OTJ for a month!

Discussion in 'Honeymooners / OTJ' started by Becca and Vinnie, Aug 31, 2015.

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  1. Becca and Vinnie

    Becca and Vinnie Member

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    Aug 12, 2015
    HELLO FDMB Family,

    So I just found this amazing forum and I swear my Vinnie is better because of it! So when I first singed up for FDMB,at the beginning of this month, I got so much amazing support and advise I was so thankful to have found it! Today, we went to our vet and she ran urine she found no sugar in it! Sent it to the lab and they found nothing either! This is his third day with no insulin and numbers are staying low.

    I know, I just know, this is all because of the advise from this forum. Changing Vinnie from dry to wet food made the whole difference. Advising to check his BG as much as possible, kept me right on top of these changes that were happening, as they happened! And encouraging me to make my own decisions about his insulin and changing the amount based on his numbers really made me feel like I was making a difference in his condition.

    But now what? This is where I am asking for the expert advise of the forum! The vet recommended checking his BG once a week but I know by looking at many charts that lots still check their kitties BG twice a day. Is this the best method, or is it personal preference? Is there anything else to this, I know keep a close eye on his for any symptoms, keep my hypo kit, keep my insulin just in case, but is there anything else I am missing? ALL advise is welcomed!!

    THANKS AGAIN:bighug::):cat:

    Becca and Vinnie
     
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  2. Cat Ma

    Cat Ma Well-Known Member

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    May 21, 2015
    Great to see you here, Becca and Vinnie! I remember the day you joined! You've learned a lot in a very short amount of time.

    I agree switching Vinnie's diet to a wet diet, home testing, and being in charge of your cat's health makes a difference.

    After two weeks off insulin, Vinnie will officially be in remission. As for testing, I would suggest testing once a day till the 2 week OTJ mark. You could test twice a day but there really is no need to while off insulin. It is up to you. After 2 weeks, I'd suggest testing once a week. You could test monthly but I don't recommend that because too many hidden variables can pop up with a cat's health that are not always readily observable. You should always test more than weekly if there are any changes in Vinnie's behavior, eating patterns, litter box use, and health.

    You can easily test for glucose/blood in the urine at home if Vinnie has any changes in urine activity or BG #'s go up again. You can get strips at any pharmacy or store selling diabetic supplies.

    Congratulations on doing a terrific job!
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2015
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  3. Robin&BB

    Robin&BB Well-Known Member

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    Sep 28, 2013
    Hi, Becca - If you look at the doc "Secondary Monitoring Tools" in BJ's signature @BJM , that has some great tips in it! One of the things I will ALWAYS do if/when Bat-Bat returns to remission-land: Measure her water intake every 24 hours! Had I been doing that all along (after she'd gone into remission in fall 2013), I'd have been alerted a lot sooner that things were changing. (Bat's dish holds 6 oz, so measuring how much is left every morning is super-easy.) Others will give you their recommendations on how often to test BGs, I'm sure ... that's something else I didn't do. All I can say it: Don't take remission for granted (like I did). Feel fortunate that you're kitty's there, but make sure to keep an eye on things, on a regular basis. Best of luck to you & Vinnie!!!:bighug:

    P.S. Had I been actively involved with FDMB back in 2013, the wonderful guidance from others that's always available here would have, perhaps, saved us from such a lengthy round of treatment this year! <sigh> I live, I learn ...
     
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  4. Becca and Vinnie

    Becca and Vinnie Member

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    Aug 12, 2015
    I'll try and measure his water, urine is looking normal when I scoop, not the super large quantities I was use to. It may be a bit tricky though because when Vinnie was having urinary problems I bought three fountains to make sure he had endless water. I also have a dog in the house that has access to one of the fountains. Should I maybe cut back on the fountains? Make it a bit easier? Thank you for the article mention I saw that one but thought it was for different ways to test BG. I feed Vinnie twice a day and measure his food so I know how much food he is getting, even if he says he wants more :cat:

    Again thank you @Robin&BB your help with the feeding suggestions was the key to Vinnie's success!! SO FAR 6 days OTJ!!!
     
  5. Robin&BB

    Robin&BB Well-Known Member

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    Sep 28, 2013
    Wow, Becca that's great news! GO, VINNIE, GO!!! :cat::cat::cat:

    Yes, I can see how the fountain thing + dog @ home would make it very hard to measure Vinnie's water intake; don't really know how you'd manage it under those circumstances, so I suppose you'll just have to make do with watching the amount of wet/damp litter in the box. I use pine-pellet litter; and what I do is sift the damp stuff into 1-gallon zip lock baggies to "measure"; i.e. 1/4 bag, 1/2 bag, etc. That helps me "see" how much urine she's putting out. Then I just dump out the baggie & reuse it as my measuring tool the next time ... This little trick would probably work for you, too, if you're using a clumping-type litter.

