How To Use Blood Glucose Meter

True Metrix Go Blood Glucose Meter

Checking Blood Sugar (Glucose) Level | How to Use a Glucometer (Glucose Meter)

Meter basics. The Walgreens True Metrix Go is a clever, highly compact meter that actually snaps onto the top of a test strip vial, so you have everything you need all-in-one. Like its partner model, the True Metrix Go meter uses a 0.5-microliter sample to deliver blood glucose readings within 4 seconds. It also offers a 500-test memory, 7-, 14-, and 30-day averages, and data downloading capabilities.
User reviews. This meter received high reviews, averaging 4.8 out of 5 stars from a dozen reviews on the Walgreens website. Users love its small size that makes it easy to always have a glucose meter on their person no matter where they go.
This meter is extremely small and I was skeptical at first, but this has been the best meter as it is so portable, and ease to take with you when you just dont have the space or desire to drag around the typical blood glucose meter and strip pouch. Just attach to top of strip vial, slide on the sleeve and lancing device and your good to go. Tom
Works great. Easy to operate. That in itself is a very big deal. I like that it fits on top of the test strips canister, good idea. Roger

Meter cost. $13.49

Treating High Blood Pressure

How high blood pressure is treated must be determined by your physician and care team, and will depend on your age, overall health, level of hypertension, and tolerance of medications.

Like anything to do with treating diabetes and its associated conditions, the first step to dealing with hypertension is to sit down with your doctor.

Visit our website to shop for glucose meters, test strips, lancets, insulin syringes, pen needles, infusion sets, continuous glucose monitoring systems , ketone test strips, blood pressure monitors, and much more. Choose from leading manufacturers, including FreeStyle, Dexcom, Accu-Chek, True Metrix, One Touch, Contour Next and many others. Enjoy free delivery to your home or office with every order. Hear what our satisfied customers have to say and start saving now at Diabetic Warehouse.

Diabetic Warehouse is a trusted supplier of diabetes care products and accessories. For more information and to explore a complete range of products, including glucose meters and test strips, insulin syringes, pen needles, continuous glucose monitoring systems, and more, visit www.diabeticwarehouse.org.

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Get Your Blood Glucose Meter Ready

Hold the test strip with the printed side facing you.

Hold your blood glucose meter with the screen and buttons facing you.

Put the grey square end of the test strip into your meters test strip port .

Figure 11. Put the test strip into the port

Your meter should beep and turn on after you put the test strip in the port. If it does not:

Make sure you pushed the test strip all the way into the port.
Make sure the end of the test strip with the grey square is in the port.
Make sure the printed side of the test strip is facing you.

Your blood glucose meter is now ready. It will stay on for 3 minutes after you put in the test strip. If you do not apply a drop of blood to the tip of the test strip in that time, it will beep and turn off. If this happens, pull the test strip out and put it back into the port.

Do not apply blood to the test strip before you put it into the meter or when the meter is off. If you do, that strip will be ruined. Youll have to start over with a new one.

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What Are The Target Ranges

Blood glucose targets are individualized based on:

duration of diabetes
conditions a person may have
cardiovascular disease or diabetes complications
hypoglycemia unawareness
individual patient considerations

The American Diabetes Association suggests the following targets for most nonpregnant adults with diabetes. A1C targets differ based on age and health. Also, more or less stringent glycemic goals may be appropriate for each individual.

A1C: Less than 7%A1C may also be reported as eAG: Less than 154 mg/dL
Before a meal : 80130 mg/dL
1-2 hours after beginning of the meal *: Less than 180 mg/dL

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The Big Picture: Checking Your Blood Glucose

Blood sugar monitoring is the primary tool you have to find out if your blood glucose levels are within your target range. This tells you your blood glucose level at any one time.

Its important for blood glucose levels to stay in a healthy range. If glucose levels get too low, we can lose the ability to think and function normally. If they get too high and stay high, it can cause damage or complications to the body over the course of many years.

The logging of your results is vital. When you bring your log to your health care provider, youll have a good picture of your body’s response to your diabetes care plan. To help keep track of your levels, we have a glucose log. We also have a blood glucose log available for purchase that is smaller so you can carry it with you.

Keeping Track Of Your Results

Your healthcare provider will tell you how to keep track of your blood sugar levels and medication doses. Follow their instructions.
Bring your blood sugar log to all your appointments. This information will help your healthcare provider decide if they should change your current treatment plan. If you have questions about checking your blood sugar, ask your healthcare provider.

