Paca's mom/insulin dose

Discussion in 'Caninsulin / Vetsulin and N / NPH' started by Paca's Mom, Nov 9, 2018.

  1. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    hello. my name is pattie and my male cat paca has been diagnosed with diabetes. his blood glucose at the vet when diagnosed was 540. he was put on 2 units of vetsulin twice a day every 12 hours. i site called diabetic cat international told me to try to home test his blood glucose. i am currently waiting more strips for the glucometer but these are the readings i had. he is on mostly wet food and eats about 5 times a day. 1 can fancy feast at each insulin dosing and 1/2 can in between. 5am-dose & meal, 10 am meal, 1pm meal, 5pm dose and meal, 8pm meal.



    1


    they told me that i should be giving smaller and more frequent doses through out the day. but i am afraid to do this. here is my question: if a cat is put on insulin 2x a day every 12 at 2units and if i am home glucose testing, could it be possible that am he might need 2 units and pm he might need 1.75units? or are the doses to stay the same such as either 2 units 2 x a day, or 1 units 2 x a day? Please help. i have a conversion chart and it shows me that if the BG = ? then blank amount should be given. my main concern is should the cat be dose 2 x a day at the standard protocol and is it possible that the cat's BG before the doses when different could result in one dose being 2 units and another being lower? thank you very much. totally desperate. need help fast.
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2018
  2. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    I responded on your main health forum thread. :)
     
  3. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    Maybe I am missing it but what are the dosing numbers per bg levels please?
    example:
    100-200 = ? units
    200-300 =? units

    thank you
     
  4. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    is this scale for dosing correct?

    Convertible Starting Scale for dosing U40 PZI (ProZinc, U40 US/Canadian Bovine PZI) or Caninsulin/Vetuslin with 3/10cc-0.3ml U100 syringes with half unit markings


    Imperial Metric Dose Draw to Amount(mg/dl) ……(mmol/L)……U40 Insulin……..U100 Syringe
    151-170…………..8.3-9.4……………..0.2u………………..0.5
    171-185………….9.5-10.2…………….0.4u………………..1.0
    186-200………..10.3-11.1…………….0.6u………………..1.5
    201-220………..11.2-12.2…………….0.8u………………..2.0
    221-250………..12.3-13.8……………1.0u…………………2.5
    251-290………..13.9-16.1……………1.2u…………………3.0
    291-350………..16.2-19.4……………1.4u…………………3.5
    351-410………..19.5-22.7……………1.6u…………………4.0
    411-450………..22.8-25.0……………1.8u…………………4.5
     
  5. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    We don't use a dosing scale like this on this forum, especially at the start. Rather, kitty is given the same dose AM and PM, blood glucose is tested at key times and based on the data that is accumulated from those tests over 3 or 4 days (approximately) a decision is made to either keep the dose or adjust it up or down by no more than 0.25 unit at a time.

    Your vet prescribed 2 units every 12 hours. Normally, a starting dose would be 1 unit every 12 hours. The way it would work is this:
    • test BG in AM after at least two hours without food and if it is high enough (generally above 200 on a human meter or 250 on a pet meter at the beginning) insulin can be given
    • feed the cat, wait 20-30 minutes for food to enter bloodstream (because Caninsulin hits hard and fast), then give insulin
    • test at least once near the middle part of the 12 hour cycle to see how low the dose is dropping the BG - this is KEY in assessing the dose
    • test BG PM similar to BG AM - ie., two hours without food beforehand.
    The pre shot BG numbers are of less value than the middle cycle numbers in assessing dose. The pre shot numbers are mainly used to see if the planned dose is safe. The middle cycle numbers show you how far BG drops with a certain dose. Ideally, with your insulin you want a drop into the 5 - 6 mmol/L range.

    The detailed sliding scale you show in your post #4 above is used by some feline diabetes groups on other forums. Some people here adopt a simple version of this after they have much more experience with their kitty's response and a spreadsheet full of test data to work with. Most people keep the same dose AM and PM and test as I briefly described here to assess a dose.

