Hello everyone!

Hi,
I first posted earlier this week with some dosing questions, but never officially did an introduction! I'm Darcy, and my sugar boy is Lebowski. He was actually diagnosed in January of this year, and had been in remission for just over 6 months. Until now . . . and I confess, it is 1000% my fault I thought I was being so smart (and lucky) with the "small amounts" of dry food I was allowing him.

Well, apparently those "small amounts" caught up to us, and we now lose the title of "in remission"

But not again!! I really enjoy being able to sleep in on my days off! (No more of that eh?) So we're gonna get back there again (fingers crossed) And until then, I'm going to be militant. If he finds a loose kibble on the floor, I'll dive for it and eat it first if I have to! LOL

I am having a challenging time figuring out the spreadsheet honestly. I just filled in the last 4 days of what's been going on with his numbers. I think it is probably "clear as mud". But I'll keep trying . . .

Thanks again for the help I've already received, looking forward to getting to know many of you.
Darcy and The Dude, Lebowski

 

Welcome, Darcy and Lebowski!

Everyone is incredibly helpful here, and so supportive! Glad to have you in the LL Land!

 

All the spreadsheet is is a grid for storing your glucose test results.
Each row is 1 day.
The columns across the top identify the pre-shot tests for AM and PM, the Units of insulin given, and any tests taken between shots, which we reference as +# where # is the number of hours since the shot. The interpretation of the numbers depends on how long it has been since insulin was given.

 

That is so funny and very visual! Merlin will try and sneak some dog food. If he eats two little kibble, he will easily shoot up at least 150 points. Your SS looks good.

 

Darcy, that is some serious bouncing going on! And Welcome to you and Lebowski! Is it the "Big Lebowski?"

 

He actually came to me (at 14) with the name Phil. Although I like Phil well enough, he needed "more" So I gave him the last name Lebowski, sometimes he's The Dude, other times Bowski. But believe it or not, I actually call him Lebowski most of the time!

 

Wow....59.4???

Just curious....how are you getting numbers like that? I've never seen a meter that gave anything but a whole number

 

Hi Chris, I'm using an AlphaTrak, and my numbers are "Canadian"? (Or is that just the AlphaTrack?) The meter actually reads 3.7, but I'm multiplying it by 18 to get the "U.S." or more widely used, numbers.

Clear as mud? So 3.7 x 18 = 66.6, but I was told to round out the numbers, so I'd now put 67 in the spreadsheet.

Darcy

 

Oh OK....yeah that makes sense, but usually when people are from anyplace other than the US, they use the "World" spreadsheet...they can just enter their numbers as they see them on the meter and when us silly Americans come along, we can switch the "view" to the US numbers

 

Thanks for the clarification on the numbers - I'm in Ontario and also using an Alphatrak (just a couple days) and I wasn't understanding everyone's numbers.

 

Hi! I just saw that you'd put "Trying to use AlphaTrak" in your description I get it sistah! heehee

You've probably already been told this by now, but seriously consider moving over to a human meter. I'm in Winnipeg, and only about 3? 4? weeks ago I switched from my AlphaTrak2 (aka "AT" here) over to the Bayer Contour Next. Bought it at Wal-Mart. I think I initially paid something like $85 for the "free" meter that comes with the initial 100 test strips. I'd been mentally fighting the switch over as "hey, my vet recommended the AT right?" But honestly, and believe me, I LOVE and trust my vet, she knows that now I'm basically getting all my information from the FDMB.

So to switch over to the human meter made it easier for "my mentors" that watch Lebowski's back for me. (My Online Angels) Also, oh my God, the price of the AT strips were killing me. (Single income, 3 beasties, yeah . . . was killing me) This past week I'd bought another 100 Contour Next strips from Costco. $75 for 100. Whereas I was paying something like $80-$85 for 50 of the AT strips at my vet. I've still GOT the AT, so if at anytime my vet wanted readings from that, no problem. I could do it.

