Monitoring blood sugar

Q: I have just been diagnosed with diabetes by my doctor. I have a very busy life and a very full schedule. I know that I need to regularly monitor my blood glucose but, with my commitments, I worry that I may not be regular with my monitoring. In reality, how important is monitoring your blood glucose?

A; If you recently have been diagnosed with diabetes, you know that it is a disease in which your body is unable to properly control the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. The disease has occurred because your body is not able to produce enough insulin, or does not properly use insulin. So, the amount of sugar in your blood can vary greatly because of the disease.

You are like many people in the world today who have full schedules. You may find yourself coming and going—barely having time to eat a proper meal during the day. You need to keep in mind that diabetes is a serious disease, that diabetes is a disease that really does require your attention at least to some degree seven days a week. While you do not—and should not—let diabetes dominate and completely control your life, you do need to understand that because you have been diagnosed with this disease, you are going to have to make some adjustments in your day-to-day life.

The first adjustments that you are going to need to make in your life will involve your diet. You need to eat regularly despite your hectic schedule. Second, you do need to monitor your glucose levels regularly. Although this may sound very dramatic, your health—indeed, your life—will depend upon you eating right and monitoring your glucose levels.

If you fail to take the time to monitor your glucose levels as your doctor has recommended, you actually will have no idea as to what effect food and beverages you are eating and drinking are having on your body.

Most medical experts agree that stress can also cause your blood glucose levels to fluctuate, sometimes very significantly. Therefore, if you are living a rushed life, and are under a great deal of stress, you have all the more reason to pay close attention to your blood glucose levels through monitoring.

When all is said and done, monitoring your blood glucose levels does not have to be particularly inconvenient. There are a number of monitoring devices on the market today that make checking your glucose levels simple, fast and painless. When looking for a glucose monitor that best fits your lifestyle, your local pharmacist (or your doctor) should be able to help you in considering a number of different products.

By taking control of your diabetes, you will work to ensure that diabetes does not take control of your life. The first, fundamental step toward controlling your diabetes is monitoring your glucose levels. Keep working at it. It is challenging, and it can be done.

(David Khorram, MD is a board certified ophthalmologist, and director of Marianas Eye Institute. Questions and comments are welcome. Call 235-9090 or email eye@vzpacifica.net. Copyright © 2005 David Khorram.)