Keytones in your urine

[ttrue0724]

I am a type 2 diabetic and recently lost my job and my health insurance, I have not been able to afford to get my medicines and my blood glucose levels have been horrible, I ran out of glucose strips about a month and a half ago and they were running in the high 300's and even into the 400's. Here lately I have been going to the bathroom ALOT and I'm sure my keytones are very high, because I have lost about 30 lbs. in the last 2 months. I was wondering if this is really going to hurt me by having my keytones so high and I was also wondering if you can see the keytones in your urine?

[ttrue0724]

I just want to say thank you because you really gave me a wake up call. I needed it!! I went to the emergency room on Monday January 24th and I felt horrible, my blood sugars were 499 when I got there and I ended up in ICU becuase I was in Ketoacidosis and had to be put on a insulin drip, I just got released today and my blood sugars are still not under control. I was taking pills before I lost my insurance and now I am insulin dependent. I have to take 4 shots a day. Thank god the hospital I went to had a program and paid for my medicines but they could not pay for my strips and I now have to check my blood sugars at least 4 times a day. The hospital gave me 40 strips to get me by for 10 days but I'm not sure what I am going to do for the strips after that. I applied for Medicaid while I was in the hospital but they are not sure if I will qualify because my husband works. They are trying to get me the medicaid with disability because I have lost my bottom preferial vision. But not sure if it I am going to qualify. I hope I do!! Agian, I just wanted to say thank you because I did not know I was in so much danger. They said if I would of waited another day I would of been in the coma.

[JDRF Team SGG]

Please go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation website and go to the Online Diabetes Support Team link for help with the finances. Even though you are a type 2 diabetic, send us an e-mail explaining your problem and ask to be given information on services in your area (you may have to give us more than the state name) to help uninsured diabetics. We have a staff member who has a wealth of information to help folks just like you who dont' have health insurance. Please go to:

www.jdrf.org

Then, click on the link that says: "New to Diabetes? You're not alone -- we can help" (this will get you to the support team, so don't worry about not being new to diabetes). Then you will see a page that has a form to fill out. Fill this out and click on the button below that says "submit" and we will get your query. I will e-mail one of the volunteers to tell him or her to look out for it and to put you in touch with the correct person. Please don't hesitate to ask us for this information! Your situation could be life-threatening. Ketoacidosis (the fat burning that happens when the body is unable to use its glucose because of lack of insulin) is what is probably causing your weight loss. And this can lead quickly to coma and even death! Not trying to scare you here, but you need to be aware. Thirst, nausea and vomitting usuallyb precede coma, so if you experience these symptoms, get to an emergency room ASAP and worry about the lack of insurance later. Your life is more important than the bills. Meanwhile, eat a low-carb diet while you are not testing for glucose levels and not able to take your meds, even if you are craving carbohydrates (which is probably happening to you because your body is starving for the energy provided by carbs when metabolized properly).

As one of the JDRF volunteers, I hope we hear from you. I just answered one of these Online Diabetes Support Team requests a few weeks ago from the fiance of a young man who is in a ketoacidosis coma right now, and is in critical condition with kidney failure. It is not known if he will pull through. If he had known what to look out for, he might have been saved... he thought he had the flu! Please protect yourself and take this seriously before you are in severe danger.

[JDRF Volunteer WAK]

If you have diabetes you have a disability. what the person told you about medicaid is not true. go et if . If you are without insurance for more than 90 days you can be denied insurance in some states for a pre existing condition.  call your local health department to get medicaid immediately.

[ttrue0724]

I have called the medicaid office and they told me that I was not able to get medicaid unless I was over the age of 65 or was disabled. So how do I qualify? Another question is can Type 2 diabetes turn into Type 1 if it is not controlled? I have not been able to afford my medicine for so long and my blood sugars are so high I am afraid I will have to be put on insulin.

[JDRF-Team-LRS]

I'm so sorry to hear about your financial woes.

I'm not a physician, but everything I've read suggests that your health & wellbeing are in serious danger.  I would encourage you to contact your local social services organization to see what help you might be eligible for.  Your weight loss can be a sign that your body is starving while the sugar levels in your blood are soaring.

Drink lots of water and please make a priority to get your meds.  Perhaps family can help?

[JDRF-Team-BL]

Dear ttrue0724,
    It really is going to hurt you to have high ketones. It is one of the things that causes diabetic coma in undiagnosed type 1's, used to be known as juvenile. And your blood sugars are far too high. Blood sugars like these can be reason enough for a hospital admission. You may want to contact the medicaid office in your state to get them to cover you medically. You are doing your body no good at all in this current state of being. But no you can't see the keytones in your urine, otherwise they wouldn't have you do a test to see how concentrated they are. Please check out medicaid or medicare to see if they will help you through your current dillemma.
good luck, bret