Smiffy July update

@MrWorfMen's Mom @Bonzo @Elizabeth and Bertie @Diana&Tom @Tuxedo Mom

Smiffy has been on one unit Caninsulin twice a day for about a month and her numbers have been in the 13s and 14s more or less throughout the day .....

So Roberta her Vet suggested that we up the evening dose to one and a half units so that we could get her numbers to between 4 and 12.

That was a few days ago and her numbers have still been in the 13s and 14s at +5 and +7 (see spreadsheet).

Today she didn't eat much this morning but I gave her her one unit shot.

She is behaving and has been behaving as if she is much better and is back to her normal self.

However just took a +7 today and she was 8.6 - suddenly really low for the time of the day.

So I have given her some high carb treats and food just in case .....

8.6 is a good number but it is low for the time of the day all of a sudden ... called the Nurse and they told me to give her some food.

Do you think that she just didn't eat enough this morning?

Need some help and advice pretty quick as I am going to be off line soon ...

 

Looby, a reading of 8.6 is terrific and does not require giving any high carb food. It really doesn't need any intervention on your part at all because it's a good safe number. It is odd admittedly that this lower reading occurred so late in her cycle but Smiffy is just being Smiffy because every cat is different. My understanding is that Caninsulin is a combination insulin. One of the components usually brings the BG down fairly fast near the beginning of the cycle (around +3 to +4) and then the second component can cause another drop but usually not as much as the first.

I also am not sure why the vet would suggest upping the evening dose. I would think if you were going to up the dose it would be better to do so on a day cycle when you can test to make sure Smiffy stays safe. It's also common for cats to run lower at night than during the day so I'm really curious as to the rationale behind that advice.

Are you having any better luck testing Smiffy now? I think that is key and I'd start checking around +3 or +4 instead of waiting till later to test. Perhaps Smiffy is getting some better numbers early, coming up a bit and then dropping again in which case she may be doing a bit better than you think she is.

 

Echoing all that Linda has said above - 8 is a very good number and not one at which you need to be stuffing Smiffy with high carbs. She could well be a little lower because of eating less - the opposite of a spike might be a surprisingly low number. BUT 8.6 is not "low", it's a nice number to see and not in the danger zone at all. If you're ever worried though all you need to do is test again in an hour, and then again in another hour, just to get a picture of where she's heading - if she was going down and down, THEN might be the time to give carbs, but not from the information you've provided above.

Diana

 

Looby,
totally agree with both girls.
I would not feed high carb food until the cat is really low and upping the PM dose does not seem to be right.
Hugs,
Marlena

 

Echo what the others say, 8.6 is a blue - a good number, and she may have been in the blues for a few hours. It would really help if you could get some pre-shot numbers the next few days and some a bit earlier in the cycle as well. (Cappuccino gave me an unexpected +4 of 3.2 yesterday - that did need a bit of attention, but 8.6 I would have been happy with)

 

Thanks Linda ....

I know 8.6 is a food number but I was so surprised to get it as all her equivalent numbers at that time have been in the 13s and 14s for so many weeks so to be on the safe side (in case she had fone into hypo and bounced for lack of eating) I have her carbs ...... An hour later she was 9 and preshot to nite she was 10.8 but she wouldn't eat so foe peace of mind and her safety I didn't give her a shot .....she went upstairs under the chair for the rest of the evening so I couldn't test her again but came down briefly to eat it seems when I was dosing.

If her numbers are that low now because she isbefinning to respond better to the insulin then I am thrilled so will check her BG as much as I cam tomorrow

She was one one unit am and pm for a while as she had had two hypos on two units twice per day so I reduced the dose. I suggested to her Vet Roberta just under a week ago that as her numbers were stuck around the 13s and 14s (if you look at her mini curves shape seems not to have a low Nadir at any point of the day but seems to be fairly level throughout the day) we needed to up her dose to help get her in the 4 to 12 range but both felt that 2 units or one and a half twice a day might be too high so I suggested one dose of one unit and one of one and a half. Roberta agreed and told me to make sure that I tested her at her at about +3 or +4 to make sure she was not going too low .....

