10/10/2026
ā¼ļøLetās talk about DKA.
Not to scare anyone, but to prepare. Because knowledge saves lives.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) isnāt just āfeeling a little sick.ā Itās a medical emergency. It happens when the body doesnāt have enough insulin to use glucose for energy, so it starts breaking down fat instead - releasing ketones, a type of acid, into the blood. As ketones build up, they make the blood dangerously acidic - a state the body cannot tolerate for long. If left untreated, DKA can lead to comaā¦ or death. And it can escalate fast.
š„ In DKA, your blood turns toxic; like nail polish remover running through your veins. That āfruity breathā smell? Itās actually acetone.
Many people think DKA only happens when blood sugars are super high, but thatās not always the case. It can develop quickly due to illness, missed insulin, or even a broken pump or disconnected site. Sometimes it sneaks up with just mild symptoms at first:
šµ Nausea
š“ Extreme fatigue or drowsiness
š½ Frequent urination
š„µ Rapid breathing
š° Fruity-smelling breath
š„¤Intense thirst
š¤¢ Stomach pain or vomiting
š§ Confusion
It can be mistaken for the flu, delaying critical treatment.
For many, DKA is how they find out they even have diabetes. For others, it came later. After a pump failure or a tough day where things spiraled out of control. If youāve never witnessed it, I hope you never do. But if you haveā¦ you know how terrifying it is.
This is why we check ketones.
This is why we fight for access to insulin.
This is why we speak up when someone doesnāt understand the seriousness of type 1.
DKA is not just a ābad day.ā It is life threatening.
Please know the signs. Trust your gut. Go to the ER if something feels off.
Your life, or your childās life, is worth the trip.
šTo every person whoās survived DKA, to every parent whoās sat by a hospital bed shaking with fear, and to every family still learning how to recognize the signs; you are not alone.
This š is DKA.
Have you ever experienced or witnessed DKA?
