High Ketone levels with normal/borderline blood sugar.

[Ergun]

For the last 10 weeks l have been following a keto diet. In which time l have lost 32lbs in weight. I have not felt hungry nor dehydrated. I decided to buy a ketone breath meter to track my ketogenic levels. First thing in the morning l test myself. It always shows 9.95 which dictates l am in DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis). However, l currently to not show any of the medical signs. My blood sugar is normal/borderline and my insulin is normal (These were checked out at a private medical lab). I know DKA is dangerous and it is stressing me out. Please advise.

 

[atoll]

test the meter on somebody else to see if it still shows a high reading,

 

[Inka]

What meter is it @Ergun ? Are you sure it’s reliable and working correctly?

Could you test on someone else as suggested above or, if you can afford it, get a blood ketone meter or even some urine Ketostix so you have a second way of measuring ketones.

 

[Robin]

Ketones produced as a result of being on a keto diet are NOT the same as ketones accompanying sky high blood sugars when on a normal diet, which signify DKA.

 

[Madeline]

Agree with @Robin, you’ve entered ketosis, which is what a keto diet does - you’re simply burning your fat for energy. Diabetic ketoacidosis is totally different.

 

[ianf0ster]

DKA implies sky high Blood Glucose as well as high ketones.
So you don't have DKA, as pointed out by others, the interpretation of the ketone reading depends upon whether you are deliberately on a ketosis inducing way of eating.

 

[trophywench]

Mate - were it really DKA you would not be other than flat on the floor with all your organs including your brain, failing! - though hopefully someone would have scraped you up and delivered you to A&E in one of those free big white taxis with the sirens going.

I have no idea what ketone levels are 'normal' on a keto diet though so dunno whether 9+ is OK or not.

 

[Ergun]

For the last 10 weeks l have been following a keto diet. In which time l have lost 32lbs in weight. I have not felt hungry nor dehydrated. I decided to buy a ketone breath meter to track my ketogenic levels. First thing in the morning l test myself. It always shows 9.95 which dictates l am in DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis). However, l currently to not show any of the medical signs. My blood sugar is normal/borderline and my insulin is normal (These were checked out at a private medical lab). I know DKA is dangerous and it is stressing me out. Please advise.

 

[Ergun]

Firstly, thank you for your kind replies. Here is the complicated part. Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak l have been in North part of Cyprus. I have visited 2 Medical labs here and they only measure ketones in urine which is unrealiable I am told. The one taken on Wednesday was 3+ ( not accurate reading). The second one conducted at a second lab was 1+. Once again no range was shown so l have idea how far over 1 it really is. I am considering to raise my carb intake slightly and decrease my fats in-line for a week or two so l can see if it changes anything. I also purchased some ketostix from UK (to be posted out to me).

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

If there’s a chance you may have Covid and are T1, you need to be very careful with ketosis. T1s have been going into DKA at very modest BG levels 😳

Measuring urine ketones is reliable enough as far as I am aware (i think i would trust a urine strip over a breath monitor personally?)

The only thing about urine strips is that they are nothing like as responsive as blood strips, so will be showing what levels were several hours ago.