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Get Your Lancing Device Ready

Twist the white band on your lancing device to the right to unlock the endcap .

Figure 4. Twist the white band to the right

Pull the endcap straight off .

Figure 5. Pull the endcap straight off

Hold the lancet by the round tab. Firmly push it into the center of your lancing device until it cannot go in any more .

Figure 6. Push the lancet into your lancing device

Carefully twist the round tab 3 times. Be careful not to bend it. Pull the tab off and set it aside to use later . You should see a small needle where the tab was.

Figure 7. Pull the tab off the lancet

Put the endcap back on your lancing device in the unlocked position .

Figure 8. Put the endcap back on your lancing device

Twist the white band to the left to lock the endcap on .

Figure 9. Twist the white band to the left

Turn the black part of the endcap dial to set the puncture depth . Its best to start with level 1 or 2. You can set it to a higher level if you do not get a big enough blood drop.

Figure 10. Set the puncture depth

Your lancing device is now ready. Set it down. Pick up your blood glucose meter and test strip.

The Contour Diabetes App

Using a Blood Glucose Meter & Peak Flow Meter

The Contour Diabetes app works with your Contour Next One blood glucose meter. It lets you make notes, set reminders, see your results in a graph, and share your reports. If you want to use the app, you can download it from the Apple App Store® or Google Play store.

You do not need to download the Contour Diabetes app if you do not want to. The Contour Next One blood glucose meter works without the app.

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What Does Cgm Measure

CGM is a tool for people with diabetes. It measures your glucose levels 24 hours a day when you are wearing the device.

Insulin is a hormone that helps your body regulate blood sugar levels. If you have Type 1 diabetes, your body doesnt produce enough of the hormone insulin. In Type 2 diabetes, your body makes insulin but doesnt use it effectively.

People with diabetes need to give themselves insulin regularly to keep blood sugar levels steady.

When Should You Test Your Test Strips

The FDA and most diabetes care experts recommend using glucose control solution as a baseline in a few different situations:

Any time you open up a new vial of test strips. This helps ensure that the strips in the new vial are properly calibrated
The first time you measure your blood glucose with a new meter. This makes sure that the new device is working properly
Any time you drop a monitoring device. This can help make sure that the device isnt damaged and is still accurate
Any time you get a drastically different or very unexpected result. Sometimes devices malfunction, and checking your device can make sure that youre planning appropriately.

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Monitoring Your Blood Glucose Levels

Your doctor, diabetes nurse practitioner and diabetes educator can:

give you information about how to check your blood glucose levels
work with you to decide how often and at what times it would be best to check your levels
help you learn how checking your blood glucose levels regularly can show you patterns that you can use to make decisions about how to manage your diabetes.

Other Reasons For Monitoring Your Blood Glucose More Often

You will need to check your blood glucose more often if you:

take insulin, glipizide, gliclazide or glibenclamide and work in a hazardous job such as driving or operating machinery
have a big change in your daily routine
have poorly controlled blood glucose levels your healthcare team will advise you when to do this, so that your treatment can be adjusted.

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How To Do A Finger

Your healthcare team will show you how to do it the first time, but these are the key steps:

Wash your hands with soap and warm water. Dont use wet wipes as the glycerine in them can affect the test result. Make sure your hands are warm so its easier to get blood and wont hurt as much.
Take a test strip and slot it into the meter to turn it on. Some meters will have tests strips built in.
Remove the cap from your finger prick device and put in a new lancet. Then put the cap back on and set the device by pulling or clicking the plunger.
Choose which finger to prick but avoid your thumb or index finger . And dont prick the middle, or too close to a nail. Place the device against the side of your finger and press the plunger. Use a different finger each time and a different area.
Take your meter with the test strip and hold it against the drop of blood. Itll tell you if the test strip is filled, usually by beeping.
Before you look at your reading, check your finger. Use a tissue to stop bleeding, then use it to take out the lancet and throw it away in your sharps bin.
You can use the same tissue to take out the test strip and throw that away too. Taking out the strip will usually turn the meter off.

What Are The Advantages Of Using Cgm To Manage Diabetes

Using a CGM device can make it easier to manage Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Some people use CGM for a week to understand their blood sugar patterns. Most use CGM long-term.

