ReliOn numbers vs aphatrak numbers

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Lisa and Gato

Lisa and Gato

Active Member
I was just at the vet to get my insulin demo, so I can start giving my cat insulin shots. we used the aphaptrak pet glucose meter and used the reliOn meter that was recommend on this site and the difference was almost 100. The number on the ReliOn was 330 and the number on the alphaTRAK was 425. Is there a way I can get the region to read the same as the other or should I ditch the ReliOn and buy the alphaTRAK?
 
Lisa, the Relion is a human meter, the alphatrak is a pet calibrated meter. A human meter will read lower. What you're looking for is 1) safety to shoot 2) trends of downward or upward movement of numbers. The alphatrak's strips are expensive and only available thru vet. If you have a potential dangerous situation and you're low on strips, you can't get them quickly. With a human meter, you can run to the store and buy more.

Hope this helped a bit...it's truly up to you.
 
The AlphaTrak will always give higher numbers than the Relion because it's a pet meter....the Relion is a human meter

You really can't compare the numbers exactly...the only "official" number we have is that 68 on the AlphaTrak is the same as a 50 on a human meter....after that, the numbers really don't compare

The reason most of us use the Relion is because of the cost (and availability) of the AlphaTrak strips...they cost about $1 EACH, and if you run out at 3am on a Sunday morning and your cat is in hypo territory, there's no place to get more

A very general rule is that the AT runs about 35% higher than a human meter....but that's VERY general (although it works pretty good with your example...330 + 35% is 445 which is really close to the 425 you got)

Also, ALL meters are allowed to have a 20% variance by the FDA....that means that even if you use the same meter on the same drop of blood, the number can vary plus or minus 20%

The protocols written here are all done with human meters. What we watch for more than exact numbers are "trends"...is the current dose getting the cat where we want them?
 
Chris & China said:
The AlphaTrak will always give higher numbers than the Relion because it's a pet meter....the Relion is a human meter

You really can't compare the numbers exactly...the only "official" number we have is that 68 on the AlphaTrak is the same as a 50 on a human meter....after that, the numbers really don't compare

The reason most of us use the Relion is because of the cost (and availability) of the AlphaTrak strips...they cost about $1 EACH, and if you run out at 3am on a Sunday morning and your cat is in hypo territory, there's no place to get more

A very general rule is that the AT runs about 35% higher than a human meter....but that's VERY general (although it works pretty good with your example...330 + 35% is 445 which is really close to the 425 you got)

Also, ALL meters are allowed to have a 20% variance by the FDA....that means that even if you use the same meter on the same drop of blood, the number can vary plus or minus 20%

The protocols written here are all done with human meters. What we watch for more than exact numbers are "trends"...is the current dose getting the cat where we want them?
Click to expand...
ok thank you, I saw on another site where you can calibrate it, by taking the reliOn number ad divide by the alphaTrak number , then us ehtta number to divide the region number overtime to get the number that would equal the alphaTrak

another questions. vet said to give insulin every 12 hours, is it ok if it is longer than 12 hours? as along as I consistent make it at least 12 hours between shots? I am asking because I am not always home at 7pm,
 
Never heard of that calculation for meters. I used AT meter until recently. The AT strips are quite expensive and the best place to get them is on line. Vet will charge you more for them. One thing to remember regardless of which meter you use, high is high and low is low. If you use the spreadsheet here you will see the range of numbers they are color coded. Open up a few. They are attached to people's signatues.
 
Woodsywife said:
Never heard of that calculation for meters. I used AT meter until recently. The AT strips are quite expensive and the best place to get them is on line. Vet will charge you more for them. One thing to remember regardless of which meter you use, high is high and low is low. If you use the spreadsheet here you will see the range of numbers they are color coded. Open up a few. They are attached to people's signatues.
Click to expand...
OK, but I don't understand what the plus numbers are, where do I write her numbers, it is confusing. what is the other things you wrote?
 
The + numbers represent the hour after shot is given. Since people all over the world and different time zones use it and give the shots at different times it's helps when someone is asking for advice.

Example I give Smokey his shots at 7am & 7pm. So +1=8am or pm; +6= 1 am or pm. Etc. Smokey onset is +3 so I always test at that time. The AMPS is the reading for his morning preshot test and PMPS is for night preshot test. Always test before giving insulin.

The other info I have on it and shouldn't, is his meals. He needs to eat every three hrs and it's easier for me to see it all in one place.

It really is very easy when you start using it. If you ask for dosing advice, people will need to see when you shoot, test, and how much.

If you need help setting it up, post for help. My tablet didn't allow me to do it so someone here set it up for me. It is done in Google sheets not excel and linked to you signature so others on this board can view it but not edit.
 
