9/12/18 Maddie, AMPS 120, +3 74, +6 64 +12(pmps) 131 131

Maddie has been on Lantus, 1 unit twice per day for 11 weeks. I've been trying to home test after 3 curves done at the vets. I'm using Relion Prime. She has shown amazing improvement since her diagnosis, gaining her weight back, jumping again etc. My big concern is that she continues to drink and pee exessive amounts. She always pees in the box. About a year ago vet thought she must have kidney issues because even though lab tests showed Bun and creatinine and SDMA were normal her urine was dilute, i presume because of excessive drinking. She was put on a dry prescription renal diet. She ended up deteriorating, losing nearly 4 lbs between April and June 2018 when she was diagnosed with diabetes. We got her on "the juice" and everything is improved but the exessive drinking and peeing. I thought I had noticed a bit of improvement the first few weeks, but am now questioning that. Current vet thinks her numbers and curves look good and she tested her a few weeks ago for urinary infection. Nothing. Any ideas why she has to pee so much? I feel like I'm missing something . She is an indoor cat. When/if she sneaks out for a minute she is desperate to eat grass.

 

Great that you are starting to home test! Now, the next step is to set up our spreadsheet and start recording Maddie’s numbers. That will help everyone here to help you both. If you need help setting it up, just ask and someone will do it for you.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

 

Yes. Thanks for the encouragement. That's definitely on my list. Been a bit overwhelmed and low on time. Really hope I can locate the template and figure it out. It's a goal for the weekend. Also really hope someone might have an idea why the continued thirst and frequent trips to the loo. Worries me a great deal.

 

If you need help with the spreadsheet, just ask and someone will do it for you. What kind of numbers are you seeing when you test? It may just be that she needs a dose increase to help with the excessive drinking/peeing. Other than that, how is she acting? Eating well, playing, purring?

 

Hi and Welcome to the forum. Like Sharon said, if you need help setting up the Spread Sheet, ( Sharon gave the link for the instructions) just yell and someone will help you set it up.

After she gets regulated better, her excessive peeing and drinking will subside.

 

From what I read her numbers aren't too bad. I'll try to get my spreadsheet posted. In general she seems to feel pretty good. Just kind of quiet. She always goes down stairs after she eats and stays several hours. I'm wondering if that is because her litter box and water are there. Not super playful but she is somewhere between 15 and 18 so she's an older cat. I sure hope that urine output slows down. We'll see thanks for your reply.

 

Thanks! My fingers are crossed. I noticed in your signature you use a relion prime meter. Has it worked well for you? My vet isn't familar with this meter and when I report my low home readings compared to what they get in the office she wonders about it. I feel it has been pretty consistent. For example amps very close from day to day.

 

I have not had any real issues with the prime. Some here say that it cuts off on them before they get the blood sample. I think that might have happened a few times to me, but I always try to make sure that it is still turned on before I take it to the blood sample and then get an error message.

The Relion Prime ( a human meter) is going to be lower than the vet's meter ( Alpha Track 2) The protocol for Tight Regulation and the Start Low Go Slow method we use here was written for using a human meter. So, the take action number (for a low BG ) is 50 whereas for the AT2 it is 68. At the lower end of BG readings the numbers are a little closer together when comparing a human meter to meter for feline blood. That is where it is the most important for safety reasons. Then the numbers get further apart from the human meter to feline meter as the numbers get higher.

 

Thank you for the good info. I've had the meter cutoff but it was due to our extreme slowness in getting the drop. We are getting better.

 

I use a Relion Prime, it has cut off me a time or two, but I like it just fine. It seems to be consistent to me.

 

Good to hear that you've had good luck with the prime. Thanks.