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When you have diabetes, managing your blood sugar is the most important thing you can do to feel your best and prevent long-term complications. Consider it an opportunity to take charge of your health.

Your doctor sets your target fasting and before-meal blood sugar range based on various factors, including:

• Your age
• The presence of diabetes-related complications or other medical conditions
• Your ability to recognize early warning signs and symptoms of low blood sugar

Sometimes reaching your target blood sugar range is a challenge. But the closer you get, the better you'll feel.

How often you need to test your blood sugar depends on the type of diabetes you have and your individual treatment plan.

If you have type 1 diabetes, your doctor may recommend testing your blood sugar at least three times a day — and more often if you have any change in routine, such as traveling, exercising more than normal or eating less than usual.

If you take medication — either alone or with insulin — to manage type 2 diabetes, your doctor may recommend testing your blood sugar once a day. If you manage type 2 diabetes with diet and exercise alone, you may need to test your blood sugar even less often. Your doctor will help you establish the most effective monitoring schedule.

When used correctly, you can count on your blood sugar monitor to provide accurate readings. If you think something's not right, start with the basics:

• Did you apply enough blood to the test strip?
• Did you add more blood to the test strip after the first drop was applied?
• Did you time the test accurately?
• Was the finger that you pricked dirty?
• Are your test strips fresh?
• Did you calibrate the meter for the test strip you used?
• Is the test window of the meter dirty?
• Is the meter at room temperature?
• Does the meter need new batteries?
• Is the meter damaged?

If you're still not sure what's wrong, check the manufacturer's instructions for other troubleshooting issues. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for performing a quality control test. You can bring the monitor to your next doctor appointment as well.

Pricking your finger for frequent blood sugar tests can hurt — but researchers are developing products designed to take the "ouch" out of the process. Consider these advances:

• Specialized lancets. Some lancets allow you to adjust the prick depth to accommodate differences in skin thickness.
• Needle-free laser. Instead of a lancet, some devices use a laser beam to vaporize a pinpoint of skin on your finger.
• Alternative site testing. These monitors contain built-in blood-sampling devices that take blood samples from areas other than your finger, such as your arm, abdomen or thigh.
• GlucoWatch. Worn like a watch, the GlucoWatch detects your blood sugar level through your skin. Small electrical currents repeatedly pull tiny amounts of fluid from your skin to a special sensor pad attached to the back of the device. You can compare your blood sugar level at certain times of the day or after specific events or activities. A daily finger prick is still required to calibrate the device, and the sensor pad must be changed daily.
• InDuo. This device combines a glucose meter and an insulin-injector pen, allowing you to measure your blood sugar and inject insulin with a single device.
• Glucose sensor. With this automatic testing device, a sensor is placed under the skin. The sensor measures blood sugar levels and transmits the information to a small recording device worn on your body. The sensor can record several hundred blood sugar levels over a two- to three-day period.

If you'd like to try one of these devices, consult your doctor. Some devices require a prescription.

If your blood sugar readings are consistently above or below your target range, you may need to revise your treatment plan. These numbers may signal an emerging complication of diabetes. Depending on the circumstances, your doctor may suggest changing your diet or exercising more. If that's not effective, you may need to take medication or adjust your medication dosage.

Call your doctor if:

• Your blood sugar level is higher than 300 mg/dL for three consecutive checks and doesn't respond to adjustments in diet or medication.
• Your blood sugar readings are above or below your target range more than 50 percent of the time.
• Your blood sugar is higher than 240 mg/dL for more than 24 hours during an illness.
• You repeatedly have low blood sugar levels.

Remember, you're not in this alone. Your doctor is there to help you manage your diabetes. Work together to make sure you're doing everything you can to prevent complications.