Mishu's 1st hometest plus dosing sugg

So Mishu is 14yr old tabby diagnosed last Wednesday. I am new to all of this. Her bg was 443 at the vet. We home tested for the first time tonight and it went well! Her pmps was 120 and I still gave her prozinc dose of 1u but now things I'm reading say people typically skip early on when the Bg is under 200. Should I have skipped that? Taking her +3 reading in ab 20-30 min. We are using a relion meter. Any suggestions and tips are greatly appreciated.

 

Hi Amanda,

you may need to test Mishu a little longer this cycle to make sure he stays within that nice Green 74 number you just get a +3.

Do you have enough testing strips?
Do you have Midium Carbs or High Carbs wet food?

If you can edit your post's title to something like "8/15 Mishu PMPS 120, +3 74 1st Low Pre-shot Please help" people who a re knowledgeable in Prozinc will stop by and advise. I am Lantus user.

In a meantime I think it would be good to offer Mishu a little extra Low Carbs wet food, if that's what he eats. Giving about 2 teaspoons now will help him to stay afloat within that mid 70s range. And would take another test 30 min after he is done eating that snack.

 

She's got low carb wet food out now but not hungry enough to go eat it. I gave her some treats and she took those. We have higher carb wet food in case of lows. I've been blind shooting for a week so I have no idea if this is normal range for her or not. We have a ton of tester strips and other supplies because I went overboard ordering and everything came in today. I'll check her again in 20-30 min.

 

Both the pre-shot of 120 and the +3 of 74 are in normal, very nice range, The trick now is to keep her within and not to go too low. If you are using human meter the start feeding MC or HC is 50, if pet meter then it is 68. I use Lantus and not familiar with Prozinc but I think it will give you nadir (the lowest point) between +4 and +6. If I am correct you'll need to test frequently until the nadir is over.
I do not see anyone Prozinc proficient online so I'll stay with you. Just test and post and update you SS with the next test result.

Do believe - there is no such thing as too much testing strips!

 

I apologize for calling Mishu "he".

Was it a time for another test?

 

She was at 60 but now chowing down on some higher carb gravy food.

 

Great! Good call on Gravy Foods - how much have you given her? Was it just gravy or meat with gravy? ETA: What carbs% was it?

Gravy effect is very short lived so you'll need to take another test in 30 min after she is done eating, hold on food and then test again 30 min later - posting and updating the SS. It is early in her cycle - she will lower but I think that gravy will slow her down and she stays within good range.

I just read the Prozinc: the typical nadir falls between +4 and +7. You are ok after the nadir is over or after the BG number remains within safe range - not below 50 on the human meter for 2 hours since last meal.

 

It's the FF beef gravy lovers. Like 20% carbs I think. She ate almost the whole can besides what her brother ran in and stole before I kicked him out. I'd say at least 3/4 of the can. She's acting completely normal for now. Thanks for you help - I'm betting she's wishing we never got this delivery today now that she keeps getting pricked!!!

 

OK, the 3/4 of HC will send her up, most likely, but it is OK - she'll come down eventually. Do not be alarmed at the higher numbers - it is food, not her.

Usually the recommended portion is 2 teaspoons at a time. But it's ok. You are collecting invaluable data (have notes as to what you fed: amount, carbs%, etc" because you can use the same tactic in the future.)

Test her in 30 after she is eaten. That test will tell you how much of a "food spike" the HC gives her. Update it in to the SS into the SAME cell where the +4 BG 60 sits like that" @+4 60 20% FF, @+4.5 X" where X is the next test result you are going to take in 30 min. Just stuck both numbers in the same cell. The green background color will be gone - you' ll have to color it manually.

She may begin associating frequent ear pokes with gravy food and tolerate pokes easier after that. I have no clue why cats go for that gravy! But thanks goodness they do or we'd be dealing with Hypos all the time.

 

Hi Amanda,
Glad Tanya was here for that. Do your syringes have half unit markings? That 1.0U might be too much so it's very good you started home testing! You are correct, we usually tell new members not to give insulin when PS test is <200. Even someone with a good amount of data, wouldn't give the full dose on a 120 but it's a good experience to get under your belt when you are home testing .

