@A DiabetesTeam Member
Glad we could be of help. Its really important to know about ketones,and Diabetic Keto Acidosis. Hugs

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A Diabete...

You got it girl @A DiabetesTeam Member. If I've had an illness, or injury( because any type of stress will run those numbers up) my provider checks my urine for ketones. I think providers should educate their diabetic patients about DKA. A lot of diabetics doesn't do research,their left in the dark.

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A Diabete...

I have a "stick test" ketone meter and @A DiabetesTeam Member nailed it

If you are start running really high blood sugar - even if it's "just high for you" - I have never personally never seen anything higher than 13.2 mmols/238 and that was during an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) so it was "kinda expected", but if saw that any other time, I'm checking Ketones

(the OGTT test measures your hour by hour reaction to doing a 100 gram pure Glucose "shooter" at a Lab where they draw blood for 3 or 4 successive hours - ya, half a day sitting around the lab)

Metabolically what is happening that causes high ketones is you (at least temporarily) lose the ability to burn sugar as energy so it turns to the much more onerous process of burning Body Fat and the by-product is Ketones

This is fine if you are in Ketosis on a Keto diet because you have burned up all the available sugar - you are capable of burning sugar, just none left

Really not a good thing if you are burning Body Fat when your blood sugar is almost as thick as syrup in your vascular system

Can lead to coma and death in pretty short order..

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A Diabete...

Hi @A DiabetesTeam Member I have a box here too always have them in my cabinet when my blood sugars are higher....better to check to make sure we are not spilling keytones...

When to see a doctor
If you feel ill or stressed or you've had a recent illness or injury, check your blood sugar level often. You might also try a urine ketone test kit you can get at a drugstore.

Contact your health care provider right away if:

You're throwing up and can't keep down food or liquid
Your blood sugar level is higher than your target range and doesn't respond to home treatment
Your urine ketone level is moderate or high
Seek emergency care if:

Your blood sugar level is higher than 300 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 16.7 millimoles per liter (mmol/L) for more than one test.
You have ketones in your urine and can't reach your health care provider for advice.
You have many symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis. These include excessive thirst, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, weakness or fatigue, shortness of breath, fruity-scented breath, and confusion.
Remember, untreated diabetic ketoacidosis can lead to death.

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A Diabete...

@A DiabetesTeam Member I agree entirely with your thinking. I just googled DKA and it sounds really serious. Sounds like your blood gets too acidic. Yikes! Do you use your ketone strips routinely? They could be the best solution for some people to help keep their numbers under control. I haven't heard any info about DKA and think you should pursue your wish to inform others about it. The only time I hear about it is when someone newly diagnosed arrives here, after spending weeks or longer in the hospital, after showing up in the ER in full blown DKA. The impression I get is that DKA is the acute version (life threatening) of being diabetic. The most talked about version is the slow chronic deterioration of eyes, nerves, etc....Good luck-maybe if people talk about their hospitalizations from DKA-may cause people to "listen up"?

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A Diabete...