Blood Glucose Meter Testing For Diabetes
A blood glucose meter such as those produced by Bayer Diagnostics including the Ascencia Breeze and Ascensia Contour are a tool which helps a person with diabetes to meter their blood glucose (sugar) levels themselves. They may also sometimes be referred to as SMBG’s.
Each one of the devices is about the size of an MP3 player and most run on batteries. There are even some models which come with a carry case also. These then allow you to store other essential pieces of equipment that you will need to carry with you so that you test your blood sugar levels at anytime and anywhere.
Most of the models today operate using two different systems. The first is known as reflectance photometer devices and these blast a small beam of light at the blood sample and will then measure the changes to the light as it bounces back at it. The other devices are known as electrochemical meters (the more modern of the two devices). It works by measuring the electrical currents produced by the glucose found in the blood sample provided. But which ever one you use will then produce a number which indicates just what level of glucose there is in your blood.
We have explained a little bit about what glucose meters do, but just how much does one cost? Certainly they are not as expensive as you may think and if you were to look for one you may find that there are some being offered to people for free. Certainly in the USA you may discover that your health insurance will cover the cost of you getting your diabetes supplies. However if they do not or you do not in fact have insurance then a lot of pharmacies and clinics will provide these meters for people to use at no charge whatsoever. Unfortunately although you may actually get the meter for free you may well discover that you will need to buy the test strips yourself for them. The problem being that the test strips available today can not be used between various different models and makes. So you will only be able to use the ones that are actually designed for the model you have. However the Ascensia Breeze helps to alleviate the situation because this uses a disc that contains strips so no longer do you need to worry about fiddling around with individual strips every time you need to carry out a test.
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with Type I or Type II diabetes, one of the first considerations will be keeping the disease under control. Your physician may recommend regular self-testing of your blood with the assistance of a blood glucose meter. If so, this is nothing to fear. It is possible today to obtain a free blood glucose meter from a number of companies.
How often should you test your blood glucose level? Again, your physician will advise you for your specific situation. However, here are some general guidelines:
1. If you are already injecting insulin for your diabetes, whether Type I or Type II, you should test your blood using a glucose testing meter prior to each meal and again prior to going to bed at night. Such frequent testing is essential because blood glucose levels can be erratic.
2. If you have Type II diabetes and currently control the disease through a healthy diet, exercise or perhaps medication that maintains stability, then twice per day blood glucose testing should be sufficient. This is recommended prior to your morning and evening meals.
Don’t ever be afraid of testing too often and remember the above are just guidelines. If you are preparing for a rigorous exercise session or plan to indulge in foods that are normally a bit outside of your normal diet guidelines, an extra test may be in order.
Fortunately, it is possible today to obtain a free blood glucose meter and even to choose between several different free glucose testing meters from a single company. What should you look for when considering applying for a free glucose meter?
First, you may wish to check with your medical professional and ask him or her if there are any specific brands they recommend. Some of the available blood glucose meters have options to download the test data onto a computer. Your medical professional may wish to track your progress by retrieving the data from your testing meter to his or her computer.
Second, you may want to consider ordering a free glucose testing meter from a company who will take care of all the insurance papers on your behalf, whether for Medicare, Medicaid or your private insurance company. This can be a big time saver and avoid a lot of hassle. Look for a company that does not require up front payments from you, but will only charge you your share of co-payments and/or deductible and submit the claim direct to your insurance company for their portion. You don’t want the inconvenience of paying first and waiting for reimbursement checks.
Remember that you, and you alone, are responsible for following the proper treatment and care to ensure a healthy and successful life with diabetes. You must be 100% committed to following proper diet and exercise habits, and maintaining control of your blood glucose levels through regular self-testing.
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Talking Blood Glucose Meter
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