Help with tonights dose

Ok guys I have a newly diagnosed kitty, and the vet has had some trouble getting him regulated. Took him in yesterday, and he stayed all day for them to do a glucose curve. They said that his numbers were still in the 400s all day, and they wanted to bump up his dose a little. I convinced them to let me test him at home, and I did the first test last night about 2 hours after he had insulin. Everything went great, but I got a really low number of 24. I thought that couldn't be right, so I tested the meter, both with the control solution, and with a person. It seemed to be working fine, so I tested the cat again, and got 26. Called the vet, she asked how the cat was acting, I told her fine, and she said the meter must be off, and to just watch the cat. I have a Contour meter, does anyone have any ideas why I got numbers like that on Tigger, but it seemed to be working fine on a person and with control?

 

Re: Help please with BGs

I dont have an answer for you, but I would not give more insulin until you are sure your cats BG is elevated.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

well,,,,if u could give a bit more info...
what insulin are u using?
what is the dose your vet began him on?

It sounds to me like your cat went a bit too low there, and your vet unfortunately telling u the meter is off and to watch him, is not the most sound way to go about monitoring a low number.


are u aware of vet stress? Most kitties will have rising BG numbers while at the vets, bumping up insulin because of high numbers without giving a dose a chance to settle in also is not the best or safest way to treat.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

We are on Humulin R. For the last week it has been 1 unit in the morning, 1 unit at night. I haven't been testing him, but just based on how he seems to feel, he has been doing great. They told me yesterday to bump him up to 2 units twice a day, so that is what I gave him last night before the low number. He just got done eating and he is at 341, so the meter is working fine. Now I really don't want to give him 2 units.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

wait wait wwait. don't give any insulin until we are clear on what one you are using. R is not to be used by most people at home. will let this go then type more in a sec just to make sure you don't give your cat R

 

Re: Help please with BGs

That is what it says is Humulin and then a big yellow R. They started him on Vetsulin, and then weren't happy with the results, and changed him to this.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

ok, can you look at the vial and make sure if it says Humulin R or Humulin N. N is ok to use, R is not. R is a very very very fast acting insulin that is most often used in a critical care type of situation, like when a cat has diabetic ketoacidosis and is in the ER under 24 hour care because they have to get their numbers down quick but in a safe manner using other products too to make sure kitty doesn't bottom out.

there are people here that use it but they use it as a booster type insulin and they only give a drop or two and to cats that have other medical conditions that make them a bit resistant to normal insulin doses, like acromegaly.

sooooooo, if your bottle really does say R, DO NOT GIVE ANY MORE OF IT, call the vet as soon as they open and make sure they realize they gave you what could be a very dangerous insulin in the hands of someone so new to this disease. ask that they get you Humulin N, or better yet, a prescription for Lantus you can get filled at your local walmart.

if by chance your bottle says Humulin N, then that's another story and we can move on to talking about that and other diabetes stuff

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Ok, before you posted that, I had called the vet, and she said to give 1 unit and then monitor throughout the day. Now this isn't my normal vet, this is the on call/ weekend vet, but she didn't seem concerned with the bg of 24 last night, said that wasn't possible if the cat was acting fine. I'm concerned, but I did just give him 1 unit...he has been on it over a week and been doing great. I will test him again in a couple of hours and see where he is.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

so it looks like this sort of?
http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&so ... CCIQzAMwAg

if it does, please don't give any of it ok.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Hey, glad you found this place.

If that's Humulin R, then your vet should never have let you take it home. It works very very fast, and then is gone too fast. Lovely for fine control if you plan to shoot insulin every hour, but otherwise just dangerous since you don't know the correct dose. For a cat, you want the SLOWEST acting insulin you can find, which is usually glargine or detemir (sold under brand names Lantus or Levemir in your nearest pharmacy, for humans). The slowest-acting veterinary one is now ProZinc, if you're in one of those countries where the vet MUST prescribe a veterinary insulin, but the human ones are even slower and are easier to use in cats, in the long term.

Very glad you tested at home. Your vet sounds very inexperienced with diabetes in cats. You may want to start looking around or asking for detailed help here.

