subject: How To Diagnose Diabetes With Blood Test Results [print this page] How To Diagnose Diabetes With Blood Test Results
Clinical Glucose Testing
When you go to your doctor's office, he will take you to a clinical lab. There he will test your fasting glucose levels. Your blood levels usually rise and fall very fast. Most of it depends on your diet, how active you are throughout the day, and your current health. Everyone's levels usually change throughout the day, and they are usually acceptable levels. The normal range for fasting glucose levels is usually between seventy and fifty md/dl.
Ask your doctor to order a hemoglobin A1c test if he or she finds that your fasting glucose levels are high. The hemoglobin A1c test measures the average levels of glucose in your blood over a six-month period. This is typically better than a lab test.
Ask your doctor for an oral glucose tolerance test and for a fasting plasma glucose test. Both of these tests require you to fast for at least twelve hours before your doctors take your blood sample. After they take your blood sample, you will need to drink a high concentration glucose drink. Then your doctor will draw more blood throughout the day. This will measure how well your body processes the glucose in the drink.
Home Glucose Monitors
If your doctor diagnosed you with diabetes, you will need to purchase a home glucose monitor. You will need to test your glucose levels a lot throughout the day. This keeps you from having to visit a clinical lab. The home glucose meter will measure your blood glucose levels after you prick your finger and drop a small portion of your blood into the provided test strip. You then insert this strip into your monitor. After a small period, the monitor will display your blood glucose level. Make sure that you record the results.
It is also important that you calibrate the glucose tester before you use it. Do this frequently so that you do not receive inaccurate readings.
Take your records with you at your next doctor's visit. Compare the lab results with your own results. Take into account that plasma glucose levels will be completely different from blood glucose levels. However, many different home glucose monitors will have a built in conversion table. You will be able to convert your blood glucose levels. By doing this you will be able to compare the same readings at your doctor's visit. Doing this helps you understand what is going on.
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