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Ketones?

K

kerrygrant26

Well-Known Member
Messages
116
Location
Cumbria
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Brown rice, all the negative attention diabetics get from the media
At what level of Ketones should I call the doctor? No one has explained the presence of ketones very well to me and I am a bit worried as along with rising b.g levels I also have ketones appearing in my urine (sorry if to much information)
 
If you have blood ketones of over 1.5 AND blood sugar levels above 16.7 you would be at risk of DKA and should call your doctor or 111.

Not too sure about urine ketones as they can still show elevated readings after blood ketones have gone down. I guess if you are worried it's best to call.
 
Thank you Robert much appreciated, I did call the out of hours service and they wanted me to go down to the hospital but with a 7 month old asleep and no one to look after her while I get a taxi to the hospital is just impossible. If things get any worse I will be sure to call back as it's not worth the risk if things get worse
 
How are things today?
 
Things are much better today thanks, down to 0 ketones this evening and b.g has come down to usual levels rather than 27 b.g and over 8 ketones, I must admit I was very scared indeed especially when the stomach pains made an appearance! I am making an emergency appointment to see the GP in the morning so that he can hopefully treat the multiple infections and in turn ring my b.g down to a sensible level again.

I now have a plan in place so that if it happens again I can get to the hospital whilst my daughter is taken care of (fingers crossed it's a one off)
 
Glad the ketones are gone. Hope the GP can sort you out tomorrow. If you don't have a meter to test blood ketones it would be worth asking, as it's much better to know what your ketones are rather than what they were a few hours ago.
 
Yes meters are advisable and glad you're feeling better and planning to see someone today. There is a nice clear flow diagram chart that my DSN gave me which shows clearly what you do if x or y happens - it is geared for pump users but they must have a similar chart for people of injections. All the best.
 
robert72 said:
Glad the ketones are gone. Hope the GP can sort you out tomorrow. If you don't have a meter to test blood ketones it would be worth asking, as it's much better to know what your ketones are rather than what they were a few hours ago.
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I do agree with you Rob but when I requested the B-Ketone sensors for the Glucomen LX meter my gp said he wouldn't prescribe them due to cost and said the Ketostix work just as effectively, as we know this isn't true and now that my gp has now left the practise I'm going to put a request in again and see how I get on.

Can I ask, how long do the Ketone sensors keep? As they are foiled wrapped I'd imagine they'll be a good expiry date with them, unlike the Ketostix where once you open the tub you have to use them in 6 months which is a complete waste as you end up throwing the rest out.
 

I have an old Freestyle Optium which takes ketone sticks as well as the regular BG strips. They are individually foil wrapped and whilst I haven't checked how long they last, the pack I have right now expires in about 1 year. You only get 10 ketone sticks per pack so it's unlikely you'd waste them.
 
I get 2 packs of the freestyle optimum b ketone strips. No coding and yes individually foil wrapped. Batch I got week before last expires in 12 months, I am prone to ketones so I will probably use these.
 


I probably will Rob as I only ever test for ketones when I'm unwell. I think when I looked last year the blood ketone strips for the LX were about £20, obviously the NHS won't pay that but they are much more expensive than the Ketostix........hence why my old gp was reluctant to prescribe them.

I've put a repeat in today and included them on it so I shall see........
 

If you are using an insulin pump or on multiple daily injections then you should have a case to request blood ketone strips on prescription from your GP. They measure b-hydroxybuterate and are more accurate than urine testing.
 
I have had DKA three times all life threatening, what colour does it show up on the urine stick? Just make sure you drink plenty of water increase your insulin by a few units and see how you go! But the moment you start to feel sick or be sick! Get yourself to hospital!!
 
Type1Jim said:
If you are using an insulin pump or on multiple daily injections then you should have a case to request blood ketone strips on prescription from your GP. They measure b-hydroxybuterate and are more accurate than urine testing.
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Thanks Jim, I finally got some on prescription for the LX meter.

I was slightly disappointed that after only 3 months from opening the remaining strips are thrown away, thought they'd come individually wrapped and last a lot longer.
 
The ones for the precision extra meter come individually wrapped, they are what I get on prescription.
 
jodysd6 said:
The ones for the precision extra meter come individually wrapped, they are what I get on prescription.
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Makes sense and I should look to change the meter once I've use them, the blood ketone strips for the Glucomen LX come in a pot of 10, so once you open them the clock is ticking away.
 
noblehead said:
Makes sense and I should look to change the meter once I've use them, the blood ketone strips for the Glucomen LX come in a pot of 10, so once you open them the clock is ticking away.
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I have the glucomen lx and they are individually wrapped


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
daniT1D said:
I have the glucomen lx and they are individually wrapped View attachment 3587
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I got 2 with the meter that came foil wrapped but the prescription I got had the tubs of strips as I say, do you know the PIP Code for the foiled wrapped strips?
 
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