How come I never go into DKA even though m blood sugars aren’t very controlled?

[Guest]

(Not always high but I’m frequently 300+) What actually causes that to happen to people so often?

[Penny]

You are very lucky. Many things can cause dka. You can even go dka with normal blood sugars. But stress, illness, other autoimmune diseases can all cause it plus a million other reasons. I believe it's really dependent on each person and their body.

[Shannon]

I'm not sure what makes some people more prone to it. I've never been in DKA either. Despite having been diagnosed in the late 1980's and going through two multi year burnouts. It's not just high blood sugar, but lack of insulin that causes ketones.

[Heather]

DKA is caused by lack of insulin. High blood sugar is a symptom of DKA, it can actually happen with normal blood sugar too. Mayo Clinic has really great information about this including symptoms and when to get help. Maybe check that out?

[Erin]

Some people seem to be more prone to it than others. I had years of terrible control (blood sugars over 600) and I’ve only ever been in dka once. I’ve been type one for about 43 years.

[Annie]

Don’t get to comfortable my dude, that shiet catches up with you in the end. My diabetes was w i l d l y out of control for years (from 16 to 21, I’m talking no insulin whatsoever and a diet that consisted of whatever I felt like, plus drink and drugs) with no repercussions at all. Even my nurse was surprised that I was fairing so well. My first DKA hit when I was 22, I was in hospital for nearly two weeks. I’ve been DKA a few times since then as well due to uncontrolled sugars but also illness too as this can cause them to spike. DKA is not the only thing that can come of consistently high bloods though. There’s a whole lotta complications that can arise. Because I had been managing so well I suppose I just thought I was immune or just lucky I guess… now I have gastroparesis (nerve damage in the stomach) retinopathy and maculopathy (complications of the eyes which I will most likely need laser eye surgery for).

take care of yourself friend.

[Rachel]

The only time I've been in actual DKA was at diogious when I didn't have any insulin in my body (had ketones a couple of times but different). Christmas morning I woke up at 20 but no ketones (saying that I knew why I was high though it was every type 1s diabetic merry pizza".

[Elizabeth]

For me, I can have a bg of over 600 for months and not go into dka as long as I have active insulin in my body. It’s only a lack of insulin that will ever even give me ketones, but I have never once been in dka since diagnosis 38 years ago. I almost always keep myself pretty hydrated regardless of my bg though, so maybe that helps? Or maybe my body is just “used” to being out of whack since I’ve been type 1 since age 3 and I’ve just adapted somehow?? I definitely should have been in dka hundreds of times through the years, but somehow, I never have… even going for over 3 days with zero insulin while falsely incarcerated in county jail! I had ketones and couldn’t see at all then, but only had ketones, no dka. I have been super lucky, I guess??

[Ruthless]

It's normally prolonged underdosing. So, if you are high for a full day the body can't deal. A short spike after food isn't going to cause it. A spike that you don't correct for that stays high for many hours or days on end is generally what results in dka. Mine have been pump failures 2 times and I had carb heavy meal both times, no insulin was delivered and I was dka by 18 hours later. I didn't follow my own rules of changing sites, needle bolus to sort it short term. Now my go to is a line change with new insukin from a separate vial, and pump test

[Spencer]

I've only had it happen twice once at diagnosis and once a couple years ago I've been diabetic for almost 10 years. Dka is one thing but there arw alot of other things that can happen from being high all the time. For me it's my eyes. I've been getting injections for about a year now because I wasn't keeping my blood sugar at a good range for a long time.