One of the habits a diabetic must quickly acclimate to is self testing of blood glucose levels.
Though this may seem like a never-ending chore, if a diabetes patient desires a healthy and active life a cornerstone of good (basic) diabetes management is self testing.
Since no two diabetic's treatment is the same with respect to diet, exercise, and medication, a blood glucose level self testing routine must also be customized for each individual.
By working closely with your doctor and vigilantly monitoring your symptoms, it is relatively easy to arrive at a healthy but unobtrusive self testing regimen.
One of the first questions most diabetics have is how often they should check their glucose levels.
Though your doctor will probably recommend more frequent self testing initially, once your levels are under control the frequency needed may drop.
Since so many factors combine to contribute to your overall blood glucose levels a cornerstone of good (basic) diabetes management is self testing.
Diet, exercise, and medications can all have significant effects on your readings and therefore it is important to settle on a schedule that includes both the frequency and times of day which you self test your blood glucose levels.
Even though a diabetic may settle on a self testing and lifestyle routine that helps to keep their levels at healthy levels, there are also special situations that may necessitate extra tests.
If you experience any symptoms that may point to a low blood sugar condition, such as dizziness, confusion, or sleepiness you should immediately perform a self test.
The risk of these symptoms leading to seizure or loss of consciousness is very real, so a cornerstone of good (basic) diabetes management is self testing as soon as possible when any of these symptoms occur.
You should also perform an extra test if you perform a job with heavy machinery or are going to be driving.
A cornerstone of good (basic) diabetes management is self testing, and there are also reasons to occasionally increase the frequency of your self testing for short periods.
If your doctor feels you are healthy enough to begin exercising or increasing the level of your exercise this can affect your blood glucose levels and should be accompanied by a correlating increase in frequency of self testing.
If you are sick or your stress levels increase you should also ensure that you take blood glucose levels more often.