A CGM device can:

Show you a bigger picture of how diabetes affects you: CGM measures glucose levels every few minutes. That data shows a more complete picture of how your blood sugar levels change over time. This information can help you and your provider better understand how things like food, activity, stress and illness impact your blood sugar levels.
Lead to more personalized care: CGM doesnt give the whole story of all the ways diabetes affects you. It tells you when glucose goes up or down, not why. But your provider can download CGM data from your device and review it for patterns and trends. They can then personalize your care based on what they learn.
Alert you to highs and lows: Most CGM devices send an alert when your glucose levels rise or fall a certain amount. With this information, you can make changes quickly. You may be able to treat or prevent highs or lows before they turn into a big problem.
Reduce how many fingerstick checks you need to do: CGM significantly reduces how many fingerstick tests youll need to do each day.

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Do I Need To Figure Out How To Use A Cgm Device On My Own

It takes time and patience to understand how a CGM device works. But you dont have to do it alone. Your provider will need to prescribe a CGM device .

Once you have a CGM, a qualified professional helps you learn how to use it safely. Your provider may recommend taking a diabetes education class or speaking one-on-one with a certified diabetes educator .

Keeping Track Of Your Readings

True Metrix Glucose Meter How to use

1Create a system to help you remember to do your readings. You and your doctor will make a plan for how often and at what times you should use your glucometer to check your blood sugar. Sometimes this should be done three times every day. It might be hard to remember this, especially at first, but creating a system to help you remember can get you into the habit.XTrustworthy SourceNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DiseasesHealth information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a division of the U.S. National Institutes of HealthGo to source

If your blood sugar is under control and you’re not using insulin, you only need to test your fasting blood sugar in the morning 2 to 3 times per week. If your blood sugar isn’t controlled and you’re not on insulin, test your blood sugar 1 to 3 times per day to track your highs.

If you’re taking insulin, test your blood sugar 3 to 5 times per day in the morning, after meals, and before bed. You might talk to your doctor about using a newer device that doesn’t require finger pricking and instead syncs to your phone.

Make a log that you have to check off for morning, afternoon, and evening. Put it on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror â somewhere that you look often throughout the day. Check off the boxes as you go.

Testing Blood Sugar With A Glucometer

1Clean your hands and sampling area. Use hot water and soap to wash your hands.XTrustworthy SourceCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMain public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human ServicesGo to source Clean the finger youâre going to prick with an alcohol swab, or with rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. Alcohol evaporates rapidly so there’s no need to dry the area that will just recontaminate it. Let the alcohol air dry.

Make sure your fingertips are warm. If they’re too cold, it’ll be hard for you to draw a blood sample. Using hot water when you wash your hands will help.

Most glucometers instruct you to prick your finger for a sample, but some of the newer blood glucose meters let you use an area on your arm. Determine which of these areas is acceptable for your meter. In general, a finger prick is the most accurate. Alternative sites are okay to use when blood glucose is stable, but not when potentially changing rapidly, such as after eating or exercising, or when hypoglycemic or ill.XTrustworthy SourceUS Food and Drug AdministrationU.S. government agency responsible for promoting public healthGo to source

2Assemble the device. Insert a test strip into the glucometer, ensuring your insert the proper end inward. Insert a lancet into the lancing device you use to prick your finger.XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Diabetes AssociationHealth-based nonprofit focused on preventing and researching diabetesGo to source

How Do I Choose A Blood Glucose Meter

Be sure to research the different types of blood glucose meter and ask your healthcare professionals about the different features that might benefit you, and which meters are easily available locally.

There are some smartphone apps such as MySugr and RapidCalc which will calculate meal and correction boluses for you, including some open source options.

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More Safety Considerations For Glucose Meters And Test Strips

You may be a pro at testing your blood sugar levels. But consider these safety reminders.

Follow instructions carefully. Glucose meters and test strips are sold with instructions for use. You can call the manufacturer of your device or your health care provider if you have questions.

Ask your health care provider to watch you test yourself. He or she can tell you if you are using your device correctly.

Do quality control checks of your device. Regularly test your meter using a control solution to make sure the test strips and meter are working properly together. Read the meters instructions for use to see how often you should test it.

Understand what the meter display means. Be sure you know how high and low glucose values are displayed on your meter. Sometimes they are displayed as LO or HI when the glucose level is beyond the range than the meter can measure. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions.

Know which test site gives the most accurate results. Readings from other areas of your body may not be as correct as fingertip readings.

Readings from alternate sitessuch as your forearm or palmcan be less accurate than fingertip readings when your glucose levels change quickly, for example, after you eat or during exercise.
Take a reading from a fingertip if you think your blood glucose is low, if you don’t normally have symptoms when your blood glucose is low, or if results from an alternate test site dont match how you feel.

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