If this happens again, you'll just want to give like 1 tablespoon of the HC gravy food and retest 20 minutes later. You don't want to fill her up in case you need her to eat more later. Most likely she is going to bounce and give a higher AMPS reading. If she's over 200, you'll probably still want to reduce her dose, especially if you won't be home, to like 0.75U or 0.5U if that's easier. Also, make sure the preshot tests are done with her not having eaten anything 2 hours prior so the number is not food influenced .

 

Hi Yong, thank you so much for checking in!

I might be of help with Lantus and the lower pre-shots but all I know about Prozinc is from the sticky - not like having actual user's experience. No one was online who I know used Prozinc, so . here I was...

That 3/4 of a can of HC most likely going to give Amanda a chance to call it a night. But let's see the next test.

 

No problem! I still always check Prozinc forum first . I will come to you if I get more low PS's with my boy lol. Yes the 3/4 can is probably going to let Amanda sleep soundly . Just want to make sure she doesn't give more insulin tomorrow morning, should Mishu have a higher AMPS from bouncing.

 

Is there any test post gravy food, Amanda?

 

You know, for a very very long time I used to think that if I use Lantus that's where I supposed to go with anything, like I never visited Main Health Forum, or the Prozinc Forum - until maybe a month ago or so. I thought if I was Lantus then that was where I post .

 

You're moving around now though!
Sorry for mini hijack, Amanda

 

We do not have the half or quarter unit markings on the syringes. She's now very annoyed I keep messing with her and tried to dash on the last one. She's at 96 at +5

 

They only come with whole unit markings or half units, unfortunately they don't make quarter unit markings. But measuring quart units is easier with half unit marked syringes. Just make sure to try and do something she loves after each test, including a low carb treat . At +5, you're in the typical nadir time for Prozinc and if you don't think you can get another test in like 30 minutes, you could just give her a tablespoon or two of some more HC gravy foods and she should be OK.

If she does bounce and give you a AMPS of like over 300, please do not give more than 1.0U. Ideally, I think you want to lower the dose anyways but if 0.75U is too difficult, do you think you can manage 0.5U? Rather her stay a teeny bit higher for a day than too low for a second, especially if you're away at work during the day

 

I think we are both going to be asleep before another test tonight. I am away during the day for 10 hours so I'd feel better about giving her less than her having a chance to be too low with no one here. Thanks for your and Tanya's help tonight. Here's hoping for fewer tests tomorrow.

 

That's sounds like a plan, but please make sure you test pre-shot 2 hours without food before giving even the reduced dose tomorrow morning.

I am going to assume that 3/4 of HC can is safe guards enough against Hypo for tonight.

Amanda, just to stay absolutely safe - can you leave out a bit of Low Carbs food? A table spoon, no more for Mishu to snack until AM?

 

Hey Tanya! You're always welcome to post here...we're much quieter at night and low numbers are low numbers! Plus, you can always come say hi anyway. Glad you were here last night!

 

I'm very glad you were able to help, Tanya. How we deal with lows is the same for all insulins and it's good for the bean to have someone guide them in the early days.

 

Wow! Nicely done, Mishu! Another kitty on a mission

 

Pmpt was 205 today. My gut says lower to .5u instead of the 1u I've been giving. She's had no prozinc for almost 24 hours now. Experienced people- do you think that's the right call? @Yong @Tanya and Ducia @Kris & Teasel ❤️❤️❤️Thank you againnn!!

 

I think that's a good call. You have to go with your gut, and obviously she needs a lower dose! Try 0.5 and if it turns out to be too little, you can always go back up. I like 0.5 for now though!

 

I agree - try 0.5 u.

 

Was that actually PMPS or at +11? Either way, I think the reduction to 0.5U is a good call . Apologies I'm not around for your PS times but glad Rachel and Kris responded

 

+11 (would it technically be +23 since there was no am shot?) I didn't bother testing again at real pmps since she was off for almost 24 hours.

 

Technically, yes but just treat it as 12 hour cycles. You can make a note for yourself somewhere that the +11 reading was a +23 since last insulin shot