How often do you check Ketones?

[Nancy in VA]

I admit that I haven't much.

Usually when she has a 300 reading I can explain it with a high fat meal, or a miscount of carbs. We never miss her Lantus dose, so she always has a basal going. And Emma, while she drinks and pees a little more, doesn't show a lot of signs of Ketones.

But I get the impression from some of your posts that you are testing Ketones pretty often? Is that something that you do more because of pumping or are there others who test Ketones a lot?

Thanks!

[AlisonKS]

we test if he's over 300 or sick, he's on shots ;)

[Nancy in VA]

we test if he's over 300 or sick, he's on shots ;)

You test every reading over 300? I would be testing at least once a day if that's the case, that's why I'm asking.

We are fortunate that {knock on wood** she hasn't been sick since diagnosis. The only time she's been sick in her life (outside of a small runny nose) was an ear infection followed by two viral infections in January/Feb of this year - one month before diagnosis.

[missnme]

We tested often at first, but soon realized that Jessie doesn't get ketones often. If she is ill or numbers stay high for a while, we test. We are like you though, especially with growth spurts and I'd be testing her all the time.

We've had her get a clogged site sometime between 3 am and 7 am and be 'HI' on the meter, but come right back down and never spill ketones.

[Mama Belle]

When Sam was on MDIs we hardly ever tested unless she was ill. Then we would test regularly.

Now that she is pumping we test ketones whenever we have a reading over 300 that does not respond to a correction. Most of the time she is negative, but she has had a couple of set/insulin issues that resulted in moderate ketones. For us testing ketones does two things, it not only alerts us to the fact that she has ketones, so we can treat them, but it also is usually an indicator that she is having issues with insulin delivery.

But I can see where someone on MDIs using Lantus wouldn't test very often. The need rises substantially with use of the pump.

[A&Ds Mommy]

My husband still checks him every morning (not sure why) and any time he is over 300.

[Heather(CA)]

If you notice she's drinking or peeing more, I would definately test for keytones.

That said, we don't test for every high, just if there's 2 in a row, But weve been at this a while, and Seth has only had keytones twice since dx'd. Trace once and small once in over 4 years...Luck:confused:

[khannen]

I second everything Heidi just said! :) We do exactly the same thing.

There have been times when I've tried to stretch 3 days instead of 2 out of her sites. Overnight, hours before planning on changing it on the 3rd day, she may suddenly go high and not respond to a correction. She has tested positive to trace or mod. ketones at those times... without giving any kind of visible 'signs' that she had ketones at all. We're switching to the blood ketone strips instead now so I can test at those times without hauling her out of bed and trying to force a 3 yr old to pee on demand at 2 a.m. Lol

[hrermgr]

Because BG can go up so quickly and so fast and ketones can develop quickly if the pump is not working properly, we test when T is over 300 most of the time. If after one 300+ test and T is not going down absolutely do we test for ketones and change her set. Ketones are not something I want to leave to chance. If she has them, I want to know about it and get rid of them promptly!

[Carrie]

We are told to test any reading over 240.

[BrendaK]

We only check if Carson is sick. Or if he has a prolonged high reading over 350 or so for several hours. (Not very often.)

[Amy C.]

I noted that my son hardly ever had ketones. I test when he is sick or there is an unexplained high reading.

[AlisonKS]

You test every reading over 300? I would be testing at least once a day if that's the case, that's why I'm asking.

We are fortunate that {knock on wood** she hasn't been sick since diagnosis. The only time she's been sick in her life (outside of a small runny nose) was an ear infection followed by two viral infections in January/Feb of this year - one month before diagnosis.

yep, we use the precision blood ketone for that, I can go through a lot of strips!

[3js]

we use urine strips, and test for readings of 15 and up (if at home). we don`t carry them with us.

[badshoe]

unexplained highs
prolonged highs
sick

[game2fun]

hmmmm, interesting reading everyones reply.

I don't test all that often. But if we've got a high that came out of nowhere I test for ketones, if we have a high that isn't responding to our corrections (on pump) and if we're high w/ an illness.

Luckily, that isn't that often though.

[kiwikid]

I only test for extreme highs or vomiting or fever. I have a really good 'nose' for ketones, which saves on unnecessary strip usage ;)
(no insurance to cover costs here)

[dmconrad]

I agree with Heidi and a lot of the posts here. We have only had Ketones twice, both have been when she was not getting good insulin delivery. So for us that has helped to know if it was an insulin issue or a food issue. Once was a set issue, the other time...ok I am absolutely horrified to admit...but I forgot to connect her pump after her shower at bedtime...so she woke me up at 1 am and said she didn't feel well..we tested...350...tested again...359...I said..ok, lets give you a bolus...:eek::eek::eek: No pump!!! I am so glad it was me that messed up and not DH...I would not have let him live that down.

We also use the blood ketone strips...LOVE IT...so much easier than peeing on a stick in the middle of the night...because that is when we have Ketones. Ketones were gone in about 4-6 hours each time.

Great post, I am glad to know what other's experiences have been!

[Nancy in VA]

This is a great discussion. It sounds like pumpers test for ketones a lot more, since a problem with the pump results in no basal. MDIers check with unexplained or persistent highs.

That's basically where we are too.

[Tori's Mom]

We check a lot more since starting pumping. We check with 2 consecutive checks over 250.

[munsonklein]

Thankfully, Sarah doesn't seem to get ketones easily, despite being in severe DKA when dx'd 11 months ago. We test when she's sick or has 2 readings in a row over 300. So far, both have been rare, even on the pump, and she hasn't had them measure over a trace since dx.
Seems like susceptibility to ketones really varies from child to child- just like everything else with D!
Cathy

[Lizzy731]

I check if she wakes up high (her urine) or if she's high a few times in a row. She never usually has ketones unless she's been high for quite some time. I also will check when she gets sick (she hasn't been sick since dx.).