If human meters read low ...

So I have a store brand meter, and it gives a reading of "Hi" any time it's over 600, according to the little instruction booklet.

I have had two readings of high, out of my four successful readings (Or has it been only three?) I have read a few posts that say human meters read lower than the alphatrak, so this makes me nervous. I mean, better high than low, right? But still, a week+ of insulin (1.5 units, so small dose) and theoretically high protein, low carb wet food... I don't know. I'm just nervous all of the time now.

I take Tiger back in to the vet on Monday, I just want to ... have strangers on the internet tell me I either need to calm down, or be more concerned. Where should my feelings be these days?

 

We know that human meters read lower than the AlphaTrak does. The difference is larger at high BG numbers and quite a bit smaller at low BG numbers. The important numbers to know to keep your kitty safe are the "take action" numbers - 50 on a human meter and 68 on an AlphaTrak. Take action doesn't mean it's a hypo. It just means that you should intervene with a small higher carb snack to prevent the BG from dropping more. As we often say here, too high is too high on either meter and you address that by careful dose increases.

Here's something I put together for new members. There's a lot of info but might be useful for you. Ask any/all questions you have.

It would help us if you set up your signature (light grey text under a post). Here's how:

• click on your name in the upper right corner of this page
• click on "signature" in the men that drops down
• type the following in the box that opens: kitty's name/age/date of diabetes diagnosis/insulin you're using /glucose meter you're using/what he eats/any other meds or health issues he has.

Another thing that will help us help you now that you've started BG testing at home is to set up a spreadsheet like the one we use here. We can all see it and look at it before offering advice: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

................................................................................................................................................................................................

Here's the basic testing routine we recommend:

1. test every day AM and PM before feeding and injecting (no food at least 2 hours before) to see if the planned dose is safe
2. test at least once near mid cycle or at bedtime daily to see how low the BG goes
3. do extra tests on days off to fill in the response picture
4. if indicated by consistently high numbers on your spreadsheet, increase the dose by no more than 0.25 u at a time so you don't accidentally go right past a good dose
5. post here for advice whenever you're confused or unsure of what to do.

This is useful: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

................................................................................................................................................................................................

Here's an explanation of what we call "bouncing". It explains why a kitty's BG can go from low to sky high:

1. BG goes low OR lower than usual OR drops too quickly.
2. Kitty's body panics and thinks there's danger (OMG! My BG is too low!).
3. Complex physiologic processes take glycogen stored in the liver (I think of it as "bounce fuel"), convert it to glucose and dump it into the bloodstream to counteract the perceived dangerously low BG.
4. These processes go into overdrive in kitties who are bounce prone and keep the BG propped up varying lengths of time (AKA bouncing).
5. Bounce prone kitty repeats this until his body learns that healthy low numbers are safe. Some kitties are slow learners.
6. Too high a dose of insulin can keep them bouncing over and over until the " bounce fuel" runs out and they crash - ie., have a hypo episode. That's why we worry so much about kitties that have had too high a starting dose prescribed by the vet and the owner isn't home testing.

................................................................................................................................................................................................

Here are some tips on how to do urine ketone testing (VERY important if BG is high and kitty isn't eating well!):

• put the end of the test strip right in his urine stream as he's peeing
• slip a shallow, long handled spoon under his backside to catch a little pee - you don't need much
• put a double layer of plastic wrap over his favourite part of the litter box and poke some depressions in it too catch pee.

Most test strips have to be dipped and allowed to develop for 15 seconds before viewing the colour change in very good light.

 

I know how you're feeling. I just got a reading of "Hi" with Victor for the first time yesterday, and it's like OMG is it time to panic? Retested three times over the course of an hour and a half and got two readings in the 300's and one in the 500's, so it was like Well which is it? Nervous and worried all the time pretty much sums up how I've felt too since we got our diagnosis. Stay strong.

 

I feel for both of you! This is SO hard and SO scary at the start. I promise it'll get better as you become more familiar with your kitty's responses, more confident in your ability to judge how he's doing and have more data on your spreadsheet to serve as a reference. We're always here to help.

 

You guys and this forum are absolutely invaluable

 

It was a life saver for all of us! We're paying it forward.

 

It's a marathon. Keep testing and keeping a log of the numbers. Of after a few days 1.5 isn't enough the dose can be raised. Will you make a spreadsheet for us?

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

 

I got a reading of 550 this morning. It's progress, both in a lower reading than yesterday and ... you know ... an actual reading. Got an error last night, so no data. Finally set up a spreadsheet. Going to fill in the random info I have. I don't want to let Tiger down.

 

Good job getting the spreadsheet going. You didn't put in a units for last night. Did you shoot?

 

Thanks for reminding me. I've given him insulin every day, regardless of success of readings. I feel like his levels have been so high when we do get readings, he still needs it.