    So happy that you've kept to careful portion control for Vinnie! GREAT JOB, BECCA! The longer I've done this sugar-dance with my cat, the more convinced I've become that making sure a cat's fed the proper amount of low-carb (as low as possible, too) to get to/maintain optimum weight is a major factor in getting those BG #s down. :)
     
  6. BJM

    BJM Well-Known Member

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    Oct 6, 2010
    Because diabetes often causes excessive urination, dehydration checks may help if you can't measure water.
    Alternatively, if you keep regular track of combined water intake, dog included, a change in volume consumed could be either of them, which alerts you to check both, which is OK. You can use the scruff and gum tests on dogs, too.
    And its easy to use tongs and check dog urine for glucose or ketones, which can rule out the dog as the culprit if there is a problem.
     
  7. Mogmom and Goofus

    Mogmom and Goofus Well-Known Member

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    Dec 9, 2014
    When Goof went OTJ, I continued to test once a day for about two weeks, then once every other day, for two weeks, and so on. I now check him once a week or so. He spiked one higher number a couple of weeks ago, so I waited then retested, he'd gone back down to 83. I'm thinking it could've been a wonky test strip. Because he's the only male regularly in the household, ( the other male is my husbands kitty and he goes with him I the semi), I know which urine is Goofs in the sandbox. ( he always pees on the sides of the box, never straight down) and I keep an eye on that.
     
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  8. Paula

    Paula Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2014
    Congratulations on Day6! Go Vinnie!
    Michael has been OTJ for 1mo (anti-jinx). I tested him once a week. Now that he is otj 1mo. I test once a month. However I do keep checking things. ( ie. the Lb, water consumption food.)
    here are the OTJ Trial instructions:


    Start the trial on the next green pre shot.

    If he/she is green at your normal test times, no need to test further until the next "PS" time; just feed small meals and go about your day. If he/she is blue at your normal "PS", feed a small meal and test again after about 3 or 4 hours. If his/her number is lower 3-4 hours after a meal, then the pancreas is working!

    Post every day so we can monitor your progress and see if any tweaks are needed. He/she may have a sporadic blue number. Don't panic but post before you decide whether to shoot so we can have a discussion.

    After 14 days of no insulin, we have a party!!

    Sometimes the trial doesn't work the first time and we have to give a little more support in the form of resuming insulin. It's not the end of the world if that happens; we just give him/her the support needed. Our goal is a strong remission and it's better to take our time to get that than to rush into remission just to have it fail later on.

    Good luck with the trial!!!

    Once he is through the trial successfully, you enter a new phase. Your cat is still diabetic but has now become diet-controlled. Continue feeding low carb food in the manner successful for your kitty. If you decide to change his/her feeding schedule, let your meter be your guide to the best times to feed. Avoid medications with sugar in them and steroid medications unless they are medically essential. Continue testing blood glucose weekly for the first month and then monthly forever. It's a good idea to weigh him/her monthly. Weight should remain stable. If he/she seems "off" or sick, or is showing signs of diabetes (excessive drinking, eating, urinating, weight loss), test his/her blood glucose right away. Keep the teeth and gums clean and healthy; dental issues can bring a cat out of remission. If you see rising blood glucose numbers, it's time for a visit to the vet
    Hope this helps:)
     
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  9. Becca and Vinnie

    Becca and Vinnie Member

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    Aug 12, 2015
    Thanks everyone, we had a bump today :( I think Vinnie snuck a snack of dog kibble and his numbers shot up. I tested all day and had to give him .25 about 25 mins ago. I posted a new thread in the PZI section , keeping everyone posted. Hopefully this fixes this bump and tomorrow we can have low numbers and continue insulin free!
     
  10. Cat Ma

    Cat Ma Well-Known Member

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    May 21, 2015
    Sorry to hear about the setback. I think if insulin is given again, remission needs to be when the cat is off insulin for 2 straight weeks.

    @BJM is this true about remission?

    @Becca and Vinnie Good luck and keep us posted.
     
  11. Becca and Vinnie

    Becca and Vinnie Member

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    Aug 12, 2015
    I had heard that as well, he needs to have been off insulin for two weeks. Good news today, this mornings number was 140, and midday was 96! We are headed back on track, and will start over with his off insulin count.
     
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  12. Cat Ma

    Cat Ma Well-Known Member

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    May 21, 2015
    Very encouraging news!! If he only needed insulin for one day and returns to consistent normal numbers, perhaps the 2 week remission can still apply.
     
