8th Feb Rocky in pink numbers all day long

[Marlena]

I am posting here because I hope lots of people could look at my situation with Rocky and give me some feed back.
I don't expect advice on dosing as there is only two people using Hypurin UK insulin and they give dosing suggestion but I would like some opinion from as many members as possible hoping that somebody will have some idea what's wrong with Rocky's BG. It looks like he is not changing much from pink numbers. Is it all right to keep a cat in this range for such a long time?
So, dear all please chime in (look at Rocky's SS) and tell me what you think is happening with my cat. I'm sure that Juliet and Eliz would appreciate your input as they've been helping me with dosing.
All together we might be getting somewhere.
Many thanks and best regards to all of you.
Marlena XXX

 

[Tuxedo Mom]

Hi Marlena

I can see why you are getting frustrated. Rocky showed some promising responses the end of January and then seems to have just stayed pink and flat.

You have Eliz and Juliet to advise you on dosing so all I can offer is to check out the basics.

Have you changed any of the foods or changed to feeding schedule?
Have you change the injection site other than to vary the spot? (changed from for instance scruff to abdomen or flank)
Has the insulin been properly stored? It is still working in order for you to get those yellows a few days back, but it doesn't seem to have much oomph.
Is Rocky in good health (other than the diabetes)?

Sometimes it is the little things that can cause problems so if those are all ruled out then Eliz and Juliet will have to give you advise on the dosing.

I have been doing the sugar dance for 15 months now and I have actually learned to have patience. I would rather see my kitty with flat pinks than with the rollercoaster he regularly does from greens to blacks in a 24 hour period.

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

Hi Marlena,
I'm sorry to see that Rocky is still stuck in pinks.

I'm not sure if you saw my message (on Sunday) on another of your threads?

"(Does he have anything else going on that could be elevating those numbers..? Could he be getting food from anywhere else...?)
Of course, what we don't know is whether he has dropped lower at night at any point, because there have been no evening tests for the past 5 days. It would be helpful to have a few evening test results in order to get a fuller picture....

If the evening results are similar to the day results then it does look like Rocky could use a dose increase. But we know that he has had some steep drops on the .75 twice a day....
Would you be able to increase without taking it to .75?
Or maybe you could try the .75 in the morning and keep the fat .5 in the evening..?"

Like Mary Ann (in the post above) I'm also wondering if there is some other factor that is keeping the numbers high.
(And as you can see from a comment in her post, there are some here who would actually rather see their kitty with flat pinks than in rollercoaster numbers. )

You previously said that you don't want to be doing a lot of testing. Is that still the case?
Or are you able to do some other tests (maybe at least one a couple of hours into the evening cycle to give some indication of what may be likely to happen there?)


Eliz

 

[Marlena]

Hi Marlena,
I'm sorry to see that Rocky is still stuck in pinks.

I'm not sure if you saw my message (on Sunday) on another of your threads?

"(Does he have anything else going on that could be elevating those numbers..? Could he be getting food from anywhere else...?)
Of course, what we don't know is whether he has dropped lower at night at any point, because there have been no evening tests for the past 5 days. It would be helpful to have a few evening test results in order to get a fuller picture....

If the evening results are similar to the day results then it does look like Rocky could use a dose increase. But we know that he has had some steep drops on the .75 twice a day....
Would you be able to increase without taking it to .75?
Or maybe you could try the .75 in the morning and keep the fat .5 in the evening..?"

Like Mary Ann (in the post above) I'm also wondering if there is some other factor that is keeping the numbers high.
(And as you can see from a comment in her post, there are some here who would actually rather see their kitty with flat pinks than in rollercoaster numbers. )

You previously said that you don't want to be doing a lot of testing. Is that still the case?
Or are you able to do some other tests (maybe at least one a couple of hours into the evening cycle to give some indication of what may be likely to happen there?)


Eliz

Dear Eliz,
thank you.
It is possible that there is some other health problem with Rocky which is difficult to identify. I don't think he eats anything outside but I can't dismiss that idea entirely but it is unlikely.
I will speak with my vet tomorrow and see what she would like to do and what she thinks about his BGs.
I posted this thread hoping that lots of members would look at his SS and say that his numbers more likely indicate that the dose is too small or too large because this is what they've seen with their cats and this is what they observed but maybe it is just too difficult to say what the problem is. I have kept him on fat 0.5u for many days and he is not feeling very well because his glucose is high most of the time and he drinks a lot. At least he is eating well. I have a feeling that he's got digestive problems so I need to discuss this with the vet. I'm thinking about digestive enzymes or some pancreatic support.
I have no problem testing him as often as I need so after changing his dose I will do that.
So the plan is to start him on 0.75u in the morning and see how he reacts.
I will keep you posted.
Many thanks for your ongoing support.
Best regards,
Marlena XXX

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

So the plan is to start him on 0.75u in the morning and see how he reacts.

Okey dokey, Marlena. Sounds like a plan, especially given that you can get some evening tests.

We know that Rocky dropped steeply and then bounced before on a .75 twice a day, so consider that as a possibility. However, things are seldom 'set in stone' with feline diabetes. Patterns change. and just because Rocky dropped and bounced previously that doesn't necessarily mean that he will do the same this time. And even if he does drop - as long as you can test - the exposure to lower numbers might be useful in terms of re-educating his body about what is 'normal'..?
.