Ketoacidosis

When your cells don't get the glucose they need for energy, it starts to burn fat for energy. Burning fat produces ketones. High levels of ketones are not good for your body. When ketone levels get too high, you could develop diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) which can lead to a coma and death.

DKA can occur often when your have the cold or flu. When you're sick, your body needs more energy to fight off the illness and releases glucose from your liver. Also, sometimes during the illness, stress hormones can prevent the insulin from working as well, causing your blood glucose to go way up.

The good thing is you can prevent DKA:

• Check your blood glucose often, especially when you're sick
• Check your ketones often
• Call the doctor if your levels are high
• Call the doctor if you feel any DKA symptoms
• If you are on a pump, change your insulin, reservoir, tubing and catheter and take a correction by syringe if your blood glucose is high and fails to respond to correction.

DKA Symptoms
A lot of symptoms for DKA are similar to symptoms of hyperglycemia. That's because DKA is extreme hyperglycemia.

• Blood glucose level of 240 mg/dl or higher
• Ketones are high
• Nauseousness
• Vomiting
• Stomach pains
• Fruity smelling breath
• Lack of appetite
• Extreme thirst
• Peeing A LOT
• Weakness
• Blurry vision or can't see clearly
• Feeling tired or sleepy
• Dehydration
• Difficulty breathing
• Unconsciousness
  

If you're sick and you feel any DKA symptoms, notify your D-team, especially your doctor, ASAP!  

HINT: When you're sick, you may develop ketones at a lower blood glucose level so check for ketones often when you're sick.