Dosing Advice Needed asap please!

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Diane Engoron, Feb 20, 2020.

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  1. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Wenchie had a really good day. Her BG tonight was 199. I have been giving her .25 units of Lantus twice a day. Should I give her the .25 tonight or a little less? I'm so terrified of her crashing on us! Thank you!
     
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  2. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    Hi Sorry I can't help you on dosing but just looked at your spreadsheet if possible could you please fill in the test from the 18th, 19th, both am and pm and this morning , members might want to see how she did on the 0.25 dose, I'm sure/someone will come along soon
     
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  3. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Hi there! Thank you but it is filled in!
     
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  4. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    Hi there its not showing up, I'm not talking about the pre shots , I'm talking about any testing you did after that like you did on the 17th
     
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  5. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    I have no idea what a pre-shot is! I test her, feed then shoot then repeat 12 hours later unless we're doing a curve. Sorry, I'm very new at this!
     
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  6. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    As it's been a little bit, could you test again now?

    That would be helpful for a more advanced person to know.

    And are you following start low go slow?

    Although it looks like you just gave a shaved dose per your spreadsheet?
     
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  7. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    OK no problem the pre shot is when you test her first thing in the morning and then 12 hours later when you test her at night

    After that you should be testing Wenchie a few times after that to see how the insulin is affecting her, just like you did on the 17th

    You don't have to do another curve every time
    In the morning you can test maybe 2 or 3 hours after you give the insulin
    Then again let's say at the 6th hour and so on to make sure she is not dropping too low so you know to feed something

    Same thing with testing at night
     
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  8. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    I am not understanding why I have to test her again. I test in the morning, feed then shoot, repeat 12 hours later unless we're doing a curve.

    Yes, doing SLGS. I had to give her something because of the timing so, yes, a shaved dose. A tiny bit less.
     
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  9. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    OK no problem the pre shot is when you test her first thing in the morning and then 12 hours later when you test her at night

    After that you should be testing Wenchie a few times after that to see how the insulin is affecting her, just like you did on the 17th

    You don't have to do another curve every time
    In the morning you can test maybe 2 or 3 hours after you give the insulin
    Then again let's say at the 6th hour and so on to make sure she is not dropping too low so you know to feed something

    Same thing with testing at night.
    You should be testing her through the day because god forbid she drops low like she did on the 17th , it was 35 at one poibt , you can feed her to bring her BG up, , its very important , you wouldn't want to wait until she showed signs of being very lethargic and possibly worse than that if you are not around
     
  10. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    So, when you get a lower than expected number at that 12-hour mark, it can be helpful to not feed yet and to do another test 15 minutes later so you can see if that number is increasing on its own - it lets you know a little more info about what's going on. If the number is rising on its own without food, that means it's safer to shoot vs. if the number is still going down. The more data we have about what's going on between those shots, the more confidence we'll have in giving advice about to handle the number you are seeing.

    It's frustrating, I know - I had to test Buzzy 4 times last night in the span of 40 minutes before I made a shoot decision.

    I wouldn't panic about tonight's dose - you've given her 0.25 before with a number lower than this, but we don't have data to see what doing that really did other than that her number was high the next AM.
    I would suggest testing again tonight to see where that number is going (A more advanced person than me may have more specific advice than this regarding when to test).

    Have you read some of the stickies in the Lantus-specific forum?

    Dosing Methods sticky

    New to the Group Start Here sticky
     
  11. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    She free feeds all day long - always has - she had her shaved dose at about 6:15 - how long should I wait to retest?

    She is still eating as I type this - has always been a very s-l-o-w eater!
     
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  12. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    Right, as Diane said - see how when you did her curve she started super high but then a few hours later she was in the 30s, which is a dangerous number & requires some quick action. That's the kind of thing we try to catch by grabbing a test or two between AM and PM tests and doses.
     
