Here are my tips for getting the most out of your visit to the endocrinologist. First, get your blood sugar records together. Make sure you have a log book or that you have a downloadable meter so that the doc can see how you’re doing.

One common mistake is to forget to set the proper time on your meter, either due to a battery change or a change to Daylight Savings Time. When you do this, you have no way to accurately assess what is causing your highs and lows because it’s too hard to tell if a test was before or after a meal, in the middle of the night, or in the middle of the afternoon. Making sure the time is always set right is key to interpreting your results.

Also, it’s very helpful to do before and after meal testing. Don’t test after every meal. But about 1 to 2 hours after you begin eating one of your meals during the day, test to see how your insulin dosing and carb counting are going.

Second, write down questions you have for the doctor. It’s so hard when you’re in the office to remember what happened in the weeks and months since your last visit. Keep a journal of questions that you want to ask at your next appointment.

Remember that there is usually a whole team there to help you. Specialists with injections, with nutrition, with insulin pumps—whatever. Don’t just think about questions for your doctor. You can even take in your favorite recipes and ask for help in counting the carbohydrates or even in modifying the recipe to be more diabetic friendly.