Are you concerned about getting different blood sugar readings at the same time? Or are you tired of seeing blood sugar fluctuations within minutes? Because most of us are!
Different blood glucose readings within minutes can be both tiresome and confusing. Trust me when I say this, it is something very commonly faced while taking the reading in a glucometer!
But why does this incident happen so often? Is it an instrumental error message on the glucose meter or a mistake that we are doing unknowingly?
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Today’s discussion is on this simple yet important topic. Let there be no more doubts about this. To know more, read through the next sections!
Table of Content
Blood Sugar Fluctuations – Surprising Reasons
It is normal if you have found variation in glucometer readings. This can happen for any reason. Blood sugar fluctuations are confusing.
What exactly is Normal Blood Sugar level?
The normal blood sugar levels chart will help you understand if you have an increased level of glucose.
| State | Non-diabetic Person | Diabetic Person |
| Fasting | 70-99 mg/dl (3.9-5.5 mmol/L) | 80-130 mg/dl (4.4-7.2 mmol/L) |
| 2 hours after meal | Less than 140 mg/dl (4.4-7.2 mmol/L) | Less than 180 mg/dl (10.0 mmol/L) |
It is important to know what can influence our blood sugar level. Some surprising reasons are discussed below
Artificial Sweeteners
Many diabetic people take artificial sweeteners with their food. They think that diet sodas and drinks with artificial sweeteners are a good sugar substitute.
But, little do they know how this practice is slowly pushing them towards darkness! These sweeteners are bad for health. It is advised to take sugar-free drinks if you have diabetes.
Food Residue
Often patients get confused by seeing different readings on different fingers. This might happen due to the remaining food residue on the fingertips.
If you touch anything sweet or any fruit before testing your glucose, you might get a very high reading. It is best to wash your hands properly before pricking your finger!
Dehydration
Dehydration can trigger hyperglycemia. As the concentration of sugar increases and diabetes makes one urinate more, this condition becomes more severe.
Drink plenty of water and liquid to not fall victim to this problem. Stay hydrated as much as possible to keep yourself away from complications.
Menstrual Cycles
Every month a woman has to go through the painful experience of menstruation. It does not only create issues like cramps, body ache, and bloating.
The blood sugar level also fluctuates during this time of the month. Some women might react less to insulin. Such a situation will raise the blood sugar level.
Too Much Caffeine
I must agree that it is hard for a caffeine lover to survive without their favorite drink. But, too much caffeine can create more problems than we can think of!
Caffeine can influence how insulin behaves. If you are having sugar enriched caffeinated drinks, then the problem is worse. Try to cut your caffeine levels to have healthy glucose readings.
Instrumental Error
As much as we bow to the technological advancements, we have to agree about the instrumental errors. A glucometer might give away false readings leading to panic and stress.
Stress is also connected with increasing the glucose level in the blood. So, check with a good glucometer before you stress yourself to even severe conditions. Also, you can check out Diabetes Freedom to bring some healthy changes to combat your diabetes.
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Reasons for Blood sugar spike in the morning
Does your blood sugar suddenly spike in the morning? Many patients with diabetes complain about this issue.
There can be a few reasons behind this. Let us quickly check them to know how some trivial facts can affect our blood sugar in the morning!
Dawn effect
The usual hormonal changes that the body goes through in the morning can change the blood sugar level. Even if one does not have diabetes, the sugar level might spike up.
When this happens, the body starts producing more insulin to balance out the sugar level. But, in the case of a diabetic patient, the situation is a bit different.
As the body is unable to produce the required insulin, upon testing, a patient might see a high sugar level. This can happen even if someone follows a strict diet and routine.
Food Taken at the Previous Night
A diabetic patient has to follow a strict diet. The number of carbohydrates and sugar cannot exceed the doctor’s prescribed amount.
A blood sugar spike in the morning can occur if the patient takes more food than the medications can handle. Try to remember the last meal that you took before going to bed.
