How often do you check your BG?

[joelp]

This is a question for all you people who are on this site. I check mine at least 10 times a day to make sure that I am in controll of my BG.
My wife and daughter also depend on me to be in good health and to live a long happy life.
I have found out that if you check it you will know when you are going up and when you are going low, and you will know what to eat and not.

Let me know:)

[GretchO]

i check at least 6 times a day and I have a sensor.

[yannah]

4-6 times a day

[Gordonm]

I was checking 10 to 12 times a day. I now have a CGMS sensor so I check maybe 3 to 4 times to calibrate the sensor. It is pretty accurate 95% of the time.

[howdysf]

yeah, I'm anywhere between 6 and 10 times a day depending on what's going on...

[Red65]

I check 7 times when I don't forget...

[Neuromancer]

My BG has been pretty stable since I avoid eating any thing with sugar and my diet is mainly vegetarian, low-fat, low-cholesterol, and I take 1000mg of metformain twice daily...so I only check once or twice a day...usually after I wake up and about twelve hours later (after dinner or so)...I'm usually around 100-110 at the first check and 130-140 in the evening...I'd be happier if those ranges were both about 20 lower, but the only thing that's gonna do that for me atm is more weight loss and getting on some kind of exercise plan...

[morrisma]

8-12 times per day weekdays, 6-10 weekends

[Dewey]

I've been a little too "lax" for comfort lately & the BGs have paid the price. However, I usually test anywhere from 8 to 15 times per day, depending on BGs, etc.

[Kat]

depends, can be as low as 6 can be as high as 15 but usually averages around 8-10.

[ant hill]

It can be 10 to 15 times a day depending on BG or anytime that I have a question that I maybe low or high as you never can be certain can you?

[inspiredbyjonas]

What's a sensor? And I haven't gotten my meter yet, so I can't tell you mine...

[joelp]

OmniPod is going to add this feature to the new system when it comes out. I can t wait for it to come out, I looked it up and saw where they did seversal test studies and about 96% of the test were good.
This will be the next step to not having to test your blood ever again. Cant wait for this to happen, I am sick of testing the BG levels. Well if any one has any new info on this let me know.

Joel

[Psycho Penguin]

I hate pricking my fingers because of nerve pain in the tips, so only once a day, twice or three times if I'm lucky.

[GretchO]

What's a sensor? And I haven't gotten my meter yet, so I can't tell you mine...

Continuous Glucose Monitor System (CGMS) = sensor.

Here's a link to MiniMed's site with information about it -
REAL-Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring (http://www.minimed.com/products/insulinpumps/components/cgm.html)

[Rad Warrier]

I hate pricking my fingers because of nerve pain in the tips, so only once a day, twice or three times if I'm lucky.


Which part of the finger do you normally prick? My doctor told me to prick the sides of the finger tips and avoid pricking the front side of the finger tips because that part is dense in nerve distribution. (Ah, here is one problem of English not being the mother tongue although began learning it from age 5and have been using it for over half a century now; what is the correct term for 'front side of finger tips'?)

Regards,
Rad

[inspiredbyjonas]

Thank you! Does it like, beep when you go low or high or whatever? I guess it would depend on the company, I guess. So, the purpose is to monitor your sugar levels...Is this with both types? (like, should/do both types of diabetes wear it?)

[inspiredbyjonas]

Rad Warrier: I think it's called the pad of your finger?

[Rad Warrier]

Rad Warrier: I think it's called the pad of your finger?

Thanks. Finger pads they are !

Methinks the old brain cells have become a little slow of late :(

Regards,
Rad

[inspiredbyjonas]

It's all good. :D

Thanks for the advice on pricking, though!

[Psycho Penguin]

That's great advice. I have also heard to prick the side of the fingers and it causes me pain. I tend to prick in the right side, around the middle. It doesn't help so I might try a different location next time. I never stopped to think about doing that.. I'm such a n00b :)

[inspiredbyjonas]

It's all good. (Ha, just repeated myself)...I'm interested in this, beacause I am most likely going to get a meter.

[amccrazgrl]

I test once when I wake up be it 10am-noon.
I sometimes test before I wake up.
I sometimes test if I feel weird.
I beenn testing at bed occasionaly.
So I test at LEAST 1 time and sometimes at LEAST 2 times.
Just for the record my A1Cs are below and perfectly fine, with the little amount of testing I do compared to everyone else.

[inspiredbyjonas]

I believe you should go to your doctor and ask him/her.

