Diabetes: Checking your blood sugar

Introduction

Because you have diabetes, you need to know when your blood sugar level is outside the target range for your body. Fortunately, you can see what your blood sugar level is anywhere and anytime by using a home blood sugar meter (blood glucose meter). Using the meter, you can find out what your blood sugar level is within a minute or two.

Knowing your blood sugar level helps you treat low or high blood sugar before it becomes an emergency. It also helps you know how exercise and food affect your blood sugar and how much short-acting insulin (if you take insulin) to take. Most importantly, it helps you feel more in control as you manage life with diabetes.

Three keys to success in monitoring your blood sugar anywhere are:

• Keeping your meter and supplies with you at all times so that you always have them when you need them.
• Making it a habit to check your blood sugar level by building it into your routine.
• Checking your blood sugar meter's accuracy when you visit your doctor by comparing your results with your doctor's results.

 What is home blood sugar monitoring?
 Why monitor your blood sugar?
 How to test your blood sugar
 Where to go from here

More information about diabetes can be found in these topics:

• Type 1 Diabetes
• Type 1 Diabetes: Recently Diagnosed
• Type 1 Diabetes: Living With the Disease
• Type 1 Diabetes: Children Living With the Disease
• Type 1 Diabetes: Living With Complications
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Type 2 Diabetes: Recently Diagnosed
• Type 2 Diabetes: Living With the Disease
• Type 2 Diabetes in Children
• Type 2 Diabetes: Living With Complications
• Gestational Diabetes

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