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  13. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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  14. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    You don't have to do another curve every time
    In the morning you can test maybe 2 or 3 hours after you give the insulin
    Then again let's say at the 6th hour and so on to make sure she is not dropping too low so you know to feed something

    Same thing with testing at night.
    You should be testing her through the day because god forbid she drops low like she did on the 17th , it was 35 at one point, , you can feed her to bring her BG up, , its very important , you wouldn't want to wait until she showed signs of being very lethargic and possibly worse than that if you are not around

    Take a look at my spreadsheet and you will get an idea about testing different times through the day and night
     
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  15. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    I believe the general guidance is "when you shoot a new low, you want to get at least a +1 and a +2" -- the +1 will ideally be higher than the pre-shot test, and the +2 will ideally be not a ton lower than the pre-shot test.

    Given her plummet at +4 in that curve, I would also grab that or a +3...or both...I know it's a lot of testing, and a more advanced person may totally say I'm being unreasonable -- I can only tell you that what I would do is, at a minimum, grab a +1, +2, And I'd probably aim for +3 or +3.5 given that the only data point we have is that +4 was dangerous the last time she dropped so you'd want to catch it as soon as possible
     
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  16. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    Also her nadir (lowest point) looked to be around +6 in your one curve, but you could see it coming at +4 -- see this is kind of how you look at the data...I'm rambling here.

    Do you have plenty of test strips? honey/karo/pancake syrup? High-carb/medium-carb food? Because, if not, I would definitely be sending someone to get those things now.
     
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  17. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    Also - sorry for being overwhelming - I'm sure I am being. I am new at this myself, so I am not the calm, steady presence of all the folks I tagged :)
    FWIW though I would likely have made the exact same decision that you did to give a shaved dose. It's just important to grab some extra data now to see what it's doing so that, next time, you have even more information to build up your confidence. 199 is a totally shootable number.
     
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  18. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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  19. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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  20. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Yes, I have all those things. I am so not understanding any of this. I go to bed at 8pm so I'm exhausted right now. I'm up at 4am every day. I cannot stay up to 9, 10 and on. This is going to put me in an early grave. Honestly - that's how I'm beginning to feel.

    Now I totally understand why people with diabetic cats put them down or drop them at shelters. My whole life revolves around my animals but my others are basically just being fed and watered because we are totally focused on Wenchie. Everything else has fallen to the wayside - my house, my husband, my other animals, and my health. I'm so frustrated.
     
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  21. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    Hi I'm trying to tag a few more, thanks for trying to explain why she should test, I tried to explain it the best I could
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2020
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  22. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

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    You don't have to test all the time...just always the Pre-shot tests and then get tests in between the shots as you can

    The .25 would have been fine. We don't even suggest "stalling" unless they're below 150 but it's fine that you shot a little smaller dose.

    It's all overwhelming at first, but really, once you start to understand how the insulin works in your cat and get your routine down, it's not much more disruptive than brushing your teeth twice a day with an occasional floss in between.

    I like to compare the spreadsheet to a puzzle. If the only pieces you have filled in are along the edges (Just the Pre-shot tests), it's impossible to know what the picture is. If you sprinkle pieces all over, the picture becomes clearer
     
  23. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    @Diane Engoron literally you sound EXACTLY like me last week. I also am up at 4-something every day, am pregnant, and can't stay up. I 100% promise it gets easier. When you have more data, the decision become much easier to make. You're in the thick of it right now -- the hardest part
     
  24. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Chris, I tried to explain the best I could, I saw that you had spoken to her before that's why I tagged you, thank you very much
     
  25. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    Oh thank goodness it's Chris :) an adultier adult lol
     
  26. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    See - it's not nearly as serious as I made it out to be ;)
    I've still just got the newbie jitters. Sorry for passing my anxieties along!
     
  27. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    OK - just walked away, took a deep breath, and found Wenchie sitting on my recliner on my blanket - just like she used to do in the old days. That made me smile.

    I'm sorry - it's all so frustrating and I'm not at my best this late at night. She looks fine, actually really good, better than she has since this all started. I am planning on testing her at 8:15 then going to bed. That would be +2 after her PMPS. My husband says I'm freaking out over nothing. I don't even know anymore!
     
