New to Forum - Lantus dosing questions

Hi - my 18 yr old kitty, Kasha, was diagnosed approx 4 weeks ago. I was giving 2 units Lantus twice daily. I've gradually lowered dosage as she's had some pretty low numbers in between shots (using my one touch mini glucometer). Last night she hit an all-time low of 41 at 2 hours after a dose of 1 unit Lantus (her pre-shot was 208). She stayed low for a few hours even after I gave her some low-carb snacks (and then I went to sleep). Her AMPS was in the 400s - so I was guessing rebound maybe? I only gave her 1/2 unit this morning because of her low numbers last night. Her PMPS tonight was 266 and I gave about .75 units Lantus. I feel like I'm doing a constant science experiment and I'd like some advice on what I should be doing to even out her numbers and hopefully stabilize her and maybe get her into remission - the ultimate goal, of course. I added her numbers to the template, but it's a little wonky since on some days she's been so low I wasn't comfortable giving insulin so I waited several hours (up to 5 or 6) and gave insulin when her numbers were higher. Then I had to adjust by giving late doses for the next few shots to get back to my work schedule.

 

Hi! Welcome to lantus..Please come over to the lantus forum when you can-tonite, or tomorrow, so we can help you get aquainted with the proper use of lantus & our protocol there...
You will need to collect some data, spot checks during the day, have a spreadsheet, and read the stickys on the top of the lantus page..
The starting dose for lantus is 1.00 Units, but I see you have been jumping around with the dose, thus feeling like a science experiment!
We have dosing helpers who can help you with the dose--Lantus is a 12/12 hour dose, and we do dose increases or decreases in 0.25u increments..
Please give us your name & the cat's name, acesss to your template(spreadsheet), and please let us know your dosing schedule--
Click on the forum lantus(glargine) and post your numbers & events there--OK?
We are here to help you--Lantus is different than other insulins, longer lasting, more gentle, needs to be given every 12 hours, consistant doses, and you will need some patience..Welcome.

 

Also wanted to say hi, and come on over to Lantus Land -- ideally before your next shot. Sounds like you already know a good deal, which is great! You'll find lots of help for getting Kasha on a regular schedule, the faster to get her regulated!

 

I'm stopping by from the Lantus Board, as well. Great job on getting a spreadsheet set up and mastering home testing! It really looks like you've been working hard at keeping Kasha safe.

I'd like to suggest you take a look at the dosing protocol(s) we use. One of the big differences between Lantus and other insulins is that dosing is based on the low point (nadir) of the cycle -- not the pre-shot blood glucose (BG) values. We get the AMPS and PMPS tests to make sure that it is safe to give a shot. What is sounds like you've been doing is adjusting your dose based on Kasha's pre-shot values. In addition, Lantus likes consistency. You will get wonky numbers if you do not shoot on a 12-hour cycle. Early shots act like a dose increase whereas a late shot acts like a decrease, so shooting as close to a 12/12 schedule as possible is best. Likewise, keeping the dose constant, unless the numbers dictate otherwise, is also important. We generally hold a dose for 3 days. This gives it enough time to settle. All of the shifting of times and doses is contributing to how confusing the numbers look.

What I would suggest is posting over in the Lantus forum. We will be happy to give you a hand getting your dose on track. I think it will help if we can come up with a dose that you feel comfortable with and can consistently shoot every 12 hours.