I know this is a bit bazaar for an asthma site bit it's kind of connected!!!!
Maddie went a bit strange on me this afternoon so I got a nurse friend to give her a once over and her blood sugar levels were up. I took her straight to the gp and they'd gone up even further!
We were on the verge of going to costa but het wee sample showed no ketones. So we were sent home and an urgent letter has gone to maddies consultant to sort it ASAP.
Now I know long term steroids can muck up the insulin levels in your body but are you only classified as diabetic if you have ketones in your urine??
I understand asthma but blood sugar levels etc are a tad out of my radar!! Was hopig someone else would have some knowledge??
Just now not sure what to do or expect. Obviously maddies bloods are all over the place, her Cons app is the beginning of aug. What do I do or think between now and then?? Should I worry?!
Emily x
Written by
yaf_user681_15459
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
You are partly right steriods in general cause and increase in blood glucose. Just as you have high blood glucose on on off then it dosnt mean your diabetic. It depends on if its still high after starving for 8 hours. In my experience steriod induced diabtes is a slow thing.
Ketones in urine of diabtics generally mean your in Diabtetic ketoacidosis, but can mean infection or starvation.
You could ask your GP to do a glucose tolerance blood test to see if Maddie is diabetic... If the levels from this test within a particular range you are then diagnosed as diabetic.
As you rightly say it could also be due to the steroids.... If you are worried about her glucose levels at home you could buy a glucose monitor and strips. You might be able to get your GP to prescribe them - have found they are sometimes reluctant to do this....
I Have type 1 diabetes and i dont think i have had ketones in my urine more than 3 times and that was when i was really unwell. And my blood sugars can go as high as 33.9 if i forget my novorapid insulin! I Think you should take her to GP for a glucose tolarance test, becasue when your sugars are high you feel pretty ill and dasy... its horrible!! Check out diabetes uk website - its really good
My knowledge of diabetes isn't vast, but years ago I worked a short time on an endocrinology ward. When we had patients who were really poorly due to their diabetes, we used ketones in their urine as a guide to how poorly they were. Once the ketones had disappeared (through intensive treatment) the treatment was then stepped down and the patient was considered to be improving. So no, most people with controlled/managed diabetes probably wouldn't even have ketones in their urine.
Poor Maddie, from your posts it sounds like she is going through a right time of it
Thank you all so much for your replies. It's clarified things for me alot.
Poor Maddie has been through the mill but the maintenance pred really has given her a big boost with regards to her asthma control. At last! Thing is, it's affected her sugar levels but I'm really confident that this won't be a big thing and will be easily controlled. Not like her lungs have been over the last two yrs!
Will be speaking to the gp again this week and checking her bloods too.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Tight chest/ache but peak flow about the same
Asthma deaths in England and Wales 'highest in a decade' BBC article
Asthma a lot worse at uni but no idea why!
Weird but fun maths test