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  28. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

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    You did good! It actually helps to have more than one person explaining things because each person will say the same thing in a different way....and that "different" way may be the one the person needed to hear to get the light bulb to go off!

    Everybody understands things in their own way, so it's good to have things explained differently!
     
  29. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Oh man, yes, newbie jitters. No problem. I'm tired, anxious, nervous - all of those things - I love this girl so much and I don't want my insanity to wash over her.

    I appreciate every single word you responded. Honestly, I do. I just need to breathe and go to bed in an hour or so. It will all be OK in the morning!
     
  30. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    It's definitely an emotional roller coaster. I cried every day last week. But, it's already getting easier - and I already feel more confident because of the data I have now. And, I tweak some stuff to keep myself sane.
     
  31. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

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    That would be perfect! I've found that the +2 was like an "early warning" for most cats!

    If the +2 is about the same as the PS, it's usually a pretty normal cycle...gradually down to nadir and then gradually back up again

    If the +2 is higher than the PS, that usually signals a bounce, and those are the cycles when you can usually take a pokey break.

    If the +2 is lower than the PS, that's your "Early warning" that kitty might be going much lower later in the cycle so it's important to plan on getting another test or two (or 6) in.

    Don't worry! We all feel like you do at some point....but it will get easier, I promise!
     
  32. Darnell & Sprocket (GA)

    Darnell & Sprocket (GA) Well-Known Member

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    You explained it well. It takes time to remember all this stuff...lol.
    Thats why we all help each other.
     
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  33. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    Someday I'll be a pro like the rest of you ;)
    Til then... is there, like, a list somewhere of people to tag? lol. Cus I keep scrambling to figure out who is advanced
     
  34. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    This will make sense when you get to the end - Christmas 2018 a close friend was diagnosed with breast cancer and she was reeling! I took over - I went to all her appointments, took massive notes and then transcribed them and put them in folders, handled all the correspondence to friends and family so she didn't have to, keeping them updated, was with her, her mom and daughters the day of her surgery and there when we got the good news that she was 100% in the clear. Never.....freaked.....out for one moment. And she is a close friend, I love her like a sister.

    But when my animals get sick, I feel lost. I don't want them to feel poorly one moment in their lives. And this is what I'm feeling right now. I can't fix this quick enough to make her feel better.

    Sigh.....
     
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  35. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Gotcha, Chris - and thank you for your patience with me. I look at her and am always on the verge of tears. Here's this gorgeous 14 pound Maine Coon (never heavy, just a gentle giant) who is now 6 pounds and it breaks my heart every time I touch her. And I know me freaking out doesn't help the situation. A good night's sleep and I'll be up and at 'em at 4 am!

    Thank you.
     
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  36. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

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    No...but as you spend more time here, you learn who usually pops in with the best advice....you can also look under their profile picture on the left to see how long they've been here as well as look at spreadsheets in their signature to see what kind of real experience they have.
     
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  37. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Have you looked at China's Profile? (In my Signature)….she went from over 15 to less than 7lbs
     
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  38. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    Even though you are using the SLGS protocol, you need some mid-cycle test data to see how far the blood glucose level drops on the dose of insulin you are currently giving your cat. It's not the pre-shot tests that you base the dose changes on. It's the tests in the middle of the cycle that are used to know when or if the dose needs to be increased or decreased.

    Once you have that data, the decision on what to do with the dose becomes easier. Not simple, but easier.

    You did a curve back on 2//17/2020 but then you ended up skipping the dose a couple of times, reducing the dose and getting some really low pre-shot tests. (test you do before you give the insulin). With those skipped shots, and the lower dose, the insulin "depot" or storage area has been draining.

    So with only the pre-shot tests, there is no way to tell how the current 0.25U dose is affecting Wenchie.

    That is why people are suggesting you get some more tests during this PMPS dosing cycle. Like Chris said, the +2 can give you a good idea of what direction the blood glucose level is headed for the rest of the cycle.
     
  39. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    And you're pregnant!!! Congrats! You have a full plate!!!!
     
