Blood Sugar Numbers

Often when a person is diagnosed with diabetes and taking certain diabetes medication, their provider will ask them to monitor their blood sugar (or blood glucose) at home. The person with diabetes will be able to pick up their testing supplies (blood sugar meter, test strips, and lancets) at their pharmacy. Once they have their supplies, they can meet with a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist to learn how to use them. Checking blood sugar at home involves taking a small drop of blood and applying it to a test strip that has been placed in the blood sugar meter. The meter gives a result of how much sugar is in the person’s blood at that time. This information tells the person with diabetes how well their diabetes care plan is working. Depending on what time of day a person checks their blood sugar will depend on what the result may be. Usually, if a person checks their blood sugar fasting (before eating in the morning) or before any meal, the goal range is 80-130 mg/dl. If a person checks their blood sugar 2 hours after a meal, the goal range is less than 180 mg/dl. If a person gets a number outside of these ranges, they may need to consider making lifestyle changes or asking their provider about adjusting medications.

The second way to monitor a person’s blood sugar is using a lab test called a Hemoglobin A1C or A1C. This test is performed through bloodwork and is usually completed every 3-6 months. The A1C test gives a 3-month average of a person’s blood sugar. This test is often used to diagnose diabetes as well as to see how well a person’s diabetes is being managed. The goal for most people with diabetes is to have an A1C less than 7%.

Checking blood sugar at home or using an A1C test helps determine how things are going for the person with diabetes. For more diabetes education, visit Diabetes Management & Staying on Track | NovoCare® Diabetes Education.

If you have diabetes and are interested in seeing a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, please call 920-568-5247 to schedule an appointment.