Ketostix, unsure result!

[MummyRose2009]

Well i finished doing my baking sesh today, was a very good girl. Last night wasn't so good, sugars didn't go haywall but was out with my hubby celebrating valentines day and we had some wine and chocolate, i went a bit OTT but kept a close check on my sugar levels.
This morning they were a little high but been taking my insulin at normal and by about 6 it was down to 5.6.

Finished baking and noticed i was feeling sick to my stomach and very very tired and dry. Decided to do a ketone test. Straight away noticed my pee was darker more yellow than normal. Did three different tests as wasnt sure and even had my partner check. It was so hard to find out where it fitted in, it was definately not a trace or the white one or the next one up. My partner swears theres a bit of a purple colour. Not sure what to do. Don't want to be sick, my sugar level isn't really high for me at the moment and just took my 30 units of slow release.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

thank you

 

[Robster65]

If your urine is dark yellow or orange, it can indicate dehydration. If you were high overnight your kidneys will have filtered a lot of your body fluid to maintain equilibrium.

So unless you've drunk a bit more than normal, you will be dehydrated. I don't know about the ketostix, but if you've taken your insulin and your BG is within normal range, then you shouldn't need to worry about ketones.

If you're worried about it, you sould obviously contact your GP or NHS direct.🙂

Rob

 

[MummyRose2009]

Hi my sugar levels at 15 at the moment. My sugar levels been relatively high up until this past week. As long as its below 17 i've been told im ok

 

[Robster65]

I obviously can't tell you to go against a doctor or nurse, but if I was 17 or anywhere near it, my body would be digesting itself and I'd be very light headed and dehydrated all the time. Not to mention the ketone risk.

I would advise you to drink plenty of water, tea or some other carb free drink to keep yourself hydrated at least. Could you check back with whoever told you that below 17 is fine and persuade them that below 7 is good, below 10 is not too bad but 17 is dangerously high to maintain for any period.

Rob

 

[MummyRose2009]

Hi was drinking water all last night and did another test this morning and its definately showing traces its a very strong colour so no mistaking. Gonna use my dads phone when he shows up so we shall see what my nurse says.

 

[Copepod]

So, what ketone readings did you / your partner consider you had? It's a bit difficult to interpret "definately not a trace or the white one or the next one up" - what are the symbols above the blocks that were possibilities? Eg + or ++ or +++ or ++++?

That's what the NHS call handler would ask.

Hope you get an answer when you can use your Dad's phone.

 

[MummyRose2009]

Well not been able to get in touch with them like i had hoped i'm feeling so c**p right now. My eyes feel dry, my mouth has that horrible taste again, i keep going hot and cold, one min my sugar levels 5 the next its 18 then down to 5 again i feel tired and thirsty. Trying to keep drinking water and fluids to flush whatever ketones are in out. I've not had much time to rest today either (luckily cake orders are out of the way for now) my last ketone stick showed traces which is the next one up from 0.5 sorry know not much help. This morning it was the same and last night it appeared tinted purple (not full on purple) which is high.

i got a really bad feeling things are slipping out of my grip even though i am trying to do my best to keep control

 

[Northerner]

Sorry to hear you are still feeling bad Are you managing to eat much? If you're not eating then your body will be burning fat and producing dietary ketones - you should be OK as long as you are taking your insulin and your levels are not rising above 17. Have you been taught about how to do corrections to bring your levels down again?

 

[MummyRose2009]

sugar level been spiking all day up to 17 then to 18 then plummeting to 5

all been told to do is drink plenty of water and take insulin if sugar is too high, lucozade if its too low.

 

[Northerner]

sugar level been spiking all day up to 17 then to 18 then plummeting to 5

all been told to do is drink plenty of water and take insulin if sugar is too high, lucozade if its too low.

Have they told you how much insulin to take, according to how high your levels are or are you just guessing? Are you going high after treating the lows, in which case you may be having too much lucozade. I hope things settle down for you, but I think you need to discuss this episode with your DSN so you can be more prepared should it happen again.

 

[MummyRose2009]

It's plummeting and i feel like im going into a hypo i have a few mouthfuls of lucozade and then maybe something carby like a low sugar biscuit or if i am out a bite of something i wouldn't normally have. Then it normally steadys out before shooting high. I'm taking my reccommended 12 units of insulin which i have been told take and then a few hours later its plummeting again. i can't do any walking or anything because my sugar level seems to fall even if i take a smaller dosage of 9 if i know im going to be doing exercise.

just confused and fed up and feeling like pants!

 

[Northerner]

It's plummeting and i feel like im going into a hypo i have a few mouthfuls of lucozade and then maybe something carby like a low sugar biscuit or if i am out a bite of something i wouldn't normally have. Then it normally steadys out before shooting high. I'm taking my reccommended 12 units of insulin which i have been told take and then a few hours later its plummeting again. i can't do any walking or anything because my sugar level seems to fall even if i take a smaller dosage of 9 if i know im going to be doing exercise.

just confused and fed up and feeling like pants!

I wonder if your slow-acting insulin dose is too high? This might be contributing to your lows. Wish I could help more, but you really need to have a sit down with your DSN, or at least discuss it over the phone, to try and get a bit more stability and predictability in your levels. You also need to learn how to match your insulin doses to the amount of carbs in your food - the reason you are dropping low is because you have too much insulin for the carbs, even if you have taken less insulin it may still be too much for what you have eaten, and if your slow-acting dose is too high then this will be making the lows even more likely.