3 years ago I successfully came off insulin on the BSD lost weight and felt amazing. I have since then been on metformin 2000 per day and Invokana.
3 weeks ago I got covid symptoms classic cough temperature no appetite. BUT after 10 days I became so very sick and could not keep a teaspoon of water down. I was rushed to hospital and had serious ketoacidosis. I can honestly say that at the time death seemed a kindness. I was told that as I’d had no food or water and because I was on invokana (canaglaflozen) it had caused this life threatening dangerous condition. It took hours of fluids insulin and antibiotics to stabilise me and I then stayed in hospital for a few days and am now back on insulin no tablets. Has anybody had ketoacidosis and can advise as I’m a bit paranoid, scared and unsure of my prognosis
Thanks

Hi Sue, sorry to hear you have been so ill but glad you are on the mend. Just to reassure you, you are not likely to be affected by this again as it was caused by the covid infection although you will need insulin treatment for some time, depending on future blood test.
First of all, there is a confusion between ketosis and ketoacidosis. They are totally different. Ketosis is when your body starts to release ketones into the urine (and blood stream) as a by product of the body breaking down fat. It is how the fat is expelled from our bodies.
Ketoacidosis is problematic mainly to people with T1 diabetes – you don’t say if you have either T1 or T2- and occurs when the body releases extremely high amounts of acid in the blood due to very high glucose levels. This occurs mainly in T1 because they have no insulin in the body to break down the glucose. T2 usually have SOME insulin circulation in the body and this helps prevent ketoacidosis. However, T2 diabetics can get ketoacidosis when their body is has been affected by severe infection or traumas which puts the body under great physical stress.
The symptoms of ketoacidosis are extreme tiredneess or drowsiness; nausea and vomiting; rapid breathing and heart rate; and total weakness (hence not being able to manage even a teaspoon of water
The covid diagnosis completely explains the ketoacidosis you experienced and this could also be an affect with someone with no diabetes. It is, in fact, your kidneys/body shutting down.
The treatment for ketoacidosis is replenishment of the bodies electrolytes, particularly a balance of salt and potassium. A bit more complicated than that and you will also need intravenous insulin treatment.
JUST SO PEOPLE REALISE THIS TYPE OF DIET DOES NOT CAUSE KETOACIDOSIS – when you are on a strict diet your body burns some of its fat stores and produces ketones. In the case of a diet your glucose also remains low and you will have sufficient insulin and a store of some glucose in the liver to prevent ketoacidosis. UNLESS you are T1 when you should not go on such a strict diet – see notes from Dr. M on the list of people who should not do this diet.
Just be reassured, Sue, the ketoacidosis you suffered was caused by covid 19 and not down to you being on a diet. Hope that helps some people to understand the difference between ketosis and ketoacidosis.

Thankyou so much for your reply much appreciated x I have Type 2 and insulin injections only at the moment .

Thats ok Sue, the ketoacidosis can happen to anyone with covid whether you have diabetes or not. But it is more serious for diabetics because of the already precarious balance of insulin and glucose. Glad you are on the mend. If you have not had insulin injections before you might have some weight gain, this is normal. Before BSD I couldnt shift a pound, now I can lose weight quite easily.