Home blood glucose testing gives an accurate picture of your blood glucose level at the time of the test. It involves pricking the side of your finger (as opposed to the pad) with a finger-pricking device and putting a drop of blood on a testing strip. A meter will read the result automatically. keep a diary of your results to help you and your healthcare team work out whether your treatment needs to be adjusted.
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What should my blood glucose levels be?
Aim for blood glucose levels of 4-6 millimoles per litre (mmol/l) before meals and at no higher than 10 millimoles per litre (mmol/l) two hours after meals. Occasional blood glucose levels higher than this should not cause concern, but if your blood glucose levels are often higher, then discuss this with your diabetes team. Always take your test results with you to show them. Evidence shows that by sticking within these targets you can help to reduce the risk of long term complications associated with diabetes.
I have been told to test my urine for glucose…
Urine testing involves holding a test strip under a stream of urine for a few seconds and comparing the colour change on the strip, after a set amount of time, with the chart on the strip container. This shows the percentage of glucose in the urine where 0 per cent is the ideal.