And by the way, a number of 24 after giving a dose of Humulin R was probably correct, and very dangerous. Please don't use it again unless you understand you need to test every 20 minutes with that kind of insulin. Numbers below 40 are dangerously low, especially on such an insulin.

Next time your cat goes to the vet's for a test, she'll be up in the 400s again, but it means very little. Blood sugar varies hour to hour, and on insulin it can vary dramatically. (Especially on fast-acting insulin.) And stress (like going to the vet's) raises blood sugar, sometimes very dramatically.

You need to do that same curve the vet did, on a slower-acting insulin, at home. We can help.

You can do this! Don't worry...

Best,
Steve

 

Re: Help please with BGs

crap! well, what's done is done but after today, you need to fire that vet. i'm sorry but they don't have a clue if they are handing out Humulin R to the public. but on to getting thru today. we need some information so we can help you if kitty drops too low or acts wierd today

do you have plenty of test strips on hand?

and what kinds of food for kitty do you have? and don't freak out or anything but do you have any kind of syrup in the house? karo or pancake or honey?

i see steve's here, good. it's kinda early and i can't seem to find too many others around

 

Re: Help please with BGs

I need to run to the store and get strips, I only have a few here. I do have Karo. I also still have a vial of Vetsulin, would I be safer giving that to him until I can get Lantus or something else?

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Oh, and food the vet wants him on Purina DM...he hates it, so I have been giving him By Nature can food. http://www.bynaturepetfoods.com/

 

Re: Help please with BGs

yes, vetsulin would be safer than R buttttttt, don't give any of it either at this point. we need to get the R out of kitty's system and make sure they are safe.

how long to get strips? you need to be around within 1 hour or so of giving that shot . can you do that? if not, could someone else go get you some strips?

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Agree completely here with Cindy and Steve. Humulin R is NOT an insulin that a vet should send most people home with to use and never as a basal (for daily control) insulin.

I'm so glad that you are testing and yes, Vetsulin would be MUCH better than R once you are sure that the current dose of R is gone.

I normally don't say much bad about vets but IMHO this was a truly irresponsible and dangerous thing for this vet to do.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

I gave him the shot around 9 so another 30 minutes will be an hour. Do I need to test then? I can wait to got get strips after we test.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Yeah, I'm kind of angry...it seems all they have done is charge me a lot of money and not really help my baby at all.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

ok, here's what i would do. if the store is fairly close, i'd wait about 30 minutes and test him. i'd want to see him over 200 before i left the house. just because R can drop them quickly. if he's under 200 OR the store is too far away, i'd call and have someone else get strips and bring them to me.

if you want you can tell us what big city you are in and maybe one of us are even close enough to help out in some way. don't give exact addresses though. this is the internet. city and stay only is good enough

 

Re: Help please with BGs

YES! Test at +1 (one hour after the shot). Post kitty's BG. Wait for advice. THEN go get more strips.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

No need to panic, yes R is not an appropriate insulin and you should discontinue using it. The good news is you only gave 1 unit and R is a very short acting insulin, so even if you didn't test before the shot he was proably high if he hasn't had a shot in the last 6 hours. So here's what you need to know about R and how it works.....

It begins working within 30 min to 1 hour after the injection so you should probably test the BG during that time to see where it is at. If you then post here someone can tell you if it is ok to wait and test again in a bit or if he is too low. R only lasts about 5 hours and will have it's lowest point at about 3-4 hours after the shot was given so you will want to keep an eye on him at that time and test several times. If he starts going below 100 mg/dl before 4 hours post shot then you need to feed him something with high carbs or rub a little Karo syrup or honey on his lips and gums and test again to see if the number rises. Once you are past 5 hours he likely won't drop much more and will probably rise quite a bit.

So stay calm test often, report here, and take action if you need to. And then see about getting a better insulin before you give any more!

 

Re: Help please with BGs

And just an FYI for you on the legitimate use of R is that it is used by SOME people here as a bolus insulin in conjunction with the log acting insulins mostly, like Lantus(glargine) and Levemir, in very tiny doses to assist in dropping a high blood glucose level very early in a cycle, before the long acting insulin "kicks in", so that it is easier for the basal insulin to do its job. It's only recommended for people who have a lot of data and knowledge about how their basal insulin is affecting their kitty.

