Aa
do blood glucose meters work for pre-diabetics?
Hello
I have a lower, but not "normal" fasting blood glucose level. About 102 when I wake up in the morning. I am working to improve my diet and hope to see results on my glucose meter. But this morning for some reason I decided to take a few readings in a row and they ranged from 96-106. I did about 5 and each one was different.
I read online that these meters are only good in a +/- 15% range. Which is about what I was getting -- readings within a 15% range.
Is there any way I can reliably test my fasting glucose to see if it is improving?
thanks
felicity
I have a lower, but not "normal" fasting blood glucose level. About 102 when I wake up in the morning. I am working to improve my diet and hope to see results on my glucose meter. But this morning for some reason I decided to take a few readings in a row and they ranged from 96-106. I did about 5 and each one was different.
I read online that these meters are only good in a +/- 15% range. Which is about what I was getting -- readings within a 15% range.
Is there any way I can reliably test my fasting glucose to see if it is improving?
thanks
felicity
I have an accuchek Aviva and find it to be quite reliable. Yes, it is good to wash your hands and dry them well. One time I had some sugarfree jam on my hands and my blood sugar was 400; I nearly screamed before I guessed, washed, and took it again. It doesn't matter about the blood as long as you have enough to activate the meter.
Every diabetic has different patterns, and different beginnings to their symptoms. Some people tend to have trouble with fasting more than post prandial and some the reverse. It doesn't really mean too much at this point. Being pre-diabetic is a great opportunity to change your behaviors and control your blood sugar with weight loss if needed, diet and exercise; and good for you for dealing with it now! If you want to talk to other pre-diabetics send me a PM and I'll give you a couple websites that have forums specifically for pre-diabetes.
Every diabetic has different patterns, and different beginnings to their symptoms. Some people tend to have trouble with fasting more than post prandial and some the reverse. It doesn't really mean too much at this point. Being pre-diabetic is a great opportunity to change your behaviors and control your blood sugar with weight loss if needed, diet and exercise; and good for you for dealing with it now! If you want to talk to other pre-diabetics send me a PM and I'll give you a couple websites that have forums specifically for pre-diabetes.
what does it mean that my fasting blood sugar is a bit high, but while eating it is fine or even low (just now it was 79)?
thanks so much, yes this makes sense.
thankfully my readings after eating seem to be fine. 120 is highest i've seen.
is there any meter that is any more reliable than others?
is there anything i need to be sure to do to make it more reliable? wash my hands? make a nice big bubble of blood? i don't want to be guessing and going on superstition....
thankfully my readings after eating seem to be fine. 120 is highest i've seen.
is there any meter that is any more reliable than others?
is there anything i need to be sure to do to make it more reliable? wash my hands? make a nice big bubble of blood? i don't want to be guessing and going on superstition....
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Yes meters do have a variance, but you will make yourself crazy if you take several readings in a row. (Not to mention test strips are expensive!). I suggest you just take one reading when you wake up and use that for your records. What those of us (diabetics) who have been doing this for awhile have learned is that one reading isn't all that meaningful, but patterns of meetings are. So if you are from 100-106 for a week and then the next week all in the 90s that is meaningful. My suggestion is also to check your post prandials which are two hours after meals. This will accomplish two things: Some people have decent fastings but are too high after meals. But more important it will give you information as to how the changes in diet are working. You want to be under 140 2 hours after eating, 120 is even better.