thoughts on ketones

[andeefig]

Just wondering the general consensus on ketones....I know we are told to check any time they are over a certain number (250-300+ depending on child).

How many of you check for ketones after one high reading or do you wait to see if they are coming down and if not, then check for ketones?
T
his excludes sick days.

[allisa]

After five years of doing this, I very rarely check ketones any more when high.....If Ty is high....it is usally corrected within a couple of hours....and I guess I've just relaxed too much about it.

The only time I check ketones are when he is sick ....and I mean REALLY sick.....not just a sniffle or cough.....and then I check them every hour becuase we had one terrible episode once and I'm NEVER having that happen again !!

Or if he exhibited some symptom that was NOT right....you can tell when something is wrong....

But to answer your question....I am lax about checking ketones when healthy.....not saying that is the RIGHT answer....but that is the honest answer

[Beach bum]

Abby always has trace ketones, meaning either 0.1 or 0.2 on the meter. So, I will only check for ketones if:

She has two unexplained readings over 250 in a row
She has had a site or pump failure
She is sick

Abby develops ketones pretty quickly so we know that she always needs to be checked in these scenarios. As Allisa said, after years of doing this you get a feel for things and know when to make the call for checking based on your childs history.

[StillMamamia]

Any time we get 2 high readings in a row (more than 250), after doing a correction, then we test for ketones...and change the site (we're on the pump...that is my son is...it's funny how it becomes a 'family' affair, isn't it?).

We've been very lucky that he's never had more than trace ketones...except for three days ago, when out of nowhere, he was in the mid 200s, so we tested, and very high ketones....changed sites, and with endo's advice, all ended up ok.

[valerie k]

two highs in a row above 300 after correction we check for keytones.

now, thankfully, matt has NOT been sick since diagnosis... so I cant say what we would do when sick.

[mikesmom58]

There was a time a few mos. after Mike was diagnosed that he was continually high for a few weeks, so I was checking fairly regularly but only when the meter said HI, which is over 500. The entire time, I only checked every few days and only repeated if it was "moderate" or more. After a trip to the ER when the keytones were high, things corrected themselves (surprise)

[saxmaniac]

We don't take the endo's orders literally (checking every time over 240). That makes sense when pumping, but while on Lantus it's a bit too much.

I can't put an exact finger on it, but I'll do it if I get a single very high reading (say 350+) or a couple unexplained highs (250-350) in row.

Alex always reads 0.1 to 0.3 on the meter, so those are our baseline "zero" numbers.

[wilf]

We used to check more, but never found any. Dangerous ketones are rare on MDI. We now check only when DD has been "stuck high" for many hours.

[MysticSisters]

I'm paranoid and we've had ketone issues lately. We check with almost every trip to the bathroom. (we only use the blood meter when they need checked and she doesn't have to go, the strips aren't covered by insurance).

[jendean]

That is a good question. We check for ketones rarely. If he is high for more than two hours, then we check... but that is rare. We have the blood ketone tester and the pee tester.

WHen I am at camp, they do a uring ketone test every time someone is high. Every time over 250. the bathroom it littered with ketostix, and it is a PITA, but... sometimes when you don't expect it, there are ketones... that tells me that I should be more diligent at home about it.