Dosage help

Ive just tested frank and he is reading 120 on the meter (lowest he has ever been since being diagnosed) at +11 hours. Should I shoot? He usually has 3 units twice a day and is usually in the 350-400 before insulin.

 

Without a spreadsheet it's hard for me to give advice on dose. I'm not completely familiar with Caninsulin. Best suggestion is to stall if you can and retest. Keep checking back here for other's input.
Sorry if this text is weird-- showing up huge on my phone but it isn't set to be bigger font.

 

When should i retest again? He’s crying for food should I give him anything?

 

Normally it's a 20 minute stall without food, then test.

 

very ignorant newbie but just in case more experienced people are not online, I just yesterday copied down guidelines from Janet (which may only apply to other insulin???) for myself, after I went through something similar.
30-170 0.5 (if you can't test at these lower preshots you could do 0.25)
170-220 1 unit
220-275 1.5
275+ do 1.75

The "Diabetes for Beginners" site is even more conservative than this, suggesting that skipping may be appropriate up to 200.

I've often read that short-time too-high readings are less dangerous than too-low.

Best wishes that you figure out what seems to be the best thing.

 

Those guidelines I gave are not for every cat.... That was for one specific person who had a spreadsheet with data showing how his cat was responding to insulin. Every cat reacts differently. 1 unit for one cat might barely lower the numbers but for another cat cause the numbers to plummet. Without seeing a history of readings I would say under 200 no shoot.

 

You may need to lower that dose a bit. What are the mid cycle readings like? Do you have a log you could upload? Can you set up a spreadsheet?

 

I wish I could understand the general recommendation of no shoot under 200. Does it really happen that BG declines (even, to dangerous levels) after 12 hours, with no shot? (I'm sorry I skipped a shot when I did, at 195; it seems more likely we were on the way to normalization. In fact, how would one ever get there if you skipped a shot every time you were under 200?)

 

I'm hoping the above question is not perceived by you, Lisa, as a distraction to your emergency. I assume you must have made a decision by now. Hope it is going well.

 

If a person has no data on how their cat reacts to insulin at lower levels it is risky to shoot a preshot that is in the 100's. Your cat for instance.... We can see what is happening with preshots in the 300's.... If you gave your cat the full amount of insulin at 190 he may have been fine or he may have hypoed. You have never shot him at lower numbers in the 200's, so we enable no reference to make an educated guess as to what would happen. Now if you had asked for advice with that 194 we probably would have said don't feed and test again in 20 min... If the numbers were starting to rise then shoot (probably a reduced dose). Now 194 is basically a 200, but what if it was much lower.... Like a 130. With no reference to how your cat did at lower numbers that would have been very risky. Better to be high for a day then too low for a minute.

 

The no shoot under 200 is just for new people without much data.

 

I didn’t give a shot last night and he’s is 210 this morning. I only started the spreadsheet yesterday so not much info at all. Should I give 1 unit of caninsulin this morning? Or skip again?

 

Thank for your responses. Had to leave for work so I’ve given half a unit. Will test again as soon as I get home. X

 

Half a unit is probably a safe dose.

 

Just so glad to hear all sounds good, Lisa. Will leave further advice to more experienced others. I'm facing similar situation with Tut at 173 this a.m. , but have more background to look at (it took me quite a while to put out a spreadsheet but it helps), and see he looks pretty steady relative to other spreadsheets out there (though trying now to put into the scenario that he is eating so much/constantly). I will give a reduced dose; glad for any advice out there.

It is a challenge!

 

I have the spreadsheet up and working but can’t figure out how to get it on here. You master the insulin then you need to master spreadsheets haha x

 

Since you are doing lantus I would post on the lantus forum and ask the experts for opinions on a dose. Lantus is dosed differently then vetsulin / canisilun or ProZinc.

 

Thanks, Janet. I will. Meanwhile I did start a new post on this. Again, best of luck, Lisa. Your questions helped me.