Ketones - any advice?

[Scubes]

Hi

I have had quite bad ms, since weekend I could not keep anything down so was admitted to hospital Monday night for IV fluids. They also said I had ketones+++ in my urine which I took to be quite bad.

Eventually they disappeared but having foolishly looked on the internet I have read that even moderate levels of ketones can harm a fetus.

Anyone had a similar experience or know about ketones? I'm annoyed they didn't explain what they were. I am on antibiotics but am of course worried about possibility of baby being harmed.

They woulndt do a scan as I'd had one 2 weeks ago.

Thanks
Scubes

don;t worry .....it means that your body is digesting its fat, rather than any food as you are not holding down enough food.....sound grim, but it isn;t!! i used to have this when i had bad morning sickness...if you are at the point of having IV fluids, your sickness is obviously much much worse, therefore you are producing a lot more ketones.

the Atkins diet is designed to put the body into ketosis....ie burning its own fat stores ...so please don;t be too concerned....

ketosis due to uncontrolled diabetes is much more serious i believe, if you have had IV drip and been discharged, your health is not at risk.

basically, the body will digest all the fat etc it can, so that the baby is nourished, you will feel crap, but the baby will leech everything out of you!!

i hope that you are feeling better soon..you would not have been released from hospital if you or the baby were at risk......

googling is a bad idea if you are already worried ...

your midwife should have explained everything properly, rather than letting you feel worried,.

if you need more reassurance, call her or the antenatal ward x

Lulumama

You are always brilliant with your advice! Do you work in the profession as you seem to have all the answers!?

Lulu is quite right ... your body is merely "hungry" even if you don't actually feel like eating

i was just going to say what lulumama said

I had this in my last pregnancy, I had sickness for weeks, followed by raging heartburn, so didn't feel like eating at all. I went into hospital following a series of bad stomach cramps. High ketones were measured - but the midwife explained the reasons exactly as lulumama has, she suggested I try and eat small meals and bland food. Try and keep off fat, citrus and wheat as these are really bad for heartburn and sickness.

I had ketones plus plus plus in my urine due to sever morning sickness. It was an indication that my body was burning it's own muscle stores, and I felt very week.
My baby was fine, despite the vomiting lasting until 8 months. Please don't worry that your baby will be harmed, your doctors did the right thing by giving you IV fluids, and will monitor you more if necessary.

The best thing you can do is rest, sip fluids regularly and try and eat food that stay down - easier said then done I know!

thanks...no, i am a frustrated midwife i think!! i have just done a course to become a doula......but i am passionate about pregnancy & birth......my first baby was born by emergency C.S, so when i became pregnant again, i spent the whole 9 months researching how to have a good birth..and i haven't stopped reading and learning about it since !!

i think so much of what worries pregnant women, is the not knowing..being left in the dark and having to ask for explanations of things that should be explained ..but due to time constraints etc..women can;t always get that reassurance at the time...

i just hope some of what i say makes sense, and if i can help someone feel better, then all to the good...wish i had know about mumsnet when i was pregnant !!