Not important for you to know right this moment but there are legitimate home uses of Humulin R - just not this one.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

There is nothing wrong with your meter. There is however something wrong with your vet's advice. This is an instance that should be reported to your state veterinary board. R is no joke, and is incredibly dangerous to use at ANY dose with a standard diabetic cat, and 1 full unit is an irresponsible prescription.

Now that you are testing, and congratulations on that by the way --- we can help you with your vetsulin dosing. If you can list your city/state, we can possibly help you find a vet if we've got someone in your area. Looks like maryland from your username?

Monique has given you exactly what I had typed. You've got about 5 hours max to worry, and it's quite likely that the cat's self protection will kick in and his numbers will get very high as a response. Don't panic if they do, that's totally normal.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

By the way... it will also be critical to home test with the Vetsulin (any insulin, actually). There are FDA warnings out regarding batch inconsistancies. http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/newsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm188752.htm

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Thanks for all of the help...it's crazy when you can trust strangers on the internet over a vet who should be trained and qualified. Can anyone recommend a meter that has cheaper strips than the Contour? When I go, I might just buy a new meter and strips. Does Target sell meters and strips? I'm in Odessa, Tx. I've been using the same vet for years, everyone there knows me, and they work with me on a payment plan, but it does sound like I need a new one.

 

Anyone near Odessa TX?

If you have a walmart, they sell the Relion Micro which is cheap and has cheap strips. Target does sell meters and strips but I don't know that they have a cheap one.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

hey there. i was called over here to check on you.
do you have a starting number of what BG was when you gave the 1 unit of R?
also how is your cat about eating..one of those bottomless pits or a fussy type of cat?

let's get first spot check before leaving house to get more test strips. how many exactly do you have left?

~jojo

 

Re: Help please with BGs

His bg was 341 before insulin, he eats like crazy, and I have 3 strips left.

 

West Texas info anyone?

There are meters and strips that are cheaper but I'm sure what's available in the Odessa, Tx area. Should be a Walmart somewhere, right? I believe that Relion in their brand and pretty inexpensive.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

ok, 1 hour out and he's at 326

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Waving HI from Abilene! :thumbup I think you and I are the only ones in West Texas. (Mojo or OHS?)

Wal-Mart's Relion is what a lot of our members use. Apparently the test strips are wonderfully economical. I use the OneTouch Ultra Mini and absolutely love it. There's a free offer at https://www.onetouchdiabetes.com/of...ouch Ultra - Specific&utm_term=onetouch ultra. Just make sure you fill it out as a if you are the one using it. Plus, I learned you have to be "changing" from a different brand of meter.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

okay, that is looking fine so far.
the deal is because he went so low last night his body is flooded with rebound hormones that are protecting him from today's shot so far.

how long would it take you to get more test strips?

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Less than an hour probably to get more strips.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

I have home tested for 4 years and it can be a challenge some times.. Get a second tester and alternate between the two, also make sure it's a meter that requires the minimal amount of blood samples. Never make drastic changes to the dosage amount, always increase in 1/2 units (up or down). Also keep some Korn Syrup around in case your kitty's BG's test really low (anything under 40 is close to hypoglycemic shock).

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Go ahead and go now if you can. That should be ok.. if you go to walmart, you are looking for relion micro, and matching strips. Also, lancets, if you don't have enough. Get 28, 29 or 30 guage.. anything higher might make it too hard to get blood.

 

contour strips

contour's not a bad meter. i use one, too.
best deal is on ebay. BUT i've been burned so i've learned to use only experienced longtime sellers with high feedback ratings. it is NOT worth it to take a chance on a newer seller. also, only use credit card funding to pay the paypal bill. do not use your checking account. paypal and ebay do not protect your money worth a darn but your credit card company will.
i generally get 100 contour test strips for $30 (including shipping). there are so many auctions just wait if the bidding gets too high.
sometimes i find one touch ultra test strips there for the same price. they also fit the one touch ultra mini, which is cute and what i use as a backup meter.
problem is, even if you win an ebay auction it'll probably be around a week before you get strips. but worth it for future reference.

you're in good hands with the people with R experience. i'm hoping they'll be able to get you thru the weekend with it on a much lower dose at least till you can find a vet to prescribe lantus or levemir.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Hi Melvin,

You've got great people helping you out and advising. I don't have anything to add.

