Record keeping for diabetes management. Energizer 715, 515

Record keeping for diabetes management

Now that you are using the pump with insulin, we will be asking you to test your blood glucose regularly. The information from your blood glucose journal is your healthcare professional's only method of making adjustments in your pump settings. It is important to test often and write down your blood glucose readings, the food you eat, any exercise you perform and any other notes to explain your blood glucose results.

You must test at the recommended times and any other time that you feel your blood glucose is high or low. Be sure to include your meal boluses, correction boluses, the amount of carbohydrate you eat, basal rate and any other information that will be helpful in assisting your healthcare professional in adjusting your pump settings.

It is very important to look at your blood glucose readings as feedback regarding your diabetes management, not as statements about you or your self-worth. Try not to have an emotional reaction to the numbers and do not judge them too harshly. You will soon learn how to modify the numbers easily and precisely through insulin pump therapy.

TEST AT LEAST 4-6 TIMES A DAY.

These are the recommended times to test to determine control:

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Overnight (occasionally, at approximately 2 - 3 AM)

Pre-breakfast (fasting)

Post-breakfast (approximately 2 hours after eating)

Pre-lunch

Post-lunch (approximately 2 hours after eating)

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Pre-dinner

Post-dinner (approximately 2 hours after eating)

Bedtime

Before driving

Determining your pump settings

Your healthcare professional will use your daily blood glucose journal records to program your pump. It is very important to keep good records during the first weeks after you start on pump therapy.

Not only must you record your blood glucose readings, but it will be important to eat regularly scheduled meals and to keep your activity as consistent as possible.

Until you and your healthcare professional determine the pump settings that will work best for you, it is important to eat meals for which it is easy to count the carbohydrates. After your correct basal rate is determined, you will be able to experiment with varied food choices and amounts.

After you and your healthcare professional are satisfied with your initial pump settings, you may begin to experiment with different food choices, meal times and exercise schedules.

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