    Have a look at some spreadsheets to see how this looks in action.
     
  6. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    I guess what I am asking is how much accourding to bg numbers is the proper dose. If the bg is 250 what is the dose equal to? or if the bg is 400 what is the proper dose equal to? 2 units? more? what is the 5 - 6 mmol/L range in units? Maybe US mg conversion please. Here is one of my problems. I will make a spread sheet but when i do i need to know how to adjust the units. I understand by .25 up or down I just am not sure which way is up or down. Meaning if he is losing weight, still urinating alot, and always excessily hunger ( even being fed small meals as you recommended) but his BG is at 300-344 and he is getting 2units every 12 hours as prescribed, would i stay at 2units or increase it by .25 unit at that time? Im sorry to ask so many questions. Im probably explaining by myself the right way. Im not sure how other to word it. Im really bad at understanding numbers. :( Thank you for your patience it is much appreciated.
     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2018
  7. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    I'm glad you're asking questions. I'll keep answering and try to be as clear as I can. :)

    This is the reverse of the way we think about it. When kitty has BG numbers high enough to qualify as a diabetic - regardless of what those numbers are - we set a treatment dose to see what effect it will have. Most of us will use 1 unit twice a day to start with. Whether the BG is 250 (14) or 450 (25) we give that 1 unit dose and then track its effect by testing BG at key times. We keep that same dose AM and PM for 3 to 4 days or longer, test BG at key times and then look over the test data to assess how well that dose has been working. We DON'T change the dose because the BG is higher or lower. It's the pattern in 3 to 4 days' worth of data that tells us whether that dose of 1 unit twice a day needs to go up to 1.25 u or down to 0.75 u. The most important data in deciding is how low that initial dose of 1 u caused the BG to drop within those 3 to 4 days of trying it.

    If you mean what dose would you give if the BG before insulin is 5 or 6 (90 to 110) - you would not give any insulin if this is the BG test result you get in the AM or PM pre shot tests.

    I can summarize it as follows:
    1. start by choosing a reasonable dose (we would suggest 1 u twice a day but your vet has prescribed 2 u twice a day)
    2. test BG AM and PM (no food for two hours before) when it's time for a meal and then a shot. If BG is high enough for insulin (above 200 on a human meter or 250 on a pet meter) it does not matter if BG is in the 200s or the 400s (for example), give the planned dose .
    3. continue testing at important times over the next 3 or 4 days. Those times are before meals and at least once 4 to 6 hours after the shot. At least one test before bed is a good idea too. Do not change the dose, regardless of what the BG is in any of those tests UNLESS it drops too low (below 50 on a human meter or 68 on a pet meter).
    All you have to do with the spreadsheet once you have one set up is enter the dose you gave AM and PM and any BG test results you have for the day - AM and PM before feeding, other times in the day. The spreadsheet we use will automatically colour code the BG numbers so that when we look at them before offering you our advice we assess the colour patterns over several days and decide if the dose is too low, working well or too high.
    • WORKING WELL - pre shot BG might be high but it drops to some number in the 90 to 110 range in the middle part of the cycle (the 12 hours between shots). You would stay at this dose for now.
    • TOO LOW - pre shot BG is under 200 on a human meter or 250 on a pet meter AND/OR the BG drops below 90 - 110 in the middle of the cycle. If pre shot BG is too low or the middle time BGs are too low a dose reduction of 0.25 u might be needed. Some knowledge is needed to make these decisions. Ask here for help.
    • TOO HIGH - the pre shot BGs as well as the middle BGs stay in the 200s or higher over the 3 or 4 days you're trying that dose. A dose increase of 0.25 u would be tried to see if it can get the middle numbers down to the 90 - 110 range.
    If you try different doses every time you test and get a certain BG number it will be extremely complicated, if not impossible, to "read" your kitty's patterns. The action of Vetsulin is such that a graph of BG over the 12 hours would look like a deep bowl-shape. The pre shot BGs will be high. It's related to the insulin's action and also depends on how your own kitty responds. Your goal is to get the BG down to a good range for as many hours in the 12 hour cycle as you can manage. Changing dose frequently will lead to very erratic BGs with lots of ups and down, some extreme.


