Checking Your blood sugar - UNM Hospitals

Diabetes
WHAT
YOU
NEED
TO
KNOW
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes means that there is too
much sugar in your blood. Too much
sugar causes damage to the body.
Diabetes happens when there is a
problem with a hormone called
insulin. Insulin helps the body use
sugar from the food we eat as
energy that our body can use.
Type 2 diabetes means that your body
still makes insulin. Your body may not
make enough insulin, or the insulin
may not work the way it should.
People with type 2 diabetes may need
to take insulin or other medicines to
keep blood sugar from getting too
high.
Type 1 diabetes means that your
Inside:
body does not make insulin. People
with type 1 diabetes need to take
insulin to stay alive.
Checking your blood sugar
2
Low blood sugar
3
About insulin
4
UNMH Diabetes Education
2007
2211 Lomas Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Medications
5-6
Food and diabetes
7-9
Follow up support
10
(505) 951-4352
2011, University of New Mexico Hospitals
Checking your blood sugar
Checking your blood sugars will help you take the right steps to control your diabetes. A
finger stick test will tell you how much sugar is in your blood at the time you test.
How to check your blood sugar:
1. Wash your hands with soap and water
2. Insert a test strip into your meter
3. Use a lancet to poke the side of your
fingertip
4. Gently squeeze your finger until a drop of
blood forms
5. Touch and hold the edge of the test strip to
the drop of blood
6. Your meter will show your blood glucose
level
When should I check my blood
sugars?
7. Write down your result in a log book
8. Bring your meter and log book with you
when you see your health care team
For many people with diabetes, there
are two important times to test:
• Before eating anything in the
morning. This is called a fasting
test.
• One to two hours after the start of a
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Before
meal
meal.
Blood sugar goals:
• Before meals or 4 hours after a meal:
90 - 130
• Two hours after a meal: less than 180
Special instructions:
My schedule for blood sugar testing:
2 hours
after meal
Bedtime
_________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2
Low blood sugar
Hypoglycemia means that your blood sugar is too low. For most people, low blood sugar is
less than 70.
What to watch for:
• Headache
• Fast heartbeat
• Shaking
• Sweating
• Feeling tired
• Weakness
• Hunger
• Feeling anxious
If you feel that you might
have low blood sugar,
check your blood sugar
right away. If you canʼt
check, treat your blood
sugar to be safe.
What to do if your blood sugar is less than 70:
Emergencies:
A low blood sugar can
happen quickly. If not
treated right away, low
blood sugar can make you
pass out. If you have type
1 diabetes, you may need
a glucagon shot.
Someone you live with
should learn how to give
this shot. If they are not
able to give the shot, 9-1-1
should be called.
1. Eat a high sugar food that does not have fat, such as one of
these:
• ½ cup of fruit juice
• ½ can of regular soda
• 3 or 4 hard candies (Lifesavers™, Jolly Ranchers™)
• 1 small box of raisins
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 3 or 4 glucose tablets
2. Wait 15 minutes and check you sugar again. If it is still
below 80, have another serving of the sugar food.
3. When your blood sugar is back to normal, you may still
need to eat more. If it will be longer than 30 minutes until
your next meal, eat a small snack. A glass of low fat milk
or a piece of fruit is a good choice.
3
About insulin
How to take insulin:
1. Wash your hands with soap and water.
2. Choose a spot on your stomach that is more
than 2 inches away from your belly button.
3. Pinch your skin up
4. Insert the needle
5. Let go of the fold of skin
6. Inject the insulin
7. Count to 10 before pulling the needle out of
your skin
8. Rotate to a different part of the stomach the
next time your give a shot
Things to know about insulin:
• Keep extra bottles of insulin in the
refrigerator. You may store the bottle that
you are currently using at room temperature
for 1 month. Do not let insulin freeze or get
too warm. Do not keep it in your car!
• Lancets and syringes can be re-used only
by you. Recap the needle to keep it clean.
When the needle is no longer sharp, throw
away the syringe or lancet in a sturdy
container with a lid, such as a detergent or
bleach bottle. When the bottle is ¾ full,
screw the lid on tight and put in your trash.
4
Medications for diabetes - Pills
Many people with type 2 diabetes take pills to lower their blood sugar. There are different kinds of
diabetes pills that work in different ways. Here are some of the most common pills for lowering blood
sugar. Some people take more than one type of diabetes pill.
Name of pill that I am
taking:
How it
helps:
Possible
side
effects:
Things to
know:
Glipizide (Glucotrol XL)
Glyburide (Micronase)
Glimepiride (Amaryl)
Repaglinide (Prandin)
Nateglinide (Starlix)
Helps your
body make
more
insulin
Low blood
sugar
It is important
that you do not
skip meals
when taking
this medicine
Metformin (Glucophage)
Glipizide & Metformin
(Glucovance)
Helps your
liver make
less
glucose
Diarrhea,
nausea,
stomach
pain, Take
with food to
lower these
effects.
People who
have liver or
kidney disease,
heart failure or
alcoholism
should not take
this medication.
Pioglitizone (Actos)
Helps your
body use
insulin
better
Tests will be
ordered to
be sure your
liver is not
harmed.
People with
heart failure
should not take
this medication.
Sitagliptin (Januvia)
Helps your
body make
more
insulin and
less
glucose
Injectable medications:
Exenatide (Byetta)
Pramlintide (Symlin)
Helps your
body make
more
insulin and
less
glucose
How I take
this pill:
Take in the
morning.
Nausea.
Take with
largest
meals to
lower this
effect.
Do not take
Symlin if you
are not going to
eat.
