IGF Results Postive 556

Hello to all,
I'm posting here to try and get some guidance.
Malachai's test came back today and he tested positive for IGF-1. He tested at 556. From My understanding, that means that the tumor is already pretty large? He tested negative for IAA.
I know that most people on this site just treat with a higher dose. For those who do that, are there any other supplements that I can give him to help lower his BG or even help with any pain he might have?
I'd also love to hear from those who have move forward with other treatment and their experience.
I would consider surgery although my vet said that no one in Southern California does it. I'm not sure what my radiation options are yet, the vet is supposed to call me back tomorrow. And then of course, I've read about different drugs.
Just wondering what everyone's experience has been with their Acro kitty.
Thank you!

Deena

 

Hi Deena, sorry about the diagnosis. But now you have an explanation and can plan going forward. I will post more later- I am typing f I'm a ferry line up. The IGF-1 number has no relation to the size of the tumour. Neko's was in the high 400ms and her tumour was smaller than two kitties with numbers in the 200's. Good on the negative IAA, one less thing to deal with.

 

Hi Deena. I will post more later as well - but in the meantime there is a thread Wendy created for cabergoline which is one of the drug treatments. There is also a FB group for Acromegaly as well.

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...-for-acrocats-discussion.184012/#post-2066463

 

Sorry to hear the diagnosis. As Wendy said, the number is not a reflection of tumor size. I opted for SRT (radiation), and that worked, as detailed in Leo's thread.

Up to that SRT dose, Leo was at 16-18 units insulin per dose. And he was very challenging to regulate at that level. Basically the insulin and the IGF are both competing for the same access to body cells. I'm pretty sure there is no pain.

The best thing you can do now is try to regulate Malachai. He should be in the 100-150 range during nadirs. So more insulin, raising in gradual steps. Also B12 will help keep neuropathy at bay. However the best way to combat neuropathy is glucose regulation. Leo had neuropathy pretty bad by the time he was at the high dose levels. So you have to stay on top of it.

 

Hi Jeff,
Thanks for reaching out. What kind of B12 can I give him? Regular ones I get at the grocery or is there specific ones for cats? If so, where do you purchase it and how much should I give him and how often?
I'm thinking about getting him on Cabergoline right away if my vet will approve it. I just sent him the information from RVC and am waiting for approval. I'm hoping I can get his BG levels down with that. Still going to look into radiation and see if I can forward it. Unfortunately, the closest place that does SRT is in Los Angeles and they put quoted me $14,000 which I can't afford.
If I can find nearby state that I can afford, I still might go that route. Will SRT radiation Kill the tumor or is it just extending the cats life for a few more years? Or is every case different? I guess I haven't had a clear answer on what i can expect from the SRT...

 

You want methyl B12 for the neuropathy. Zobaline is a formulation made for cats.

SRT neuter the tumour cells, which means they don't reproduce and the tumour dies down over time. As with most of the treatments, there are no guarantees and SRT can take up to two years to work. We had one SRT kitty go OTJ after three years. Neko lived over four years after SRT and for most of that time was on less than two units of insulin. On the other hand, you are slowing or stopping the effects of the excess growth hormone, which is a good thing and does extend their life. But each case is different.

 

Wendy is 100% correct. Do a zobaline search in the main forum, it is a common topic. I crushed the pills and mixed into his food. It is tasteless.

It's in Leo's thread, 2nd page. The CSU cost for SRT is $7k or $8k. I documented pre-trip, post trip, and occasional updates. At one point I was calculating insulin costs vs radiation. With real high-dose cats, the insulin cost gets pretty high over a year.