• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Those sticks you widdle on

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
rossi_mac

rossi_mac

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Evening peeps,

Probably a daft question, but what are the occasions that you would test for glucose in the wee or ketones? Is it ONLY when you have been high for a period.

Cheers

Rossi
 
You need to use the ketone sticks (ketostix) if your levels are persistently high (17+) and particularly if you are also feeling ill. I've only used them once since diagnosis and now I have some blood ketone strips for my Optium Xceed meter. Can't imagine anyone uses glucose pee strips (Diastix) these days as they generally only register levels above 10+. 🙂
 
I usually test for ketones if my BGs go above 17 and I don't feel well.....guess I had better test for them now
 
Only ever use them when I'm ill as this is when my bg can be persistently high over longer periods.
 
Funnily enough I had a BG of 16 mmol yesterday, double checked after washing hands and it said 18!. This was unknown territory for me since diagnosis. Both pump and meter exhorted me to test for ketones. We searched my medicines bag (was in the middle of a 15hour journey) and I hadn't packed the sticks.
No need as an hour or so later I was back to 6.
Moral of tale is that for me I don't need to check ketones for a one off high reading!
 
I know for a fact anyway but still test, just to see if I need to start drinking a gallon of water. I feel utterly nauseous when I get the little beggars!
 
rossi_mac said:
Evening peeps,

Probably a daft question, but what are the occasions that you would test for glucose in the wee or ketones? Is it ONLY when you have been high for a period.

Cheers

Rossi
Click to expand...

Well I'm afraid I don't 'widdle'!!!!! Ha ha ha

Heya rossi,
Haven't you asked a similar question before or am I imagining such a clone post?

anyway, I test when ill or high!! I keep a spare box of ketone blood strips to for sickness, follow sick day rules and contact DSN if needed! The ketone strips can go out of date if not used frequently so watch out!!!!
 
Ketone sticks should not be used 6 months after first opening, seems a waste as there's 50 in a tub and very unlikely that anyone will get through that many unless they have had periods of illness.
 
The only time I use diastix is if I'm out and I want to make sure I have diet coke instead of full fat coke.
 
toby said:
Ketone sticks should not be used 6 months after first opening, seems a waste as there's 50 in a tub and very unlikely that anyone will get through that many unless they have had periods of illness.
Click to expand...


If you are ever in New York you can get packs of 20 individually foil wrapped. My DS was horrified last autumn when he found out I did not have any and got the GP to prescribe me 50. I only ever used two! That was when I had flu like symtoms and had been around the teens for a couple of days. And the results were negative. I did ask the GP about individually wrapped ones when they passed six months but they were not on the practice server!
 
I have always had the same problem ... because I hardly ever use em, I never order any more. Then have to go to Boots and buy em when I need em .....
 
trophywench said:
I have always had the same problem ... because I hardly ever use em, I never order any more. Then have to go to Boots and buy em when I need em .....
Click to expand...

I persuaded my GP to prescribe the blood ketone strips as they are individually wrapped and usually have a two year shelf life. They are more expensive obviously, but when you take into account they last longer there's not much of a difference in overall cost unless you use a lot of them.
 
Northerner said:
I persuaded my GP to prescribe the blood ketone strips as they are individually wrapped and usually have a two year shelf life. They are more expensive obviously, but when you take into account they last longer there's not much of a difference in overall cost unless you use a lot of them.
Click to expand...



What is the name of these ketone strips? I hate waste and it does my head in chucking out strips simply because they are out of date, next time I'm due a review I'll ask for these to be added to my script.
 
toby said:
What is the name of these ketone strips? I hate waste and it does my head in chucking out strips simply because they are out of date, next time I'm due a review I'll ask for these to be added to my script.
Click to expand...

They are only for the Optium Xceed (which does ordinary blood glucose tests too), called Optium β-ketone Test Strips. I believe there is also a Glucomen meter that now has ketone strips available. 🙂
 
Northerner said:
They are only for the Optium Xceed (which does ordinary blood glucose tests too), called Optium β-ketone Test Strips. I believe there is also a Glucomen meter that now has ketone strips available. 🙂
Click to expand...


Thanks for that🙂
 
Cheers, I have had a few highs of late but back down soon enough so haven't bothered testing for those tones.

Seems to me they should at least sell packs of individually wrapped widdle sticks, makes sense no?!

Testing when ill. I know we all do and should and are told to but would you get any signs of ketones if you weren't high whilst ill? ie if ill test blood sugars but is there really a need to test for ketones if for example you stay below 7.5 the whole time?

PS. I'm not trying to be irresponsible and say don't test, just trying to understand!

Cheers

Rossi
 
Hi Rossi. I think ketones are only present if you're high because the body can't use the glucose in the blood for energy. The ketones come in because the liver is breaking down fat and protein to fuel the cells. Ketones are basically a reserve fuel supply in the absence of insulin. But too much, for too long and it will turn your blood acidic and give you problems.

If you're below doubel figures, it shows that there's enough insulin to process the carbs and your body doesn't need to resort to fat and protein for energy.

Or something.

Rob
 
rossi_mac said:
Testing when ill. I know we all do and should and are told to but would you get any signs of ketones if you weren't high whilst ill? ie if ill test blood sugars but is there really a need to test for ketones if for example you stay below 7.5 the whole time?
Click to expand...

Makes sense to me.

As far as I know ketones can be produced at high levels whether ill or not (but illness and high BGs often go hand in hand). I have a warning flag on my meter (kicks in above 14 I think) which warns to check for ketones.

I only seem to get trace readings when I've had a few nasties on the trot, though I don't know whether some people produce ketones more easily than others.
 
I never seem to register ketones when I'm ill even though my bg is high:confused:
 
thanks again guys/gals, you know what, one day with the road side assistance (well we are on a journey right?) of you lot I may understand what is going on, as I said one day!!!

Cheers

Rossi
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top