4/12 - Luci - AMPS 241,1+224, 2+185,3+171,5+254,7+260,PMPS 260,2+205, 4+228

Yesterday's condo

Let's see what she'll do with 1.25 - no surprises today Luci! (although I don't think she knows the meaning of the word!)

 

I strongly encourage you to get a +1, just so you don't get a nasty surprise at +2.

 

Luci is coming down nicely.

 

With that drop at +2, looks like Luci has an active cycle planned for today.
Wonder if she is planning a dip at the lagoon?

 

When she's dropping like this should I test her hourly? I usually test every 2...3 if she's in higher numbers....She does have a nasty habit of jumping into the deep end...I wish she could tell me when she's feeling like taking that dip...

 

FWIW
If this was George when he dropped like this early in the cycle he had a tendency to head for the deep end, so over time I learnt to be proactive.

If you wanted to test again at +4 I don't think it's likely she would be in any serious trouble.

However, me being me, given that last nights cycle was flat and yellow and she had dropped by +1, (I would have expected a food spike at +1) I have a niggling suspicion that she may decide to go on a bit of a downward slide, and if that happens, what I have found is that it makes life less 'exciting' if you can stay ahead of the insulin.
Bearing that in mind, I would be inclined to give a teaspoon or two of her regular LC food now and then test again at +3. Not because she is likely to be in any danger, but because if you find that she is still dropping at +3, you can intervene with some more LC (or higher if the numbers require it), in an attempt to help her flatten out and surf in those lower numbers. Rather than leaving it till +4 and finding you are chasing a runaway horse.

 

Yay Luci! Slide your way to a nice safe surf!

 

Hello! So glad to see you're back Thanks for the safe slide pics and kind words. Luci and I had a wild time yesterday...I sure wish she'd take her time with the lagoon...will test her hourly this morning - maybe escort her to the lagoon ?

 

Happy to see @Gill & George here to give you some sage advice!!

Gill... have you looked at the SS? What do you think after seeing all the bounces and wild drops?

 

I have.
To me today looks like he might be intending to clear the bounce, triggered by yesterday's 200pt drop by +3.
It seems that a lot of the time, when Luci earns a reduction she does so with a very drop. Personally I would have liked to have held on to that 1.5u for a little longer, she was only on it for 4 cycles, so depot of larger dose might still have had some influence on yesterday mornings cycle.

I know most folk don't bother with a +1, they find a +2 more informative, for me the +1 was more informative than a +2. George often would have his reduction earning nadirs early (though his regular ones was usually more likely around +5), getting a +1 gave me the heads up if he was planning shenanigans, and gave me time to feed the curve staying ahead of the insulin helped me keep him flatter. It worked for us, though some cats are bouncier than others, I think it's important not to get too hung up on the bouncing, as for some kitties it is just part of the process, take a look at Girlie's SS for instance, look at how bouncy and prone to diving she was and after many months of gradually spending more time in better numbers, Girlie has flattened out some what.

I think for Luci though, it might be worth considering feeding the curve, as it can help bouncy kitties. The two links below are to discussions on feeding the curve and bouncing, I'd recommend a read, I found them really helpful

• Feeding the curve http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=101989
• Bouncing http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/10-29-jetta-pmps-328-2-339.55306/

 

Looks like Luci has slowed up with that +3, maybe she reconsidered the swim

 

Yes Luci just went higher today,5,7 and 9+ all going in the wrong direction; PMPS same - too high. Do you think the flat yellow is an indicator of better things tonight or tomorrow?

I'll try to get more 1+ readings if you think that'll give me a heads up as to when she's on the way to those deep dives! I can always head it off with some MC or HC foods - I've tried steering her in the past for a few successful runs in the lagoon - testing frequently and feeding according...so I'm ready to do it again - if I can just feed her correctly when she first starts to approach the lagoon...not too much HC, not too little. Luci is a cooperative eater - she never turns down the gravy! It's a novelty for her and she likes it when I switch things up with her food - even with the FF LC pate's I have to constantly switch flavors - too much of the same one and she gets bored and snub it...so I switch it up frequently (all the LC ones of course).

On another note: you mentioned that she should have stayed at the 1.5 dose a bit longer - at this point I'm committed ??? Am I? to the 1.5 dose until? This clearing the bounces is still a bit of a mystery to me. I read both those sites you enclosed earlier today - and as emphasized every cat is different...and I still don't have a feel for what's going on with Luci - although I agree her numbers as a whole are looking better than they were in January...so we've made some progress...it's just all this back and forth with her BG readings that I just don't quite get - as far as any kind of predicting what's going to happen when.

Fortunately I work from home and can test frequently - as often as needed to keep her safe - although it's exhausting when she takes those dives and I'm watching her for symptoms of hypo (haven't ever seen any kind of behavior on her part to suggest that she's hypo)...strictly based on her BG readings. But I believe the BG readings and take them to heart as it's the only indicator I have of what's going on with her...and feed accordingly.

If it takes her 4 cycles to clear the bounce, then I'm looking at increasing her dosage back to 1.5 tomorrow night, right? Or not? There was discussion a while back that it appeared that it took Luci 8 cycles to clear the bounce...so now I'm thoroughly confused...no idea when she'll clear the bounce or when to increase her dosage. All I know so far is that when she goes below 50, she 'earned' a decrease - but I never know how long the decreased dosage is supposed to last for.

Any and all advice/suggestions/recommendations appreciated. Still learning here... Thanks!

 

Looking at the SS she seems to be taking 3 to 4 cycles to clear the bounce so I'd look for it clearing tonight or tomorrow.

When they bounce they can sometimes bobble about, looks like that's what she did yesterday morning.