• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Advice please

S

Sarahswim

Member
Messages
21
Hi,
Can I check with you that I gave been told the right thing to do.

Newly diagnosed (Monday) levels 98 up from 48 last June. Dr said I would be given Metaformin and to see nurse.

Saw nurse on Tuesday, was given Gliclazide 40mg twice a day. She was going to give a blood glucose monitor then changed her mind. Told me to change my diet and directed me to this website for dietary advice, exercise and come back in 3 months.

Today she calls me and asks me to come in. She tells me there were ketones in my urine (am sure I was told it was fine when I was called on Monday) I asked what that meant, her answer was that's bad.
She gave me the monitor and I tested giving a reading if 17.8. She told me it should be between 4 and 7.5.

She wants me to test once a day a various times over the next 4 days and she is calling me on Tuesday to get the results.

Her parting remark was that she is not a Diabetic nurse which made me feel concerned.

Am I ok with what I am doing?

Thank you
 
Sarahswim said:
Hi,
Can I check with you that I gave been told the right thing to do.

Newly diagnosed (Monday) levels 98 up from 48 last June. Dr said I would be given Metaformin and to see nurse.

Saw nurse on Tuesday, was given Gliclazide 40mg twice a day. She was going to give a blood glucose monitor then changed her mind. Told me to change my diet and directed me to this website for dietary advice, exercise and come back in 3 months.

Today she calls me and asks me to come in. She tells me there were ketones in my urine (am sure I was told it was fine when I was called on Monday) I asked what that meant, her answer was that's bad.
She gave me the monitor and I tested giving a reading if 17.8. She told me it should be between 4 and 7.5.

She wants me to test once a day a various times over the next 4 days and she is calling me on Tuesday to get the results.

Her parting remark was that she is not a Diabetic nurse which made me feel concerned.

Am I ok with what I am doing?

Thank you
Click to expand...
Sounds like absolute chaos. If you have high blood sugar readings and ketones, she should've sent you to the hospital for GAD and C-peptide tests. Depending on how high the ketone levels were, you should've been sent to A&E, I think... But others here'll know more, this is very much not my area of expertise, if I can say I have any to speak of.

How are you feeling? Are you okay? Because if you're not, if you feel woozy, confused, nauseous or any of the above, call 111 and tell them you have high blood sugars and tested positive for ketones. They'll let you know where to go from there.
 
JoKalsbeek said:
Sounds like absolute chaos. If you have high blood sugar readings and ketones, she should've sent you to the hospital for GAD and C-peptide tests. Depending on how high the ketone levels were, you should've been sent to A&E, I think... But others here'll know more, this is very much not my area of expertise, if I can say I have any to speak of.

How are you feeling? Are you okay? Because if you're not, if you feel woozy, confused, nauseous or any of the above, call 111 and tell them you have high blood sugars and tested positive for ketones. They'll let you know where to go from there.
Click to expand...

Thank you for replying. I feel fine in myself just worried/confused about what I have been told.
What does it mean if I have ketone in my urine?
 
Ketones can be really bad for people if not dealt with quickly. Iv seen people who have had to go into hospital and have a drip for a number of hours.

Iv added a quick description from Google for you but please read up on them more

On a meter when bloods are 13+ you generally get told to test for ketones but not all the time.
You can also test for ketones on your meter but sounds like they haven't given you any test strips.

When you go back if they don't give you a definitive answer then please make sure you push to be seen by a diabetic doctor.
Iv always been seen by James Cook hospital in Boro and they have always been great with meScreenshot_20200430_180012_com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox.jpg
 
Hi. You can have ketones in your urine if you are very low-carbing and the body is burning fat for energy. This is called Ketosis and is not in itself a problem but if that occurs in the presence of high blood sugar it could become Ketoacidosis and dangerous. I think the nurse did the right thing assuming she's not knowledgeable about Diabetes. She did better than my two diabetes GPs. Before further tests etc keep your carb intake down and have plenty of water. If you feel ill or your BS goes into the high 20s or 30s get to A&E.
 
Daibell said:
Hi. You can have ketones in your urine if you are very low-carbing and the body is burning fat for energy. This is called Ketosis and is not in itself a problem but if that occurs in the presence of high blood sugar it could become Ketoacidosis and dangerous. I think the nurse did the right thing assuming she's not knowledgeable about Diabetes. She did better than my two diabetes GPs. Before further tests etc keep your carb intake down and have plenty of water. If you feel ill or your BS goes into the high 20s or 30s get to A&E.
Click to expand...