[davef]

I normally test 4-6 times daily. Morning, before/after lunch, before driving home from work, before/after dinner. Sometimes I don't test before dinner as it's close to when I tested before driving. I also test anytime I feel "odd" and always before driving.

I feel that this frequency of testing has resulted in good control and I have managed to halve my A1c in under a year. As I'm not using insulin I really need to know how different foods effect me and need to regulate the number of carbs I eat in a meal so as to achieve my targets (lower that 140/7.7 two hours after first bite).

I use the pads of my thumbs and sides of other fingers, don't really find it that uncomfortable to prick my thumb pads (sometimes even finger pads).

This is what works for me, but we are all different.

[UpNorth]

A normal day for me would be at least 6 tests, but usually 8-12 sometimes 15 times in a day. All depends on what i'm doing, what i'm eating, earlier results the same day or if i'm feeling high or low. I test more on days i work than days i'm not at work due to my job being rather physical and i'm driving around at work quite a bit. I'd rather not catch a hypo too late while driving around:eek:

[mazea]

A usual day is about 10 times a day, sometimes I will check 8 times and sometimes up to 15 if I have meals over 20g fat the night before.

[Diabetican]

I test about 7 - 10 times a day. I like to know what is going on with my sugars. A couple years ago, I tested 0 times a day.. I just didnt care about my diabetes, but now I am on the right track!

But ****, test strips are expensive!

[andypoo]

I have been checking at the" least "6 times a day,sometimes 7 or 8 ,it changes so much. I wish I had one of those monitors that continuously monitor your blood sugars,maybe someday I'll have one.

[rwyncaruvegas37]

My diabetes nurse is still monitoring my BG so I'm doing regular tests, four a day on a normal day, but sometimes I do more, to make sure that my BG is normal. I test after exercising as well

[stlduckhunter]

Probably 7-10 times a day. More if things are not under control.

[PrettynPurple]

i have a freestyle meter, i don't prick my fingers, i do my leg and i check twice a day, sometimes more if i feel like my bs level is low in the evening after dinner

[carolyn]

My Gp has started to radically restrict test strips I am type 1 on a pump. I like to test around 8 times a day but she will only allow me enough for 6. As you all know some strips fail and testinb before driving is law. She lets me have 200 a month. Is this pretty average. I do feel a little let down by her. To keep ME WELL I need lots of testing. What do you all think?

[lorilei]

I'm all about the testing! It costs less for insurance to pay for more strips than it does for a trip to the hospital! let alone other complications!

[gettingby]

That's great advice. I have also heard to prick the side of the fingers and it causes me pain. I tend to prick in the right side, around the middle. It doesn't help so I might try a different location next time. I never stopped to think about doing that.. I'm such a n00b :)
Have you looked at the meters that offer alternate testing?? Just a thought. :) The only problem with that is that if you feel you may be low, you must test on one of your fingers. Alternate site testing gives delayed results as opposed to finger testing.
Oh yeah, I test at least 8 times per day. Sometimes more, rarely less and always before driving.

[KCP]

I test in the morning at bfast, and at night befroe bed. before i drive. before i eat. and if i feel funny. thats an average of 8 times a day

[delphi]

I check three or four times a day (now).That is FBS,PP Breakfast,Lunch and Dinner.I dont know whether I must check at other times too.

For around six months I was careless and didn't check regularly.In fact my strips(or my previous meter) gave inconsistent results .I had a shock when I got the result of HB A1C of 8.5.(Last time I had seen it was 6.5).

I bought a new Arkray (Glucocard) meter ,and now after this monitoring along with a low carb diet I have got a better control.

[hodgsonsurvivor]

Now...I'm checking on average at least 3x per day.

Before...I was doing good to get 3 tests in a month. :eek:

I'd like to test more after my meals, but I'll usually remember 3 or 4 hours after eating or just before my next meal. :( But, I've been way better about testing before I eat (whether it's a snack or a meal!) :rock: !

[Real4]

I have found out that if you check it you will know when you are going up and when you are going low, and you will know what to eat and not.

Let me know:)
I'm an insulin-using type II. I check about 6 times. But the most important thing is that I correct every time.

That is, I use my reading 1) to adjust my shot previous to the next meal, 2) to take an insulin correction shot, if between meals, 3) take some additional carbs or 4) do nothing - as is appropriate for the reading and the time of day.

If you take a reading and don't perform some action because of it, I don't see the value.