Trouble Getting Large Ketones

[Guest guest]

The following is the monthly report that I sent to my son's dietician at

Hopkins. I am also posting it here in hopes that some of you may be able to

help. My son started the diet in August. He is on a 4:1 ratio, 1000

calories, 1100 cc of liquid. He weighs 27 pounds and is 37 inches tall. We

have struggled to get large ketones. When we started the diet we had

ketones of 160 and we saw decreased seizures. This lasted a few days but

since that time we are in the 40 - 80 range. In the past when we have seen

decreased seizures we have seen improved development so we are hopeful that

if we can make this thing work it will be very good for Broc so we are still

optimistic and not ready to give up but are frustrated that we can't get

higher ketones.

Here is the report that I sent.

Good Morning Jane,

We have continued to struggle this month with reaching large ketones.

Broc's seizure continue to be 100 plus per day and ketones are generally in

the 40 to 80 range. As you suggested we did fast Broc last week. On

Thursday the 25 th we gave him his 300 calorie meal at 8:00 p.m. We had

planned on a 24 hour fast but on the evening of the 26 th Broc was ready for

bed before supper so we put him to bed and ended up fasting 36 hours. His

ketones after the 24 hour fast were 160. The next morning his ketones

(after a 36 hour fast) were 40 -80, at 11:00 they were 80, at 3:30 they

were 80 and for the last several days they have been at 40 - 80.

Currently he is on 1000 calories which we give as follows:

8:00 a.m. 300 calorie meal

12:00 p.m. 300 calorie meal

5:00 p.m. 100 calorie snack

7:30 p.m. 300 calorie meal

Through September and October he maintained a weight of about 29 pounds but

this month he has dropped to about 27 pounds (we believe some of this may

have been due to illness). His height is still 37 " which is where it was

when we started the diet.

Do you think the Depakote could be hindering us from getting larger ketones?

We have only been feeding 3 menus that you sent us and as you suggested we

have not been feeding the fruit or vegetable for about 2 weeks. They are:

baby beef

38 gm cream

42 gm DM Natures Goodness beef/gravy st 2

5 gm 10% fruit or 6 gm gp b veg

18 gm butter

baby chick

39 gm cream

45 gm DM NG chick/gravy st 2

6 gm 10% fruit or 7 gm gp b veg

16 gm butter

baby turkey

37 gm cream

40 gm DM NG turkey/gravy st 2

7 gm 10% fruit or 8 gm gp b veg

18 gm butter

Please let us know what our next step should be.

Thanks.

Mike Bartenhagen

mike@...> mike@...

www.blackcows.com