Diabetes and Home Tests

If you have diabetes, you may wonder, "How can I do everything I need to do to stay healthy?" Caring for diabetes can seem like a difficult task. You may feel uneasy about giving yourself tests and medication.

But you can have diabetes and still lead a normal life. The steps you take to care for yourself should be a part of your daily routine. Learn these steps well--they will help you to stay healthy.

What steps do I need to take?
Your health care provider will talk to you what steps you need to take to manage your diabetes. The goal is to keep your blood glucose (sugar) and fat levels as normal as you can. The steps include:

• Giving yourself insulin injections (shots) or taking diabetes medications. Your health care provider will tell you if you need to take shots or diabetes medication.
• Eating foods that are part of your meal plan
• Exercising
• Testing your blood and urine
• Getting regular check-ups

What tests do I need to do at home?

• Blood test--The blood test is used to measure the amount of glucose in your blood. It will help you know if your meal plan, exercise and medicine are working to control your blood glucose.
• Urine test--The urine test looks for ketones in your urine. This can be done if you are sick or if your blood glucose level is very high.

Keep good records of your tests. Your health care provider can use your records to adjust your meal plan, medications or exercise program. Take your records with you when you visit your doctor.

How do I test my blood?
The traditional blood glucose testing method involves pricking your finger with a small, sharp needle called a lancet, putting a drop of blood on a test strip and using a meter that displays your blood glucose level.

Blood glucose meters and test strips are available at your local pharmacy. Meters vary in features, readability, portability and cost. Some meters also feature management software kits that retrieve information (data) from the meter and display charts and graphs of the meter owner's blood glucose levels.

Your health care provider can help you select a meter that is best for your needs.

When do I test my blood sugar?
Blood glucose tests are done before meals and/or at bedtime. Your health care provider will tell you how often and when to check your blood glucose. A random sampling of blood glucose testing before breakfast, before dinner and at bedtime is most helpful.

What should my blood sugar level be?
The chart below gives you an idea of what your blood glucose level should be. Blood glucose ranges may be different for each person and can change throughout the day. Your health care provider will tell you what range is good for you.

If your blood glucose is less than 70 mg/dl and you have more than one unexplained low blood glucose reaction a week, call your health care provider.

If your blood glucose is greater than 180 mg/dl for more than a week or if you have two consecutive readings greater than 300 mg/dl, call your health care provider.

In most cases, your doctor will suggest changes in your diabetes management.

What should I know about "ketones"?
When your body uses its own fat for energy instead of sugar, ketones appear in your urine. Ketones usually appear when your blood sugar is more than 300 mg/dl. If ketones build up in your blood, you can develop a very dangerous health condition known as ketoacidosis.

How do I test my urine for ketones?
You test for ketones by dipping a test strip into your urine. The test strip changes color and is then matched to a color chart.

When should I test for ketones?
Test your urine for ketones if:

• Your blood sugar is 300 mg/dl or more
• You feel sick

If your urine show signs of ketones, call your health care provider right away.

Where can I learn more?
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311
1 (703) 549-1500 or 1 (800) 342-2383
www.diabetes.org

Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International
120 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005
1 (800) 533-2873
www.jdrf.org

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
1 (301) 654-3327
www.niddk.nih.gov

Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland
(216) 591-0800
www.dagc.org

Or, contact your local chapters of the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

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