can buff puff start a new thread

she's got some important stuff and it's getting kind of long.....

 

Hi Lori. Can we just post to this one?

I was getting ready to ask if it would hurt to feed Buffy right after I get PS numbers and just a few minutes before her injection. Would that mess with her numbers in a bad way?

 

nope, go ahead and feed. your shooting on the # before the meal.

 

I'm reading your SS but I wonder what was going on before that. I mean is this your very first go at it...did I miss something?

 

Just wanted to add my 2 cents from the other post and it gets it's own line for importance.

You are never pestering asking a question. No one here ever would consider it a bother.

Just want to make sure that's all cleared up... and I'm having a smiley day

Oh and feed poor Buffy!! (My first rescue cat when I was 7 was a Buffy - and a bit of a food drama queen, so I'm quite fond of the name)

 

Don't mean to confuse.

She started out with being fed twice daily, but was eating so little at each feeding - hungry the rest of the time - so I decided to go back to free feeding.

But for the past couple of days, she has seemed to have gotten herself on eating large twice a day, and nibbling here and there. But I've noticed she hasn't eaten much today since this morning's dose.

Yesterday she did the same, and then ate pretty large portion 2/3 can of FF 30 minutes prior to my getting her PS numbers last night, which then her PS numbers were spiked high, and it was suggested to me that I get her PS numbers before feeding. But she needs to have something on her stomach before injection.

Edit: Went ahead and got PS number before feeding and was 420.

 

but in terms of insulin and testing...what was going on prior to what you have on your SS. I mean is this really the very beginning of her treatment? cause if it is I don't see any evidence of rebound.

 

Buffy was diagnosed 2 weeks ago and I started testing 05/09. I don't know if she's rebounding, but there's some thought that her PS numbers could stand to be lower.

I'm late getting her insulin. She's eating now. Is it necessary to wait 30 minutes? Or can I give insulin right away?

 

I know.

She just ate 1/2 can FF tender beef and is content.

 

if you know that she is gonna eat, you can get your test, then shoot the insulin and feed her all at the same time if you'd like. Mousie would never sit still for a test or shot if she got her tummy filled first so i have ALWAYS tested, shot the insulin, then right after doled out her food. ok, occasionally i get distracted and it's been 30-60 minutes after the shot when i remember to give her her food

if she's a picky eater or a vomit-er, then you would want to wait a little bit between feeding and shooting insulin.

but in all honesty, the pzi's seem to be so forgiving that holding insulin until they've eaten and kept it down for a bit doesn't seem as critical as it is with insulins like N or Vetsulin.

 

Thanks. That's what I needed to know and couldn't explain myself too well at all :lol:

I was doing it this way at first, then after her curves last week, vet said feed 30 minutes prior to shoot - so just making sure all is well if I need to do it that way - meaning at the same time as insulin. :smile:

 

I've been getting her PS number after she eats, so I'm afraid this is a mistake I've been making. I'll get PS reading before feeding from now on. Thanks.

BTW Lori - the way my poor Buff looks at me in horror, I feel I'm an official member of the vampire club :lol: She glances around for an escape route when she sees me coming with the vampire kit. Poor little ears. I hate it for her :cry:

 

OMG yes, that should make a difference. the # is always higher after a meal. and that comment about her ps #'s could stand to be lower is a def. YES! but now i'm less worried knowing those #'s were after a meal. still her mid day #'s are high...and let me understand...you got the diagnosis 2 weeks ago, but have only been shooting for 3 days is that right?

 

ok, my bad. i reread your post and see you've been shooting since 5/9.
ok, well let's give the insulin a week to 'settle' with a set dose of 2.5 or stay with the 2 if your more comfortable. i really did'nt realize this had'nt been going on for awhile.
if you ever get a ps (remember BEFORE feeding) of over 470 by all means give the 2.5
but we'll have to give this at least 5-7 days before knowing if the insulin is helping at that dose.

