How often do diabetics need to check their blood sugar levels by pricking their finger?

Q: �How often do diabetics need to check their blood sugar levels by pricking their
finger?�

A: That will vary; there are SEVEN diseases called �diabetes�; and four of them do NOT
require BG (Blood Glucose - the correct term for �blood sugar�) testing; and the other
three vary.

The four types of DI - Diabetes Insipidus - diabetics do NOT have to check BG at all;
their problem is a lack of, poor storage of, or poor response to the fluid-regulatory
hormone vasopressin, and this has NOTHING to do with metabolism, diet, weight, or BG
levels.

The three DM diseases ALL require SOME degree of BG management - but it varies from
type to type, and from patient to patient within each type - AND based on some technological issues.

Type 1 Autoimmune DM, or T1, is a disease wherein the patient�s own immune system
completely destroys the ability to produce insulin; such patients MUST inject insulin
multiple times daily - or use a pump to infuse it constantly. But insulin can lower BG too
much; and it must be dosed with each meal, in the right amount. For us, it is essential
to know BG level BEFORE EACH MEAL, plus one and two hours AFTER each meal; it�s
also important to know what it is before sleeping for the night - in case it�s too low.

When I was using fingerpick tests - I tested ten times a day; immediately upon waking,
immediately before each meal, at one and two hours after each meal, and at bedtime.
That�s �only� ten, because upon waking and immediately before breakfast are the same
test. BUT� after a few months of such intense testing, I found I could often use only
ONE of the post-meal tests; which one would vary based on circumstances; but the
point is to be sure BG has lowered adequately after a meal - but not too much.

Nowadays, I use a CGM - Continuous Glucose Meter. CGMs do NOT measure BG; they measure IG - Interstitial Glucose, which is a lag indicator. That means I still do fingerpick
tests to get my actual BG NOW - because if my BG is dropping or rising rapidly, I want to
know what it is right now - not wait until it�s too late to fix it. In any event� my
frequency of fingerpick testing is way down - about three to five times a day, but more
often at the three times a day end of that range. BUT� using the CGM, I�m now able to
check my BG levels - about 15 minutes after it�s happened - two dozen times a day.

BUT� it is ESSENTIAL for DM patients - ALL OF US - to maintain our BG levels as close
to the normal range (90 to 120 mg/dl, or 5.00 to 6.67 mmol/L) as possible - for as
much time as possible. Severely low BG can kill in minutes; prolonged periods of
elevated BG DAMAGE EVERY TISSUE IN THE BODY - which is why so many DM patients experience all the nasty �complications� that DM is known for.

SO� it�s is ESSENTIAL to TEST, ADJUST, and REVIEW all the time, to avoid those complications.

Posted by: Wayne Bottlick

Full story: https://www.quora.com/How-often-do-diabetics-need-to-check-their-blood-sugar-levels-
by-pricking-their-finger


--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v7.0
* Origin: The Hobby Line! BBS (999:1/1)