Input (Starting Insulin/Testing)

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Nicole & Baby

Nicole & Baby

Member Since 2009
FURbaby Family & Friends, :bighug:

My heart is so heavy for the tragic loss of Chewy and my heart breaks, like all of ours.

I am likely a stranger here in FDMB because I have not posted in Lantus Land in a long time (I post in Health for here/there situations that arise).

My name is Nicole & Baby was diagnosed with Feline Diabetes in December 2009 & we removed dried food .. introduced low carb canned food to attempt to diet control because I was super scared to start insulin.

BUT even more scared to lose my Baby and even tho her #s had improved .. she still needed insulin and we started insulin in January 2010 (just a month or so after her diagnosis).

I am posting my 1st thread after injecting her .. I hope it helps anyone new to giving insulin or thinking of not testing. Testing saved Baby's life time and time again. She got OTJ for 8 months (forever thankful) & today we do the sugar dance again and I never ever go a day without testing a minimum of preshot but definitely test a few hours in between to know where we are at AND more testing if #s are low.

6 years into this & testing still saves us every time.

When I gave her her 1st injection .. I said .. what do I do now?

Just stare at her?

It seems like a silly question to ask .. 6 years later .. my answer to myself & others ..would be YES & TEST!

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/1-8-baby-amps-no-shot-will-be-given-20-5-289.1622/
 
Nicole, thanks for sharing. I remember your very first thread with such clarity. Reading through it tonight brought tears to my eyes and and left a sick feeling in my gut... same as it did back then. We were all so scared. You were/are so strong and determined in spite of the seriousness of the situation. Baby was one lucky kitty to have you as her team leader! It took you and a whole team of others in LL to keep her safe over those 18 - 20 hours.
 
(((Nicole)))) there are still some of us around who remember you and Baby and how furbaby fabulous she still is!!! It's great of you to link that condo. It was before our time here but I had read it before and you were amazing. Gosh and to see all of those oldtimer names! But the most important thing is the lesson so thank you for sharing.

It is horribly sad about Chewy...heartbreaking.

I hope you all continue to do well.
 
Nicole thank you for sharing your first thread, I think what happened to Chewy has really upset many of us here, I know I cannot stop thinking about it and all we can think about is how we can keep it from happening to someone else, I wish we could send her post out to every vet everywhere. I wish that every pet owner could read it before they start giving their pet insulin, so many are just sent home with insulin and syringes and a dose to give twice a day no matter what and are even told not to test. I don't think any of us will forget Chewy anytime soon.
 
I, too, am haunted by what happened to Chewy. I told my husband I wanted to march into the Vet school at UCDavis and give them a lecture on learning about FD and what to tell owners of newly diagnosed cats. He reminded me of the many different diseases and conditions they must learn about, in many different species, and how unusual it is for an owner to want to treat. I still think there should at least be a handout in every vet office explaining the basics, with the URI for FDMB on it. I'm tempted to make one up and ask my vet if she will give it to anyone with an FD kitty she sees. I do plan to tell her I am available to help if she has a newly diagnosed kitty and the owner wants to learn to test. I just want to DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
OMG. I just read through your first condo. Talk about baptism by fire! A couple of years ago we had a bean give her cat 10 units instead of 1 - that was a really scary time. She pulled the kitty through it, though, just like you did. Thanks for sharing that.

I, too, am haunted by what happened to Chewy. It made me want to march into the vet school at UC Davis and lecture those students about FD - what to say to the owners of newly diagnosed kitties, and what to teach them. My DH reminded me that those students only get about 5 hours of training on diabetes in both cats and dogs, that they must learn about many different diseases and conditions for many different species, and that most vets don't see many cases of FD, and even fewer where the owners want to treat. I did think about making up a flier and asking my vet to hand it out to anyone whose kitty is diagnosed - with the basics on it, plus telling them about FDMB. I do plan to tell her that I am more than willing to help anyone learn to home test. I just want to DO SOMETHING!!!
 
Nicole --

Like Jill, I remember your first day all too well. It was scary for us who were on the sidelines. I can only imagine how terrifying it was for you.

There are people like your self and Baxter's Susan whose outcomes are better than Chewy's. It is sometimes very difficult to communicate just how important home testing is when someone's vet minimizes or eschews the necessity. I do think that when we're jumping up and down about testing, there are some people who think we're truly crazy cat ladies. And then, there's something like the tragic loss of Chewy that happens or someone like yourself goes through a harrowing situation. The good news is that Baby remains her fabulous self!
 
Chewy's story just hits so close to home with Stomper's lows this week. I had tears in my eyes reading it, knowing that our outcome could have been similar if we hadn't found this community and started being more persistent with his home testing. We didn't even start home testing ( even as spotty as it was) until a month ago, which was a month into his diagnosis. I count my blessings every day!
 
I was crying as I read Chewys story.... I am so grateful I listened to all of the experts here who drilled into me the importance of testing even when 2 of the 3 vets I consulted with said not to. It is crazy to me now to even think of shooting without testing. Dre dropped below 68 AT last night and I freaked out because I had just read Chewys story.... I was on him like a hawk!
Thanks to all of you who explained the importance of a simple test and monitoring .... I hope Chewys vet has learned to show people how to test.
 
I remember my first day on the board. It wasn't as bad as Baby's, but scary just the same. I was told to cut the dry food which was done 6 weeks earlier. Wasn't testing routinely as I was told to only if he was acting strange. Well that night he didn't come to eat when I popped the can. Dragged him out from behind chair and wham hypo. People here stayed up with me as getting to ER was not an option. I didn't even have honey or karo in the house, only chocolate ice cream. Did have maple syrup though.

