If you have diabetes, you must be asked by your doctor to monitor your sugar levels regularly. Besides checking your HbA1c levels, sugar monitoring with a home-use glucometer is a must. You may use a simple glucometer or the newer and more technologically advanced mobile-based glucometer. Where most of the equipment required for testing is a one-time investment, diabetes test strips are the only recurring cost a person with diabetes needs to incur to continue testing.
The BeatO smartphone glucometer attaches via the audio port of your phone and allows you to save your readings, view trends and analyses, set reminders, and share readings, in addition to other useful features for diabetics.
For Checking Your Blood Sugar at Home, Your Diabetic Kit Must Include the Following:
- A glucometer
- Blood glucose test strip as recommended by your glucometer manufacturer
- Lancing device
- Lancets
Some GENERAL TIPS for using Diabetes Test Strips:
- Never reuse test strips
- Do not leave strips in direct sunlight or humidity
- Do not bend strips
- Always wash hands before using strips to ensure blood glucose levels are not affected by contamination
- Always dispose of the used test strips carefully in a sealed pack
FREQUENCY OF TESTING AND NUMBER OF STRIPS REQUIRED PER MONTH
You must always first ask your doctor or medical practitioner how often you should test. Here are some general guidelines and the average number of strips you will require per month.
- Gestational Diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy, requires you to be extremely vigilant to ensure the health and safety of baby and mom. You may be asked to check your blood glucose as often as 3-4 times a day.
Read More: Gestational Diabetes Diet: All You Need to Know
TOTAL NUMBER OF GLUCOMETER STRIPS needed per month = 120
- Insulin-dependent or Type 1 diabetes also requires checking sugar levels 3-4 times a day to determine the amount of insulin he/she needs.
TOTAL NUMBER OF GLUCOMETER TEST STRIPS needed per month = 120
- Newly diagnosed diabetics will usually check more often than long-time standing diabetics in order to understand how their blood sugar affects their health and how diet and exercise affect their sugar levels. Here you are likely to be checking at least 2-3 times a week.
TOTAL NUMBER OF GLUCOMETER TEST STRIPS needed per month = 12
- Drug or medication-induced diabetes is called secondary diabetes that may occur due to taking certain medications or maybe as a consequence of having other health conditions. In such cases, a person needs to take extra care and monitor sugar levels as often as 3-4 times a day. Here, diabetes may go away on stopping medication or may be permanent depending on what other health condition the patient has.
TOTAL NUMBER OF GLUCOMETER TEST STRIPS needed per month = 120
- Long-standing Type 2 diabetics usually need to check blood sugar no more than 2-3 times a week. This may vary if your diabetes is uncontrolled or if you are traveling or have an illness or any other medical condition.
TOTAL NUMBER OF GLUCOMETER STRIPS needed per month = 12
One can calculate the cost you will incur based on the number of sugar teststrips you are likely to use per month.
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