Sugar levels are ok but ketones are high and a light headache?

Question

what should i do ? if i start giving carbs to my son carbs, his sugar level goes up, not to mention that the level of ketones also remain high, he is in a low carb diet, not dependent on insulin yet, and want to keep that way. he ( 12 year old boy ) does exercise at least an hour everyday, he´s been in a good mood all week until an hour ago that he had a light headache. the last 3 diet doctors (who ironically were fat ) advised giving him carbs. but they only got crazy running around when his sugar spikes were out of control. sorry but the atkins diet or the protein power diet have been the ones which have worked so far . i know many of you say that they are unhealthy but so are his sugar spikes when he tries the so called ¨a healthy diet ¨

Answer 1

I think he needs to go to the hospital if he has consistant ketones. I understand your wanting to not give him insulin for as long as possible, but I don't know if you really understand what ketones do to a child's body.

The high protein, low carb diets help create ketones. The body needs carbs and if there are not enough to use (or in the case of a diabetic they cannot be used), the body starts to break down fats. The breakdown causes ketones which are toxic to the body. Too many ketones for too long builds up the toxicity of the body and the child will end up in the hospital with DKA.

I don't know if having ketones from a low-carb diet or from high blood sugar is better. The basic thing is that your son needs insulin or his ketone levels won't come down. Any insulin that he may be making at this point (kids often continue making a bit of insulin even after diagnosis) is being used up by the ketones in his blood. The purpose of avoiding high sugar spikes is to avoid ketones as they are the real danger. You son has type 1 diabetes and you need to accept it even though it is tough - do what is best for your child.

By eating a lower carb diet and exercising, you may be able to limit the amount of insulin he needs, but he will still need some. You need to understand the differences between type 1 and type 2. Type 2 can often use diet and exercise exclusively to control their diabetes because their pancreas still make some insulin, but type 1 do not make any at all (after the "honeymoon period" lasting for a few months after diagnosis) and therefore will die without injecting insulin.

Good luck to you

Answer 2

What you described is how they treated diabetes long long ago, by starvation. Your son needs to see a Dr. and get on an insulin and food program that will keep him healthy. We all do need carbs and fruit and and veggies and protein in our diets. You are playing with fire not feeding him a balanced diet.