If you are suffering from any of the two diabetes Type 1 or Type 2, then you can easily monitor your blood sugar with Glucometer as it gives you the correct information whether you are having too low blood sugar, or too high, or it’s in a normal range. You can instantly get feedback on your blood sugar level as these electronic devices immediately give the information.
If you know how to use the device properly, then this will be very helpful to manage your sugar level as you can easily detect the ups and downs in blood sugar. You can lookout for a reputable medical online store and place an order for a suitable device.
About Glucometers
A Glucometer is also popularly known as the glucose meter. It’s a highly sophisticated device, as it requires only a single drop of blood. It’s suitably sized and transportable. They are so small that you can carry them with you on travel. You can use it anytime and anywhere.
Who can use Glucometer?
If you are suffering from latent autoimmune diabetes (LADA) in adults, or Diabetes Type 1 or Type 2, or gestational diabetes which is mostly diagnosed during pregnancy, then the important part of the treatment plan of the testing level of blood glucose can be easily done with a Glucometer.
Frequent use of Glucometer will help you:
- You can check whether blood sugar level is high or low
- Can recognize patterns of crash or spike in glucose
- Check the response of glucose level in times you are in stress or after exercise
- Record the result of therapies and diabetes medication
- Evaluate how effectively you’re meeting your treatment goals
When you can test?
Take the advice from your doctor that at what time and how often you have to test in a day and if the result is high or low what you have to do? The frequency of your testing depends on your treatment plan and the kind of diabetes. If you are confused about where to buy medical supplies online, then carrying out some research would be a good idea.
Two types of Diabetes are discussed below
Type 1
If you are having Type 1 diabetes, then you need to check your sugar glucose level per day for four to ten times. You have to test before you take food in day or night, or before the work out, or before going to bed, and if feasible during night. It’s because you are marked with a condition of inability to discharge adequate insulin, you need to monitor more frequently to know whether you have sufficient insulin to stable your blood sugar level. If by any reason your daily routine changes or you become ill, then in that you have to test more times a day.
Type 2
If you are having gestational or Type 2 diabetes, then you have to test for two or four times a day, it depends on the insulin whether you take it or not. It’s best to check before the meal in day or night and during bedtime. If you are not taking insulin medication, then there is no need to test sugar glucose levels daily.
How to make use of Glucometer?
Sometimes, if you have not met a certified diabetes educator, then your doctor might give you instructions on using Glucometer without clearly telling you its usage. But in most cases manual instructions are easy to apply; this errand can be risky if you test for the first time without any proper knowledge.
Things required for using Glucometer
- Lancet
- Alcohol prep pad
- Glucometer
- Test strip
- A notepad to write results
Instructions to use Glucometer
- For preventing infection wash your hands with soap and water or alcohol swab
- Warm hands help to get the blood easily, so for that firstly dry your hands and then gently rub them together
- After this turn on Glucometer and place the strip when the device is ready.
- Make your hands dry and wait until alcohol evaporates
- Make a cut on your fingertip and place the blood drop at the side or on the strip.
- It will take a few minutes to calculate the level of blood sugar, after this you can follow the orders of your doctor as you get the reading
- Use the alcohol prep pad for stopping the blood if it’s bleeding
- Record your result as this will be easier for your doctor and you to make the right treatment plan and help you to know how your body responds to a specific medicine, food or exercise
Continuous Glucose Monitor
Type 1 Diabetes patients need frequent tests of their sugar level so Continuous Glucose Monitor is very helpful (CGM). It’s a Glucometer that remains attached to the body, reduces the use of multiple finger picks. You simply stick a sensor on your thigh, upper arm, abdomen, and then you will get glucose readout at fixed intervals. But first, confirm from your doctor whether it’s good for you or not.It is the work of the professionals associated with medical online store to offer the necessary help or advice.
Common difficulties to avoid
Follow these rules to get good results;
- Don’t use the expired test strips, as expired strips can give inappropriate results.
- After getting the strip out, tightly close the lid because too much moisture or light can spoil the strip.
- Frequently check the device quality and clean it.
Glucose testing while traveling
- While you are traveling keep more than two lancets and strips as in case you need it
- keep your test strips and Glucometer in a dry clean place. Don’t leave them in the car if it’s cold outside and keep it away from direct sunlight
- Keep your lancets in a container which is picture proof which you can easily get from pharmacy or doctor
- Always have carbohydrate snacks, additional medication, or extra insulin in case if there is an emergency.
Tips for children
It’s important for kids who are suffering from type 1 or type 2 diabetes, as Type 1 is very common among kids so for this frequent test of sugar glucose level is necessary. Once you are sure about where to buy medical supplies online, the entire process becomes easy.
Get your kid familiar with frequent glucose testing will have the following benefits:
- helps to solve the problems of the treatment plan
- getting control over that what’s happening
- get to know the impact of a specific medicine, meal, and experience on the level of blood sugar
Kids need more frequent tests than adults, especially when they are taking insulin. Kids have more glucose sugar targets range than adults. If a child is having hypoglycemia episodes then he needs to test at midnight.
Helping Children Self-Test
Keep practicing the use of Glucometer with your kid, and as he learns how to use Glucometer then he himself can start testing the glucose sugar level. Train them how effectively they can take care of their sugar level by themselves by using the tool.
Make your child understand that self-testing of glucose is the big responsibility –and this will help them to manage their condition and make them more independent.
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