An hour and a half ago (3 hours after dinner) my sugar was 564. I corrected according to my insulin pump's recommendation. My last check read 495 (30 minutes ago). I just tested for ketones, and the strip came up showing a small amount of keytones.
2 Questions:
1) I just noted the bottle of ketone strips expired in December 2008 (6 months ago). Would this lead to an inaccurate result?
2) Is this cause for an emergency? At what point should I go to the ER? I don't want to overlook DKA.
I haven't been throwing up or anything, and I have no signs of illness (besides a headache that just won't go away). I have a slight metallic taste in my mouth (which my boyfriend just said he could smell).
Any advice would be appreciated. I've had diabetes for 5 years and this is the highest my sugar has ever read. Thanks!
Hmm. Ketones can certainly be odorous so be sure to keep an eye on it. I'd guess (I'm certainly not a doctor so take my advice with a grain of salt) that the expiration date could lead to an inaccurate result though.
Water and insulin are what I've been advised to use to get rid of ketones. It sounds like your sugar came down a bit between the 2 tests so hopefully that will continue.
I would personally just keep testing every 1/2 hour or so and continue to drink water. Changing your infusion site and reservoir may help too. If it does not continue to come down over the next few hours I'd call my doctor for additional advice.
Good luck and please update us when it comes down.
I've been hospitalized 3 times for DKA. The first signs have always been vomiting and severe body pains. You should think about getting some new strips ASAP. I agree you might want to change your infusion sight, drink plenty of fluids and keep your BS checked. If your levels don't come down after a few hours or you feel bad, you might want to consider seeing a doc.