Many diabetics use a blood glucose meter to keep a regular check on their blood sugar levels. Although it is sometimes used as a diagnostic tool, it is not a diagnostic test in itself. A diagnostic test can be any one of a range of tests that your doctor might give you if you or your doctor thinks that you may have diabetes. Type 1 or juvenile diabetes is not preventable and usually develops in childhood or teenage years. Type 2 diabetes develops later in life and people who are overweight are particularly at risk.
There are several kinds of diabetes tests which vary in accuracy and ease of administration. A blood sugar meter is one of the simplest tests. The oral glucose tolerance test requires several hours of fasting, then your blood sugar levels are tested before and after you take a high glucose drink. This records how your body has managed the sudden high intake of sugar. The fasting plasma glucose test, on the other hand, requires a blood sample to be taken, and so it is usually administered by a nurse or doctor. Again, before taking this test you will be asked to go without food or drink for a certain time so that your recent consumption does not skew the results. If one of these preliminary tests indicates that you may have diabetes or pre-diabetes, your doctor may suggest a hemoglobin A1c test before confirming the diagnosis. This is a more reliable indicator because it takes several checks across a time period instead of a single time point test.
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you suspect that you may have type 2 diabetes or be at risk of it, you should ask your doctor about having a test. Diabetes does have symptoms, including as a dry mouth, excessive thirst and frequent urination but these symptoms are often not apparent until the diabetes is quite advanced and it is too late to prevent it. Also, these symptoms are not solely an indicator of diabetes and may be caused by another condition. So if you think you may be likely to develop diabetes, do not wait for symptoms to become apparent. Remember that diabetes can have some major secondary effects as it progresses. Early diagnosis and a change of diet could stop the diabetes in its tracks and make a very large difference to your quality of life and health in future years.
If your doctor or another health professional has advised you to have a diabetes test, they may have seen some symptoms or they may just feel that you could be at risk of diabetes. This is most likely if you are overweight and also have a family history of type 2 diabetes. Type 1 or juvenile diabetes cannot be avoided but early diagnosis is still important in stabilizing the condition.
For all diabetics after diagnosis it is wise to keep a check on your blood sugar levels regularly to avoid hyperglycemia or a build up of glucose in the blood. It is important to prevent episodes of hyperglycemia if you want to remain in the best health possible as a diabetic. This is where a blood glucose meter can be a vital ally.
