Low Numbers, 41 @ 9:30p_Lantus

I need advice based on Winnie's PM numbers.

PM
(9:30P) +2, 41. Fed chicken breast and wiped honey in her mouth.
Retested 14 minutes, 45. Fed more chicken, and she ate a few pieces of kibble (no more honey because she began to vomit because of it.)
Retested 10 minutes, 48
Retested 12 minutes, 68
Retested 30 minutes, 65

She won't eat anymore food at the moment. I am going to retest her again in about 15 minutes. Since this is so early on after the PM dose, I assume that her levels will want to keep going down until the insulin peaks out, so I keep testing and getting food into her?

Based on her spreadsheet (which I have updated in my signature) should I have reduced her PM dose of insulin, since I pulled a 202 at AM +9, and then her PSPM was 169?

Thanks very much for your help and advice.

 

How was the 2U dose arrived at? I assume you've just begun hometesting or do you have numbers and different doses prior to the spreadsheet?

2U is generally too high of dose to begin the longer acting insulins on. 1U is preferable. So the answer to your question is yes, the dose should be lowered.

Others will be along to help you with the lower numbers. You're doing a good job so far. Do you have some higher carb canned food available? Grilled Fancy Feast is about 18% kcal in carbs and works great to bring numbers up. Also, any other sugars at home besides honey? The thickness of it may be making her gag. Pancake syrup works too.

Glad you're home testing.

 

Winnie started last week on insulin, and had her first curve at the vet on Monday 08/23.

2u is the dose he started her on originally, and he said to keep her on it for another week and see what her curves look like -- but not if her levels drop this low!

I don't have any high-carb wet in the house, all the canned I have at the moment is low-carb. I don't have any pancake syrup or ice cream around, so I don't really have another kind of sugar supplement. I wonder if I made up just a sugar water solution, if that would do? I just don't want her to vomit what food she does have in her. I need those carbs/calories to stay in place while I work to get her numbers up.

I am going to retest her now, and see if she's still dropping. I'll also offer her some more of the other types of canned. Maybe she'll eat a few bites of one of them.

Thanks

 

any can food that had gravy is HC also I used cornsyrup .. Try to get tiny meals in just enough to keep her up there. Sending Angels & green healing light to help......Kath

 

Lex, you can also put a little honey on top of the wet food you have, or mix it in the food. As Kath said, feed small amounts at a time, you may need her to eat for a while and you don't want her to get too full to eat! Is it possible to run to a store for high carb food? If so, anything that says it's "in gravy" is likely HC, a good choice.

I'll try to get some Lanus folks to take a look and advise you on dose....you certainly want to lower it because of the low numbers you are seeing!

 

You can dip your finger-tip in water, then in granulated sugar.

The put that into her mouth.

Pancake syrup, jelly (not grape), cake frosting, NO chocolate of course.

 

Put DOSE ADVICE in your subject line too it gets more eyes on you

 

Maybe try rubbing honey on gums that is what I did with Trey a little at a time .

 

I mixed up some sugar water and dosed her with that (~ 3mls) and I did have some canned that had gravy in it after all, so offered her a little and she did at least lick off most of the gravy.

I just retested her (~ 34 minutes since last test) and she's up to 75. Her poor ears. And she never complains, bless her heart.

I feel that we'll be OK. I will keep monitoring her throughout the night. I do not plan on giving her the full 2u dose in the am. I'll see what her numbers look like through the night, and call her vet in the am.

Thank you for all of your good advice. It's greatly appreciated (by both of us.)

 

I am not giving advice here ok but start another new Topic before you give her shot in the morning..Put her AMBG her number in subject line and Dose ADVICE. It is best to not feed her for 2 hours before you test say at +9 then test at +11 then post Gives you 1 hour to get eyes on you. hold food back till you get the dose amount . Rule of thumb is start low go slow . This is the best place to be with a DC I am sorry but they do know more then most vets .Because they live with it every day. Vet has too many other problems to deal with so they are not as up to date on Insulin and cats. My cat only had insulin 2 month and he is in remission for 34 days now. I did not listen to my vet. You already have taken control of your kitty`s health by home tested CONGRATS on that..My vet told me she wanted me to just not test and shoot 3 units every 12 hours.I said no and came here. She is still my vet and followed Trey ss and wrote it on his paper when he was in for dental How happy she was to see him off the insulin ....Kath

 

Welcome, and you're doing great. I would post in the Lantus forum in the morning. So far, it looks like you're doing great. I agree with the other posters who said that 2 units is probably too high of a starting dose. But I'm new as well so I don't want to go too far beyond my paygrade.

Good luck--you're off to a great start.