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Now im realy confused re ketones

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caroleann

caroleann

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
As i have read a few posts thats say's type 2 dont need to worry about ketones, but as you all have read that Gail was admitted to hospital because of ketones and she is type2,so surely type 2 do need to worry about it,or am i being particulary dim tonight.:confused:
 
Not to sure on that one myself, so would also be interested if anyone can shed any light x
 
Depends on the reason for the ketones - as you are probably aware if you went on the ultra low carbohydrate Atkins diet you'd have ketones. However not the sort that kill you, just means your body is eating your body fat instead of added carbohydrate - does that make sernse?

However if you get Diabetic Ketoacidosis because of lack of insulin (own or injected) then that is life threatening. It is my belief - and someone please correct me if I'm wrong! - that where your pancreas has packed up and the beta cells are nearly dead - and you will obviously need insulin by jab, then DKA can occur.

If you are on tablets and/or insulin but do still have enough Phase 2 insulin production to keep you going, then you shouldn't have DKA. You of course have no way of knowing that so it is perhaps best to assume that once you progress to needing insulin, DKA might happen thereafter - if your BG gets high enough and that might be because your last Beta cell has expired and not from anything you could have avoided doing.

I don't know Gail or her history, is she absolutely 100% certainly T2 - or could she really be a 1.5 or something?
 
I'm not too sure myself but I think as long as there's some insulin being produced, it should keep you safe from DKA unless you go really high for a prolonged period.

If your pancreas has all but given up the ghost, in which case you'll be on insulin, then I would imagine you'll be as prone to DKA as any T1.

Anyone on diet and exercise or the 1st line of defence drugs, such as metformin, should be able to cope with high BGs in a natural way.

That's my understanding but I hope someone who really knows can shed some proper light on it.🙂

Rob
 
Robster65 said:
I'm not too sure myself but I think as long as there's some insulin being produced, it should keep you safe from DKA unless you go really high for a prolonged period.
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I'm type 2 and was producing ketones prior to diagnosis. But, as you say, I'd been high for some time and I was very insulin resistant.

I'd been getting the sweet pear taste in the mouth on and off, but had put that down to a tooth infection I'd also had at the time!

On reflection it also explains why I kept getting periods of vomitting for no apparent reason. I was in a bit of a mess really! 😱

Andy 🙂
 
Gail is on insulin and ketones can be dangerous if there is not sufficient insulin circulating to help process them. Anyone on insulin needs to be able to test fr ketones and know what to do if levels are high and ketones are present. As you are on insulin, you also need to be aware of them and have the means to test for them.
 
caroleann said:
As i have read a few posts thats say's type 2 dont need to worry about ketones, but as you all have read that Gail was admitted to hospital because of ketones and she is type2,so surely type 2 do need to worry about it,or am i being particulary dim tonight.:confused:
Click to expand...


Type 2 diabetics can get DKA if they are on insulin and stop taking it. A review at one American hospital found that 17% of DKA admissions were t2 but that Latinos and African Americans dominated the group ( so there might be an ethnic susceptibility in T2 DKA). But it is not a worry for the vast majority of T2s.
The Type 2 equivalent to DKA is HONK - dehydration and high bgs. More often occurs in elderly T2s on insulin who get confused about what they are doing. HONK or HHNS is said to be a major killer in nursing homes.
 
It just go's to show how lucky we are to have access to this wonderful site.if left up to the so called proffesionals we would all be walking around in the dark.
 
Type 2 diabetics can get DKA if they are on insulin and stop taking it. A review at one American hospital found that 17% of DKA admissions were t2 but that Latinos and African Americans dominated the group ( so there might be an ethnic susceptibility in T2 DKA). But it is not a worry for the vast majority of T2s
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T2 DKA is most often caused by low insulin and another factor, usually an illness. An infection for example can cause hormones (glucagon and 'stress hormones like adrenalin) to be secreted These cause more glucose to be released and the glucagon surpresses the (already low) insulin . Glucose levels rise, and there isn't enough insulin there cope with it or to stop the breakdown of fats.
And of course as above. DKA can be caused in anyone who needs to take insulin by not taking enough of it.

The case of African and Hispanic Americans is a bit different. It definitely seems to be a genetic type of diabetes. They have found a similar type of diabetes in recent immigrants to France from the Sub Saharan region of France. It occurs mainly in men. This type of diabetes is prone to DKA. It often presents with DKA, needs insulin but then goes into remission , sometimes not needing any drug treatment at all. The remission can go on for several years but then insulin levels go down, glucose levels become toxic and they end up with DKA again. (they don't know what to call it as it doesn't fit into the 'official' categories. It's been called atypical diabetes, ketosis prone T2, Type 1b, phasic insulin-dependent diabetes and flatbush diabetes!)
 
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just in case anyone gets the wrong idea can i just point out i did not stop taking my insulin. I do how ever have a chest infection/thrush and am feeling run down in general and was told by consultant that this would have contribed to things. type 2 can get dka
 
Thankyou for replying Gail,Hope you are feeling better now.
Hope you didnt mind me mentioning you in my origonal post.
carole
 
caroleann said:
Thankyou for replying Gail,Hope you are feeling better now.
Hope you didnt mind me mentioning you in my origonal post.
carole
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Carole i dont mind at all hunnie, im feeling better
cheers
gail
 
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