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Ketones Question

neithskye

Well-Known Member
Messages
244
Location
Toronto, Canada
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Since I've hardly been losing weight I bought some ketones urine strips. I tested at 8 mmol which is very high.

1) Does this mean I'm in ketosis? Or does the ketosis effect negate with high numbers?
2) Anyone know why my ketones are so high? I understand it's a symptom of uncontrolled diabetes but my BG has been consistently in the 4-6 mmol range for a month. My last A1C on October 5th was 6.1%.

I've been Googling info and all I can find is maybe I'm not eating enough, which I know I am not. I'm down to one meal a day as I'm just not hungry.

Thank you.
 
Ketone urine strips are notoriously inaccurate especially for assessing nutritional ketosis. If they are very dark it shows you are still excreting ketones and they are not yet being used efficiently by your body. Also they can be quite impacted by your level of hydration.
You are probably in nutritional ketosis but your body hasn't adapted fully to running on ketones as opposed to glucose so you are spilling out some.
So long as your blood sugars are under control and you are not taking SGLT2 inhibitors you should be fine. But if you aren't eating a lot I would suggest trying to have a bit more although your hunger will probably re-appear when you become fat adapted and you start running on ketones completely.
 
Thank you for your reply.

I checked my results for the "three months since diabetes diagnosis" lab tests I had on October 5th to see if they had ketones results. They did, and they were also 8 mmol.

I started low carb high fat in July. Does it normally take three months to fully adapt?

I drink at least 2-3 litres of water a day. I carry a water bottle wherever I go. It's the only thing I drink besides the occasional diet pop.

My body's always been a bit stubborn when it comes to losing weight.
 
Thanks for the links. I have to see my doctor this week so I'll ask then. Strange that she never mentioned my high ketones when we went over my lab results. Sometimes I find she charges through information like she forgets the person she's talking to doesn't yet know all the lingo.
 
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