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Are You Making These 3 Blood Glucose Monitoring (BGM) Mistakes?

Managing blood glucose levels is a crucial part of diabetes care. Whether you're newly diagnosed or have been living with diabetes for years, accurate and consistent blood glucose monitoring (BGM) is essential for making informed decisions about your diet, exercise, and medication. However, even with the best intentions, it’s easy to fall into common mistakes that can skew your results and negatively impact your health. Let’s dive into three prevalent BGM mistakes and how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: Inconsistent Testing and Poor Timing

One of the most significant pitfalls in blood glucose management is inconsistent testing. Sporadic or random testing doesn't provide a clear picture of your glucose trends throughout the day. This makes it difficult to identify patterns and adjust your treatment plan effectively. Furthermore, the timing of your tests is just as important.

• Inconsistent Testing: Failing to test at recommended intervals as suggested by your healthcare provider.
• Random Testing: Testing only when you feel high or low, instead of following a structured schedule.
• Poor Timing: Not testing before meals, 2 hours after meals, before bedtime, and before/after exercise.

Why It Matters: Consistent and well-timed testing gives you a comprehensive view of how your blood sugar responds to various factors, like the food you eat, physical activity, and medication. Without this information, it's like navigating without a map.

How to Fix It:

1. Follow Your Doctor’s Recommendations: Adhere to the testing schedule prescribed by your healthcare team. This typically includes testing before meals, two hours after meals, before bed, and before and after exercise.
2. Set Reminders: Use alarms or apps to remind yourself to test at the correct times. Consistency is key.
3. Keep a Log: Maintain a detailed record of your blood glucose readings, including the date, time, and any relevant notes about food, activity, or medication. This can be invaluable for identifying patterns.
4. Understand Your Medication: Different diabetes medications affect blood glucose levels differently. Be sure you're testing frequently enough to understand how your medication is working and adjust the dosage as needed under the guidance of your doctor.

Mistake #2: Improper Technique and Equipment Issues

Even with a diligent testing schedule, inaccurate results can stem from faulty technique or poorly maintained equipment. This can lead to confusion, incorrect medication dosages, and potentially dangerous fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. Mastering Blood Sugar Balance For More Energy And Better Health

• Dirty Hands: Not washing your hands thoroughly before testing.
• Insufficient Blood Sample: Squeezing the finger too hard, resulting in a contaminated or inadequate blood sample.
• Expired Test Strips: Using test strips that have passed their expiration date.
• Contaminated or Dirty Meter: Using an unclean meter or one that is covered in dust or debris.
• Meter Calibration Issues: Failing to calibrate your meter correctly, or not knowing how to calibrate at all.
• Using the wrong code The code number on your meter must match the number on your test strips to avoid inaccurate results.
• Incorrect Strip Storage: Storing strips in a hot or humid environment.

Why It Matters: Accurate results are paramount for making informed decisions about your health. Contaminated samples or malfunctioning equipment can throw off your readings, leading to potentially dangerous consequences. Decoding Your Blood Sugar Chart A Guide For Persons With Diabetes

How to Fix It:

1. Wash Your Hands: Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before testing. Ensure they are completely dry.
2. Proper Lancing Technique: Use a lancing device and adjust the depth setting as needed. Avoid squeezing the finger excessively; gently encourage blood flow. Try a different finger if you are having difficulty obtaining blood.
3. Check Expiration Dates: Regularly check the expiration dates on your test strips and dispose of expired strips properly. Expired strips may provide inaccurate results.
4. Meter Maintenance: Keep your meter clean and free of dust or debris. Refer to your meter's user manual for specific cleaning instructions.
5. Control Solution Checks: Use control solutions regularly to verify the accuracy of your meter and test strips. Follow the instructions in your meter's manual for how to perform control solution testing.
6. Proper Strip Storage: Store test strips in their original container in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Trends and Lack of Action

Accurate and consistent blood glucose readings are useless if you don’t use them to identify trends and make necessary adjustments. Simply recording the numbers without analyzing them is like collecting data for the sake of collecting data.

• Not Identifying Patterns: Failing to recognize patterns such as consistently high morning readings or post-meal spikes.
• Delayed Action: Not making adjustments to your diet, exercise, or medication based on these trends.
• Lack of Communication with Healthcare Provider: Not sharing your data and trends with your doctor or diabetes educator.
• Overlooking Lifestyle Factors: Dismissing the impact of stress, sleep, and illness on blood glucose levels.

Why It Matters: Proactive management based on observed trends is essential for maintaining optimal blood sugar control. Ignoring these patterns can lead to chronic hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), increasing your risk of complications. What To Expect During Your Fasting Blood Sugar Test

How to Fix It:

1. Review Your Log Regularly: Dedicate time each week to review your blood glucose logs and identify patterns. Look for recurring highs or lows at specific times of the day.
2. Make Small Adjustments: Based on your identified trends, make small, incremental adjustments to your diet, exercise, or medication (in consultation with your doctor).
3. Consult Your Healthcare Team: Regularly share your blood glucose data and identified trends with your doctor or diabetes educator. They can provide personalized guidance and adjust your treatment plan as needed.
4. Factor in Lifestyle Considerations: Recognize the impact of stress, sleep, and illness on your blood glucose levels. Adjust your monitoring and management accordingly during these periods.
5. Consider Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM): A CGM can provide real-time data and alert you to highs and lows, even before you feel symptoms.

Summary

Avoiding these common blood glucose monitoring mistakes is crucial for effective diabetes management. By testing consistently and at the right times, using proper technique and equipment, and actively using your data to identify trends and make necessary adjustments, you can achieve better control over your blood glucose levels and improve your overall health. Always consult with your healthcare provider for personalized guidance and support.

Here's a table summarizing these key BGM mistakes and their solutions:

Mistake	Solution
Inconsistent Testing and Poor Timing	Follow recommended schedule, set reminders, keep a detailed log.
Improper Technique and Equipment Issues	Wash hands, use proper lancing, check expiration dates, maintain meter, control solution checks, use correct codes.
Ignoring Trends and Lack of Action	Review log regularly, make small adjustments, consult your healthcare team, consider a CGM.

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By Rozalina G. McCoy, M.D., M.S.