Hi
Thanks, definitely was not low carbing when I gave the sample last week.
Its such a tricky time as I know my surgery has many staff off.
 
MarkHaZ123 said:
Ketones can be really bad for people if not dealt with quickly. Iv seen people who have had to go into hospital and have a drip for a number of hours.

Iv added a quick description from Google for you but please read up on them more

On a meter when bloods are 13+ you generally get told to test for ketones but not all the time.
You can also test for ketones on your meter but sounds like they haven't given you any test strips.

When you go back if they don't give you a definitive answer then please make sure you push to be seen by a diabetic doctor.
Iv always been seen by James Cook hospital in Boro and they have always been great with meView attachment 40927
Click to expand...

Thank you that is really helpful. I think I am going to have to wait till the lockdown gets relaxed and there are more staff available to see.
 
Sarahswim said:
Thank you that is really helpful. I think I am going to have to wait till the lockdown gets relaxed and there are more staff available to see.
Click to expand...
Yeah that's the issue at the moment. Glad I got in just before all this kicked off for my last appointment

Your bloods are high like mine were pre diagnosis. I was 15+ mornings and 23+ afternoons. I'm lucky I never really had any ketones, max Iv had was 0.4 which I just drank loads of water for
 
MarkHaZ123 said:
Yeah that's the issue at the moment. Glad I got in just before all this kicked off for my last appointment

Your bloods are high like mine were pre diagnosis. I was 15+ mornings and 23+ afternoons. I'm lucky I never really had any ketones, max Iv had was 0.4 which I just drank loads of water for
Click to expand...

Thanks, what is Iv 0.4?
 
Ketones + high blood sugars is a possible emergency.

Sarahswim said:
Thank you that is really helpful. I think I am going to have to wait till the lockdown gets relaxed and there are more staff available to see.
Click to expand...

Please don't wait, unless your blood sugar has gone way down by tomorrow. Call your surgery about it tomorrow or call 111 for advice. Tell them your story, your blood glucose, you had ketones in your urine and your practice nurse has stated she doesn't know too much about diabetes.

Should you feel nauseous or sick in anyway, notice funny breathing or someone remarking on a funny smell on your breath, treat it as an emergency.

Wish you all the best!
 
Hi there, poor you - what a horrible time to get a diabetes diagnosis and not really be told what’s happening and what to do. I’m late onset type 1 and was given a meter in January and tested four times a day, and told to check for keotones when blood sugar went over 13 (which it very often did) I think it sounds like you should be doing this too just now for peace of mind if anything. I was also on gliclazide which didn’t take my blood sugar down too much so I went up to the maximum dose at one point. If I were you I would explain that you need a meter that reads blood sugar and keotones ASAP. Good luck, and sending hugs x
 
Sarahswim said:
Thank you for replying. I feel fine in myself just worried/confused about what I have been told.
What does it mean if I have ketone in my urine?
Click to expand...
A bunch of people have already explained it better than I can, but what troubled me was the bit where you mention waiting for the lockdown to end. If you, at any point in time, feel unwell, you get in touch with 111 immediately and ask for help. Ketoacidosis can come on hard and fast. And I'm talking about hours, not a couple of weeks/months. So please do take it seriously if you start to feel like something's wrong, okay? It's not something that can wait. (I really don't want to scare you, but yeah... Don't shrug anything off or feel like you're being a bother, okay?)
 
Antje77 said:
Hi @Sarahswim , how are you today?
Have you contacted a doctor yet? Or have your blood sugars dropped to more safe levels?
All the best!
Click to expand...

Hi
I felt ok today. I tested first thing this morning the reading was 16. I am moving to a new surgery as I have recently moved house and they have a diabetic nurse so I am hopeful I will get the right support and advice from them compared to where I am currently.
 
JoKalsbeek said:
A bunch of people have already explained it better than I can, but what troubled me was the bit where you mention waiting for the lockdown to end. If you, at any point in time, feel unwell, you get in touch with 111 immediately and ask for help. Ketoacidosis can come on hard and fast. And I'm talking about hours, not a couple of weeks/months. So please do take it seriously if you start to feel like something's wrong, okay? It's not something that can wait. (I really don't want to scare you, but yeah... Don't shrug anything off or feel like you're being a bother, okay?)
Click to expand...

Thank you for your advice, I will keep a check on myself. I am moving surgeries so hoping for better care.
 
Back
Top