? RAMONE PMPS 02/27 10.4 (187) no shoot numbers and should be changing anything?

Hi all - SO I've been seeing a lot of improvements with Ramone and his general well being lately! Less drinking, more active and not so ravenous for food!

And I'm actually getting some normal "blue" numbers ... and yellow. YAY!!

SO I'm still getting used to all this and how it all works - my question is with him going low enough for "no shoot" does this mean I should be changing something with his dose? 7 units Lantus currently or is this just the "dance" we play some days no shoot and then see where he's in the next 12 hours.

Is there any sort of trend someone can see and give some tips on for him ? I'm really happy with everything, just now these lower numbers and no shoot numbers are a whole new territory for me.

It seems as though we go a few days with insulin doses AM and PM then usually in PM I get a in range number so no insulin. OR should I be reducing the current dose when I get a low no shoot # and shoot providing I can check him over that period of time to the next shot?

TIA for input and advice!!

 

Once you have a little experience, have your spreadsheet set up and are more comfortable with home testing, we usually drop the "no shot" to 150 (8.3)

If you get a PS under 8.3, you should stall, don't feed and test again in 20-30 minutes to see if the number goes up without the influence of food. Use that time to post but make sure your subject line is really clear like "STALLING! NEED HELP!" to get somebody's attention.

The first few times you shoot a lower PS, we like to have someone with experience agree to watch over you .

As you gain more and more experience, that "stall point" comes down. On TR, I'd shoot anything over 2.7 (50) but only after I had a lot more experience and truly understood how China reacted to both food and insulin.

 

Okay thank you for these tips! I don't use this site often as my vet is really great and has given me her cell # so I can text her whenever I need - but I find I'm just getting instructed on what to do and not really understanding it all which is what I am aiming for.

I do have a spreadsheet going for him - can you not see it ???

 

Hi. I can see your ss. What are you feeding Ramone? How much does he weigh? How old is he? Any other medical conditions or medications? Has he been tested for high dose conditions?

 

Yes, I see it....it will help us if you'll do your signature too so if something comes up that you need a quick answer for, we don't have to ask the same questions.

It's fantastic that you have a vet that you trust too!

 

One consideration is that Lantus dosing is based on the nadir, not on the pre-shot numbers. It would be helpful if you could get some spot checks during the AM cycle.

Ramone is also on a large dose of insulin. Usually, if a cat is getting over 6u, we suggest talking to your vet about getting your kitty tested for acromegaly and insulin resistance (IGF-1 and IAA or insulin growth factor and insulin auto-antibody tests, respectively). The tests are run by the vet lab at Michigan State University.

@Wendy&Neko

 

In Jerica's previous post here, she mentioned she is working on getting the acromegaly and IAA tests done. Any progress on that?

It would be great to get some curves or spot checks in for those cycles where he's ended up in numbers you haven't shot. It could be possible that he is nadiring later and those preshots were as low as he went. There have been a couple of no shot cycles where you have gotten +1 and +2 data (good for you!) and you can that he zoomed up after preshot and that would have before the next dose of insulin would have onset, had you given the shot. That means those cycles would have likely been safe to give insulin. We change dose based on the lows or nadirs of the cyles, and not the preshot, unless the preshots also happen to be the nadir.

Next time you get a number lower than you are used to shooting, and can monitor that cycle, have plenty of test strips and high carb food, try shooting. Post here for help too. Over time, as you gather more data, you can lower the "no shoot" numbers. Often just stalling 20-30 minutes without food after the preshot test they will climb into your comfort zone for shooting so the stall is also a technique to try the first few times, if you don't already know he's on his way up. I found getting +9 or +10 tests, so knowing what direction Neko was going at shot time, helped relieve some of the nerves of shooting lower. Summary, his dose is fine (well, possibly too low), but you have to get used to shooting lower numbers.