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Seeing a blood sugar number can feel confusing. Is 140 high? Should you worry about 90? This page gives clear, practical steps you can use right away: how to test, what common targets mean, quick ways to lower a high reading, and medication options to discuss with your doctor.
Use these as a starting point — your doctor may set different targets based on age, health, or pregnancy. A normal fasting blood glucose is usually 70–100 mg/dL. A random (non-fasting) reading under 140 mg/dL is generally okay for people without diabetes. Diabetes is often diagnosed when fasting glucose is 126 mg/dL or higher, or when A1C is 6.5% or higher. For many people with diabetes, common daily targets are fasting 80–130 mg/dL and below 180 mg/dL two hours after meals, but your care team may change these numbers.
Fingerstick meters are the most common tool — test before meals to track fasting and before dosing medicines, and test two hours after a meal to see how your food affected you. Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) give real-time trends and alarms for highs and lows. Always check meters with control solution when readings look off, and record unusual results so your clinician can spot patterns.
High readings (hyperglycemia) can be caused by missed meds, eating more carbs than planned, illness, stress, or lack of activity. Low readings (hypoglycemia) often come from too much insulin or certain pills, skipped meals, or extra exercise. Treat a low under 70 mg/dL quickly with 15 grams of fast carbs (juice, glucose tablets), wait 15 minutes and recheck.
Small changes usually beat big swings. Try consistent meal timing, modest portion control, and a balance of fiber, protein, and healthy fats to blunt spikes. Walking 10–20 minutes after meals often lowers post-meal glucose. Always carry a snack if you use insulin or sulfonylureas.
Medications matter. Metformin is a common first step. Sulfonylureas like Glipizide can lower glucose but raise hypoglycemia risk — if that’s a concern, read our article "Glipizide Alternatives in 2025: The 9 Best Options Compared" for options and plain-talk pros and cons. Newer classes (SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, DPP-4 inhibitors) and insulin choices give more ways to reach targets with fewer lows for many people.
When to call your doctor: repeated readings above 300 mg/dL, frequent lows under 70 mg/dL, ketones in your urine, or symptoms like extreme thirst, confusion, or breathing changes. Also reach out if your routine tests show a steady upward trend — early adjustments prevent crises.
Use this tag page to find focused articles, like the Glipizide alternatives guide, medication side-effect breakdowns, and practical how-tos for monitoring. If you want, bookmark this page and check numbers the same way each day — consistency helps you and your clinician make smart decisions faster.
As a blogger, I recently came across some interesting information on Betamethasone and its potential impact on blood sugar levels. Betamethasone is a corticosteroid medication that is used to treat various inflammatory conditions. However, it has been found that this medication can cause an increase in blood sugar levels, especially in individuals with diabetes. If you're using Betamethasone, it's essential to keep a close eye on your blood sugar levels and consult with your doctor about potential adjustments in your diabetes management plan. It's always important to stay informed about the potential side effects of any medication we take to maintain our health and well-being.