    This is taken directly from the Vetsulin user's guide in the yellow information sticky at the top of this forum's list:

    STARTING DOSE - CANINSULIN (VETSULIN)
    • Usually it’s best to start with a low dose of not more than one unit, twice a day.
    • For those new to dealing with feline diabetes we recommend that no insulin is given if the BG is below 200 mg/dL [11 mmol/L] on a human glucose meter. (For more information on what these numbers mean see ‘Home Blood Glucose Testing’ information below.)
    • If you’re using a pet meter, such as Alphatrak 2, be aware that these usually give slightly higher readings than human meters, so you may wish to have a slightly higher ‘no shot number’. Note: There is no general formula for converting human meter numbers into pet meter numbers (or vice versa). You are therefore encouraged to perform your own side-by-side comparisons with a human glucose meter, and/or to consult your vet for information about the specifics of your particular meter.
    • If, after a week, and having reviewed your cat’s BG levels, the dose doesn’t seem sufficient, dose increases can be made in small increments of 0.25 or 0.5 of a unit. (If you use a VetPen the smallest increment that can be measured is 0.5 of a unit.)
    • If you have reason to be concerned about hypoglycemia, or if your cat won't eat, decrease the dose immediately and contact your vet.
    • Never inject insulin twice! Sometimes we may not be sure if we’ve given an insulin shot correctly. Perhaps we notice that the fur seems wet where we’ve injected (a 'fur shot'). If this happens, never repeat the shot/ injection. You may give too much insulin and your cat’s BG may drop too low.
    • A note on measuring very small insulin doses. If you are having trouble measuring a small insulin dose in a U40 syringe, you may find it easier to use U100 syringes along with a special conversion chart that explains how to measure the correct dose. Before attempting this it is vital that you understand how the conversion works, otherwise you could give your cat the wrong dose of insulin. Don’t attempt this without first getting advice on the forum.

    UNDERSTANDING 'ONSET', PEAK / NADIR and DURATION'

    • Caninsulin (Vetsulin) can quite often start to have an effect quite quickly after it’s been injected. The point at which the insulin starts to drop the BG is called onset. After onset, BG will continue to drop for a time, and the process may speed up. Be aware that Caninsulin (Vetsulin) can sometimes drop the BG quite fast.
    • The lowest BG level of the cycle is referred to either as peak (peak insulin activity) or nadir (lowest BG). With Caninsulin (Vetsulin) you may see the peak/nadir of the cycle at around 4 - 4.5 hours after the shot. But it may be earlier or later than this. It may occur as early as 3 hours after the shot, and as late as 7 hours after.
    • The length of time that insulin remains active (lowers BG) in your cat’s system is called the duration. Caninsulin (Vetsulin) typically has a duration of 8 - 12 hours (depending on the individual cat).
    • If you learn to ‘home test’ you should be able to identify when onset, peak /nadir, and duration typically occur on a given dose of insulin. Knowing these patterns can be extremely helpful.


     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2018
  8. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    Just to clarify: what I've been describing to you in detail is the way we approach dosing of insulin here on FDMB. We know there are other diabetic cat forums that do things differently. If you are following their advice and trying to blend it with the way we do things here it won't work very well. You'll be confused and we'll be confused. I suggest you think about which methods seem clearer or simpler to you and follow that. We're always here to help if you want to try things the FDMB way. :)

    @Elizabeth and Bertie Your thoughts as master writer of the Caninsulin/Vetsulin guide?
     
  9. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    Ahhh. Ok thank you very much. This is such excellent information like non I have been able to find since searching the web back in October. Thank you for explaining it in such detail. I finally understand. The BG strips are tracked to arrive today and I will start the BG testing tomorrow no later than the following day as shown above and start to record the numbers on the chart and then I will post my results. You here are wonderful. Thank you again.
     
