If you have diabetes, you know how difficult it can be to live with this disease.  While there is no cure for diabetes, there are some things you can do to stay healthy.  One of the most important things you must do is monitor your blood glucose level.  You will need to put together a diabetes monitoring kit for use both at home and on the go.  You’ll also need to learn how to properly test yourself using the blood glucose monitor. This will help you know when you need to take action to prevent problems from occurring.

When you have type I diabetes, you know that you need to check your glucose level often.  It can change quickly, particularly after exercise, stress, or eating or drinking.  Your doctor will work with you to explain how to check your blood glucose level and when you need to test it.  There are several items you need in your diabetes test kit.  These include a blood glucose monitor, a lancet, and test strips.

Today, there are many choices when buying a blood glucose monitor.  The newest units are quite small in size and are perfect when you need portability.  The purpose of the blood glucose monitor is to test the drop of blood and report the findings.  The unit may store a large number of tests so you can easily check to see how your levels are changing throughout the day.  Some meters can store thousands of tests and  you can download the results and email them to your doctor for review.

Most meters read test strips that contain a drop of your blood.  A lancet is used to prick your finger in order to get a small droplet of blood.  The amount of blood required is determined by the monitor.  Some new models require as little as .3 mico-liters of blood to perform the test.  In the past, many monitors required you to use blood from your finger.  Today, more models are allowing you to use blood from other areas including the leg.  This makes it easier and less painful to get the blood required for the test.

It is important to test your blood glucose level as often as your doctor recommends.  Once you get used to testing it will become very fast and easy.  You should always bring your test kit with you so you are able to test whenever you need to.