Frequency of Blood Sugar Monitoring

The frequency of blood glucose monitoring (fingersticks) will vary depending on the individual, and including: 1) Type of diabetes 2) Type of medication 3) Medication delivery system 4) Lifestyle In general, those with less well-controlled disease will need to test more frequently. For those utilizing sliding scale insulin --usually newer Type I diabetics, or those with brittle disease -- it is recommended to check your sugar 4 times each day: once before each meal and then at bedtime. If you are stable with only occasional fluctuations, one or twice a day may be adequate. If you are a Type II diabetic, your physician may not even require fingersticks on a daily basis, depending on the number and type of anti-diabetic medications that you are taking. Talk to your doctor about your disease to see what frequency of testing would be the best for you.