    Kris & Teasel likes this.
  10. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    I'm glad I was able to make it clearer for you. Please post here often as you start the FDMB method and spreadsheet. :)

    It would help us a lot if you could do your signature. That's the light grey text you see under out posts.
    Here's how:
    • click on your name in the upper right corner of this page
    • click on "signature" in the men that drops down
    • type the following in the box that opens: kitty's name/age/date of diabetes diagnosis/insulin you're using /glucose meter you're using/what he eats/any other meds or health issues he has.
     
  11. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    How are you doing with dosing, etc.?
     
  12. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    Hello. It has not been an easy few weeks. The Vet gave me a prescription for Lantus. I saw someone wrote there is a Canadian website that you can purchase it for a more affordable price:

    Lantus VIALS Insulin 10ml CAN VIALS (temp. gauge. ice pack, express-air mail) 100U/ml vial (Brand) Qty: 1 $110.99

    Is this the correct product to purchase please? I do not understand exactly what this is telling me. It is 100 units for one 1 vial? Please help so I do not order the incorrect item. Thank you
     
  13. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    or is this the product I am supposed to be ordering?

    Lantus Solostar PENS 5x3ml CAN (temp. gauge. ice pack, express-air mail) 100U/ml box (5 pens) (Brand) Qty: 1 $164.99
     
  14. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    This means that the total volume in the vial is 10 mL and it's a U100 insulin so each mL contains 100 units of insulin. That is a total of 10 mL x 100 units/ml = 1000 units in the vial as a whole. If you look closely on the pharmacy's website you should see an entry for a 5-pack of Lantus pen cartridges for not much more money. Each of those holds 3 mL of Lantus (a total of 3 mL x 100 units/mL = 300 units) and the whole 5 pack is 300 units x 5 cartridges = 1500 units total of Lantus. What's even better is that you'll be able to use up each cartridge easily so you don't waste insulin. The other cartridges will keep until the pack's expiry date if stored properly in the fridge (usually 2 years or so). If the insulin dose is tiny you might end up discarding a portion of the 10 mL vial by the 6 month mark because it's lost its potency.

    I hope this helps. :)
     
  15. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    The pens would be fine but check to see if the pen cartridges are listed.
     
  16. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    these are their options:

    Lantus VIALS Insulin 10ml CAN VIALS (temp. gauge. ice pack, express-air mail) 100U/ml vial (Brand)

    Lantus Solostar PEN CAN (temp. gauge. ice pack, express-air mail) 100iu/ml one pen pen(1x3ml) (Brand)

    or: Lantus VIALS Insulin 10ml CAN VIALS (temp. gauge. ice pack, express-air mail) 100U/ml vial (Brand) Qty: 1 $110.99
     
  17. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    I do not have a pen itself and I am on very strict budget. The vetsulin is not working. Unfortunately I will still have to invest in one more vial of Vetsulin because it can be next day air fed ex and the site to order the lantus says 1 to 2 weeks. I am almost out of the Vetsulin now.

    Do I need the pen? I have syringes already. Thankyou
     
  18. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    OK. The pens are usually in a 5-pack and I know that's what many US members order. It's not clear to me that's a 5-pack. I'd call them today to talk to someone before ordering.
     
  19. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    Lantus Solostar PENS 5x3ml CAN (temp. gauge. ice pack, express-air mail) 100U/ml box (5 pens) (Brand)


    this is what the site says. maybe i did not copy paste it correctly. looks like 5 3ml can
     
  20. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    The pens can be opened so you can access the inner cartridge and withdraw insulin from it using a proper U100 insulin syringe. You CAN'T use a U40 syringe for Lantus if that's what you have at home. The pens are constructed to be used with a special pen needle that's fine for humans but not for kitties. I believe the dose can be changed only in 1 unit increments with those special pen needles.