I do want to tell you that WE all understand the concern about trusting strangers on the internet. I felt the same way almost a year ago. But after getting lots of advice, support and even talking with a couple local members and meeting one, I realized that these people know what they are talking about, care about the well being of my cat and truly want to help.

Just to give you an idea of the people who have posted here already - Jojo is a vet tech and a true lifesaver. She so knows what she's doing and writing about. Cindy is another angel, she facilitates the giving of starter kits (meters/strips) to newbies in need, Monique, Susie, Sherri and Carolyn have all been here for a while and all of these people know what they are talking about and have in-depth knowledge of different insulins, how they work in cats and well just all around helpers and sharers of information, guidance and advice.

Me, I've been here almost a year, received the help from these great people, especially in the beginning when I had my own vet issues. They gave me solid suggestions, which I followed and am so grateful that I did. Now, I try to help out where I can and be a general welcomer.

So, while you are in the midst of dealing with this issue, please feel confident that you've got great people here to help you get this this tense situation and once that's resolved, we can go over next steps and FD 101.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Not sure why you are on this rather urgent thread Covert Ops, but your information is lacking. Please do not give dosing advice without regard to knowledge of the insulin.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Maybe on the dosage suggesting, sure.. but my other advice is valid. Not all testers are consistent even when calibrated and hypoglycemic shock should be a concern when getting low BG numbers. Am I not allowed to contribute? When I was first dealing with my diabetic cat, I had no help except from my vet. I studied binky's pages and scoured the web. I have gone to a few vet seminars to learn more about this disease because of concern for my cat. Most vets will tell you not to make drastic changes in insulin values but to do them gradually over a day or so and to test during the process.

Thomas Covert

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Suggestion, Covert Opps? Start a new post on Think Tank rather than an argument on an urgent thread here on Health where the bigger concern than testing consistency was testing period because a vet prescribed a dangerous insulin, okay?

 

Re: Help please with BGs

thomas, problem is, R is a different ballgame. for some cats even a drop can make their blood glucose level plummet. so the increments you mentioned could cause some serious damage.
in this case we're hoping that because this cat is in rebound such a large dose will work out okay for the moment, but it should not be given again without some serious assistance from experienced R dosers.
everyone's welcome to contribute. just some insulins really require expertise.

[edited to add: always helps to look up someone giving you dosing advice, to make sure they have experience with the insulin you're using. unfortunately, the new board doesn't give us much room on our profiles but you can normally find some mention of the insulin we're using in our signatures/links at the bottom of our posts.]

 

Re: Help please with BGs

i think the concern is just over the general statement about changing doses in 1/2 unit increments. some cats need smaller increment changes and for this thread we're on right now, the insulin shouldn't be being used at all in this instance so general dosing advice given here could cause confusion at this moment in time. when we get them back to using a usable insulin then we can discuss general dosing guidelines. and please remember that tones are a bit short at the moment due to the urgency of the situation. no harm no foul :smile:

 

Re: Help please with BGs

I apologize, I didn't meant to get the thread off track. Where does is say this thread is flagged as an emergency? I didn't notice that.

ps, Sheri .. Thanks for the links to the testers, I have been looking for a new one, and free is always good.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Thomas, no harm done, it's just the insulin in this thread, Humulin R, should not even be used, let alone at this dose, or increased in 1/2u increments.

That said, anyone who has been testing for 4 years has much to offer new members and we welcome that help. I apologize for my abruptness, I have a hard time using my indoor voice

 

Re: Help please with BGs

I never had any experience with Humulin R, only Lantus and PZI so therefore I should not have been recommending dosage. My main concern was BG values of 24, that is dangerous. I only had my baby go into shock maybe once, and it was scary. And it was because of an inexperienced vet telling me to have him go from 1 to 3 units of Lantus in the same day.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Ok, back from getting strips, just tested again, and he is 375.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Oh and my name is Mandy by the way, nice to meet all of you, and thanks for the help.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Glad you got the strips. No real surprise that he's rather high after the R.