 

Lori, sorry. Again confusion from me so I'll try and be more clear:

Diagnosis April 28 - started that evening on 1u twice/day. After the trauma she went through with her curves, I determined to do home testing and take control, with the help of this forum that is . Last Wednesday she was upped to 2u/twice day and that's where she's been since.

Gatorade encouraged me to start the spreadsheet when I started home testing, which was 05/09. I like that SS, really makes it easy at a glance to see what's going on, but I'm still a dunce regarding rebound :lol: and will leave that up to you experts.

I ended up with 2 units again tonight. I had marked a U40 syringe at 2.5 and when I went to use it, the needle bent. I've never had that happen.

Okay, if higher than 470 before feeding, then definitely give 2.5, and continue this dose 5-7 days. Hopefully her food will start making a difference. I've been keeping her on consistent below 7 carb foods since I started her SS, and Gatorade mentioned it may take a while for her to get the junk out of her system. Makes sense. She also needs to lose a pound or two and hoping the lower carb helps her do that quickly.

 

Now I disagree with you lori :smile: Buffy needs more insulin at this point 2u is not cutting it. Even if the PSs are food influenced, the nadirs are not improving. 2.25u would be a good next step. Or if the U100s were procured right away then moving up to 2.2u would be in order. It's time to move forward and hopefully get those numbers to come down slowly.

 

I'm with Gator on this one. The curve looks solid, but it's not even dipping into the 100's, less the greens. I 2nd upping the dose.

 

I had a syringe marked at the 2.5 mark and was going to give her that dose tonight, but I bent the needle. I'm gonna get some U100s. I have one that I found in a drawer that was my dad's and I can use that one in the morning then pick some up - rather than risk marking U40s. I don't want to reuse syringes and it would be difficult to be consistent trying to mark the U40s I'm afraid. But what marking on the U100 would be correct? The increments look very small.

 

Well, if you haven't already make sure to read what I sent you earlier. There is a link to visual explanations in there.
viewtopic.php?p=144221#p144221
Also you need to get the conversion chart that is linked in the sticky at the top of this forum and print it out and post it somewhere obvious. Make sure to use this conversion chart when you dose - at least in the beginning.

I do not know if the syringe you have has half unit markings or not [or even if it is a U100 insulin syringe or not...]. But what you are after is to measure "5.5u" in a U100 insulin syringe. This would be actually be 2.2u of insulin.

Yes the increments are small. Believe it or not, I measure what I call "0.05u" increments in the U100 syringes - and that small of a dose increment makes a difference, especially at doses below 0.5u which is what H currently gets.

 

Thanks. I do remember you posting that and thought I read it, but I must have gotten onto something else.

It's printed U100 on the syringe, but I'm not sure it it has the right markings either. Based on your description, I believe it is, but I don't want to guess wrong. There are markings of 10 to 100, with 5 marked lines in between each 10 units. But I'll definitely look over the link before I try anything.

 

5 marked lines between each 10 units would make each mark 2units which is too big to be much use to you. It sounds like the syringe is a 1cc syringe - 3 times as big as you want. So I would not use that syringe.

If you want to up the dose tomorrow morning you can eyeball it which will not be that big of a deal or you can give just 2u in the morning then get new syringes tomorrow. When you do change over to U100 syringes, I would mark that in the notes of your spread sheet.

 

Wow, I was reading your description totally wrong. I would like to up the dose in the morning, but I'll hold off and get the correct syringes and study that conversion chart. Thanks for taking a look at my post!

 

yeah, those syringes will drive you bonkers!

the syringes you want will go from 0 to 30 is all. big difference in being able to accurately judge what dose you're giving

 

If you have the U40's you can at least attempt a fat 2 or eyeball 2.5 so you don't have to wait. It's not going to be exact, but you'll give him a smidge more and maybe it'll force some of those #'s down a bit.

 

yes actually going to 2.5 is fine too...i just remember so often a cat does'nt respond or actually goes up on the first few days of insulin use. in this case with the #'s so high i am also in favor of starting higher.