Who tests regularly for ketones?

[TheBigNewt]

Sounds like ketone testing is sort of a UK thing. I have/had 2 pals whose kids have Type 1 and they never test it. The way I was taught is ketoacidosis/DKA is a potentially life threatening condition that is treated in a hospital ICU, at least it was when I trained. Insulin intravenous the whole bit. Ketone testing at home sort of confuses me. If your positive and your blood sugar is normal what then? If you're positive and your sugar is pretty high you correct with bolus just like if there's no ketones. I'm not sure what it adds to a diabetic's treatment regimen.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Sounds like ketone testing is sort of a UK thing. I have/had 2 pals whose kids have Type 1 and they never test it. The way I was taught is ketoacidosis/DKA is a potentially life threatening condition that is treated in a hospital ICU, at least it was when I trained. Insulin intravenous the whole bit. Ketone testing at home sort of confuses me. If your positive and your blood sugar is normal what then? If you're positive and your sugar is pretty high you correct with bolus just like if there's no ketones. I'm not sure what it adds to a diabetic's treatment regimen.

Dont think most docs inUK really ask ref ketone meters etc unless the patient goes on to a pump or if patient is having trouble with highs.

I cartainly never had even wee stix for 30+ years. Never been checked for ketones from day 1 to last year wben hospitals were insistent I retried pumps and knew that my levels would be horrendous.

 

[Grant_Vicat]

My wife had a Yorkie that would yap incessantly if I was hypo. Don't know what the dog sensed.

Over many years as a type 1, I experienced ketones in the 60s and 70s and would be told to use Clinitest Ketostix. In addition to my family saying that I reeked of nail varnish remover, I would feel as though I had run a marathon even though I hadn't got out of the chair! All my muscles would ache and almost lock up, and I could only breathe shallowly. Once I had acquired a blood testing machine in 1978, I could see an exact correlation between blood glucose and ketosis. What interested me was that like bodies build up a glucose tolerance, the incidence of ketosis would also vary. Once I had achieved an HbA1C of about 7, Ketosis would start even as low as 11.0 But I abandoned testing once I had recognised the symptoms.

 

[Clementine68]

I have have only tested for ketones once just recently when my blood raised a bit higher than normal at 13. I am currently trialling the freestyle libre and you get 10 ketone test strips with it but I have never been advised to by any diabetic nurse or consultant.

 

[Brewers23]

DKA can affect people with type 2, although it is more common in type 1. NHS guidelines suggest that having a BM that is consistently above 11 would indicate a need to test for ketones; this can be either urine or blood. If the urine dipstick shows more than 2+ ketones then a blood test is required. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/resourc...99.468428599.1505127410-1295258485.1505127410 If a patient with diabetes presents feeling very unwell, with vomiting, then I test both BM and ketones regardless of the BM reading as I can do both tests from one pinprick. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx#home-testing

 

[AmandaD]

I test daily but only cos I'm following the ketogenic diet and want to know this number lol. I have a meter that tests blood ketones and the strips are a permanent feature of my prescription.

 

[noblehead]

I have a meter that tests blood ketones and the strips are a permanent feature of my prescription.

You must have a very understanding Dr @AmandaD , my Dr would have a hissy fit if I were to request the blood ketone strips too often, it took some persuasion to get them to put them on my repeat in the first place..............

 

[donnellysdogs]

I test daily but only cos I'm following the ketogenic diet and want to know this number lol. I have a meter that tests blood ketones and the strips are a permanent feature of my prescription.

Mine would never do this. They would be self funding only...