Ketone test kit

@srozelle and by correction, you mean the fast-acting mealtime insulin , correct?

That same kind of insulin, yes, but in the amount needed to correct the high (as opposed to the amount needed to bolus for carbs).

Is there a standard calculation for correction ?

@srozelle
Does your child ever eat sugar?? I keep reading and hearing differing opinions on whether we should or shouldn’t.

Hi @HopeFloats202! Check with your doctor for your correction amount. As I recall from my days on shots, I was given a sliding scale for correcting, so
If between A & B, 1 unit
B &C 2 units and so forth.
As with many things, the values may change based on your response.

I do have a correction chart that, if just before mealtime, I am 151-200, add 1 unit, 201-250, add 2 and so on.
Would that be similar ?

Check with your doctor to make sure nothing has changed with the guidelines.

I understand that I need to check with my doc, thanks anyway

Yes, that’s the idea. Sadly, there is no “standard” for corrections, though. One unit might bring one person down 100 mg/dl, while it brings someone else down 50, or more, or less, and the same person will have a different ratio at different times, etc. Like everything else in T1D, it’s a game of trial and error. Or as one wise CDE told us, “follow the numbers.”

Oh, and when our daughter was first diagnosed, we only gave injections before meals, too. (Actually, when she was very first diagnosed, she only took one injection of NPH in the morning and one at night, period. It wasn’t until later that the endo added the rapid-acting with meals in addition to a basal shot. And now that she’s on a pump, we can correct anytime as long as we’re careful not to stack, but I digress.)

The point was that when our treatment plan looked like it sounds like yours does right now, I remember being confused and feeling a little defensive about not doing corrections unless it was at the designated time. I was reading that other people were giving themselves corrections whenever, but we’d only been told to do it at one of the designated times: breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If that’s where you’re at, then that’s where you’re at. This is a progressive disease, and so the treatment you’re going to give yourself is going to progress, too.

So, yes. If she has ketones, our endo told us to call, and then depending on the size, will have us use that scale (the chart you have, with 1 unit if 151-200, or whatever yours is), but times 1.5 or times 2, for example.

She definitely does eat sugar — and not just when she’s low, either. :slightly_smiling_face:

We’ve always emphasized “eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full,” being sure to get a healthy mix proteins, fruits, veggies, calcium (from dairy at our house), and of course carbs. We find the fat takes care of itself. :slightly_smiling_face: And our endo instructed us that a healthy diet for someone with T1D was a healthy diet for anyone else — we just need to pay attention to what her BG is and take insulin and time the food and the insulin and 
 well, you know. It’s a lot of “just.”

But, yes, she eats sugar. While I think we do eat more healthily than most American families, we are not following what anyone would call a low-carb diet! :grin:

You are not concerned about the possible ill effects with the quick spike and drop in glucose?

We do what we can to keep the peaks and valleys minimized — if she’s already high, she’ll save the dr’s office lollipop for later (and if there’s a lower-carb lollipop offered, she will take that instead) — but generally, no. Our endo was pretty firm about it being the big picture that matters, and since that fits with our life philosophy, we were receptive to hearing it.

FWIW, she gets all kinds of praise at every visit for what a great patient she is. I think the vast majority of patients they see aren’t as compliant. Check out that relatively recent study that got shared in another thread
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/dia.2018.0384?_ga=2.192313193.2316284.1611964603-640241744.1611606388 and see for yourself how well you’re doing!

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@srozelle
Thanks! My Endo isn’t concerned too much with the peaks and valleys as much as if, by mealtime, my numbers are good.

Ours called them “excursions,” which I like. Such a pleasant word. Your BG took a little jaunt off the well-trod path — a brief excursion — and then came back where it belongs. Picture your BG wearing a Safari vest and cargo pants, with binoculars around its neck, and keep coaxing it home.

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Haha! @srozelle
:joy::rofl:

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As always some really good advice and support here


We always like to keep a good stock of supplies on hand incase of an emergency. Gatorade (not the “Zero” that one doesn’t have sugar), or any juice that is higher in glucose fructose (those act quicker than natural juices) soda crackers, chicken soup and ginger tea. The Zofran as mentioned here, is amazing for vomiting - works like a charm. We use dip sticks for ketones (wasn’t even aware there’s the blood kind) and our Endocrinologist/team always mentions that if unable to keep anything down to head to the Emergency room to be treated intravenously. Diabetics during sick times are just like non diabetics, just with more monitoring and care involved. Lots of liquids and rest - of course. Also, if ever unsure what to do, or how to treat, or any questions in general, your Endocrinologist/doctor is your best resource and go to.

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I loved my precision Xtra meter. I was way better about testing for ketones with that than I’ve ever been with the urine strips. I just never remember to test when I pee. When I gotta go I gotta go! And blood results are so much more accurate than urine tests anyway. I was so mad when my insurance stopped covering the Xtra. I suppose I could have kept it and just bought the ketone strips myself, but the whole point was that if my blood sugar was high I could just put a new strip in the meter and check for ketones right away without having to prick my finger again. That doesn’t work if I have to fish a whole new meter out of my bag first. I love my Libre, but I wish they’d build in a ketone testing option. It already doubles as a blood glucose meter. How hard could it be to add ketone testing??

I caught a stomach flu last spring and had high blood sugars and moderate ketones. I was told by my endo’s office to increase my insulin doses by 10% and stay hydrated. My blood sugar came down pretty quickly but the ketones persisted a few days. I drank a lot of broth and iced herbal tea (slowly so as not to aggravate the nausea) since I don’t care for water. I also like to keep popsicles stocked for sick days. That’s my go-to when my blood sugar’s low but I’m too nauseous to eat or drink more than a few sips. My parents used to make me suck on hard candies to prevent lows when I was sick, but they don’t help with dehydration. After one particularly bad stomach bug I couldn’t even look at a dum dum lollipop for years.

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@bsteingard thanks for the ideas! Appreciate it.

Keep an eye on the expiration date of the pee strips. My sugar was pretty high 2 weeks ago for an entire day . I used a strip and the color didn’t change at all. I looked at the box and they had expired 6 months prior. Not a bad thing though because I had hardly had to use any since purchasing them 2 1/2 years ago! Stay well!

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@Deeeerose
Did you determine what caused your high numbers the other day?