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Ketosis

Butterflykeri

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Insulin
So started following dr Bernstein after new year and have been keeping an eye on ketone levels. Done this evening and it's gone to 80, the second darkest purple.....is this a problem? Blood sugars are staying stable in 4s and 5s
 
How many grams of carbs are you eating total, each day ?
 
Approx 30g, just want to make sure it's not going to make me ill!
 
I am no expert but it is common to have high ketones in urine in the beginning, at least for people who doesn't suffer from type 1 diabetes so it seems likely also type ones will have high urine ketones.

As long as your bg is normal I can't see any reasons for alarm. In a couple of weeks time your body will be better at using the ketones and your level will go down.
 
Okey dokey will keep an eye on it....think I might be suffering slightly from the carb flu anyway, but headachey and legs feel heavy and tired! Hope it improves soon!
 
I take it that's 8.0 mmol/l or +++ on the ketostix?

It's a bit high for nutritional ketosis but it would be much more accurate to do a ketone blood test if you can.
 
Yep that's the one....I don't have a blood ketone meter
 
As someone who has been in and out of Ketosis for a while, it's usually fine. I hit the darker colours once. When you first start on the very low carb diet, you generate excess ketones that show up in your urine. After you are keto-adpated, i.e. you are burning fats as fuel, then they will disappear. This usually takes about a week, and as long as you are monitoring your blood sugars and they are in a safe range, I think you should be okay.

The ketones do make your muscles feel a little odd at first, but it won't last!
 
Handy chart to see where optimal levels are when you're low-carbing and have normal blood glucose levels.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hmmm wonder if I should eat more....although not hungry at all since stared lchf
 
Butterflykeri said:
Hmmm wonder if I should eat more....although not hungry at all since stared lchf
Click to expand...
Urine doesn't always reflect blood ketones, but is a good first line diagnostic as blood ketone strips are expensive.

I saw a 4.0 on ketostix the other day and found it was only 2.4 when I tested blood ketones.
(checked BG at the same time just to be sure)

 
I think I will just carry on, this is day 5 so will give it few more days and hope they come down a bit
 
I was recommended to drink at least 2 litres of water a day while in Ketosis...
 
I am type 2 on insulin and showed ketones in urine that was checked by my GP. I have been very thirsty and so tired. Spoke to my DSN today and they are thinking I might be a slow developing Type 1. Now been issued with a Glucomen LX Plus meter and B-Ketone blood testing strips.
 
It would be a worry if you were showing ketones and your BGs were high (over 13 mmol/l)
 
Keri,

1) Of course I'm no expert.

2) I have tho been in deep ketosis for four months or so Doc Bernsteining. As ketosis is quite different from ketoacidosis and my BS was always low, I never measured my ketones at all (except latterly I got a Ketonix breath analyser which I now realise, embarrassingly, I don't really know what to do with. I know how to use it, but not sure what for .. embarrassing). This is partly because I was never given any ketone strips of any kind. No sign of their being used here (in Denmark).

You do produce most ketones at the beginning, as the metabolism adapts. I know nothing about what the colour levels or measurements mean, but keto-maniacs like it when their levels go up. It means they have maximum energy available for sports training. If your BS is consistently in the 5/6 range, I would think it virtually certain that this is totally benign.

I was also told by two DNs here not even to think about DKA with a BS of less than 13. And the root cause of DKA is the absence of insulin. And you are taking plenty, with those figures.

So, of course I could be wrong, but frankly it sounds totally benign. I would go for it if I were you. You will be a bionic woman in ketosis!

Lucy
 
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