5 tips for more effective blood sugar checks

The point of checking your blood sugar is to see what effect your lifestyle, medications and diet is having on your body. The more often you check, the more information you'll have. Here are general guidelines:

• If you aren't taking oral medications or insulin, you'll probably check in the morning and before supper, and possibly at bedtime.
• This will tell track what your blood sugar is when you start your day, and how the meals you eat during the day affect you.
• If, by nightfall, your blood sugars are in the target range, that means your blood sugars overall most likely have stayed in target range. An A1C test will confirm if this is so.
• Your doctor may recommend daily or occasional checks, depending on your specific case.

• If you're taking oral medications, your doctor will probably recommend checking more often. Maybe before certain meals and two hours after the start of a meal.
• This regimen will reveal what your blood sugar is going into the meal, and what effect your meal has on your blood sugar.
• Your doctor uses this information to adjust your medications.
• The results may lead to your doctor giving you some dietary advice to get your blood sugar back in target range.

• If you're taking insulin, your doctor will likely have you check before meals and occasionally after meals and at bedtime.
• If you're taking insulin glargine, you may not be asked to check before each meal. This insulin is adjusted according to morning fasting blood-sugar levels.

• If you wake up in the morning sweaty, with the bed sheets all askew and you've had a bad dream, you may have experienced low blood sugar in the middle of the night.
• Your doctor may ask you to set your alarm and check your blood sugar at 3 a.m. to see if you are experiencing hypoglycemia in the middle of the night.

• First, clarify with your doctor what level is too high for you. It could be 250 mg/dL (13.89 mmol/L), or it could be higher. Whatever the cutoff point, call your doctor if you hit it.
• You'll also need to alert your doctor's office if you have elevated readings for more than three days in a row. In either case, your doctor may advise you to adjust your medication.
• Often, illness, stress, missing a dose of medication or eating too much can cause spikes in your blood sugar.

Blood sugar levels rise and fall all the time, so it's important you know the right times to check. With the right strategy, your checks could be more accurate, and your doctor will have the information they need to help you stay healthy.