How to Check Your Blood Sugar Count

Do you need to check your blood sugar count regularly? If you are hypoglycemic or diabetic, you will need to check regularly to make sure that you stay within a normal range. If you have either of these conditions in your family history, are over sixty years old, or are overweight, you will want to occasionally check your blood sugar count to make sure that you stay within normal levels. You can ask your doctor to check for you if you are in on a routine visit, but it is also very possible to check it at home with the proper equipment.

Instructions

• 1

  Purchase the necessary equipment. You will need a blood glucose monitor, test strips, a lancet device, and lancets in order to check your blood sugar count. This is all available over the Internet and at your local pharmacy.

• 2

  Wash your hands very thoroughly. This is done for two reasons. It is done so that the area is completely clean so as to not skew the blood sugar count reported. There can occasionally be residue on your fingertip that can alter the results one way or another. It is also done in order to stimulate circulation so as to ensure that you get enough blood to take an accurate reading.

• 3

  Use the lancet to puncture your fingertip. Follow the manufacturer's instructions, but most lancet devices work in a similar manner. There is a numbered dial on them to set the depth of needle penetration. The higher the number, the deeper the cut and more blood you are likely to draw. Higher numbers are used if you have poor blood circulation or if you have thick skin.

• 4

  Place the collection end of the test strip against the drop of blood at your fingertip. It is designed to be very absorbent, so all you will have to do is touch the test area against the blood drop and it will draw it in. You will need a large drop of blood in order to get an accurate blood sugar count.

• 5

  Insert the interface end of the test strip into the monitor. It will take a few seconds to calculate the results. When it is finished, it will display your blood sugar count on the display. Some models will give you the option of saving your result. Depending on your specific plan and needs, you may want to save it for future reference.