Guest guest Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 At 22:44 06/21/2004, you wrote: >Could someone please explain ketones for me please, my local hospital >and doctors seem to be worried about my high level of ketones why? >Thank you >Darren. Hi Darren, Normally, the body burns glucose as a fuel. The food we eat is converted to glucose, which is then used by the body for energy. When the body cannot " find " a sufficient amount of glucose, the body will turn to fat as a fuel. Ketones are a by-product produced in a person's body, when their body is burning fat for fuel. A small amount of ketones in the blood is not unusual, especially when dieting or during strenuous exercise. Low-Carb eating, such as Atkins, will lead to the increasing presence of ketones in the blood. The point here is that if the ketone level is relatively small, or associated with a specific activity (ie, fasting, dieting, exercise) then there is nothing to be concerned about. When ketones are present in large numbers, and when they cannot be tied to a specific activity, it is generally an indication that there is a problem with the insulin/glucose balance in the body, most commonly Type 1 Diabetes. When there is an insufficient amount of Insulin in the body, such as in T1 Diabetes where there is little or no Insulin production from the pancreas, the body cannot use the glucose in the blood. Insulin is the " key " that unlocks the cellular door and allows glucose to exit the bloodstream and enter the cells. No insulin - no glucose usage. When this occurs, the body turns to fat as mentioned above. The ketones produced are usually more than the body can handle at this point and they begin to build up in the blood. Ketones are acidic, therefore a large amount of ketones in the blood will throw off the pH (acid/alkaline) balance of the blood. A situation called Ketoacidosis can develop if the situation is not caught and resolved in time. Ketoacidosis can lead to coma and death. Your doctors will most likely perform tests to determine the amount of insulin in your blood. If it is dramatically reduced, they will prescribe insulin shots to correct the situation. A couple of questions are in order.... Have you been diagnosed with Diabetes, or is this the 1st time that you have had any indication of trouble in this area? How high are your Ketones? What have the doctors decided to do to bring them down? Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 Thank you for your reply. I am diabetic and have been for a number of years, and i am on insulin. My doctors have decided to higher my dosage of insulin and get me to monitor my ketone's i was given Ketostix for home monitoring. Those results have been producing between 4 mmol/L and now 8 mmol/L and they don't seem to be slowing down. Those numbers don't seem that high to me but since i was told they are quite high that's what i am assuming. Thanks for your help Darren. > A couple of questions are in order.... Have you been diagnosed with > Diabetes, or is this the 1st time that you have had any indication of > trouble in this area? How high are your Ketones? What have the doctors > decided to do to bring them down? > > Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2004 Report Share Posted June 22, 2004 At 00:37 06/22/2004, you wrote: >Thank you for your reply. > >I am diabetic and have been for a number of years, and i am on >insulin. > >My doctors have decided to higher my dosage of insulin and get me to >monitor my ketone's i was given Ketostix for home monitoring. > >Those results have been producing between 4 mmol/L and now 8 mmol/L >and they don't seem to be slowing down. > >Those numbers don't seem that high to me but since i was told they >are quite high that's what i am assuming. > >Thanks for your help >Darren. Hi Darren, Thanks for the additional information. Here is some info I found on Ketone levels: Blood Ketone Reading Indications: Above 1.5 mmol/l Readings above 1.5 mmol/l in the presence of hyperglycemia indicate that you may be at risk for developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Contact your healthcare provider immediately for advice. 0.6 to 1.5 mmol/l Readings between 0.6 and 1.5 mmol/l may indicate the development of a problem that may require medical assistance. Follow your healthcare provider's instructions. Below 0.6 mmol/l Readings below 0.6 mmol/l are in the normal range. (Information Source: Precision Xtra documentation) Hope this helps put a gauge to the numbers. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2004 Report Share Posted June 22, 2004 Hello and thank you yes it does help me gauge the numbers a bit more, it means my 8 mmol/l has the potential of being very bad. Darren. > Hi Darren, > > Thanks for the additional information. Here is some info I found on Ketone > levels: > > Blood Ketone Reading Indications: > > Above 1.5 mmol/l > Readings above 1.5 mmol/l in the presence of hyperglycemia indicate that > you may be at risk for developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Contact your > healthcare provider immediately for advice. > > 0.6 to 1.5 mmol/l > Readings between 0.6 and 1.5 mmol/l may indicate the development of a > problem that may require medical assistance. Follow your healthcare > provider's instructions. > > Below 0.6 mmol/l > Readings below 0.6 mmol/l are in the normal range. > > (Information Source: Precision Xtra documentation) > > Hope this helps put a gauge to the numbers. > > Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.