I'll leave the Vetsulin suggestions alone because you'll get better help from people who have used it or understand it better than I do.

It's uphill from here I hope, Mandy

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Hi Mandy,

PErsonally I would be leery about using vestulin, considering it was recalled. Do you have the lantus in hand? If yes, then I would highly recommend going to the lantus board, posting there and prepare to start using it now.

By now, I mean, when the more experienced folks feel it make sense to give him insulin after the R issue. I'm going to send a message to Jojo and ask her to come back and help.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

I don't have Lantus, all I have is the Humulin, and Vetsulin. I just need to get him through the weekend, and I will talk with my normal vet on Monday, or find a new vet on Monday to give me something better for him.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

I agree that Lantus is the best choice, however I don't think you have any right now, so untill you can get a Rx and pick it up, I think using the Vetsulin is ok. Your testing and you now have strips, yea! Did you get a new meter? Anyway I would suggest picking a time of day you want to start morning and evening 12 hours apart (7am &7pm for example) The way Vetsulin works is first you test his BG then you decide on your dose (usually start at 1U, unless the BG is below 200) then you feed him his meal then you shoot him :lol: (with the insulin). You should then try to at least about 4 hours after the shot (+4) as this is the point at about Vetsulin should have the most effect and his BG is the lowest (nadir) you want to try and have a number near 100. If it is lower you will probably need to decrease your dose at the next shot, if it's much higher then increase (try to do this in small amounts, unless he goes really low) If you have U40 syringes you have to eyeball half units. If using U100 syringes (you can use them and a conversion chart you can measure easier. If you look on the Humalin/Vetsulin/Caninsulin board here on the forum there is thread called N primer or something that will tell you all of this a kind of guide to using Vetsulin. The whole thing is pretty simple, the hook is that it never works out so nicely in practice. I used Caninsulin (European name for Vetsulin) it did provide some relief from the symptoms of diabetes, but was aggrivating and didn't allow for any consistancy in his BG, we eventually switched to Levemir (simular to Lantus) and were very satified, especially since after a while he didn't need insulin at all anymore and is now a diet controlled diabetic cat!

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Let's see how he does throughout the rest of the day. If he stays up or even starts to drift down a tiny bit later in the day, we can consider him ok for a shot tonight. Please post your number first though I recommend very low, just enough to maintain throughout the weekend. I'd like to see what others think but I'm thinking 1/2u Vetsulin. Don't forget to return the R to the vet and get your money back, that stuff isn't cheap.

I'd also like to recommend not using that veterinarian again, unless you want to just get them to write you a script for Lantus or Levemir. You want the pens, not the vials, and you will use u100 syringes with half-unit markings, not the needle tips that are sold for the pens.

You've done a super job, I'm very proud of everything you've had to learn and accomplish, he's a lucky kitty

 

Re: Help please with BGs

I'm not familiar with the type of syringe used for R. Is it a U40 insulin like Vetsulin?

Mandy, if you've got U40 syringes they are a perfect match to the Vetsulin. If, however, you have U100 syringes you need to use a conversion chart.

http://www.felinediabetes.com/insulin-conversions.htm

 

Re: Help please with BGs

I have U40 syringes...the R is U100. I mentioned to the vet tech that they didn't match and she said it was fine. I'm starting to think these people are nuts lol. So tonight after he eats, I will use the Vetsulin correct? I hope someone is on to help me with dosage and such. Yesterday they had mentioned trying a different insulin on him, not sure which one though. She said it was a cat insulin. Also is the food that I have been feeding him ok? http://www.bynaturepetfoods.com/productpages/ I'm feeding completely wet. They keep stressing the Purina DM, but he doesn't like it, and I personally don't see what is so special about it.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

i've asked someone to figure out exactly how much R you gave this morning since the insulin type and syringe type don't match. i'm kinda curious as to whether you gave more or less than we realize.

but as far as tonight, i'm west coast so you should be 2 hours ahead of me. if you are planning on testing & possibly shooting tonight, i will make a point to be here around 9pm your time, as i'm sure others will too.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Hi there

I'm not familiar with this brand of food, are u feeding the 95% variety?
I notice a few companies jumping on the 95% bandwagon (a la EVO) ...maybe someone else may of heard of it to offer feedback.

