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Blood glucose monitoring system is a way of testing the concentration of glucose in the blood (glycemia). Particularly important in the care of diabetes mellitus, a blood glucose test is performed by piercing the skin (typically, on the finger) to draw blood, then applying the blood to a chemically active disposable Glucose Test Strips. Different manufacturers use different technology, but most systems measure an electrical characteristic, and use this to determine the glucose level in the blood.

Contrary to expectations, not all of are comfortable around digital or electronic devices. Having barely mastered the art of receiving and making calls on the cell phone, the last thing we want to do is learn to use yet another digital gizmo – this one a blood glucose meters. Fortunately, the modern day Blood Glucose Monitor is extremely easy to use. Today I shall explain how to use your new Blood Glucose Monitor.

Using Blood Glucose Monitors

1. Ensure you hands are clean.

2. Open the package containing your new Blood Glucose Monitor.

3. Remove from the package and keep ready the lancing device, the box containing the glucose monitoring strips and the blood sugar monitor.

4. Insert a fresh unused lance in the lancing device, set it to 3 (by rotating the base of the lancing device) and prime it (usually achieved by pressing the top once).

5. Extract the code chip (a small white rectangular plastic) from the box containing the blood glucose strips and insert the chip into the receptacle (usually located on the side of the Blood Glucose Monitor). This needs to be done each time you open a fresh box of blood glucose strips (not each time you take a blood glucose test).

6. After inserting the code chip into the blood glucose test meter, switch on the Blood Glucose Monitor and wait until a code number appears – this ensures that the Blood Glucose Monitor and the diabetes test strips are synchronized.

7. Extract a fresh glucose strip from the box and keep ready.

8. Hold the lancing device vertically on the tip of any finger and release the trigger (usually a small round button on the side of the diabetic lancing devices. A very tinny almost invisible hole will be created in your skin.

9. You may need to press the around the hole so that a small drop of blood becomes visible on the surface of your skin.

10. Switch on the Blood Glucose Monitor and wait for the blood icon to flash (takes about 10 seconds).

11. Take the glucose strip and swipe (the end with the round hole) across the drop of blood. You would want to ensure the blood is evenly spread across the hole of the glucose strip.

12. Insert the glucose strip into the receptacle of the Blood Glucose Monitor and wait for the results (takes a few seconds).

13. Note down the time, the contents of your meal and the blood glucose result in a diary or notebook specially set aside for this purpose.

14. Push out the cover from the lower end of the lancing device – this exposes the lance.

15. Carefully remove the used lance from the lancing device and also the used glucose strip from the Blood Glucose Monitor and bag it separately before discarding.

16. Switch off the Blood Glucose Monitor and put the kit away in a safe place so your children do not have access to it.

Difficulty in extracting blood

The depth to which the needle of the lancing device enters the skin can be controlled. For children, the lancing device can be set to a depth of 1 or 2. This results in shallow penetration but should be okay for kids. For adults, the lancing device needs to be set to a minimum depth of 3. If this does not produce the desired result, try 3.5 or 4 or more.

Once you use the lancing device is used, the drop of blood (usually) does not automatically appear on the skin; it needs to be coaxed out by pressing the area surrounding the prick. Usually, a light squeeze does the trick.

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