Woodsywife said:
The + numbers represent the hour after shot is given. Since people all over the world and different time zones use it and give the shots at different times it's helps when someone is asking for advice.

Example I give Smokey his shots at 7am & 7pm. So +1=8am or pm; +6= 1 am or pm. Etc. Smokey onset us +3 so I always test at that time. The AMPS is the reading for his morning preshot test and PMPS is for night preshot test. Always test before giving insulin.

The other info I have on it and shouldn't, is his meals. He needs to eat every three hrs and it's easier for me to see it all in one place.

It really is very easy when you start using it. If you ask for dosing advice, people will need to see when you shoot, test, and how much.
Click to expand...
oh ok Vet tech didn't tell me that about testing before shot
 
Using our grid to record your glucose tests will help us give you better feedback. Instructions are here.

Understanding the spreadsheet/grid:

The colored headings at the top are the ranges of glucose values. They are color-coded to clue you in as to meaning.

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning, pre-shot, test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +7 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening, pre-shot, test)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

The nadir is the lowest glucose between shots. There is a general period when it will happen which is specific to the insulin being used and testing then helps make sure your cat doesn't go too low.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required.
 
12 hours apart are the ideal but life happens. If it's 13 hours it is what it is. if it's 16 hours apart then there needs to be a decision of maybe skipping a shot or adjusting future shots etc.

I live alone and the only time I have someone else give shots is if I'm going to be away for multiple shots in a row.
 
Lisa and Gato said:
oh ok Vet tech didn't tell me that about testing before shot
Click to expand...

A lot of vets don't mention home testing or even like it if you do. But would you yourself take insulin without testing yourself? And they don't have to know your doing it.

I found out the hard way. When I found FDMB I was not home testing. Smokey dose was raised and diet changed . A couple of weeks after he was in a hypo episode. If not caught when I did and without people here, Smokey would not have made it through. I'm all for testing.

I picked his insulin times when I knew I would always be home. It is rare for me to not be here at 7AM and 7PM. Depending on the reason I wouldn't be home for 7PM it can be altered. But only rarely. Treatment must be consistent as much as possible.
 
Woodsywife said:
A lot of vets don't mention home testing or even like it if you do. But would you yourself take insulin without testing yourself? And they don't have to know your doing it.

I found out the hard way. When I found FDMB I was not home testing. Smokey dose was raised and diet changed . A couple of weeks after he was in a hypo episode. If not caught when I did and without people here, Smokey would not have made it through. I'm all for testing.

I picked his insulin times when I knew I would always be home. It is rare for me to not be here at 7AM and 7PM. Depending on the reason I wouldn't be home for 7PM it can be altered. But only rarely. Treatment must be consistent as much as possible.
Click to expand...
ok cus like on Friday I have to babysit and I am going right form work to the house, so I won't be home until late, what shouldI do in that situation?
 
I just did my first insulin shot and I did it while she was eating, she kept hunching down, so I checked to see if there was a wet spot, but didn't see any hope it went in. I will test her tomorrow morning , do I test her before she eats or after?
 
You always test before shooting to make sure they're high enough to give insulin at all

We Test/Feed/Shoot....Test to make sure they're high enough, Feed to make sure they're willing to eat and Shoot....all within about 5-10 minutes
 
Well I didn't test this time because it was her first injection, and I just had the demo at the vet at 5pm and we tested her BG there and it was 330 on the Relion , so I will test in the morning. I just got to get her use to me doing it. I am not sure it went in because she kept hunching down. I didn't feel any wet spot
 
Chris & China said:
You always test before shooting to make sure they're high enough to give insulin at all

We Test/Feed/Shoot....Test to make sure they're high enough, Feed to make sure they're willing to eat and Shoot....all within about 5-10 minutes
Click to expand...
will I notice a change after just one injection?
 
There's no way to answer that with 100% reliability

We've seen some cats dive on their first shot, but generally, it takes several days for the depot to fill when using Lantus, so you hold the dose for 5-7 days so you can see how that dose is working for your cat

It's important to test though so you can start gathering data on how Gato is responding....as well as to keep him safe
 
Chris & China said:
There's no way to answer that with 100% reliability

We've seen some cats dive on their first shot, but generally, it takes several days for the depot to fill when using Lantus, so you hold the dose for 5-7 days so you can see how that dose is working for your cat

It's important to test though so you can start gathering data on how Gato is responding....as well as to keep him safe
Click to expand...
ok thank you, I will test tomorrow morning when I feed her.
I have to do glucose curve next Sunday testing her BG every 2 hours
 
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