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High Ketones

LoisCoxx

Active Member
Messages
31
Location
Bristol/Nottingham
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi everyone,

Just posting here as I'm not sure who else to ask.

I haven't been feeling 100% for a couple of days, but nothing too serious.
Last night I was extremely tired, so I went to bed early and slept for around 12 hours. This morning I was still tired with slight abdo pain and headache. I took some paracetamol and did some things I needed to do this morning. When i returned to the flat around 12 i was shattered. The abdo pain and headache were still there, I tried to do a bit of uni work but fell straight to sleep for about and hour and a half, literally couldn't keep my eyes open. This is odd for me when I've had so much sleep the night before. I feel really strange, decided to check my urine ketones just to be sure and they've come up between 3 and 4+. now i don't know what to do? I don't feel particularly nauseous, but I can't seem to be able to get my blood sugar down which is sitting at around 21.
Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Lois
 


Hi,

My best advice would be to go to A&E!! I have had high ketones 3 times and I have had all of those symptoms which later led onto vomiting alot and then becoming seriously ill in hospital. I'm not trying to scare you but just to be on the safe side I guess you should go before you get worse, as there maybe an undelying cause as to why you're blood sugars aren't coming down!! Drink plenty of water! But be careful if you start being sick stop eating or drinking as you will just be bringing it back up and go straight to the hospital!!

Hope you get well soon!! x
 
Nicola - as someone who has stated they have suffered DKA in the past, you know the answer to this question.
 
A&E Is the only option, the only safe one anyway! Because once it gets too high it becomes beyond our help, potassium levels maybe low, more than likely dehydrated too because passing so much urine! It's not a pleasant experience, so to avoid getting seriously ill and avoiding a lengthy unwanted hospital stay, I would go to the hospital asap!

In the past my DKA's were about 90% my fault except for the last time - I had a foot ulcer which was infected so that made me ill! But yeah DKA isn't something to mess with!
 
AndBreathe said:
Nicola - as someone who has stated they have suffered DKA in the past, you know the answer to this question.
Click to expand...
@NicolaAnne1994 - Apologies. I thought you were asking this question, which completely confused me, bearing in mind your posts about DKA on other threads.

I think I'll go clean my glasses!
 
AndBreathe said:
@NicolaAnne1994 - Apologies. I thought you were asking this question, which completely confused me, bearing in mind your posts about DKA on other threads.

I think I'll go clean my glasses!
Click to expand...
Hahah that is okay! I didn't realise that you was implying that I asked the Question! Yes, unfortunately I know just a bit too much about DKA ha

And I'll let you off as it is monday!! x
 
It's very likely DKA. You can go to A &E or try to treat it yourself. If you can't hold down fluids or can't treat yourself you must go right to A&E.

Check and replace all your insulin supplies you are using. Insulin going off is one major cause. Check your pens or pump, insulin delivery failure is another major cause. The other main cause is infectious disease.

In case you want to self manage the DKA to avoid a trip to A&E I will post the instructions in this thread. If you are in any doubt go to A&E.
 
At blood glucose of 21 and ketone levels of +++ or ++++ you need to do the following (any time you feel ill with BG over 14 and ketones ++ or higher):

20% of your daily dose (TDD) of insulin (your basal plus a day's bolus insulin) as quick acting insulin, by injection (not pump) every 2 hours. Start with a new cartridge from the fridge and visually check the insulin first for any cloudiness or sediment.

Glucose and ketone tests every 2 hours.

At least 100ml of fluids every hour.

Probably best not to eat.

If ketones fall to + or ++, reduce to 10% of TDD every 2 hours.

If ketones fall to nil, discontinue this protocol.

If ketones or blood glucose continue to rise despite this protocol, go to A&E.

If you are unable to hold down fluids due to vomiting or for any reason, go to A&E.

Make sure someone is with you or checking on you every 2 hours.
 
Good advice in the thread and hope by now you've sought medical attention, do let us know how you get on Lois.
 
Thankyou so much for this everyone!
Sorry I didn't reply straight for a couple of days, as you probably guessed I did seek medical attention! I rung 111 as well and was advised to go straight to A&E. So I did. I wasn't in ketoacidosis but what they call ketosis (so ketones that havent turned the blood acidic yet) Had blood and urine ketones and was admitted overnight with fluids and insulin to sort me out. I did start vomiting too. They diagnosed me with an 'unspecified viral illness' that they said would probably fully emerge in the next week or so... great!
But i'm home now and sugars are down - ketone free. so we'll see how I get on....

Thanks again for your advice, it was obviously the best and safest thing to go to A&E i was just a bit panicked as i'm at uni now and it was scary having a situation like this without my mum to help me/cart me to casualty.

Lois
 
Hey, thats good that you went to A&E and lucky that it was only ketosis, I can assure you if you thought ketosis was horrible...then ketoacidosis was ten times worse!!

Glad you are better now though x
 
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