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Repeated DKA

reamarie

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi guys. I've been having a lot of problems with my blood sugars lately where they're going high and showing high levels of ketones on an almost daily basis. I can take extra doses of insulin to bring my levels down but after a while they just shoot right back up.
Even when my blood sugars are within a normal range I'm still showing moderate levels of ketones!!

I took myself to hospital just over a week ago to ask them to investigate and to check there were no long term problems being called.
They hooked me up to a couple of bags of fluid and once my ketones were down to the 0.6 range sent me home only for them to start to rise again the next morning.

I then was admitted again for dka just a couple of days ago. Again fluids, this time I was also given an insulin drip and potassium. Again I was sent home after less than 24 hours.

I'm sat at home again tonight with raised ketones and normal blood sugars.

I can't keep doing this and I was wondering of there was anyone who'd experienced similar.
I'm in no way ill. I haven't changed anything about my diet or lifestyle in the last couple of months (I had to cut out lactose and gluten from my diet just before that). Looking for any help or advice.
 
Wonder if you are experiencing injection site problems and you insulin sin't absorbing as it should, are you confident in adjusting your insulin doses to correct high bg levels when they occur?

If your ketone levels are high right now then you need to seek medical attention, you should also make sure you get to see an Endocrinologist sometime soon so that they can find the reason why your experiencing these difficulties.
 
I have always been confident in adjusting my insulin. I inject in my legs so my injection site is changed every time. I've had them looked at too and there's no problems.
Like I said, when my levels go up I'm able to bring them down but after a few hours they'll start to rise again.

I'm not currently at a level where medical attention is urgently needed. I don't think my veins could take another trip to a and e either!!

I will however speak to my gp about seeing an endocrinologist as soon as possible. Thank you
 
I don't use a pump. I inject myself novorapid before meals and levimir of a night. If I increase the doses I'm currently taking I end up having lots of hypos and still have ketones (readings above 0.6)
 
Consider splitting your basal insulin and changing to lantus. And inject 2/3 morning and 1/3 night but take enough in the morning I take 13 morning and 6 at night....I know diabetics differ with regard to insulin but I'm giving you a suggestion. I used to take 7:7 or 8:8 or 9:9 lantus but it never worked I felt like death!! Just highs and lows the whole day through.
 
reamarie said:
I don't use a pump. I inject myself novorapid before meals and levimir of a night. If I increase the doses I'm currently taking I end up having lots of hypos and still have ketones (readings above 0.6)
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You may want to speak to your DSN about splitting your Levemir dose. It's the favoured approach for those who wish to improve control. Most of us using Levemir who have sought the tightest of control have chosen this route.

Do you eat a normal diet? As in, do you consume more than 130g carbohydrates per day? In line with what @tim2000s has asked, there may be another reason as to why your ketones tend to be typically elevated.
 

The user you're asking the question to last logged in 50 weeks ago and this thread is nearly 2 years old.
 
catapillar said:
The user you're asking the question to last logged in 50 weeks ago and this thread is nearly 2 years old.
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Thanks for pointing that out. I never even checked the time stamps, just seen that it popped up in "recent posts"
 
GrantGam1337 said:
Thanks for pointing that out. I never even checked the time stamps, just seen that it popped up in "recent posts"
Click to expand...

Easy mistake Grant, we have all done it
 
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