9/13 | Darwin: AMPS=294, +2.5=311, +4.5=319, +7=342 - feeling frustrated.

[Tasha & Darwin]

Yesterday

Wish I could understand why Darwin's numbers seem to get worse and worse. He's getting so close to a healthy weight, and he feels great. He's finally eating all canned food, and only LC food. He's much more active, and playing regularly. I just continue to feel like we're making no progress, and I'm trying not to be frustrated, but I am.

I am feeding him bigger meals before shots, and then several small meals throughout the day - that shouldn't be influencing his numbers, right? It's all FF Classics. I just feel with how well he's doing; his numbers should be so much better than they are.

I'm wondering if I ought to take him back into work (the vet) for some comprehensive labwork - I can't believe he would have anything else going on, but I'm just not sure. Is this all normal?

 

[Tracey&Jones (GA)]

I wouldn't beat yourself up. Remember this is Darwin's dance and he is in the lead. CIC = Cat in Charge and that is why you feel so out of control!

You saw some blues on that S1 unit last night and today looks like a bounce to me. I wonder how low he went on the night of the 11th...maybe a bit of a mini-bounce in there. Give it a cycle or two and see where Darwin takes you.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

I am not sure why you are going to skinny and fat doses. Kitties seem to do better with the 0.25 unit increases that TR calls for. Might be seeing a touch of glucose toxicity setting in, or he's just bouncing from a fast drop last night. Are you feeding a small meal in the +1-2 timeframe? It's good to have fresh c arbs on board for onset.

 

[Tasha & Darwin]

I am not sure why you are going to skinny and fat doses. Kitties seem to do better with the 0.25 unit increases that TR calls for. Might be seeing a touch of glucose toxicity setting in, or he's just bouncing from a fast drop last night. Are you feeding a small meal in the +1-2 timeframe? It's good to have fresh c arbs on board for onset.

I feel like I get a bit of conflicting info at times, so I'm just winging it at this point. Some have said to try skinny and fat doses for him because he keeps dropping and needing a reduction, and then staying flat for ages, and needing an increase again, etc. It's just hard to know what the right thing to do is, I guess.

I typically try to feed a snack at +2 in the evenings and my days off, but can't give a snack until +4, +5 when I work.

I'll try just increasing to a full 0.25u dose next time.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

When you are thinking about what to do for the dose, it's only really the last couple of weeks that count. I haven't seen him dropping lately. Skinnying and fattening can work in some cases, but only if you are trying to tweak a dose that is already getting high greens and you want just a little bit more green. Darwin is solidly in "nadirs above 150", so unless he proves otherwise tonight, I think you can increase by 0.25 units.

 

[Doodles & Karen]

You always get "do-overs" with FD and most important is Darwin has been well taken care of. I do agree about trying to stick with the .25 increases and decreases as per the protocol. Sorry you get conflicting information but this is peer reviewed board so you will get different opinions. It's common to go up and down with the same doses and just because they go low on a certain dose doesn't mean they will do it again the next time. I'll also encourage you to shoot those green preshots if you can monitor and have supplies. Shoot low to stay low works. I remember when we first joined someone told me "a green preshot is a gift".

 

[Tasha & Darwin]

When you are thinking about what to do for the dose, it's only really the last couple of weeks that count. I haven't seen him dropping lately. Skinnying and fattening can work in some cases, but only if you are trying to tweak a dose that is already getting high greens and you want just a little bit more green. Darwin is solidly in "nadirs above 150", so unless he proves otherwise tonight, I think you can increase by 0.25 units.

Okay - this makes a lot of sense! Thank you! He's definitely had "nadirs over 150" haha - and quite a bit over, too. I will see how he does tonight, and adjust in the morning.

You always get "do-overs" with FD and most important is Darwin has been well taken care of. I do agree about trying to stick with the .25 increases and decreases as per the protocol. Sorry you get conflicting information but this is peer reviewed board so you will get different opinions. It's common to go up and down with the same doses and just because they go low on a certain dose doesn't mean they will do it again the next time. I'll also encourage you to shoot those green preshots if you can monitor and have supplies. Shoot low to stay low works. I remember when we first joined someone told me "a green preshot is a gift".

Thank you! I am such a worrier anyway, so I am constantly worrying that something isn't right, and I'm missing something. The veterinarian I work with is not surprised that I dove into FD full force instead of just "giving insulin" as most of our clients do When it comes to my pets, I get a little crazy lol. Thankfully, until now, Darwin has been the easy one! It's good to remember that just because he has dropped on a dose, doesn't mean he will again - that was kind of my fear since he has dropped on these doses in the past.

I appreciate all the help and support!