Mr. Bagrecha was attending a family wedding and amidst the wedding chaos he skipped his meal. During the sangeet function he started to perspire profusely along with a feeling of heavy head and mild dizziness. He had his glucometer handy. His wife got it and checked his sugar, it was around 65mg/dl. Immediately, he popped in a sugar candy and was taken to a nearby hospital. Mr. Bagrecha is a diabetic for the last decade apart from being my doting patient. He has been living a quality life despite his health challenges.
Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, at-home blood-sugar monitoring devices called glucometers can give you valuable information about whether your blood sugar is too low, too high, or in a good range for you. These portable electronic devices provide you with instant feedback and let you know immediately what your blood sugar is. Glucometer is a small, easy to use and affordable device. It is always safe to have a glucometer at home.
Glucometers, also known as glucose meters, are highly sophisticated, requiring only a single drop of blood, and are conveniently sized and portable. They are small enough to take with you on-the-go, and based on your comfort level, can be used anywhere at any time.
Myth#1- Glucometer is complicated to use
The glucometer is not at all complicated. You just have to prick the side of your finger with a lancet and simply put the blood sample on the strip when it’s in the meter. The glucometer will display the reading in a matter of 4-5 seconds.
Myth#2- Pricking finger is painful.
When glucometers are used in the right way and pricked at the correct site. It is not really that painful process. In my course I have guided in the exact way to execute the blood sugar test. Join my course to know more.
Myth#3- Glucometer causes infection
By practising proper hygiene and instructions, there is a very slim chance of contracting an infection because of glucometers
Myth#4- The readings of a glucometer are not accurate
Blood glucose meter test results are not exact measures, but they’re designed to give you accurate readings for daily treatment decisions when you’re not at a doctor’s office. If your glucometer shows readings within 15-20% of your lab readings then your glucometer is accurate.
Regular monitoring is a particularly helpful way to manage your diabetes and help control your blood sugar, so it’s important to know how to properly use the device. Efficient management of blood sugar keeps you at bay from health complications related to diabetes. To start with follow the 7-point SMBG chart to monitor your spikes or crash in blood sugar. Seven Points includes:
- Fasting or before breakfast reading
- 2 hrs after breakfast
- Before lunch
- 2 hrs after lunch
- Before dinner
- 2 hrs after dinner or bedtime
- At mid night 3.00 AM
Since pricking 7 times a day can be painful and tedious at times, I have designed the chart so that it covers seven times in the seven days of a week. So, it will be a single prick on a single day. This 7-point SMBG charting approximately covers entire day glucose fluctuations to some extent.
Do you know pricking which fingers cause less pain? With the help of a glucometer, you can easily check how well your blood sugar is controlled. It will help you to understand pattern of your blood sugar that is when you are more likely to have a spike or crash in your blood glucose. Do you know what is reactive hypoglycemia or rebound hyperglycemia? It is important to diagnose these issues to prevent unwanted accidents. Are you aware that glucose levels fluctuate after exercise and at times of stress? Glucometer helps to assess how efficiently you are managing diabetes and monitor the effects of the diabetic medications and other therapies.
Get an answer to all these questions and how to correctly use a glucometer in my course. Review on the course is presented below by one of my patients. Book you spot today.
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