Ketones

[greenman 66]

Can anyone give me some advice? My 16 year old daughter has had high blood sugar levels (averaging between 19 - 16) and ketones (averaging between 1.6 - 1.3) for the last 5 days. She has been giving herself correction doses and only today her sugar levels have come down but her ketones remain at between 1.0 down to 0.5 and back up to 0.8. She did have a bout of tonsillitis last weekend with high sugars (24 and ketones 2.6) but this was regulated and she was released but probably had some ketones in her system and since then has been progressing as above.
If her sugars have come down to 5.8 we were told that she shouldn't have any ketones? any ideas?

 

[Northerner]

Hi greenman, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear about your daughter's illness. It is possible to have ketones with normal levels, but they may be 'dietary' ketones - has she been eating less whilst ill? We all produce ketones when we try to lose weight as our body turns to body fat for energy, producing ketones as a by-product. As long as the ketones are not high and there is sufficient insulin circulating (signified by normal BG levels) then they shouldn't present a danger is she is otherwise feeling OK.

 

[greenman 66]

Thanks for the reply, we had heard about the ketones being produced when the body burns body fat for energy and she as being eaten less ie not snacking at times to keep her levels at a steady medium. I think it is only today that she is eating properly. She is looking better.

 

[trophywench]

I agree what Northerner has said, cos it's right LOL

I just wonder - under normal circumstances - why she needs to snack? - shouldn't really need to on modern insulins, unless it's like a 'Games' or PE day rather than double Maths?