Needed things | Self-monitoring diary and its purpose | Important indicators | How to fix them | How to keep a diary
Diabetes is a serious disease, and control is an important condition for its proper treatment.
Needed things
A few devices and tools will help correctly track all the patient’s indicators:
- knowledge of the approximate weight of the foods eaten and the exact amount of carbohydrates (XE),
- blood glucose meter
- diary of blood sugars.
Self-monitoring diary and its purpose
A self-monitoring diary is necessary for diabetics, especially with type one diabetes. By constantly filling out and accounting all indicators you can do the following:
- Track the body’s response to each specific insulin input;
- Analyze changes in the blood;
- Monitor glucose in the body for a full day and notice its fluctuation;
- Using the test method, determine the individual required insulin rate;
- Immediately identify adverse factors and atypical indicators;
- Monitor the condition of the body, weight and blood pressure.
Information recorded in this way will allow the endocrinologist to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment, as well as make the correct adjustments.
Important indicators
The diabetes self-monitoring diary must contain the following indicators:
- Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- The number of carbs ingested with each meal;
- The dose of insulin administered or the administration of sugar-lowering drugs (each use);
- Glucometer sugar level (at least 3 times a day);
- Data on general health;
- Blood pressure (1 time per day);
- Body weight (1 time per day before breakfast).
Hypertensive patients can measure their pressure more often if necessary, by setting aside a separate column in the table.
How to fix them
Careful monitoring of these indicators allows you to calculate an individual dose for a specific meal.
Also, with the help of a self-monitoring diary, it is easy to track all fluctuations in glucose levels that occur in the blood – for a short or long period. Changes from 1.5 to mol / liter are considered normal.
How to keep a diary
This type of diary can be created by both on a computer or in a notebook and can be filled out by anyone.
In the table for indicators there should be a “header” with the following columns:
- Day of the week and calendar date;
- Sugar level by glucometer indicators three times a day;
- Dose of insulin or tablets (according to the time of administration – in the morning, at lunch);
- The number of carbs for all meals, it is also desirable to take into account snacks;
- Notes on well-being, level of acetone in the urine (if possible or according to monthly tests), blood pressure and other abnormalities.