The KEY thing for me, in switching over to a human meter, is that I was no longer feeling like I have to ration the AT strips. If I think something is out of the ordinary now, BAM!, I test. I'm not worrying about how many strips or lancets I'm using. (I did also get the lancing device that came with the Contour next. Cheaper replacement lancets; now that I'm used to it I actually prefer how it feels in my hand, and pierces for the sample; AND they come in pretty assorted bright colours! LOL)

Are you having to do sub-q fluids at home for the kidney disease too? Girl, you sure have your hands full. Been there, done that, hung the saline bag heehee

Anyway, just tossing that all out there!!
Take care
Darcy

 

@Darcy and Lebowski Safeway has the count our next strips on sale this week for $65 a box in case you need or want to stock up.

 

SWEET! That's a great price!! Thanks

 

Hey Darcy,

Thanks for all the great advice and support. We are still struggling with the glucometer, in fact I am not even trying it it the morning - far too stressful and I can't do it by myself. My hubby is much better at getting blood then me.
As you mentioned though, the cost is brutal - also single income ( my hubby went back to university) , 2 kids and 2 beautiful kitties! But we love them to death and we do what we can. Hopefully Harley gets with the program and is able to calm down during all these yucky procedures.

I haven't done the subq fluids thank goodness. Switching his food over to iams renal actually improved his kidney numbers but the diabetes came back! I'm stressing a bit over the food since the only thing that has changed in the last 4 months is his food. Up until then his diabetes was in remission. I feel like if we changed his good, it might help the diabetes situation.

I hope you get Dude's (I love that movie ) numbers under control and back into remission!!

Christina

 

Just wanted to say welcome to the forum and I love your kitty's name! LOL

 

Hi Christina,
In regards to both testing AND shooting, you may have already been told this, but I'm going to repeat it Be sure that Harley is in a calm state to start. But possibly even MORE important? YOU need to be calm. Just like dogs, cats absolutely pick up on tension and feelings. So if you're tense, he's going to think "waaaaiiitt a minute . . . what's up here??" I've heard some suggest that you sing! Honestly! Sing anything, this will make you concentrate on the words, and not on how you're feeling hesitant.
Also, be sure he gets a treat, or a full body rub down, or a nice brushing EVERY time. He will soon learn that "this means good". I'm uber lucky in that my guy hears me shake my dried chicken container (yes, I have dried chicken in a container on my bedside table, and I wonder why I'm single! LOL ) Anyway, he knows the "pop" of the container and comes running. That could very well be Harley in time. Oh, I also hold the actual meter in my mouth (with the strip already inserted) I prick the ear, (drop the lancet) squeeze gently for a nice bead, and have just to reach to my mouth for the meter. Not sure if that helps at all?!
Hang in there . . . unfortunately . . . practice makes almost perfect in the "sugah dance"
Darcy

 

When there is another medical condition requiring treatment and it affects the diabetes, you adjust the insulin dose around that.
Just in case you don't have it, here is the link for Feline CRF one of the best sites on feline renal disease.

 

The strips can be very expensive. I started off with the Wal-Mart Relion Micro, those strips were 50/$18 then @Tucker&Me told me about the Relion Prime strips are 50/$9 so I switched. The cost of the Prime meter and 50 strips was the price of 100 strips of the Micro so the savings paid for itself the next time I needed strips. Oh, and Welcome!!

 

On the spreadsheet... It's really not hard, just looks confusing at first.

AMPS is the AM Pre-shot test (always test before shooting to make sure they're high enough to give insulin)...then the U column is for "Units" (how much you gave)

The +1, +2, +3, etc are for how many hours since shooting...so +2 is 2 hours after the AM shot, +9 is 9 hour after, etc.....Since we're all over the world here, saying "he was at 148 at 8pm" doesn't tell us anything...we need to know how long since his last shot

At the end of a 12 hour cycle, it's PMPS time! (PM Pre-shot) and the whole thing starts over

 

Cool Bobbie, for putting it out there for Darcy + Lebowski!! I cannot imagine paying that much for strips!! I am in shock whenever I see those prices!
I know, for me, it would have greatly affected the FREQUENCY of my testing and therefore, STRE$$ED ME OUT.
My cheap little ReliOn Prime meter gets a major workout (see Tucker's SS) and it hums along perfectly. #Word