More confusion on numbers

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by amy keay, Jun 13, 2019.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. amy keay

    amy keay Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2018
    Quick update - very confused.

    Readings today - AMPS 19.8 so 1u given.
    +3 Bg 4.9 !
    I panicked and gave food. 30 mins later 7.3, an hour later 19.9 ! He then had a vomitting session for the next few hours
    PMPS was 23.1 so had 0.75 u based on low AMPs a few days ago when I gave him 1.25u and fact he had been sick today

    Is Sooty bouncing ? Should I be giving more or less insulin ?
    No Day seems the same at the moment and I don’t know why !
    Any suggestions gratefully received ?
     
  2. MrWorfMen's Mom

    MrWorfMen's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    That 4.9 was a perfect reading and what you want to see. What food and how much did you give Sooty when you got that reading?

    BG is ever changing and won't be the same everyday even if you test, feed and shoot identically day to day. The goal is to get kitty into good numbers and maintain them there. Looks to me like possibly food and bouncing are contributing to those higher numbers in short order. If he had an upset tummy, that could be elevating BG too.
    I'd stick with 1u for a few cycles barring any BG reading that goes too low or the need for a lot of steering with food too maintain good BG levels. Changing the dose according to pre-shot each cycle confuses the situation at least until you get Sooty into some better numbers. How low the dose is taking BG is also an important consideration when determining dose.
     
    CandyH & Catcat and Diana&Tom like this.
  3. Diana&Tom

    Diana&Tom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2009
    As Linda says, no two days are going to be the same in an unregulated cat so you have to be prepared for anything. That's certainly a very steep fast drop at +3 though. Caninsulin does have a fast onset but that's super fast.
    Were you going to ask the vet about PZI?
     
  4. amy keay

    amy keay Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2018
    I panicked when I saw the 4.9 reading (when he was in the vets having one curve he dropped to 4.4 with a starting reading of 20 and 2u and the vet said that was too low)
    I gave him half of sachet of Sheba in gravy (based on what you’re saying that was the wrong thing to do and he bounced and upset his tummy).
    I don’t like changing his insulin dose - I read consistency is key to regulation (barring strange ps numbers)
     
  5. CandyH & Catcat

    CandyH & Catcat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2019
    yeah it's scary when things don't seem to make sense, and you want to do the best you can

    listen to Linda --

    the bouncing should settle down if you are consistent with what you're doing -- things will fluctuate, yes, but remember that Sooty is getting used to a whole new internal environment, we all have had to wait it out, as his innards quit churning and adjust to the new routine

    we're all pulling for you, we know you are doing great ... we all remember that ECID (which translates like the old mnemonic on internet, YMMV -- your mileage may vary)
     
  6. amy keay

    amy keay Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2018
    I asked the vet about ProZinc and she said that she’d have to consult head office and speak to ProZinc directly (apparently there was a red marker when she tried to order it).
    Waiting to hear back from vets but certainly something I’d like to explore.

    We thought we had Sooty regulated - he has happily reacting well to 2u am and pm and then this blip
     
  7. amy keay

    amy keay Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2018
    I
    I’m trying my best but in turmoil daily as to whether I’m doing the right thing !
    The vet took a blood test too to make sure kidneys, liver etc all ok so waiting for results from that too !
    Mustn’t lose heart and try and remember I’m trying !
     
  8. Diana&Tom

    Diana&Tom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2009
    Blips are not uncommon unfortunately whilst trying to get a cat regulated and even if you think a cat is regulated, various things small and not so small can contribute to bg going haywire. The blood tests may provide some clues, or you may want to discuss a dosing regime with the vet where you give a consistent dose when bg is above a certain number and a reduced dose when bg is below that number (but still shootable).
    It's all trial and error...
     
    CandyH & Catcat likes this.
  9. MrWorfMen's Mom

    MrWorfMen's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    You didn't do anything wrong with the gravy food but you may have given him a bit more than he needed. A tsp or 2 would have possibly had him surfing along for a bit instead of bouncing up so quickly. He may also have scarfed the food down causing the tummy upset and that upset helped BG climb a bit more. He's not use to being in those low numbers so his body is trying to get back to what it wrongly thinks is normal for him. He's use to higher numbers and his body will try to maintain status quo. It takes patience but those bounces are natural and there is nothing we can do about them. They usually ease off as we get kitty into better numbers for more extended periods of time.

    When you say Sooty was regulated and happily reacting to 2u for while, was that based on home testing or curves done at the vet? It's quite common for vets to keep kitties "regulated" at higher range than we'd recommend because BG taken at the vet's office is often elevated due to stress.
     
  10. amy keay

    amy keay Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2018
  11. amy keay

    amy keay Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2018
    This is a big picture of Sooty on a good day!
     
    CandyH & Catcat likes this.
  12. amy keay

    amy keay Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2018
    The 2u was based on occasional home testing (not as often as I should have been doing) and a couple of curves at the vet. I wasn’t particularly convinced that the curve at the vets was representative of how he is (he was stressed and didn’t graze like he does at home).
    Also, I’m not sure we’ve ever really gone lower than about 9 (bg) hence why seeing the 4.9 scared me !
     
  13. MrWorfMen's Mom

    MrWorfMen's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    I remember my first low number and reciting hypo handling while circling my coffee table a couple of times before jumping into action.....if anyone had seen me, they would have locked me up! :woot: Your reaction was quite normal.

    Sooty is one very handsome little fella. His furcoat looks so plush. I just want to reach out an hug him! :D
     
  14. amy keay

    amy keay Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2018
    He’s a handsome boy and had a varied life.
    He was left by his 1st owners and had to fend for himself (a few battle scars). He then found my neighbour and then she moved house and asked me to adopt him. My other cat (polly) knew him so he kinda settled in ok after marking every room in the house as his own !

    He’s just been sick again (3 hours after shot) and looking thoroughly miserable. Will keep an eye on him as much as I can and fingers crossed tomorrow is a good day
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page