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  40. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Oh my gosh - so you know exactly how I feel. I haven't had a chance to look at her profile yet. But I will.
     
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  41. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

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    I see Chris has answered the tag. Thanks @Chris & China (GA)
    Hang in there. It’s a steep learning curve in the beginning. Keep posting and asking questions :)
     
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  42. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    Haha thanks - pregnant with my second - thank god for my husband picking up my slack with our 3-year-old right now. Honestly this whole process reminds me of when she was a newborn lol.

    I will say though I totally get wanting to fix it I am a fixer myself and I wanted to fix this like within days and was super jealous of the people whose cats went into remission as soon as they change their food... but the truth is that they start feeling better long before they go into any sort of remission and honestly they can even start feeling better before they really stabilize. You don’t have to totally fix it (not that we have any control over that anyways) to make it better. <3
     
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  43. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    And toomanycats has a 3 year old and a full time job.
     
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  44. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    OK. Got it! Thankfully, my husband stays up later. I will test her at +2 and then go to bed. But he will keep an eye on her and wake me if necessary.
     
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  45. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Oh.....my.....gosh!!!! OK - I will shut up now. My pity party is officially OVER!
     
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  46. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    And, thank god, a stellar husband lol
    I have only managed to do my daughter’s bedtime once since we started insulin
     
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  47. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    And get your husband to test Wenchie. He really should learn how.
     
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  48. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Chris I appreciate it
     
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  49. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    He does!!!! We do it together! But he won't do it without me. She's a two-person job!
     
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  50. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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  51. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    By the way Wenchie such a beautiful girl, you will do fine once you get the hang of it
     
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  52. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    Don't mean to get off the subject congratulations on the baby and Buzzy sure is a handsome boy, he looks big, just like my Tyler
     
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  53. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Good morning everyone - I want to apologize for being so frustrated last night. Once 7pm rolls around, I'm so exhausted. I'm training for the NYC Marathon to run for an animal charity as well as taking care of 4 other cats, two of which are disabled so by nightfall, I'm tired, frustrated and just want to go to bed. Honestly, I'm really not a whiny person!

    Wenchie did well last night after +2 testing - she was at 115. This morning, she was at 201 pre-shot, which I feel is some progress. What worries me is her vomiting. She vomited at 5am. She can't afford to toss up any food. She was vomiting more often and now it's like every day and a half to 2 days. Any suggestions what I can do to help her with this?

    I will do a retest around +2 or +3 to see what's going on with the insulin.
     
  54. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

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    When you say 5:30am, is that before or after eating while taking her insulin?
    Vomiting can definitely wonk w/ numbers. Someone more advanced with it will have to give advice. My former diabetic foster became a puker and he puked alllllllllllllllllllll the time. Fortunately, he went into remission, so we didn't have to worry about insulin anymore. We put him on a twice daily antiacid, he also was on bp medication, and I had a whole routine for his vomiting episodes (we're talking non-stop for hours) that involved withholding food til it stopped, slowly reintroducing food, and Cerenia at the worst of it. We did also have to change his diet, which seemed to help for brief periods of time, but the vomiting always started back up.
     
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  55. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    It’s before insulin and before eating. My husband takes the food away somewhere between 3 and 4 am (he’s not a good sleeper) and the pattern of vomiting is early morning, before testing, feeding and shot. It’s very strange as she doesn’t vomit all day long. It always seems like it’s around this same time wHen she does (now every 2 days approximately).

    Wow - your poor baby! I can’t imagine that kind of vomiting.

    I have thought about cerenia many times.

    I am retesting her at +3 to see where she is on her 1/4 unit of lantus. I was really happy with this morning’s number. What a difference a good night of sleep makes!

    Have a wonderful day and thanks for your reply!!!
     
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  56. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Just retested at +3 and it read 66, which is low. Gave her a teaspoon of FF Beef Feast with gravy. Her AMPS was 201 and she had 1/4 unit of Lantus, which now my husband and I think should be cut down with another similar reading. I will retest this afternoon, most likely at +7 or +8. Sheesh - this is so unpredicatable!!!
     