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  13. Becca and Vinnie

    Becca and Vinnie Member

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    Aug 12, 2015
    Looks like we are back on track!!! This is day two back off insulin, last night his BG was 63 and this morning was 59! Getting a lil low but I'm hoping it will be back to normal levels by tonight. I may check again at PMPS.
     
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  14. Cat Ma

    Cat Ma Well-Known Member

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    May 21, 2015
    Looking great! I'd check again a few times to make sure the numbers aren't still low.
     
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  15. Robin&BB

    Robin&BB Well-Known Member

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    Sep 28, 2013
    Woo-HOO, Becca! Just took a peek at Vinnie's SS - does, indeed, look like he's back on track! Hooray!:):cat:
     
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  16. Cat Ma

    Cat Ma Well-Known Member

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    May 21, 2015
    CJ and I are waiting for you and Vinnie in the Honeymooner's Club! A few more days to go!
     
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  17. Becca and Vinnie

    Becca and Vinnie Member

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    Aug 12, 2015
    Day 5!! Numbers still good!

    One thing I wanted to ask to see if anyone else is running into this. When Vinnie was first diagnosed and his numbers were high Vinnie would walk around the house crying all the time because he was hungry and he was begging for food. When we got him on insulin and numbers down he stopped doing it as much, usually around evening dinner time. But now he is on wet food and off insulin he is doing it again, I don't know if he just loves his wet food so much he feels he needs it all the time. But he is waking me up at 0430, 0530, I wake up at 0615 to feed him already but this is getting tough. I don't know what is going on, anyone else run into this??
     
  18. Robin&BB

    Robin&BB Well-Known Member

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    Sep 28, 2013
    I know what you mean, Becca - Bat-Bat does this, too! What I've noticed (and yeah, it's weird) is that on some mornings when she's really "wired" way too early (same time frames you've mentioned; and she's "talking" loudly/rocketing around - jumping, racing & bouncing off the walls), it turns out that when I test her, the number is actually quite low, even after all that activity. We're talking, say, 130-ish on an AT2 (It's always been my assumption that when a cat gets excited the BG goes up...) So yes, it seems odd to me that she does this, since she used to exhibit that same behavior when her #s were really high before AMPS/PMPS, too.

    Do I understand it? Nope! (Except that perhaps when she drops too low, she instinctively "self-adjusts" her BG by tearing around the house???)
     
  19. Cat Ma

    Cat Ma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 21, 2015
    @Becca and Vinnie, I'd suggest notating in remarks for 9/4 that Vinnie got into the kibble. I'd also indicate the small dose of Prozinc you gave that day. Was it one dose in the AM only?

    If Vinnie was doing this before, it sounds like an old habit.
     
  20. Becca and Vinnie

    Becca and Vinnie Member

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    Aug 12, 2015
    Thanks for the suggestion I updated his chart to reflect that. I know it sounds like an old habit, I was just worried cause when we had his insulin under control he wasn't crying as much, I just wanted to check if this sounded weird to anyone else.
     
  21. Cat Ma

    Cat Ma Well-Known Member

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    May 21, 2015
    Is he having any litter box issues? Does he appear to be in any pain? I'd suggest talking to the vet if the crying continues because it could possibly indicate something else going on.
     
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  22. Robin&BB

    Robin&BB Well-Known Member

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    Sep 28, 2013
    Just stopping by to say hi, Becca!:) How's Vinnie been doing the past few days?
     
  23. Becca and Vinnie

    Becca and Vinnie Member

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    Aug 12, 2015
    HI Thanks so much for dropping me a note!!! He is doing GREAT! I just got back in town and he is still insulin free and numbers are awesome, I have some catching up to do on my chart, I write them down and put the numbers in his chart so I have two copies always. Hope all is well with Bat-Bat and you!!

    I actually got some huge news but I may start a new thread about it. I received word that I will be relocating to GERMANY from the states for work, and the first thought, worry, concern was for Vinnie and how he will deal with everything. But like I said I will start a new thread in a different section to attract anyone not following this one!
     
  24. Becca and Vinnie

    Becca and Vinnie Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2015
    Vinnie has been officially OTJ for a month! Numbers are still good and he is doing amazing! I just wanted to keep everyone updated and express my gratitude and thanks again for all the wisdom and being so patient with a new diabetic mom. I will of course let everyone know how everything is going with the be move overseas and if it effects Vinnie at all. I hope all is well you everyone's sugar babies, and the remission is close for all!
     
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  25. Cat Ma

    Cat Ma Well-Known Member

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    May 21, 2015
    Congratulations! CJ is on her 4th month OTJ!
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2015
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