Diabetes - When to test blood sugar level?

Question

I was recently diagnosed with diabetes (controlled through exercise and diet, no meds at this time). I've gone to a ton of websites and read literature on diabetes, but cannot find a straight answer about testing my blood sugar.

For diabetics out there....
When should I test?
Should I test after fasting (say after sleeping) or before a meal?
How soon after a meal should I test?
How many times a day?

Thanks for your help! :-)

Answer 1

Testing for Type 1's and insulin using Type 2's is a bit different from your case. Type 1's need to regularly test to ensure their BG level is not in a dangerous range and adjust their insulin. They may test up to 12x a day is some cases. Type 1's using an insulin pump usually test often. Most Type 1's average about 6x per day if they use multiple daily injections.

If you are a new Type 2, you may want to start on a regular plan just to see how your levels are fluctuating during the day. You aren't on meds or insulin, so you don't need to worry about low blood sugar. Your main goal is to make sure you are not running too high and are unaware of it.

For the first few days, test in the a.m. (fasting), 2 hours after breakfast, before lunch, 2 hours after lunch, before supper, and you guessed it...2 hours after dinner. You may also want to throw in an evening pre-bed check or two.

You want to see if your fasting (before eating) levels are in range at all meal times, and how your are doing after you eat.

That way, you will know if you need medication, or just need to adjust your diet (eat less carbs at dinner, for example).

If all is fairly well, and you are following a healthy diet and exercising, you can test randomly on different days to make sure you are staying in range. If not, call your doctor to see if you need medication.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Ok, well the answer is, it depends.
The most severe (and compliant) diabetics test their blood sugar 4 times daily:
Once in the morning before eating anything (fasting)
Once before lunch to give a postprandial for breakfast
Once before dinner to give a postprandial for lunch
Once before bed (generally around 10PM, at least in the hospital) to give a postprandial for dinner.
That's for type 1 diabetics and type 2s who are on insulin usually. Now, you're diet controlled, which means that it's fairly meaningless to know exactly what your sugar is when, there are no medicines to adjust based on the findings. If you are well diet controlled, then you can probaby get by without checking fingersticks and just getting a hemoglobin A1c level taken every 3 months at your doctor's office (this is a measure that gives something like an average level of blood sugar over the past 2-3 months or so, weighted more towards the most recent month).
But the most important thing for you now is to talk to your doctor about it, diabetes is something that you, with your doctor's help, are going to be dealing with for the rest of your life, so take the time now to discuss exactly what sorts of information your doctor would find useful and what you should be doing.
Hope this helps.

Answer 4

2

Answer 5

I have a friend who is a volunteer at the local hospital and she informed me that for two hours after eating your blood sugar will be elevated between 60 to 80 ( this is normal) Your sugar should start dropping after the two hours or sooner normal)
I can since when I have elevated sugar as I become what is the feeling of fatigue and become very sleepy a small piece of candy will take away the fatigue or just take a nap.
I get very agitated when I can't find sugar free sodas or foods. Your would think with 250 million diabetics you can find some sugar free drinks and foods

Answer 6

your doctor should of told you. I am a type 1 so what I do is different then what you need to do, but I do know when I took my diabetes classes (out of 20 19 were type2 I was the only type 1) they told the type 2's that did not take pills or insulin to check at random times. Like on day 1 check in the morning, day 2 check a few hr.s after a meal stuff like that. They said if you don't take insulin or pills you can get by with just once a day. But your doctor should of told you this.

Answer 7

I'm a 45 year old woman and was recently diagnosed as being a borderline diabetic. My doctor prescribed some medication, but before filling it I decided to do some research on the internet which led me to the methods. After reading this ebook and applying the methods, my scepticism turned to 100% belief. I noticed that my energy levels increased significantly and I felt more rested in the morning, my symptoms started going away.

I am very happy to tell you that I have been feeling better than I have felt in years and my doctor informed me that he will be taking me off my prescriptions if I keep this up.

I recommend you use the Type 2 Diabetes Destroyer to naturally reverse your diabetes.

Answer 8

These are questions you need to ask your doctor. My question is why didn't your doctor tell you how often he wanted you to test your blood sugar and why didn't he give you some parameters as to when he wants you to call him if you blood sugars go beyond a certain level? Each patient is different as to how often his doctor wants him to test his blood sugar and when he wants him to test. Some of our doctors here like to test before breakfast and then 2 hours after supper while other doctors here test before meals and at bed time and some just order testing AM and PM or once weekly. Call your doc and find out what he wants you to do. There is no right or wrong time to test as it depends on what your doctor wants.

Answer 9

What is diabetes?
What is the impact of diabetes?
What causes diabetes?
What are the different types of diabetes?
What are diabetes symptoms?
How is diabetes diagnosed?
Why is blood sugar checked at home?
What are the acute complications of diabetes?
What are the chronic complications of diabetes?
What can be done to slow diabetes complications?
How is diabetes treated?
The future of pancreas transplantation
Diabetes At A Glance
Related Diabetes articles:
Diabetes symptom - on WebMD
Read what your doctor is reading:
Diabetes - on Medscape

Just click this site about diabetes. Hope this will give u some info.

Answer 10

Blood Sugar Management
http://www.dlife.com/dLife/do/ShowContent/blood_sugar_management/

Diet Guidelines
http://www.diabetes911.net/readit/chapter10.shtml