- Messages
- 299
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
Can't believe you are using Ketostix - get a glucose meter that measures blood ketones as it tells you what's happening I. Your body NOW not a couple of hours ago - if off a GP insist on having one or visit a Hospital Diabetes Nurse - you can dehydrate through Ketones affecting the concentration of your urine and the resultsHello what does the "+" signs on the colour chart mean on the ketostix?
Thanks
It's a bit harder to pee than test blood when dehydrated and the Ketone blood strips are miles more accurate - so much so that clinical guidelines state use of a meter not Ketostix - CCGs trying to save money feel it is a good way to save money - until someone goes DKA at £1,000 per day in hospital - there are papers available on the netDehydration doesn't actually skew the results. Your urine actually does have a higher concentration of ketones when you are dehydrated, and more to the point, so does your blood.
But yes a ketone meter is better, if available and affordable. I don't think anyone is going to die from using ketostix rather than a ketone meter, however. And a box of ketostix costs about the same as a single blood ketone meter test strip.
Can't believe you are using Ketostix - get a glucose meter that measures blood ketones as it tells you what's happening I. Your body NOW not a couple of hours ago - if off a GP insist on having one or visit a Hospital Diabetes Nurse - you can dehydrate through Ketones affecting the concentration of your urine and the results
Sorry just had a look and cannot find a link - did find references under Diabetes KetoacidosisKetostix are not going to fail to detect impending DKA and it takes literally one drop of urine to do a ketone test. Anyone who can't pee one drop of urine needs to hydrate and if they can't do that they need to go to A&E anyway.
Do you have the links to these papers?
I think that is too rational, the hospital budget doesn't matter to the local DR and his budget. so the 20 quid matters to the practice more than the 1,000 quid the hospital will spend.It's a bit harder to pee than test blood when dehydrated and the Ketone blood strips are miles more accurate - so much so that clinical guidelines state use of a meter not Ketostix - CCGs trying to save money feel it is a good way to save money - until someone goes DKA at £1,000 per day in hospital - there are papers available on the net
Can't believe you are using Ketostix - get a glucose meter that measures blood ketones as it tells you what's happening I. Your body NOW not a couple of hours ago - if off a GP insist on having one or visit a Hospital Diabetes Nurse - you can dehydrate through Ketones affecting the concentration of your urine and the results