Just the other day with Rebecca it could have been her. Her vet had tripled the dose in 2weeks time, didn't even have a monitor. No home testing at all. Thank goodness FDMB was able to stop her from giving that deadly dose. She ran and got a meter and step by step got her through. As it turned out even the reduced dose she gave created a hypo but it could have been so much worse.

I tell my vet each time I go I'd be willing to help people learn to test. No dosing just testing and maybe the food choices, make sure they have hypo kit.

But it would take money away from him so I don't think they will ever tell their parents.

I wish somehow testing would be mandated.
 
Thank god Rebecca decided to post that day before she shot 8 units, another case recently was Tigger whose Mom was told he would show symptoms if he went too low and not to worry about testing and she tested when he was showing no symptoms and got a very low number. I wish we could do a public service announcement, something to tell people what can happen. I really think if a pet parent cares enough to treat diabetes they will be willing to test if the vets will just tell them how and that it needs to be done.
 
Hey Nicole. I just happened to pop in on the thread tonight and saw your post. How have you been. Sammy was OTJ for about 5 years, but he has been back on insulin for over a year now. I am assuming since you haven't posted that you switched Baby to a different insulin. Hope all is well with you.
 
Nicole, Your story "happened" about 2 weeks before I joined the board (with Stu). I was so overwhelmed with Stu's situation that I never had read Baby's until now. What a trial by fire! And how wonderful were all the beans who helped you (I remember many of them, and they also helped Stu and me). We all have our stories and, hopefully, no one will ever have to experience what Chewy's people did.
Thank you for posting. I am very happy to hear that Baby is doing well.

Ella & Rusty
 
@Jill & Alex (GA) , thank you for your comment .. it brought tears to my eyes too. You were our angel that night & I could never have saved Baby without everyone’s guidance, patience with me and compassion, love & caring for Baby. Thank yoU again from Baby & I!! I feel so lucky to have had FDMB that night & always!!

@Marje and Gracie, FURbaby FABulous!! LOL I am so happy to hear you remember … wow! Flash from the past!! She SURE is still FURbaby Fabulous, I am blessed for that .. for sure!! I agree to see all the old-timer names was something & a trip down memory lane in a great way!! I hope you & Mike are doing great!!

@Gill & George , you are welcome! It was such a night .. I don’t know how I did it .. I guess we do it with the support of FDMB & the love of our babies!! It could have went so bad & so fast .. it is scary!

@Nancy and Scotty , you are welcome .. after hearing what happened to Chewy it really upset me and I needed to share to help educate others. It is just devastating to say the least. I agree .. most people will test if they know how and the importance of!!

@Tricia & Cinco & Harvey , I agree .. it is a disease that is very manageable with the knowledge of testing, etc. It is just heartbreaking. Yes, it was baptism by fire for sure! What a night, in a snowstorm .. one I will never, ever forget!!

@Sienne and Gabby (GA) , It was terrifying .. but with all of you on the sidelines & helping .. we would have never made it. Ever. Your guidance, love, compassion and knowledge of Feline Diabetes saved Baby’s life that night & many lives through the years. Thank you to you & many others!! CrAzY cat ladies we all may be .. but not for making sure our babies receive the best care, testing, etc. Thank you, she does continue to be her fabulous self at 15 & I hope every day that she continues to be!!

@Diabeticat , Chewy’s story could have been Baby’s or Stomper’s it sounds like!! I will need to go read through your condo .. I have been out of the loop here in Lantus Land for a while. When you know better, you do better .. you are testing now & that is the main thing!! Hugs to you & Stomper!!

@jayla-n-Drevon , agreed!! Testing is so important .. we would never blindly give insulin to humans without testing .. yay for you for listening to the experts here on FDMB.

@Woodsywife , it is very scary .. I agree .. I cannot imagine not having the guidance and knowledge of FDMB .. we along with many others, would not have made it to where we are today! So thankful you caught your baby’s hypo .. even if you only had syrup & chocolate ice cream .. hopefully have you have hypo kit now!! I wish testing was mandated too .. but even humans don’t have that .. so doubtful our furbabies will.

@Tina & Sammy , we are doing good & I hope you & Sammy are too!! We are still on Lantus .. I have not switched her .. I am happy to hear he was OTJ for 5 years, it is heartbreaking to put them back on the juice .. but we are blessed to still have them!! Hugs to you & Sammy both!!

@Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA) , nice to see your names!! How I remember you posting with Stu .. so thankful you got to read the post now … I miss so many beans & babies names .. all of our lives have changed so much over the years .. but FDMB will always be a family!! Hugs to you & Rusty!!! Thank you, I am so blessed Baby is doing well & I hope you & furfamily are too!!

For those who do not have time to read the original post:

  • My vet prescribed .5 units of insulin but did not show me on the syringe, I shot 5 units!!
  • Preshot testing and a +3 made me aware that we were in for a very scary situation if I did not step in & seek help to raise her #s.
  • FDMB experts (who I consider angels) guided me and helped us until we could get to ER, while we were at ER & when we got home from ER. This group still helps us and many others 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
I do blame vets to an extent (like a lot of us do) but I also take ownership for being knowledgeable too. I encourage everyone .. not only with FD but with any disease, to ask questions, research, etc. and form the best plan of care like you would any human. We are their voice, their advocate & I want to say how much gratitude I will forever and ever have for FDMB. If I said thank you every day for the rest of my life I could never express the emotions of how much help I have received here in Lantus Land and in Health Forums.


(((Chewy))) cat_wings>o

Thank you from Sadi :bighug: Baby :bighug: & I :bighug:
 
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