor what your specific targets are for your blood glucose values. Ask how often you should check. Write your numbers in a logbook.
Wishing you good health,
Juanita