But hey - if it's wet food - you're on your way - just need to find out if it's a good low carb brand...the labels and website won't give ya that info,
a lot of us contact these companies directly - Janet & Binky's Food Chart has info on how to approach the companies for the right info.
Here is the link to Janet's site:

http://binkyspage.tripod.com/canfood.html

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Initially I was laughing but then I realized you actually used MORE insulin not LESS insulin. Gosh I have a lump in my throat. These people do not need to be either practicing - vet or tech. You gave your cat 2.5u R if my math is correct.

And the food you have chosen is excellent.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

okay mandy, just need to get through rest of weekend, with the goal of just keeping kitty safe with what insulins you have on hand. can be done, just going to shoot very little doses (under 1 unit). vetsulin is safer than R to get through rest of weekend.
then on monday either your vet writes you a script for lantus and you get a new vet or your vet won't write the script and you get a new vet, cause either way you do need a new vet to be your partner with this, your current vet is so far off base that i can't see a useful relationship there for the management of your cat's diabetes. as you can see by the number of people that jumped on this thread, a vet having a their feline client use R as a basal insulin is just not right and quite dangerous, and as you yourself saw last night one can get into serious trouble quickly with it.

if you have a few minutes filling out your profile with some history, like how old is your cat, when was diagnosed with DM, what he eats (i know you said By Nature Organics canned, but is there any dry food in house?), is there a history of DKA, any other health issues, and anything else you can think of that will help us get to know your cat. k?

ETA: slow typist that i am, see new posts have been made about syringes. yes use the U-40 syringes with the vetsulin tonight. post your pre-shot BG number before shooting and we'll help ya decide if something like 0.5 units of vetsulin is cool to give.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

wait you gave 2 units of R last night with your - 40 syringes right? that means you gave 5 units of R. grrrr...!!
you were very lucky that your cat only went to 24.
please let that tech know that i guess she slept through dose conversions in tech school?
here is a chart of what the - 40 to U-100 conversions are, you have to read it 'backwards' since you were told to use a U-100 insulin with a U-40 syringe. but maybe print it out and leave it at that vet clinic when you (hopefully) pick up the lantus script, since no one there seems to know the concept (vet sure should have made sure you had correct syringes too).
http://www.felinediabetes.com/insulin-conversions.htm

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Ok, profile updated. I'm so glad I found this site. I asked specifically about the difference in the insulin and syringes and was told it was fine. I'm really mad that these people are running this place the way they are. They originally didn't want me to test him either. They have charged me a fortune, and treat me like I'm stupid when I question something that they tell me. So, Lantus is the best to get? Can anyone give me a ballpark price for that?

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Well expensive lesson learned - I'm so sorry, Mandy. I am, however, even MORE glad you found this place now that I see how much they actually had you shoot :shock:

Oh yes, Vetsulin for the weekend is a godsend here.

Price of Lantus is, I believe, a little lower than the Levemir that I use. I pay about $185 - $190 for the pack of five pens. I am not sure how long the Lantus cartridges will last but I think it's generally at least a month per cartridge.

You'll want to check around on the prices at different pharmacies because sometimes some like Walmart and Costco are considerably less expensive than others.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

lantus or levemir they both are great, but lantus is far more common so have a better chance your vet will write you a script for that, all you want from this place is the script so we can get your cat on a real insulin asap, then you have some breathing room to look around for a new vet. just insane that you asked about the conversion and vet and tech did not give you right answer at that place.

prices vary but it is not inexpensive, however if you get the lantus pens (there is five 3ml pens in a box) you can get many months of use. also please remember vet has to write you a script for a box of 3/10cc insulin syringes, you want the ones with 1/2 unit markings. you do NOT use the needles that normally come with cartridges or pens like humans do, you are going to use each pen like a mini vial. go to lantus ISG and there are pictures of this and handling instructions for lantus.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

that's what i thought about the amount of R given too what with the wrong syringes being used but couldn't say with certainty that i was right on that one, that's why i wanted someone to look at this and confirm it for me. thanks ladies.

ay yai yai!

