Managing your blood sugar: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Hyperglycemia - control; Hypoglycemia - control; Diabetes - blood sugar control

Take control of your diabetes

Know the basic steps for managing your diabetes to stay healthy. Poorly managed diabetes can lead to many health problems.

Know how to:

• Recognize and treat low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Recognize and treat high blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
• Plan diabetes meals
• Monitor your blood sugar
• Take care of yourself when you are sick
• Find, buy, and store diabetes supplies
• Get the checkups you need

If you take insulin, you should also know how to:

• Give yourself insulin
• Adjust your insulin doses and the foods you eat to manage your blood sugar during exercise and on sick days

You should also live a healthy lifestyle.

• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
• Try speed walking, swimming, or dancing. Pick an activity you enjoy. Always check with your doctor before starting any new exercise plans.
• Follow your meal plan.

Take your medicines the way your doctor or nurse recommends.

Check your blood sugar often

Checking your blood sugar levels often and writing down the results will tell you how well you are managing your diabetes. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about how often you should check your blood sugar.

• Not everyone with diabetes needs to check their blood sugar every day. But some people may need to check it many times a day.
• If you have type 1 diabetes, check your blood sugar at least 4 times a day.

Usually, you will test your blood sugar before meals and at bedtime. You may also check your blood sugar:

• After you eat out, especially if you have eaten foods you do not normally eat
• If you feel sick
• Before and after you exercise
• If you have a lot of stress
• If you eat too much
• If you are taking new medicines

Keep a record for yourself and your doctor or nurse. This will be a big help if you are having problems managing your diabetes. It will also tell you what works and what doesn't work, to keep your blood sugar under control. Write down:

• The time of day
• Your blood sugar level
• The amount of carbohydrates or sugar you ate
• The type and dose of your diabetes medicines or insulin
• The type of exercise you do and for how long
• Any unusual events, such as feeling stressed, eating different foods, or being sick

Many glucose meters let you store this information.

You and your health care provider should set a target goal for your blood sugar levels for different times during the day. If your blood sugar is higher than your goals for 3 days and you do not know why, call your doctor or nurse.

Recommended blood sugar targets

For people with type 1 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends the following blood sugar targets. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about these goals.

Before meals, your blood sugar should be:

• From 90 to 130 mg/dl for adults
• From 90 to 130 mg/dl for children, 13 to 19 years old
• From 90 to 180 mg/dl for children, 6 to 12 years old
• From 100 to 180 mg/dl for children under 6 years old

After meals (1 to 2 hours after eating), your blood sugar should be:

• Less than 180 mg/dl for adults

At bedtime, your blood sugar should be:

• From 90 to 150 mg/dl for adults
• From 90 to 150 mg/dl for children, 13 to 19 years old
• From 100 to 180 mg/dl for children, 6 to 12 years old
• From 110 to 200 mg/dl for children under 6 years old

For people with type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends the following blood sugar targets. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about these goals.

Before meals, your blood sugar should be:

• From 70 to 130 mg/dl for adults

After meals (1 to 2 hours after eating), your blood sugar should be:

• Less than 180 mg/dl for adults

What to do when your blood sugar is high or low

High blood sugar can harm you. If your blood sugar is high, you need to know how to bring it down. Here are some questions to ask yourself if your blood sugar is high.

• Are you eating too much or too little? Have you been following your diabetes meal plan?
• Are you taking your diabetes medicines correctly?
• Has your doctor changed your medicines?
• If you take insulin, have you been taking the correct dose?
• Are you afraid of having low blood sugar? Is that causing you to eat too much or take too little insulin or other diabetes medicine?
• Have you injected insulin into a scar or overused area? Have you been rotating sites?
• Have you been less or more active than usual?
• Do you have a cold, the flu, or another illness?
• Have you had some stress?
• Have you been checking your blood sugar every day?
• Have you gained or lost weight?

When to call the doctor

Call your doctor if your blood sugar is too high or too low and you don't understand why. When your blood sugar is in your target range, you will feel better and your health will be better.

References

Alemzadeh R, Ali O. Diabetes mellitus. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme JW III, et al., eds.Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics

American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes -- 2014. Diabetes Care. 2014;37:S14-S80.

Buse JB, Polonsky KS, Burant C. Type 2 diabetes mellitus. In: Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, Kronenberg HM, eds.Williams Textbook of Endocrinology

Eisenbarth GS, Buse JB. Type 1 diabetes mellitus. In: Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, Kronenberg HM, eds.Williams Textbook of Endocrinology

Update Date 8/5/2014

Updated by: Brent Wisse, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Nutrition, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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