Illness ketone test?

[Rose22]

Hello,
Earlier in the week my blood sugars went up to 20, panic! As had been nicely in range. I called nurse and she told me to keep testing blood sugars and for ketones. To double my meds. She thought maybe I was about to be ill...sure enough Friday sore throat and bad stomach, general achy lethargic etc.
Today blood sugars are back lower, waking was 7 and before lunch 6. So I haven’t tested for ketones. I did when bs was 20 and result was 0.1.
Do you test when Ill if bs normal? Or test ketones only when Ill with high bs levels? I only have a few ketone strips left. Today feel ill but bs seem ok.
Many thanks for advice.

 

[KK123]

Hello,
Earlier in the week my blood sugars went up to 20, panic! As had been nicely in range. I called nurse and she told me to keep testing blood sugars and for ketones. To double my meds. She thought maybe I was about to be ill...sure enough Friday sore throat and bad stomach, general achy lethargic etc.
Today blood sugars are back lower, waking was 7 and before lunch 6. So I haven’t tested for ketones. I did when bs was 20 and result was 0.1.
Do you test when Ill if bs normal? Or test ketones only when Ill with high bs levels? I only have a few ketone strips left. Today feel ill but bs seem ok.
Many thanks for advice.

Hi Rose, well only yesterday on a type 1 diabetes course we were told this; If your glucose levels are above 14, then test for ketones. If you have ketones but they are below 0.6 then keep an eye on your glucose levels and if you cannot get them down or are feeling dreadful, get medical advice. If the ketones are over 0.6 but under 3 then seek medical advice, if over 3 then 'A&E', (nice rhyme). So.….when your glucose was 20, your ketones were 0.1? It's not always an exact science though so I would always err on the side of caution and ketos or not, if my levels remained high despite any insulin I would seek medical advice. Hope this helps. As an aside, when I was diagnosed I had off the roof glucose levels and very high ketones in the 4s, I felt absolutely FINE so you don't always get symptoms. DKA can come on as rapidly as sepsis they said so please don't take any chances. x

 

[Rose22]

Hi Rose, well only yesterday on a type 1 diabetes course we were told this; If your glucose levels are above 14, then test for ketones. If you have ketones but they are below 0.6 then keep an eye on your glucose levels and if you cannot get them down or are feeling dreadful, get medical advice. If the ketones are over 0.6 but under 3 then seek medical advice, if over 3 then 'A&E', (nice rhyme). So.….when your glucose was 20, your ketones were 0.1? It's not always an exact science though so I would always err on the side of caution and ketos or not, if my levels remained high despite any insulin I would seek medical advice. Hope this helps. As an aside, when I was diagnosed I had off the roof glucose levels and very high ketones in the 4s, I felt absolutely FINE so you don't always get symptoms. DKA can come on as rapidly as sepsis they said so please don't take any chances. x

Thankyou. That’s great, info, and fab they are telling you in a course!
Yep I tested at 20.0 and the ketone level was 0.1, so no signs of them really. I felt very thirsty etc but not unwell then. Now feel unwell but blood sugars below 14, so I’ve not tested ketones. Was very pleased when tested this morning to see a single figure result flash on the metre! will keep testing blood sugars over next few days and go in line with how feel.
thanks again x

 

[KK123]

Thankyou. That’s great, info, and fab they are telling you in a course

Well the course came after nearly 3 years of diagnosis but better late than never. x