Blood Sugar Levels
Working With Your Doctor
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You and your doctor play important roles in balancing your type 2 diabetes. Work together to make the most of your treatment plan.

How can your doctor help?
Your doctor will do some blood tests to help monitor your diabetes:
  • Fasting plasma glucose (FPG [also called fasting blood glucose, or FBG]) measures your blood sugar 8 hours or more after you’ve eaten
    • Often taken first thing in the morning
  • Postmeal plasma glucose (PPG [also called postmeal blood glucose, or PBG]) measures your blood sugar level 2 hours after you’ve eaten
  • A1C
    • A measure that tracks your average blood sugar levels over the previous 2 to 3 months
To help reduce the risk of complications from diabetes, your doctor will also track your blood pressure and cholesterol.

Come prepared with your daily blood sugar records, and go over the readings with your provider. Write down your questions in advance—specific questions about the disease, what you can do to help take control, and what challenges might lie ahead.

During your visits, talk to your health care team about your goals, and how diabetes affects your life:

• A1C tests and blood sugar monitoring
• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• Nutrition
• Physical activity
• Family, friends, and feelings

Also, at your appointments:
• Review how often your blood sugar has been higher or lower than your target
• Discuss whether you have taken your medicine properly, and whether it is working
  as it should be
• Ask for ideas for eating healthy
• Talk about ways to be more active
• Talk about your feelings and challenges
• Ask about immunizations
• Ask how you can learn more about diabetes

Work with your doctor to determine if your diabetes is under control. This short questionnaire can help identify areas where you are doing well, as well as where you may need more help managing your diabetes. It also serves as a great conversation starter for you and you doctor to address your individual needs.


Find additional support from these trusted diabetes education resources:

American Diabetes Association
www.diabetes.org

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/diabetes

American Heart Association
www.americanheart.org



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