    As for cost, if Vetsulin is readily available and is what you can afford we can definitely help you to get a better result. I gave you a lot of information in my early posts. We do rely heavily on data from a regular testing routine and a spreadsheet of that data to help us help you.
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2018
  21. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    Yes, this is the 5-pack I was referring to. I mentioned the cartridges only because I can buy those OTC in any human pharmacy (I'm in Canada). Once the initial expense is covered, Lantus will go a lot further because it's a more concentrated insulin than Vetsulin is. Lantus is U100 (100 units/mL) whereas Vetsulin is U40 (40 units/mL).
     
  22. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    12/21 4:00 am before dose of 2 units...BG=598
    12/21 +6 hours@10:00 am after 2 unit dose...BG=312
    12/21 4:00 pm before dose of 2 units...BG=410
    12/21 +6 hours@10:00 pm after 2 units...BG=345
    12/22 4:00 am before dose of 2 units...BG=550

    Paca's numbers have not changed for over 2 months on Vetsulin. He was @ 550 when first recorded by the Vet. He is always in these range of numbers. Only once did he get a BG=296 after a dose of Vetsulin but always sky rockets back up into the 450-550 range every 12 hours


    One time back in November I was able to get readings as follows also:


    DATE TIME +TIME IMPERIAL BG METRIC BG DOSE

    11/05 5:00 AM …………. 431 23.94 2.00U

    11/05 10:05AM 5 255 14.16 0.00U

    11/05 12:05 7 207 11.5 0.00U

    11/05 5:00PM ……………. 366 20.33 2.00U


    but I have been unable to get any lower results and after this reading He shot back up to 490 where as his current December input shows has stayed the same. Paca is completely intolerable to getting his BG done. It has not changed in these two months. He begins to drool profuslly and in uncontrollably in a state of stress when getting his BG done.
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2018
  23. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    I have u100 syringes. Vet dosed Vetsulin @ 2 units every 12 hours. Vet dosed Lantus @ 2 units every 12 hours as also if replacing Vetsulin with Lantus
     
  24. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    I can see he's staying fairly high and flat. There are a variety of reasons such as:
    • 2 u is too low a dose and he'd need regular small increases to get to the point where he responds better
    • 2 u is too high a dose and he's in a chronic state of rebound
    • he's built up glucose toxicity from running high for quite while and his body is less sensitive to insulin as a result
    • he has another issue causing inflammation (eg. dental, UTI) that reduces his responsiveness to insulin.
    Most of the above will come to light if you keep a spreadsheet of BG data from a regular testing routine. I can tell you that from personal experience. For the first 8 months after Teasel's diagnosis I did the usual: vet gave advice based on a weekly BG curve I did at home. It looked like the Lantus he started on wasn't working so the vet put him on ProZinc. The dose was increased but he seemed to make no progress. When I finally started doing things the FDMB way after 8 months I saw very clearly from my spreadsheet data how Teasel responds. He's very reactive and bounces a lot. Every curve I did for my vet captured elevated BG from bouncing so his dose would be raised and - same result next time. My testing/SS showed me his volatility and I followed the advice of members here to get him doing better. I'd still be lost (or Teasel might be dead) if I hadn't come here.
     
  25. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    I had detoxed Paca the 24 hours before the 12/21 reading of 598. The day earlier I had increased the dose by .25 and he had his first hypoglycemic attack. After not giving him the insulin for 24 hours he sky rocketed to 598 and I gave him 2 units again. The current December results are what followed.

    On the flip side I tried to decrease his dose by .25 a week earlier. His numbers shot back up and he seemed to be in a worse state of health.
     
  26. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    Re testing: You've mentioned how Paca won't tolerate testing. Please post asking for help with this because there are members who have semi feral kitties and they've found ways to get it done.
     
  27. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    Help please. My son is already talking about having him euthanized and trying the Lantus is my last real hope of any chance for Paca's survival at all.
     