5
Medications for diabetes - Insulin
People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin. For many people with type 2 diabetes, insulin is
the best way to control blood sugar. Different types of insulin work for different amounts of time.
When you are taking insulin there is a risk of getting a blood sugar that is too low. It is important to
follow the directions for your insulin. It is also important to carry a box of juice and snack with you at
all times. You can use this to treat a low blood sugar.
Name of
insulin that
I am taking:
How it helps:
How to take
this insulin
Things to know:
Rapid acting:
Humalog
Novalog
Helps to bring
down blood
sugar after
eating
Take within 15
minutes of a
meal
If you mix with other
insulin, draw up the
Humulog of Novalog
first, then the other
insulin
Short - acting:
Regular
Helps to bring
down blood
sugar after
eating. Also
used if you have
slowed stomach
emptying.
Take 30
minutes
before a meal.
Do not inject if you
are not going to eat a
meal.
Intermediate acting:
NPH
Helps to control
blood sugar for a
longer period of
time
Usually taken
before
breakfast and
before dinner
Do not skip meals or
wait too long between
meals. Roll (donʼt
shake) the bottle of
NPH before drawing
up into syringe
Long - acting:
Lantus
Levemir
Gives a slow,
steady release of
insulin called
background
insulin
Take at the
same time
every day,
usually at
bedtime.
Do not mix with any
other insulins or use
a syringe used for
other insulins
Take 30
minutes
before a meal.
Do not inject if you
are not going to eat a
meal.
Mixed insulin:
70/30
When I
take this
insulin:
6
Food and diabetes
Having diabetes does not mean that you have to go on a special diet. But it is important to know
that what you eat affect your blood sugar. These are things to keep in mind for healthy eating
with diabetes:
Eat meals at regular times.
Eating meals at the same time each day
will help keep blood sugars at an even
level. It is important to eat something for
breakfast soon after waking up.
Avoid sweetened drinks.
Liquid sugar, such as regular soda, fruit
juice and sports drinks can raise blood
sugar levels very quickly. It is best to
avoid these drinks. Choose water or
unsweetened tea.
Know your carbs
!
Carbohydrates (carbs) are foods
that turn to sugar. Carbohydrates
are found in starches, fruit, milk,
Look for foods
yogurt and sweets. One portion of
with lower
carbohydrate is equal to 15 grams.
total
carbohydrate
!
7
About carbohydrates
Carbohydrate is
another name for
sugars and starches.
These foods are an
important source of energy
for our body. It is best to eat
small portions of healthy
carbohydrates with each
meal. This keeps our blood
sugar balanced through the
day. Carbohydrates with
more fiber are a better
choice because they turn to
sugar more slowly. Choose
whole grain starches when
These types of foods raise
These foods do not raise blood
blood sugar:
sugar:
•Bread
•Eggs
•Tortilla
•Nuts
possible.
•Pasta
•Cottage cheese
•Beans
•Chicken
•Rice
•Fish
•Corn
•Beef
•Peas
•Turkey
•Potatoes
•Peanut butter
•Crackers
•Vegetables (except corn,
What’s a serving size?
Try to eat about the same
amount of carbs at each
meal. Think of each portion
as the size of a cupped hand
(1/2 cup).
• Women: 2-3 portions per
meal
• Men: 3-4 portions per meal
•Pancakes
•Fruits
peas, potatoes)
•Red or green chile
•Milk
•Yogurt
Choose more of these foods if
•Cereal
you are still hungry during a
•Sweets (even small portions
meal. Vegetables are always
raise blood sugars very
quickly!)
the best choice.
8
http://foundation.acponline.org
WHAT YOU CAN DO
The Healthy Plate
Think of your plate as 3 different sections:
N
N
N
one section for vegetables
one for proteins
one for carbohydrates (carbs)
Eat more of the foods that do
not raise blood sugar. Enjoy
small portions of the foods
that raise blood sugar (carbs)
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Reproduced from: Living with Diabetes: An Everyday Guide for You and Your Family
http://foundation.acponline.org/hl/diabguide.htm
© 2009 ACP Foundation
Follow up and support
Your follow up appointment for diabetes: _____________________
Your primary physician is ____________. The phone number is _____________
Your primary care follow up appointment is: _______
If you cannot make any of these appointments please call to cancel or reschedule
Diabetes Comprehensive Care Center
1101 Medical Arts Ave NE, # 4, Albq, NM 87106 (505) 925-3222
Questions?:
Financial Assistance
1131 University Blvd NE, Ste D
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 272-2521
Pharmacy
1209 University Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 272-2308
Outpatient Diabetes
Education Program
First Choice Clinics
933 Bradbury SE, Ste 1112
South Valley Center
South Broadway Center
2001 N. Centro Familiar SW
1316 Broadway SE
Albuquerque, NM 87105
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 873-7400
(505) 768-5450
Alameda Center
Alamosa Center
7704-A 2nd Street NW
6900 Gonzales Rd SW
Albuquerque, NM 87107
Albuquerque, NM 87121
(505) 890-1458
(505) 831-2534
North Valley Center
Outside of Albuquerque:
1231 Candelaria NW
Los Lunas Center: (505) 865-4618
Albuquerque, NM 87107
Belen Center: (505) 861-1013
(505) 345-3244
Edgewood Center: (505) 281-3406
Albuquerque, NM 87016
(505) 272-2340
Inpatient Diabetes
Education
2211 Lomas NE
Albuquerque, NM 87016
(505) 925-6100 or 951-4352
Tobacco Treatment
1-800-QUIT-NOW
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