You can’t manage what you can’t see. Glucose monitoring turns guesswork into clear decisions you can act on.
What to know
- Two main approaches:
- Finger-stick meters: spot checks. Inexpensive, accurate when used correctly. Useful for dosing decisions if you don’t use CGM.
- Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs): sensors track glucose every few minutes; show trends, alerts, and time-in-range (TIR).
- Targets (many nonpregnant adults; individualized):
- Fasting/pre‑meal: 80–130 mg/dL (4.4–7.2 mmol/L)
- 1–2 hours after meal start: <180 mg/dL (<10.0 mmol/L)
- CGM TIR: aim ≥70% between 70–180 mg/dL (3.9–10.0 mmol/L), with <4% below 70 mg/dL
- When to monitor more often:
- New diagnosis or med changes, illness, pregnancy, before/after exercise, driving, symptoms of highs/lows.
Take action
- If using a meter:
- Wash/dry hands; use a fresh strip; apply a full drop; calibrate to plasma if needed; compare with lab occasionally.
- Pattern checks: 3 days of pre‑ and 2‑hour post‑meal readings can reveal trends to adjust food, meds, or timing.
- If using CGM:
- Learn your arrows: rising/falling speeds guide timing of meals, insulin, or snacks.
- Set alerts thoughtfully (avoid alarm fatigue). Review weekly TIR, time‑below‑range (TBR), and time‑above‑range (TAR).
- Validate unexpected readings with a finger-stick if symptoms don’t match.
- Practical habits:
- Log context: meals, activity, stress, sleep. Patterns beat single numbers.
- Keep supplies handy: meter/strips/lancets or extra sensors; phone app charged.
Talk to your doctor about
- Whether CGM is right for you and insurance coverage.
- Personalized targets and what metrics to focus on (A1c vs TIR).
- How to adjust insulin/meds based on patterns, not one-off values.
Quick glossary
- Time‑in‑Range (TIR): % of time your glucose is within your target band.
- TBR/TAR: time below/above range—helps spot lows/highs risk.
- Trend arrows: show the direction/speed of glucose change on CGM.
Safety note
Confirm readings that don’t match how you feel. Treat lows promptly per your plan; don’t drive with hypoglycemia.
References
- ADA Standards of Care
- CGM manufacturer patient guides (Dexcom, FreeStyle Libre, Medtronic, etc.)