From ALMH Dietician Jennifer
DiPasquale, RD,LD,CDE
Diabetes: Ten reasons to test your blood
sugar |
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[February 22, 2016]
We can all come up with plenty of
excuses not to test our blood sugar: It hurts, it's not
convenient…it seems like everyone else gets to carelessly enjoy what
they eat instead of having to try to manage, or even forget about
their diabetes.
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There are, however, many good reasons to test. Here are some:
- You are hungry. If you are hungry, it's possible your
blood sugar is on the low side or you are officially
hypoglycemic. If you don't check, you don't know how to treat
properly! Know your number before treating vs. eating without
testing based on hunger.
- You are thirsty. Sure, you might just be
dehydrated. But thirst is one of the symptoms of hyperglycemia
(high blood sugar). Testing can reveal a high blood sugar that
requires your attention. If your sugar is high, drink plenty of
calorie free fluids to rehydrate.
- You are tired. Are you tired because your sugar
is high, or low, or are you just tired? Hypoglycemia is more
likely to repeat within 48 hours after a low so check
frequently.
A high can put you in a "fog." Try setting an alarm on your
watch or phone to remind you to recheck that you aren’t still
running high, or possibly roller-coastered into a low.
- You are going to drive. Driving is a privilege and a
great responsibility. If you get blurry or double vision when
running high, or if you are too low to drive, 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.
- You are going to bed. Some people are deep sleepers,
and a high or a low blood sugar will not awake them. Be sure to
have a good number before not checking for 8 or more hours in
bed. Gone low that day? Set an alarm and test in the middle of
the night.
- You are unnecessarily irritated. One tell-tale sign
of a low for some is anger or irrational behavior. Symptoms of
hypoglycemia include irritability or nervousness, shaking, a
racing heart, sweating, hunger, and more. Each person is
different, so it's wise to reflect on what your symptoms are and
review with your doctor how to treat a low.
- You are stressed. If you are feeling stressed over
family, job, or other personal matters, consider how that is
impacting your blood sugars (higher than usual). You might need
to make some serious changes in your life and seek professional
help.
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- You are busy. Rushing around and realize that you
didn't check your blood sugar for five hours? This can result in
high sugars staying high for too long. Skipping planned meals
and snacks can lead to an evening low. Again, an alarm can
remind you to stop and test.
- You are going to exercise. Exercise is both a beauty
and a beast of diabetes. Initially, exercise increases blood
sugar. But after exercise, blood sugar generally lowers,
sometimes for up to 48 hours.
Talk to your doctor about an acceptable pre-exercise blood sugar
number. Figure exercise into your meal planning. Always wear
your medical ID, carry emergency simple carbohydrates, and have
a partner, or a cell phone nearby when exercising.
- You just do not feel right. Everyone has days when
they just feel "off." Some will feel anxious before a low, and
others have hypoglycemia come on quickly and without much
warning. If you have no pattern of common symptoms, check your
sugar at the first sign of discomfort or uneasiness.
Jennifer DiPasquale, Memorial Diabetes Services at ALMH
ALMHdiabetes@mshil.com
217-605-5535
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