Who knew??

Discussion in 'Acromegaly / IAA / Cushings Cats' started by Beenie (GA), Jul 17, 2017.

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  1. Beenie (GA)

    Beenie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2017
    Hello
    We're still new here but I've been so focused on looking at the Prozinc and Main Health forums I completely overlooked this group! :banghead:
    I'm questioning my Beenie currently being high dose I'm still going to assume insulin resistance and try to get to her break through but I have to be ready for any underlying condition. I have a call into my vet to see if tests are in order or do we wait another month or two and see what my slow increases do (currently .2 U every 3 cycles). If anyone has thoughts on My Beenie's spreadsheet I'm all ears. I've gotten great advise on the other forums but since this is the high dose land would love some feedback :cat:

    Thank you :bighug:
     
  2. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2014
    This forum doesn't get much traffic. There are a number of people on this site that deal with high dose kitties both IAA and Acro and sometimes both at the same time.

    To get more "eyes" on your question, post over on the Health forum:

    http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/feline-health-the-main-forum.28/

    And use a title with the "?" icon from the drop down box in the title section with something like:

    "Possible IAA or Acro Need advice" You should get lots of information on what direction to proceed in.
     
  3. Beenie (GA)

    Beenie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2017
    Thank you :)
     
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  4. Wendy&Neko

    Wendy&Neko Senior Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    The majority of acro/IAA kitties are on Lantus or Levemir. If you don't get answers on Health (not every one looks there), feel free to make a guest appearance on the LL forum for questions on high doses conditions. Typically we suggest that cats on over 6 units bid of insulin get the acro(IGF-1) and IAA tests done and my uneducated to Prozinc eyes see Bernie might have a high dose condition and I would be worth getting the tests done. One in four diabetic cats has acromegaly. Your dosing strategy may change if one or other (or both like my Neko) comes back positive.
     
  5. Blue

    Blue Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Two of my cats were diagnosed with acromegaly; one also with IAA.
    Two other people I know had acros and each also has another acro, but not in need of insulin at all.
    One of the acros has been getting tested regularly via IGF-1 and the number is rising, but regular BG tests and health checkups are showing as a perfectly healthy cat... he's young, so .....
    I do believe that the 1 in 4 may be more like 1 in 3 if all cats were tested.
    Before the use of human insulin, acros were treated with Prozinc but dosing needed was TID.... not an easy task for most people these days. I know of one undiagnosed acro on Prozinc now, using TID dosing.
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17939541
     
  6. Beenie (GA)

    Beenie (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 3, 2017
    Thanks. What is TID dosing?
     
  7. Yong & Maury GA

    Yong & Maury GA Well-Known Member

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    Jan 11, 2017
    TID dosing is 3x a day dosing. While it can work for some kitties it is much harder on the parent's because you're dosing every 8 hours so you have to watch for overlapping nadirs, etc. I've only seen one member who did this since I've been around because he was able to constantly monitor with working from home. I'll dig up his SS if it's still around, unfortunately, his kitty crossed the rainbow bridge :(. Not due to TID dosing, other complications.
     
  8. Beenie (GA)

    Beenie (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2017
    Oh I read about that just didn't get the acronym. Yea that wouldn't be realistic in our house, every 8 hours. Thanks for the explanation though
     
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  9. JeffJ

    JeffJ Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    I went thru the same deal. You may want to read through the stickies. Leo is a recovering Acro cat. You can see his thread in my sig. You can combat Acro with extra insulin, or you can get expensive radiation treatment.

    To really find out you need to get Beenie's IGH-1 (Insulin-like Growth Hormone) levels tested. Basically IGH-1 blocks insulin at the cell level, and is the output from the pituitary tumor. To combat it, you are dosing extra insulin to displace the IGH at each cell.

    Leo got to 16 or 18 units per dose (twice daily). I decided to get him SRT (radiation), and that pretty much knocked out the tumor. Expensive. But now Leo is 4 units/dose, and has been down to 2 units/dose. He has other issues, but mostly no significant Acro anymore. If you have questions, I'll be glad to help.
     
  10. JeffJ

    JeffJ Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Agree with the other posters - good advice. Leo was on Prozinc. It was good with him. But expensive. And shipped refrigerated with just under a one month supply. He had great nadirs on Prozinc. But now he is on Levemir (and mostly a non-Acro) cat.
     
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  11. Beenie (GA)

    Beenie (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 3, 2017
    Thanks for the info Jeff. It looks like you were a year into Leo's FD dx and then got the IGH-1 testing done. I will give it another two months and then if we're at a standstill we'll most definetly get the testing done. You take such good care of your fubabies!! They're lucky to have you :cat:
     
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  12. Blue

    Blue Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    With a dose of 9u, I think you can pretty much say your cat has an insulin resistance condition.
    if the cost of testing is an issue, that's OK..... nothing stops you from treating your cat as an undiagnosed acro.
    If/when you do have the IGF-1 test done, you want to be sure to have the IAA test done as well because there is a possibility of your cat having one, the other, or both conditions.
    I will say that I know of one IAA cat who is not bouncing all over the place, and numbers look more like an acro's numbers.... and if IAA only, you can beat that as it's a temporary condition.... It's not easy to fight but Sandy's BK beat IAA and went off insulin.
     
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  13. Beenie (GA)

    Beenie (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 3, 2017
    Thank you! I'll check on Sandy's posts an follow their journey. I appreciate the feedback and agree at 9u something is going on...she's just 8lbs.
     
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