[acb-diabetics] Ten reasons for checking your blood sugar

[Bill Benson]

This is a very good article, however, I don't seem to be able to get enough blood, or get it on to the right spot.  I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with any of the new meters, and are they a lot easier to work with?

Bill
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Patricia LaFrance-Wolf 
  To: blind diabetics of the Blind ; Acb-Diabetics at Acb. Org ; Joy Steigel ; Julie Cantrell ; Don Bishop 
  Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2010 5:58 PM
  Subject: [acb-diabetics] Ten reasons for checking your blood sugar


  Ten Reasons to Test Your Blood Sugar

  Rachel Garlinghouse

  Aug 3, 2010 



  We can all come up with plenty of excuses not to test our 

  blood sugar

  . For one, yeah, it stings a little (No pain, no gain, the angel on my shoulder whispers in my ear). For another, testing isn't convenient, no matter how

  quickly the meter works or how small it is. While seemingly everyone else is carelessly enjoying a meal or leaping into the swimming pool, you are on the

  sidelines trying to ignore your 

  diabetes

  . And of course, sometimes, we just do not want to know what the number will be. It's easier to ignore the ugly truth than face it.



  There are, however, plenty of reasons to test.  Good reasons. Let's examine them:



  list of 10 items

  1. You are hungry. If you are hungry, it's possible your blood sugar is on the low side or you are in an official state of 

  hypoglycemia

  . It's better to know your number before treating versus eating, without testing, based on hunger. Sometimes I'm ravenous because it's 

  lunch

  time, but other times my body is trying to tell me my blood sugar is low and I need an immediate source of 

  carbohydrate. 

  2. You are thirsty. Sure, you might just be dehydrated. But thirst is one of the symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Again, it's always better

  to test than to assume you just need a glass of water. Testing can reveal a high blood sugar that requires your attention. If you are high, drinking plenty

  of fluids is important to rehydrate. 

  3. You are tired. I can become tired when I am high or low, so if I'm feeling especially exhausted, I check my blood sugar. A low can run me down for a

  few hours, so after a 

  low blood sugar

  , I have to check frequently. A high can have me in a fog, and it's easier for me to not be inconvenienced by checking again a few hours later, but I usually

  test anyway.  I set my alarm and make sure I'm not still running high or that I haven't roller coastered into a low.  

  4. You are going to drive. Getting behind the wheel with a high or low blood sugar not only endangers you and your passengers, but other people on the roads

  and sidewalks as well.  Consider driving to be a privilege and a great responsibility. If you are too low to drive, it is best to treat your low, check

  fifteen minutes later to see where you stand.  Another option is to ask someone else to drive even after you've treated, especially if your blood sugar

  is unstable that day.  

  5. You are going to bed. Some people are incredibly deep sleepers, and a high or a low blood sugar (called 

  hypoglycemia unawareness

  ) will not awake them. I have to remind myself that eight hours is a long time to not check my blood sugar, so I need to be sure to have a good number before

  I hit the sack.  On many occasions, I have set my alarm and tested in the middle of the night.    

  6. You are irritated. One of the tall tale signs that I am low is if my alter-personality comes out. And be warned; she is angry!  The beauty of hypoglycemia,

  if there is such a thing, is that our bodies do a pretty good job warning us that we need carbohydrates. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include irritability

  or nervousness, shaking, a racing heart, sweating, hunger, and more.   Each patient is different, so it's wise to reflect on what your symptoms are and

  review with your doctor how to treat a low. 

  7. You are stressed. I remember going through periods of high blood sugars. Frustrated, I called my dietitian and diabetes educator and asked her what the

  possible cause could be.   She asked me about what was going on in my life. If you are feeling stressed over family, job, or other personal matters, consider

  how that is impacting your blood sugars.  You might need to make some serious changes in your life and seek professional help. 

  8. You are busy. Ahhh, aren't we all? Some days I am rushing from classroom to classroom, and then I drive home from work and realize that I didn't check

  my blood sugar for five hours.   This results in high sugars staying high for too long or me skipping my afternoon snack which almost always leads to an

  evening low.   I have found that setting an alarm or writing down a reminder and placing it somewhere visible helps me remember keep tabs on my diabetes.



  9. You are going to 

  exercise. 

  Exercise is both a beauty and a beast of diabetes.  Initially, exercise does increase blood sugars, but the after effects of exercise generally lower blood

  sugars, sometimes for days afterward.   Talk to your doctor about what an acceptable pre-exercise blood sugar number should be.  You also need to figure

  exercise into your meal planning.  Always wear your medical identification, carry an emergency source of carbohydrate, and have a partner or a cell phone

  nearby when exercising. 

  10. You just do not feel right. Everyone, 

  diabetic

   or not, has days when they just feel off.   However, people with diabetes must be ultra-sensitive to their bodies cues and not blow off a strange or unfamiliar

  feeling. Oftentimes I begin to feel anxious up to an hour before I have a low blood sugar, and other times, my hypoglycemia comes on quickly and without

  much warning. Because I do not have a pattern of common symptoms, I know to check my sugar at the first sign of discomfort or uneasiness.  

  list end



  There are many other reasons to test your blood sugar, and I'm sure you can come up with equally as many excuses not to test.  However, you hold most of

  the power in your diabetes management, and of course a key component of living well with diabetes is testing, testing, and testing more.   May you find

  the conviction and motivation to keep your meter handy.



  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



  Categories: 

  Blood Sugar,



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