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  57. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Retested at +4 - 32!!!! Karo and FF Beef Feast with Gravy (high carb). Can you imagine if we followed the vet's protocol and gave her 1/2 unit of Lantus! This is happening on 1/4 unit!

    We have to run out to drop off the car but coming straight back home to be with her and retest at a little more than +5
     
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  58. Amy and Socks

    Amy and Socks Member

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    32?! Have you retested yet? How's your kitty doing?
     
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  59. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    Thank God you tested him when you did, good job with the HC and Karo
    Please let us know
     
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  60. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    I know!!!! I retested at +7 and she is at 122. Now I realize just how important it is to retest when we get a low number. And thankfully I'm not following the Vet's protocol of 1/2 unit twice a day - could you imagine if I gave her 1/2 unit this morning????
     
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  61. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    I keep two bottles of Karo and a ton of carb canned & dry food in the house. She's back up now. It will be interesting at PMPS to see what's what.

    Is it anyway possible that she could finally be making her own insulin? My husband asked me that and I don't know the answer. I'm just happy we're home with her and can watch her.

    This disease sucks!!!!
     
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  62. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    No apologies needed here. Ever. Sheesh, you were simply trying to help your Wenchie. We all understood.

    Yup, we could imagine what would happen if you were giving the vet recommended dose.
    Or not home testing.

    FYI for NEXT TIME
    Change the title on your post when you get low numbers like that 32!!!! Late to do that now.
    Do you know how to do that?
    Put the 32 BG reading in your post, put the 911 prefix on your post and scream for help. Just like calling 911 for your local emergency services.

    Don't need to do that now. But looking at the titles of posts helps us to prioritize who needs help faster.
     
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  63. JL and Chip

    JL and Chip Well-Known Member

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    Are you still using an AlphaTrak meter? The 32 is even more worrisome if so.

    What syringes are you using?

    Please keep monitoring. Karo wears off quickly.
     
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  64. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Will do! I’m being optimistic when I say I hope I will never have to post this again! Thank you!
     
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  65. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    Is she keeping the food down?
     
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  66. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Yes still using the Alphatrak. And I’m still monitoring. Just on my iPad right now as my husband is on the desktop. She’s absolutely fine. Eating, purring, sitting on my lap. Very scary but thankful I knew what to do right away.

    i am using BD Insulin Syringes, 31 gauge, 6mm length.
     

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  67. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

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    Yes. She threw up a little liquid about 5 am/5:30 am. But typically she does not vomit during the day at all. Always early in the morning.
     
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  68. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2018
    Yes it would be interesting to see what tonight brings, only a suggestion you might want to change your signature to read that you are giving 0.25 of lantus twice a day, only if you want to so members can take a quick look at it
     
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  69. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2020
    Gotcha! Will do!
     
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  70. toomanycats

    toomanycats Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2020
    Oh gosh I'm sorry I wasn't following this closer, although you're in some good hands here of course. So glad you caught it testing! It can get kinda addictive, to be honest.
     
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  71. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2020
    No problem! Thankfully we're OK. But things can change in a blink of an eye!!
     
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  72. JL and Chip

    JL and Chip Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    A half unit is a very reasonable starting dose, but I too had a diabetic who was very sensitive to insulin and would show large drops in BG on very small doses. That’s why it’s so important to home test. Kudos for educating yourself and knowing exactly what to do when the BG went so low.

    Has anyone asked or verified that you’re drawing insulin to the correct spot on the syringe? I mention that only out of an abundance of caution as we’ve had members inadvertently give 2.5 units rather than 0.25 by misinterpreting the syringe markings. It should be just barely past the very first line (zero line) on the syringe.
     
  73. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2020
    Thanks for your response - I had a tutorial at my vet and I was adamant at making sure I was measuring correctly. When I draw the insulin, I then have my husband check the syringe before shooting. It's so nerve wracking!
     
