Meet Gabby - possible steroid-induced diabetes

Hi all,

I've had a difficult few months with my 12-year-old gray and white tabby, Gabby, and am in need of some support. She's my 'first-born' and has been with me through good times and bad. I feel the need to provide her with the very best care!

So, at the end of December 2017, I found blood in her stool. Took her to the vet at the first of the year, and she was diagnosed with irritable bowel disease and pancreatitis. Her blood glucose levels were normal at that time. She was put on a steroid to alleviate the inflammation in her bowels, and put on a hypoallergenic diet. This all seemed to be helping, for the first few weeks. Then she began to drink a lot of water, urinate a lot, and began losing weight. This was mid-February 2018. I took her back to the vet, and she was diagnosed with steroid-induced diabetes. The steroid was immediately stopped, and we began insulin. 1 unit 2x/day didn't regulate her levels, so we increased it to 2 units 2x/day. Long story short, and after a brief hospitalization, we figured out that she was experiencing the Somogyi Effect. She is now completely off of insulin to see if she can regulate her blood glucose on her own.

I bought an AlphaTrak glucometer to attempt to understand her patterns over the past week. For the most part, she is in the 300s, but will, at least once per day, drop below 100. I can't figure out a pattern. I've looked into using the spreadsheet, but since she isn't being administered insulin, I'm not sure that its helpful. She is behaving normally, but is still losing weight.

Has anyone had a similar story? Can anyone point me to a forum where I may find advice?

 

Welcome! I think setting up the spreadsheet even without insulin may help see if there’s a pattern. If she’s spending time in the 300’s she probably needs insulin though. Come to the Main Health forum and tell us a little more about Gabby. We have several members that have kitties with IBD and pancreatitis that may be able to help.

 

Hi Gabbysmom,

I have to agree with Sharon the spreadsheet will give you an overall view of what is happening- it really allows you an objective view on a very important part of Gabby’s condition, even without insulin injections.! Perhaps she needs just needs a baby dose of insulin temporarily after her pancreatitis to help her get back to normal. If you look at Maji’s spreadsheet, while she’s diabetic you can kinda see some improvement - it gives her pancreas a rest and the potential to rehabilitate itself and perhaps the possibility of getting back to normal function once again. The spreadsheet will allow you to measure very small changes over time in Gabby’s condition, changes that are usually difficult to spot without it

Honestly I’ve considered getting a human glucose meter and testing myself over time.