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Mandy, in Texas we do not need an Rx for syringes. Any pharmacy will hand them over. I order mine from Hocks.com (see the link above).

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Yeah, I might not be able to swing the Lantus right now. $800 out to the vet, and I'm wondering how I'm going to pay the mortgage and electric bill. Do you think there is any way that we could get him regulated on the Vetsulin at least for right now? Or if not the Vetsulin, at least something less expensive. Do I need to test him before or after he eats tonight?

 

Re: Help please with BGs

Vetsulin is similar in action to N or Humulin NPH.

If you go to the Insulin Support Group for N, there is an excellent informational "sticky post" called The N Primer.

 

Re: Help please with BGs

After eating tonight, his BG is 575, so he definitely needs something, now how much?

 

Re: Help please with BGs

hi there, hang on gathering the troops for u ....

 

Re: Help please with BGs

when did u want to shoot Mandy?

and u want to use vetsulin right?

Could u EDIT ur first post SUBJECT line to say HELP WITH TONIGHT'S DOSE something like that - I'm trying to get u some assistance.

 

Yes, I want to use Vetsulin, and I will shoot as soon as I know how much is safe.

 

if you'll have the ability to do a blood test in 4 hours, then you could try a full unit. If not, I'd start with a half-unit and then move up to a full unit only when you do have that ability. Start low, raise slow, monitor carefully at first.

Also try as soon as you reasonably can (a day or two) to figure out how soon the Vetsulin 'peaks' and when it's mostly worn off (duration), so you can plan a schedule. Lots more good advice from people more experienced with this insulin is coming up...

 

I'm planning to do a curve tomorrow, if someone can give me a good testing schedule to go by.

 

super high PS number there, but being that this is such a new diabetic cat and hasn't been on a reasonable dose yet, and so much of that number is probably rebound which we don't know when will break how about just making tonight easy and giving 0.5 units (1/2 unit) of vetsulin tonight and just getting one spot check before bed? make it an easy night, last night was a rough one and an easy night would be good.

tomorrow is kinda early to do a whole curve. usually ya want to give a dose some time to settle in before you get a good accurate curve. just some spot checks tomorrow is fine.

 

Ok, 1/2 unit tonight, and another in the morning?

 

hi there, told ya i'd be here :smile:

looks like you've gotten good advice and i agree with what has been said. 1/2 unit tonight and then as far as tomorrow morning, barring him being too low for a shot, most likely 1/2 unit then too.

you're liable to see some of these high numbers for the first couple days just because his body has to figure stuff out. the most important thing to remember during this dance is to not overreact to each number. that can set you up for a horrible ride.

 

Hi Mandy, and boy did you just have one heck of a day! you handled it great and you had lots of wonderful people helping you out here.

I wanted to drop in and say hello and welcome you to the board. I see that you will be using the vetsulin, at least for a while. If cost is going to be a factor for lantus, maybe someone who lives a little closer to you would be able to sell you one cart of lantus initially. Just a thought. Oh, I also wanted to tell you that am feeding Spot the By Nature brand food also. I started this a few weeks ago and he really really likes it. Not sure how many carbs are in it, but I figured that since his numbers are still doing pretty good, it can't be all that bad.

Good luck tonight..hope it's an easy one for you.

 

fwiw, i just saw that leslie and maverick has some lantus for sale in the Supply Closet part of the board (that's where we post supplies we have to sale or donate or coupon codes, free offers, etc.....)

 

I'm selling the Lantus

It was my dad's, before he passed away.

I have 10 pens and I'm selling each one for $20 - shipping is included. The expiration date is 5/11.

If you want any or all of them, I can get them in the mail Monday or Tuesday afternoon. They would be overnighted because they have to stay cool.

Don't feel like you're obligated to buy from me, it's just a suggestion.

Lots of luck with your little furball.

 

Re: I'm selling the Lantus

I was just hoping someone would say something like this. You'll do very well to take this deal, and Lantus kept in the fridge and shot at a unit 2x a day can easily last 5 months... After that you can ask your vet for a script if it's working well.