I've had DKA too many times to remember, mostly due to infections, low BG readings but high ketones. I've also had it with high BG but it is easier to manage like that, lots more insulin 😉
Last time I had DKA with low BGs I was hooked up to several drips, IV Antibiotics, Sliding scale insulin, Potassium/Saline mix and Dextrose. The dextrose was to give the insulin something to process and stop me from hypoing, the Antibiotics were to clear the infection and the Potassium/Saline mix was to keep me hydrated and to counteract the Ketones (Potassium helps a lot, along with insulin, Bananas are good) Took over a week to get me back to "normal" whatever that is 😉
I will agree that DKA is possibly the worst experience you ca go through, initial stages being muscle cramps (easily missed) followed by severe vomiting which causes further cramps to the muscles in the abdomen, the vomiting causes further ketones to form which begin to affect other areas of your body, you become confused (much ike in a hypo) and become excessively weak, soon after this breathing becomes laboured with every breath feeling as though your chest is being compressed tightly at some point you stop breathing due to the muscled being overly strained. A short while after this you begin blacking out due to lack of oxygen to the brain, first for a few moments, but each time getting longer until you go into a coma, this is then (more often than not) followed by death.
I've been to the blacking out stage, which occurs around an hour before death in extreme cases. I've gone that far twice, both with super high BG readings but also both with severe bacterial infections, took a week each time to get me better.
Not gone DKA now for nearly 5 years so...
My BG was up at 38 though, I've not heard of DKA with low BG because usually the ketones come from an inability to use blood glucose coupled with an inability to process ketones properly, both of which require insulin. That doesn't mean it can;t happen though, clearly, people are very complex!
