Keytones

I have been trying to figure out what is another interesting thing about diabetes.  One of Rose's favorite things to test for is keytones.  I think it is because I get to catch her urine in a cup and then test it. She is always asking me before her "pee is down" if I need to check for keytones.  It is one of my least favorite things to test for. If you would have asked me ten years ago what I would have to do for my kids I would never had said catch their urine and test it for keytones.  Oh the things you do for your kids.

Before Rose was diagnosed with diagnosed with T1D I had no idea what keytones are.  So for those of you who are not familiar with the term keytones here is an explanation.

A typical healthy body uses glucose as fuel for the body. When there is not enough insulin in the body to use the glucose, your body turns to fat to use as energy.  Keytones are acids found in the urine and blood of people whose bodies burns fat for fuel instead of glucose.  When you are first diagnosed with diabetes you keytone level is through the roof because your body has been using fat instead of glucose to function, because you have no insulin.  Remember my analogy about the plate of food being in front of you but having no mouth.  You body will do everything it can to survive so it turns to fat as a fuel.  High levels of keytones in your blood and urine will make you very sick and is known as Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).  DKA is a serious condition that can lead to death or a diabetic coma.

Most diabetics are able to manage their diabetes well enough that there are no traces of keytones in their urine.  If you have two Blood Glucose test that are above 250 or if you are gettting sick, then there will most likely be some traces of keytones in the urine. It is simple to fix though if you catch it early enough.  You increase water intake and also increase the amount of insulin to help get rid of the acid.

Testing for keytones is easy.  You catch the urine then stick a test strip into it.  The test strip changes colors depending on the amount of keytones in the urine. It is a great indicator if we are dosing Rose properly.  Here is a picture of what a test strip looks like and the different levels of keytones that are found in your urine.

http://e.cityweekly.net/cityweekly/2011/06/09/#?article=1291751

An interesting fact about keytones, is that you are either diabetic or losing fat if keytones are in your urine.  I guess it would be a good way to see if you are actually burning fat when you are working out. Or if you are curious if your child is diabetic you can always test for keytones.

On a none diabetic note we went fishing yesterday with my Dad and Rose's cousins.  It was so much fun and I loved letting Rose feel like a normal kid.  She got to eat her first Happy Meal ever and eat snacks whenever her cousins did because of her pump.  We love our t-slim.