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  74. Julia & Bandit (GA)

    Julia & Bandit (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    This is a great point, it's a bit uncommon (but not unheard of) for a cat to drop that low on .25 units of Lantus. With that 33 on the Alphatrak, I would lower the dose to .1 units if you were shooting a true .25 units. Here's a couple pictures of what .25 and .1 units look like. They're very small!
    025unit-1.jpg 01unit-1.jpg

    Don't get freaked out if Wenchies BG is high tonight. Often times you'll see high numbers a cycle or two after a hypoglycemic incident.
     
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  75. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2020
    Thank you for this pic! Now I know I’m right on target.

    Her BG was 282 tonight so we shot a .10. I am thinking she is extremely sensitive to Lantus or the drug just works really well.

    I will be retesting tonight just to double check.
     
  76. Julia & Bandit (GA)

    Julia & Bandit (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Exactly what I would do! With Lantus, it's great to get at least 1 mid-cycle test, but perhaps one or two more if you're able. We do the preshots to make sure it's safe to give insulin, but the mid-cycle numbers really tell us how the insulin is working to lower her blood sugar. It's very hard to find the right dose with Lantus without a daily mid-cycle test(s).

    I would hold the .1 units for 3 days (as long as she doesn't drop too low again) and see what happens! It's very possible some of those high preshot numbers you've been seeing the past few weeks are because she was dropping too low mid-cycle (because we generally see high numbers after a cat drops low).

    This is great news--it's very possible she's going into remission quickly. Some cats do that after a diet change and/or a cleared infection and don't need insulin long.

    I see that you're feeding the YA dry in addition to the canned food--just a word of caution, the YA dry can cause BG spikes in some diabetic cats. The starch used to bind the food is low carb, but not low glycemic, and some cats are sensitive to that more than the carb content. I could feed Bandit a lower glycemic canned food with 8-10% carbs with no affect on his BG, but his BG would spike after a handful of the YA zero. Just want to mention that in case you see some wonkiness in numbers after the .1 unit dose settles--if that happens, I would pull all the dry and see what happens before you raise the dose back up.

    Good luck!
     
  77. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2020
    Wow - thank you for your detailed response!!! It's funny, when I got the samples of YA, she went nuts. Now, I put it down next to her wet food and she doesn't touch it much. We're pulling it from her diet for at least the next week to see if it makes a difference. My other cats love it - which is good because I bought a 25 pound bag! Live and learn. The good thing is she LOVES all the wet food. I bought just about every FF pate brand (only one seafood and she gets that on Sunday mornings only) plus some Purina One and Pro Plan. I'm hoping that this radical change in diet is starting to kick in. My husband even said I wonder if she's starting to make her own insulin. Time will tell. I'm retesting her at +2 (in 45 minutes). She's acting normally right now - she opened one of the cabinets and is sitting on my dish towels, which she always used to do. I take that as a good sign.

    I will definitely hold her to the .1 unit for at least 3 days depending on her BG number. I'm thankful I found this group because I really don't feel like my Vet knows enough about this disease. I like her but, like anything else, always do your own research. I guarantee if I hadn't found this group we would have lost her by now.

    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!
     
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  78. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2020
    As you said, she did have a bounce tonight - 387 at +2. She was really feisty and didn't want to be tested but we won this battle. She seems like she's feeling good tonight and happily eating her FF. I will be really interested in tomorrow morning's number.

    I'm off to bed - night night! Thank you for all your help!!!
     
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  79. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2018
    Hi Diane from one Diane to another, that's exactly what Tyler is on 0.10 units
    Can't wait to see how you girl does on that dose
     
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  80. Diane Engoron

    Diane Engoron Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2020
    Me too. I think that's exactly enough for her. Just tested her and we did see a bounce from today's hypo event but she's feeling good and feisty, happily eating her FF. I can go to bed feeling somewhat relieved.

    Thank you for checking in!!!! You guys are all so incredible! Night night!
     
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  81. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2018
    You are doing great, and so cute she opened one of the cabinets and sitting on the dish towels, she's such a beautiful cat, sleep well
     
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