  28. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    I wish I could help more but it's impossible to know what's really going on with so little information. We don't look at just individual numbers or individual days. We look at patterns over many days, what came before and what came after. A good comparison is a jig saw puzzle. You can't tell what the image is from looking only at one piece or a small part of the puzzle. You need many pieces scattered over all areas of the puzzle to begin to understand what it represents.
     
  29. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    If it's come to this, please post to ask for help with testing.
     
  30. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    ok i understand. i will post on asking for help about testing. as far as the insulin goes. is vetsulin a product that has been successful or is Lantus a much better product to invest in. Also how do I withdraw the insulin from the lantus cartridges? just as i have from a vial?
     
  31. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    There's lots of help available for testing if you ask on the main forum (more eyes there). Meanwhile, have you seen this? http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

    Re insulin type: Vetsulin can work well for some cats who are very calm in their responses. It tends to kick in hard and fast and can drop BG low resulting in repeated patterns of rebound high numbers. It lacks duration in many cats - less than 12 hours. The owner's financial means can also be a factor but Lantus ordered from Canada is a good way to go. It's more concentrated and goes farther so cost probably evens out or Lantus comes out ahead.

    Lantus tends to be a better insulin overall for many cats. It's gentler in action (slower onset, less dramatic drops) and longer in duration (12 hours for most cats, sometimes a bit longer). The other bonus with Lantus here on FDMB is that there are two very clearly laid out dosing methods to try. They often say, "If this happens to BG, then do this." That's very helpful to people who are learning how to use it. That forum is large and there's a very high level of expertise among its members.

    I saw your post on the Lantus forum and I put in a link to our ongoing discussion here so Lantus members can read it over to see what you and I have discussed. It would be a good idea for you to go to that forum and begin reading the yellow info stickies on that forum's thread list. Take it slowly because there's a lot there. Ask a million questions on that forum. Knowledge is power! You want to do everything possible to help Paca. :)
     
  32. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    Ok thank you for adding the link to the other forum. I'm even new to forums. sorry. I started the data sheet. Added the 21st readings. But started with today, the 26th's readings. I will do my best to get the BG numbers. I also posted on the other forum. Withdrawing insulin from a Lantus cartridge? Is it the same as drawing from a vial? Because I remember seeing somewhere about contamination when drawing from the lantus pen. These would not be in a pen i think but as I said I do not know exactly what the script site means by 5x3ml can
     
    Kris & Teasel likes this.
  33. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    I gave you a link to info about the cartridges on your Lantus forum thread. If you need help with the spreadsheet there are people here who will do it for you. It needs to be linked to what we call the "signature". That's the light grey text you see under our posts. Here's how to set up your basic signature:
    • click on your name in the upper right corner of this page
    • click on "signature" in the men that drops down
    • type the following in the box that opens: kitty's name/age/date of diabetes diagnosis/insulin you're using /glucose meter you're using/what he eats/any other meds or health issues he has.
    http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/ These members can help: @Chris & China @Marje and Gracie
     
  34. Marje and Gracie

    Marje and Gracie Senior Member Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2010
    If you need help with the SS or need me to do it for you, please send me a private message by clicking on “Marje and Gracie” at the left and then “start a conversation”. I’d be happy to help.
     
    Kris & Teasel likes this.
  35. Paca's Mom

    Paca's Mom Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2018
    How often do i need to do blood glucose checks to start a blood glucose curve? am and pm before an injection on an empty stomach but is +5-+7 am and pm sufficient. That would be 4 times a day. Thank you
     
  36. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2013
    A complete curve is testing every 2 hours for 12 hours or every 3 hours for 18 hours.

    You don't necessarily need to do a curve though.....If you get random tests at different times, it will usually tell the story.

    Like one day test at AMPS, +3, +6, +9, PMPS +2, +4.....next day maybe AMPS, +4, +7, +10....etc..etc. We like to see at least 1 test somewhere between +4 and +7 on the AM cycle and at least a "before bed" on the PM cycle

    If you can't test as much on the AM cycle due to work, it's even more important to get tests on the PM cycle and then do a curve on days off
     

Share This Page