? New to diabetes and forum, ready to follow SLGS and ignore the vet

I have a diabetic cat (Leto) that was diagnosed about a month ago.
None of this is technically a question, although I'd love any thoughts on numbers and dose from the folks here, you all know so much about this and it's still very new and confusing to me. I'd read and learn from anything anyone wants to add.

I put a small synopsis of how we started to where we are now (in terms of dosage and food) on my BG spreadsheet at the top. I had lots of trouble getting Leto's ears to bleed at first, so the numbers are not complete, but we're both getting better at it. I'm going to do my first curve this weekend:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bc19NEnGZN1xVP8tkkNxgyy55kh6pUIPEVUXB5rhJeo/edit?usp=sharing

Anyway, now that I'm tracking him and learning from these forums, I am starting to worry that his dose is too high. I'm getting numbers in the green more often than not, so I'm skipping whole doses so he doesn't drop into hypo territory while I'm at work or asleep, but I think I'm making things worse by being inconsistent like that. I have that old school fear of going against what a doctor says, so I have kept the dose at 2 units as he requested (I had asked him about moving back down to 1.5 units and seeing how he responded a couple days ago) rather than contradict him and drop it on my own as I've read to do here.

But I think I'm done with his advice, and ready to use this method to try and get Leto in remission, or at least more stable. Wish us luck!

 

By removing the dry food you dropped that carb load a lot which in theory would mean less insulin needed.

I don't want to rush you, but have you read the two stickies at the top of the forum - TR or SLGS - they explain the two ways we approach dosing . With no dry you can use either one. If using SLGS, Leto would of earned a couple reductions by now. With Lantus the goal is finding the dose that you can give twice a day consistently. Lantus is a depot drug, so a part goes to the cycle and part is stored, which makes it great in the sense the numbers stay in a more consistent range.

And Lantus is dosed based upon how low does it take kitty. Which is why those mid-cycle tests are important. Is there any way to get another test in during the day? A running out the door one? Or a just got in the door test before the PS test?

For now, I would say for the amount of skipped shots and still getting those nice green numbers, that yes the dose is too high. We tend to increase and decrease in .25 unit increments however, so I would be tempted to go down to 1.5u until such time as you decide what approach you would like to use. I am not a dosing expert however, so tagging some more experienced people. @carfurby @Bobbie And Bubba


I think you are doing great. Jones is a free feeder...he eats best that way and so I let him. If you can pick up the food 2 hours before testing, then you know his BG's are not food influenced. There are some here that use a timed feeder...so they can get a +3, +6 or +9 snack. So they always have food available. We have some suggestions if you are interested.

Do you have something to heat up the ear before poking? Eventually their ears learn to bleed but it take a bit.

 

Hi Kristin
Nelli and I are newbies (too)- I am not qualified to give you “my” advice... yet. I wanted to stop in and say hey.
I noticed there weren’t many members on board right now but by end of day (what X zone are you?) you will get some great guidance and advise .
When I first joined I skipped past studying stickies on this forum. That was a mistake.
I eventually went back and read most of them at senior members direction . I am only mentioning this because if you have not yet, it is important to do so- senior members will appreciate it and be able to give you quicker concise understanding of most questions you have.
The support, knowledge, true caring and, wisdom within this virtual arena is off the charts amazing. I don’t know where Nellie and I would be today having to follow our primary care Vet, who is a good Vet just doesn’t know much about feline diabetes and how to treat it!
Happy trails- I will be following you.

 

Hello Kristen and Leto.

Ideally you want 2 shootable numbers. With Lantus and skipping doses the depot is a bit out of whack right now. Personally I would drop to 1 unit every 12 hours and follow the SLGS guidelines.

 

I will add here that at this point I have absolutely read *all* the stickies on this site, and insist my husband who also cares for Leto do as well. It has just been a process letting go of trust in the vet, and moving my trust over to the information found here. I moved in small steps from all that reading....first testing blood at home (vet didn't recommend it), getting rid of all carbs (my vet gave me dry food to put out), moving to free feeding (vet said to just have 2 big meals), and learning the rules of thumb on when to inject and when to not inject (vet said to always inject and not change the dose based on my numbers), and knowing WHAT I was looking for in those numbers. The last piece was trusting this site, and my home testing, and changing up the actual insulin dose on my own, without the vet's permission.

I look forward to working more with this group!

 

Welcome to FDMB.

I would also just drop back to 1.5u bid. While we don’t know how low any dose has taken him and we don’t know what he’d have done on the shots you skipped (quite often they just stay flat), then I’d hesitate for you to drop the dose too much. I’m not seeing evidence that he dropped so low that he had an enormous bounce back up in response to it.

The ideal is to find a dose you can shoot safely twice a day. Next time you get a 150 or below at shot time, I’d suggest you not feed and then immediately post and ask for help. We can teach you how to safely shoot numbers you’ve been skipping. This will give him a better chance at regulation and possibly a lasting remission.

Your SS link is not the one we use to ensure that the SS updates automatically when you post something on it. The correct one needs to be linked in your signature so, every time you post, we can see it. I’ll help you with it if you would like to send me a private message. Just click on “Marje and Gracie” to the left under Gracie’s photo and then “start a conversation”. I can fix it for you quickly.

 

Hi Kristin and Welcome to L, B, & L forum. First I want to commend you on all the information you have all ready extracted from this forum and for testing Leto to make sure he stays safe. Testing will get easier as his ear learn to bleed better, sounds funny but that is what happens.

Could you make a signature like the rest of us have with pertinent information like when he was DX, what kind of meter, his age, your location so we know your time zone , any other health issues and any thing else you want to add that fits into 3 lines. Then attach his SS to your signature so that we can better help you with dosing questions? If you need help doing it just yell and someone will assist you.

I too, think he is getting too high of a dose. I would be inclined to drop him back to 1.5 unit since you have removed all dry food and changed him to a low carb diet . You want to be able to give him 2 doses a day 12 hours apart as Lantus loves consistency. You stay at the dose unless of course he drops below 50 or he needs an increase. We can help you with that as he go along.

Also with feeding, you will want him not to eat 2 hours prior to the AMPS and the PMPS so that the number isn't food influenced. That makes free feeding a bit more challenging but there are those here that are able to pick up the food 2 hours prior to test. If that's not possible for you, you might consider giving him scheduled feedings , we recommend several small meals a day rather than just 2 big ones as it is better on the pancreas. ( I feed Bubba 6 small meals a day)

Please keep posting and asking questions as that is how we all learned.

 

I sOOooo understand “letting go of trust in the vet, and moving my trust over to the information found here.”
Also, Kristin... there is sOOOoo much to absorb, learn to ‘ do right’ and on & on! You are rolling in the best direction for Leto. T.r.u.s.t
Stand by for senior members to pipe in!

oOo

 

Welcome to the L&L world people here are amazing!!!! When in doubt ask, we have all been where u r now, it does get easier

 

WELCOME! Amazing love and support here!!!!