10 Wk Newbie - Knocked out of ketosis for no known reason

(Colleen) #1

Hi Everybody,

This is my first post. I have been in ketosis for 10 weeks - checking my blood ketones 2x day. My prior 10 week daily readings regularly range 1.0 - 1.5. All of a sudden - my readings have gone down to 0.1 to 0.3 for the past 3 days. I’ve done nothing differently - same sleep, diet, activity, meds, stress level - all as usual… I’m down 21 pounds in 10 weeks - happy with that. Just can’t figure out why I got popped out of ketosis all of a sudden. I suspect I may have a minor kidney infection (minor lower left back pain). Other than that - feeling great. Any ideas as to why I would fall out of ketosis? Is this unusual? Anyone else get knocked out for no apparent reason? Suggestions?

PS: Stats: 52 yo Female. / 5’ 4" / current weight 233 / starting weight 254 / menopause / hypothyroid

(TJ Borden) #2

.1-.3 is still ketosis. The longer you’re in ketosis the more efficient you become at both using and producing ketones, so it’s not uncommon to maintain lower levels.

Depending on what your goals are, it’s not usually worth chasing ketone levels. Ketosis isn’t the goal, it’s a path to fat adaptation.

(Colleen) #3

Thanks for your response TJ. I think I’m fat adapted - or close to it at this point. My primary goal is weight loss with hopes of improving my overall health - lowering my A1c (6.0 in Jan) and improving my liver and kidney functions. I always thought you had to be at least .5 to be in ketosis. My blood glucose readings are regularly in around 95 - 106 and stay in that upper range 2-3 hours post eating.

(TJ Borden) #4

Sounds like you’re doing great. I’d put the money from test strips towards more bacon and KCKO

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #5

It definitely sounds like you are now fat adapted.
My readings never exceed 1.0mmol unless I fast for two days.

(Katie) #6

Bacon strips, not testing strips :+1:t2: :bacon:

(Katie) #7

Did you feel badly or like you had blood sugar swings or odd cravings at the time that you think you were kicked out of ketosis?

(Colleen) #8

No. Feeling pretty good actually. Energy level is pretty good.

(Katie) #9

KCKO! :smiley:

(Raj Seth) #10

OIt’s lipolysis (fat burning) that we chase. Ketones are produced as a side effect, and help fuel a large portion of the brain heart etc Most of your body runs on free fatty acids directly. Ketones in the urine are excess ketones being spilled (in the beginning) and go away. In my understanding, blood ketones also go down over the course of fat adaptation as the body figures it out and calibrates ketogenesis to more precisely meet needs.

If you are not eating carbs, you are de facto in a lipolytic state, and thus in nutritional ketosis. If not, you must be dead - so if your ketones are too low, check your pulse. If you have a pulse, however faint or slow, you are in ketosis

Done

:joy::joy:

If my understanding is flawed, please correct me.

(Colleen) #11

Pulse is present- even if faint. :joy:. I’m checking blood not urine but my carbs are definitely under 20 daily. So theoretically if I’m using more ketones to fuel my body - less will be floating around in my blood. That makes me feel a bit better. Thanks for your detailed response.

(Raj Seth) #12

My opinion may be flawed. You may be in ketosis even with no pulse - as long as you keep those pesky carbs out!!

(Allie) #13

Just means you’re adapting to fat burning and your body has more of an idea how many ketones to make.

(Colleen) #14

Thanks Allie!

(Colleen) #15

Thanks Kate! :blush:

(Colleen) #16

Thanks Katie! :+1:t3:

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #17

Welcome to the forums!

Remember that your hormones have something to say about things, as well. Could it possibly be “that time of the month”?

(Not to scare you—much :grinning:—but one of the speakers at Ketofest last weekend has a 74-year-old patient who started menstruating again!)

(Colleen) #18

:astonished::astonished::astonished:

(Colleen) #19

OMG. that could not happen to me but I’m still going to have nightmares about it! :joy:. I’m in menopause so my hormones could be playing games on me.