The frequency with which you check your blood glucose depends on what type of diabetes you have, if you have any at all, and what your doctor recommends if you don't have diabetes or have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Blood glucose is the main source of energy in the body and comes from carbohydrate foods. Insulin produced by the pancreas helps the body use glucose effectively.
Types
There are several different types of blood glucose tests. They include the fasting blood glucose test, which checks your blood after you haven't eaten for eight hours; the two-hour post-prandial test, which tests your blood two hours after you have a meal; the random or casual blood glucose test, which tests your blood at any time of day; and the oral glucose tolerance test, which is primarily administered to women who are pregnant to check for gestational diabetes. The glucose tolerance test is given after patients drink a particularly sweet liquid that contains glucose.
Frequency
MayoClinic.com suggests that patients with type 1 diabetes should test their blood glucose three times a day such as before or after a meal, before or after exercise and before bed. Likewise, type 2 diabetes patients should test up to three times a day, depending on how often they take insulin. Type 1 diabetics may even have to test more frequently if they are ill or if their daily routines change. Type 2 diabetics who have their disease well managed may not have to test their glucose levels as frequently. In any event, it's important to follow your doctor's advice closely.
Targets
MayoClinic.com advises that the fasting blood glucose level should be between 90 and 130 mg/dL, or 5 and 7 mmol/L. Before meals, the range should be between 70 and 130 mg/dL, or 4 and 7 mmol/L and two hours after meals, the target should be lower than 180 mg/dL, or 10 mmol/L. Reaching those targets usually requires a dedicated effort regarding diet, exercise and medication adherence. Age and complications from diabetes, such as heart disease, can make reaching your doctor-established targets more difficult.
Recording Your Data
Keeping track of blood glucose readings is important both to see how meals, physical activity and time of day affect your blood sugar levels, as well as to track trends, both positive and negative. If your glucose levels gradually move farther from their targets or become consistently distant from your target range, you and your doctor can work to adjust your medications or come up with a plan to improve your diet and exercise routine. Trends in readings at certain parts of the day can also help you manage your condition hour-to-hour, MayoClinic.com suggests. Many home blood glucose meters have extensive memories that allow you to download the data on a computer or you can record the readings yourself to share with your doctor.
Misconceptions
While a urine test can reveal elevated levels of glucose in the body, the American Diabetes Association reports that urine checks are not as accurate as blood tests for glucose levels. Urine checks for ketones are important, because ketones are compounds that indicate your body is using fat for energy instead of glucose.
Pre-Diabetes
If your glucose levels are high, but not high enough to be considered diabetes, your doctor may diagnose you as having pre-diabetes. In many cases, this diagnosis should be considered a warning that you need to lose weight and improve your diet and level of physical activity. If you are considered pre-diabetic, the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse recommends you have your glucose levels checked again in a year or two.
