7/3 Fidget - I'm back and confused again!

[Tahirah & Fidget]

Hi! I posted here a couple of weeks ago regarding my vet's decision to increase Fidge's dose from 1u twice a day to 2u. Feeling stressed from all of the different information I was getting, I followed what the vet said and went ahead with the 2u, but didn't feel comfortable after a large drop a day or so later, and informed my vet I'd be decreasing to 1.5u instead. It's been really tough getting in touch with her, but last we spoke she wanted me to do another curve this weekend.

Since the switch to 1.5u, Fidget's been in this pattern of getting his shot and then skipping the next two (the vet doesn't want me shooting if he's 15 or lower on the AT2), so I reached out to my vet again on Friday about either reducing to 1.25u or an even more reduced shot to try to stop him from bouncing from low to high constantly (is that even bad? I just hate seeing his numbers get high). She wasn't in that day due to it being a long weekend, and the other vet ending up calling me yesterday and told me that Fidget seems to be doing well now that he's off the dry food, and that he's surprised I'm able to adjust the dosage a bit based on my understanding of the numbers and to continue doing that, which is kind of the opposite of what the vet I regularly see had told me (which is to hold the dose without changing for a week and then doing the curve). So again, lots of different information which I'm finding overwhelming and confusing!

I'm still new to the information here, so I'm sorry that I haven't been following either SLGS or TR, they're both very confusing for me and I've been mostly going off what the vet has been instructing, so my apologies. The last week has also been really busy with overtime at work so I haven't been home to test as much as I'd like. I wasn't able to do the curve this weekend because Fidget hasn't had insulin since Saturday morning (I unfortunately wasn't able to do it that day). He's not quite green yet, but with my vet advising I not shoot under 15 I haven't really had a choice or felt comfortable doing anything else.

I'm just wondering how I can give him that little push into the green, or if he's on the right path with me not shooting. I'm not home during the day, so it makes me a bit nervous to give him insulin when he's been this low the last few days if I won't be around if something bad happens, but I'm happy to try anything suggested over the weekend where I can keep an eye on him, and hopefully get another curve done!

Sorry for the long post, and thank you for reading. I'm also sorry to anyone who gave me great advice that I didn't listen to last time, I've been really embarrassed about that and apprehensive to post again because of it.

 

[Krystina & Nelli]

Wendy, are you available to give a shout out here? @Wendy&Neko- thanks, Krystine and Nelli

 

[Margie and Jackson]

Hi! I posted here a couple of weeks ago regarding my vet's decision to increase Fidge's dose from 1u twice a day to 2u. Feeling stressed from all of the different information I was getting, I followed what the vet said and went ahead with the 2u, but didn't feel comfortable after a large drop a day or so later, and informed my vet I'd be decreasing to 1.5u instead. It's been really tough getting in touch with her, but last we spoke she wanted me to do another curve this weekend.

Since the switch to 1.5u, Fidget's been in this pattern of getting his shot and then skipping the next two (the vet doesn't want me shooting if he's 15 or lower on the AT2), so I reached out to my vet again on Friday about either reducing to 1.25u or an even more reduced shot to try to stop him from bouncing from low to high constantly (is that even bad? I just hate seeing his numbers get high). She wasn't in that day due to it being a long weekend, and the other vet ending up calling me yesterday and told me that Fidget seems to be doing well now that he's off the dry food, and that he's surprised I'm able to adjust the dosage a bit based on my understanding of the numbers and to continue doing that, which is kind of the opposite of what the vet I regularly see had told me (which is to hold the dose without changing for a week and then doing the curve). So again, lots of different information which I'm finding overwhelming and confusing!

I'm still new to the information here, so I'm sorry that I haven't been following either SLGS or TR, they're both very confusing for me and I've been mostly going off what the vet has been instructing, so my apologies. The last week has also been really busy with overtime at work so I haven't been home to test as much as I'd like. I wasn't able to do the curve this weekend because Fidget hasn't had insulin since Saturday morning (I unfortunately wasn't able to do it that day). He's not quite green yet, but with my vet advising I not shoot under 15 I haven't really had a choice or felt comfortable doing anything else.

I'm just wondering how I can give him that little push into the green, or if he's on the right path with me not shooting. I'm not home during the day, so it makes me a bit nervous to give him insulin when he's been this low the last few days if I won't be around if something bad happens, but I'm happy to try anything suggested over the weekend where I can keep an eye on him, and hopefully get another curve done!

Sorry for the long post, and thank you for reading. I'm also sorry to anyone who gave me great advice that I didn't listen to last time, I've been really embarrassed about that and apprehensive to post again because of it.

I hope more experienced people respond. I know some people do give insulin at those levels, but you should know the AlphaTrak tends to measure a little differently than the meters that most of us use. It’s thought to give a higher reading than human meters. That’s important to know when you look at advice here about hypoglycemia and ideal numbers. Sometimes the advice gives numbers especially for pet meters like AlphaTrak, I believe.

We just want to help you and your cat. We’re all doing what we can.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

15 mmol/l (270) is a really high no shoot number. On this message board, we usually start new people out with a no shoot number of 200. (11.1). Anyway, that’s the past now.

It’s been a few days since you have given insulin. I would stay the course, no insulin, and testing preshot times as you have been. Get that curve on the weekend. If you see his numbers start to trend up, post here again, you might want to try a really tiny dose like 0.25 units. Did something unusual happen on the 29th? The numbers that day seem out of place.

 

[Tahirah & Fidget]

15 mmol/l (270) is a really high no shoot number. On this message board, we usually start new people out with a no shoot number of 200. (11.1). Anyway, that’s the past now.

It’s been a few days since you have given insulin. I would stay the course, no insulin, and testing preshot times as you have been. Get that curve on the weekend. If you see his numbers start to trend up, post here again, you might want to try a really tiny dose like 0.25 units. Did something unusual happen on the 29th? The numbers that day seem out of place.

I agree that 15 mmol/l is a high no shoot number, I think my vet was planning on lowering it once I could get another curve done so she could understand his patterns better. But it's been pretty limiting for me, so I'll post again if he goes above 200, as I'd be more than happy giving him a small dose like that. Hopefully I can get a curve this weekend, but he didn't need a shot this morning either! As for the 29th, there was nothing out of the norm that I picked up on. The only thing I could think of, is that maybe my roommate or her boyfriend left dry food out for my other cat and Fidget got into it. I've asked them to leave all feeding to me since his diagnosis, but they still occasionally will try to sneak the other one food and then Fidget tries to get at it.

Thank you so much for responding!