Ketones

[AnnM99]

Hi,
Just been into hospital for an operation. My bloods were checked prior to operation and were 6.3 which was fine. Hba1c gone from 40 to 42 in 8 months but I did reduce from 2 metformin to 1 so no big worry according to consultant. My urine was checked.... Not a trace of sugar but apparently quite high levels of ketones. I got told this last time my urine was checked. What does this mean??? Noone seems bothered so not worrying just want to understand what it means because I'm like that! Lol. TIA.

 

[EllieM]

HI @AnnM99

Ketones in urine are normal if you are in dietary ketosis....

Edited to add

As you would be if you are eating a very low carb/keto diet.....

 

[AnnM99]

HI @AnnM99

Ketones in urine are normal if you are in dietary ketosis....

Edited to add

As you would be if you are eating a very low carb/keto diet.....

Oh, right. Thank you. I did mention this to the nurse but she didn't comment. They never do lol. Yes, I fo a very low carb diet to keep sugars down. She didn't tell me the level. Does it mean I'm in ketosis?????

 

[AnnM99]

HI @AnnM99

Ketones in urine are normal if you are in dietary ketosis....

Edited to add

As you would be if you are eating a very low carb/keto diet.....

Would I be able to buy test strips to see if I'm in ketosis??? So, what is keto acidosis? Is that one stage on from ketosis? Like taking keto too far????

 

[EllieM]

So, what is keto acidosis? Is that one stage on from ketosis? Like taking keto too far????

Diabetic ketoacidosis is completely different to dietary ketosis and happens when someone has high blood sugar and not enough insulin. (By high I mean teens or above).

Typically it happens to T1 diabetics though I believe that certain T2 meds can make it more likely (not metformin or gliclazide).

Does it mean I'm in ketosis?????

Probably/possibly yes but this is not my area of expertise so I'll let one of the very low carb people answer that.

 

[AnnM99]

Diabetic ketoacidosis is completely different to dietary ketosis and happens when someone has high blood sugar and not enough insulin. (By high I mean teens or above).

Typically it happens to T1 diabetics though I believe that certain T2 meds can make it more likely (not metformin or gliclazide).

Probably/possibly yes but this is not my area of expertise so I'll let one of the very low carb people answer that.

Thanks for the reply. So it's not dka as my sugars are well controlled and with a hba1c of 42....
I've lost 2.5 stone and have put haf a stone back on so now 9.7 and 5.3 but consultant said yesterday he'd advise me to keep my weight at 9 stone to keep my hba1c down. He wasn't an endocrinologist but I suppose it's not rocket science! I think I've naturally low carbed from diagnosis and the wright fell off but I'd like to know more about keto, using the strips etc for optimum weight loss to shift the 7 pounds quite quickly. Hope that makes sense?

 

[Oldvatr]

Some blood sugar monitors can use special test strips to measure ketones instead of glucose, but the strips are very expensive. A cheaper alternative is to purchase ketosix or urine test strips from the chemist. They are not as accurate, but will tell you if you are burning fat (ketosis). But the strips go off fairly quickly (3 months life once the pot is opened). I would advise weestix as you do not need to be accurate for diet control. The dietary ketone level from diet rarely rises above 4mmol/l (UK) so is well clear of DKA output levels (>8 mmol/l)

 

[Oldvatr]

You probably are in ketosis and the weight loss is another indicator. While you are losing weight then you will be losing water (glycogen is glucose +water so losing it increases fluid loss. You may lose electrolytes, so the advice is that whjile in the weightloss stage to increase salt intake. Also when in full keto you will be burning lipid fat instead of glycogen, and this will increase your cholesterol levels temporarily. Nothing to worry about, but it frightens doctors. You should also increase fat in your diet to compensate for loss of glucose energy, and this is necessary to prevent your body from scavenging muscle to make glucose for your nerves and brain (gluconeogenesis)