If you are a Type 2 diabetic, it’s possible that your doctor has mentioned to you about checking your ketones, but do you really know what that means or how to do it?
You can test for ketones using your urine. Ketones are a sign that your body is breaking down fat for energy. The body breaks down fat when it can’t use glucose. This can occur for a couple of reasons; for example:
- when you haven’t taken enough insulin to help move sugar into your cells
- when you haven’t eaten enough to provide glucose for energy
Ketones in the urine are actually more common in Type 1 diabetics.
So when should you check for ketones?
- You should check if your blood glucose is more than 300 mg/dL (16.7 mmol/L), you feel nauseated, are vomiting, or have abdominal pain.
- You should also check if you’re sick with a cold or flu, feel tired a lot, have a dry mouth, feel thirsty all the time or your skin is flushed.
- You should additionally check if you’re having a hard time breathing, your breath smells fruity or you feel like you’re confused or in a fog.
All of these can be signs you have high ketone levels that may need your doctor’s intervention.
It’s very simple to test for ketones. You do need to follow the directions very carefully, however. Make sure your strips are not outdated and read the instructions that come with them. You might even want to speak with your doctor or nurse to learn the correct way of doing it. Most urine tests have you get a urine sample in a clean container and then place the strip into the sample. You could also pass the strip through a urine stream.
Then, you will shake the excess urine off the strip and wait for it to change color. The directions of the test will tell you how long you need to wait. You compare the strip color change to a color chart that comes with the kit. This will tell you the amount of ketones in your urine and then you will record your results.
If you find a small or trace amounts of ketones (normal is negative or less than 0.6 mmol/L), that can mean you’re getting a build up. You need to test again in a few hours. If you see moderate or large amounts, that is a danger sign. This can upset the delicate chemical balance in your blood and can be toxic to the body. You should never exercise when your urine shows these moderate or large amounts of ketones and your blood sugar is still high. That is a sign that your diabetes, Type 1 or Type 2, is out of control. You need to speak with your doctor at once.