You have most likely taken more food than what your endocrinologist advised you to have.
Medicines
Yes, you have read it right. Your medicines can also sometimes spike up your blood sugar level.
If you are not taking the proper proportions of medicines your body might go through such an event. Make sure that your medicine is lasting throughout the night.
Ask your doctor to increase your dose if you are facing this incident every other day. With the right medicines, you will be able to tackle this. Try taking natural supplements with organic ingredients to lower glucose level.
Also, your other medicines should not counter the diabetic medicines. If you are visiting a doctor for any other cause, do not forget to mention that you are diabetic.
Somogyi Effect
Our body can naturally respond to low blood sugar levels by producing sugar. This process is known as the Somogyi effect.
When the glucose level drops, our liver releases stored sugar. This might result in overcompensation.
If the sugar level becomes too low while you are sleeping, you might face this problem in the morning.
Well, these are a few causes why many diabetic patients suffer from raised blood sugar levels. This can happen even if you are under strict observation. Instead of getting afraid, check with a doctor or see some glucose testing sites.
False High Blood Sugar Readings
Well, glucometers are not always giving accurate readings! While using a glucose meter, false high reading can meddle with your brain.
There are times when you can get a falsely high blood sugar reading. So, what can cause false high blood sugar readings?
Not having enough blood samples in the strips can lead to an inaccurate and false reading. Make sure you collect the required blood sample as per the glucometer’s requirement.
Wash your hands properly. Keep your hands as normal as possible. Refrain from applying any pressure on the hands like squeezing the fingers.
If you can follow these little things, hopefully, you can save yourself from the misleading readings. Finally, do not forget to check with your doctor if you find any abnormality for consecutive tests.
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Conclusion
When a normal procedure of the body gets disrupted, we have to take special care to reinforce it. So when you are diagnosed with diabetes, you have to be more careful about your health.
If you see different blood glucose reading within minutes, do not panic. This is something that might happen to anybody. With care and treatment, diabetes can be kept in total control.
FAQs About Different Blood Glucose Readings
Q. How does squeezing fingers affect blood sugar?
Ans. It is advised not to squeeze fingers or to put pressure after pricking. Blood sugar results may vary due to applied pressure.
Squeezing the finger can dilute the specimen with plasma, that is the tissue fluid. Blood sugar readings are lower when you apply pressure on the finger.
After collecting the blood, you may apply slight pressure to stop the bleeding. This process will give an accurate reading.
Q. Why is my blood sugar high in the mornings?
Ans. Rebound hyperglycemia or the Somogyi effect is one of the main reasons behind high blood sugar in the morning. Other than this, the food that you ate last night may also impact on blood sugar level in the morning.
Particular medicines and the release of hormones from the body between 4 am to 7 am can sometimes spike the sugar level in the blood. Check your sugar level before breakfast.
Q. What is the difference between GRBS and RBS?
Ans. RBS refers to Random Blood Sugar. This means measuring the blood sugar randomly, regardless of taking food or not.
GRBS is the short form of General Random Blood Sugar. GRBS and RBS are the same tests done for the same purpose. There is no difference between these two.
On the other hand, Postprandial Blood Sugar is checked after 2 hours. Testing blood sugar 1 hour after eating might give an inaccurate reading.
Q. Which finger is best to test blood sugar?
Ans. As advised by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is best to use the middle finger or ring finger.
Avoid collecting blood from the little finger for the blood glucose test. The skin in the little finger is thinner than the other fingers.
Q. Why is blood sugar reading different in each hand?
Ans. Blood sugar may vary from finger to finger. It is a common sight because contamination is the main culprit behind this.
A small amount of food residue on your fingertips can compromise the reading. Touching or cutting a fruit before testing blood glucose can result in sky-high reading!
Author Tips: 3 Things That Will Help In Your Fight Against Type 2 Diabetes✅