As I am not around for her morning +3 or +4 usually because of my illness, we agreed that it would be safest to give her the one and a half unit dose in the evening so that I would be around to test ther at her possible Nadir.

I will test her as much as I can over the next few days to see if she IS coming down and getting better numbers - that would be so brilliant if she is responding now! The earliest I can usually do her day cycle is +5 ..... I can test more in the evening provided she stays downstairs ...

She is so much better in herself these days and back to her old ways that I am hopeful she is just now responding better to the insulin .......it was just so sudden for her to have a reading that low at that point of the day! Can their numbers suddenly start to get better so suddenly? I was expecting it to be more gradual ....

Thanks for your help .... Let's see what happens tomorrow

 

Thanks Diana ...... have a read of my reply to Linda above ....I was just so surprised to see her number so low at that time - l was assuming any improvement overall in her numbers would be more gradual and not suddenly better one day! If she is indeed now responding better to the insulin then I am of course thrilled and can give myself a pat on the pat for doing well for her .....I will test as much as I can tomorrow and update her spreadsheet for you all to see .....

 

Thanks Alexi

Please read my reply to Linda above ..... the earliest day reading I can do is at +5 and preshot readings are hard For reasons I have explained on many occasions but I know I have to try to see if I can get the little tinker .....she stands on the stairs to be fed or goes into the bathroom or runs away and eats later and I really MUST get food in her before I give a Caninsulin shot or she runs the risk of hypo which is not an option especially for the am shot as I am not around at +3 and +4

Wish me luck tomorrow - l will do my very best to get preshot and as many readings as I can or that she will allow

 

Good luck Looby with all the testing!
You're making such progress, I have to praise you for that, well done!
Smiffy just sent me a message to say how much she loves her mummy!
Hugs from
Marlena&Rocky

 

Thank you ...... 13.7 preshot number this morning which is not at all bad and she is eating all her food ....... Smiffy sends love to you and Rocky purrrrr style

 

Looby, thanks for explaining the reason for the evening increase. I scanned some previous posts but didn't put 2 and 2 together so now it makes sense.

Is it possible for you to get a pre-shot test before each shot? It's great to get readings later in the cycle but without knowing where she started the cycle it's hard to see exactly how much Smiffy is dropping on any given dose. With those lower numbers on the 6th, it may be that Smiffy's pancreas is starting to work a little bit which would be great but it's also one factor you can't control so I think to keep Smiffy safe, a pre-shot test is advisable to make sure it's safe to give her insulin and to be able to see how much she is dropping each cycle.

Believe me, I understand all too well how scary that blue number must have been for you especially since Smiffy has gone too low in the past. It took me almost a year to see a blue number with my girl and I darn near fainted and went into a bit of a panic too. But those blue numbers are exactly what you are aiming for. The trick is to not overeact to them but to do that, you need to be testing at the right times to make sure that Smiffy stays safe.

At a reading of 10.8, instead of totally skipping the dose, you could given her a reduced shot if you are able to test her at +3 to see how much she is dropping. The aim is to keep Smiffy's BG readings in the range of 4-12 for as many hours as possible each day. If you can test before shots and again at +3 when you are able, or at +4 or +5 otherwise, you should get a good idea of how much she drops.

Now all that said, you have to decide what works for you and what you are comfortable doing because you and Smiffy are a team so you have to find a happy medium that keeps both of you happy and healthy!

 

@MrWorfMen's Mom n's @Tuxedo Mom @Alexi @Diana&Tom @Marlena

URGENT PLEASE .....Smiffy's +5 is only 6.7 .... good number but suddenly her day numbers have gone down .... do I give carbs? I wonder if she is bouncing? What is going on?

 

Please see my post just now .... I am in a panic ... her preshot this morning was 13.something so I gave her the one unit and now .... she is 6.7 at +5 ..... and now she is eating wet food ... what the hec?

 

Smiffy was 13.something preshot this morning and now +5 she is 6.7 so I am more than a bit worried - even though that is a good number ....+5 was the earliest I can do on a morning shot .... maybe I should reduce the morning shot to 1 1/2 unit?

 

6.7 is ok at +5, probably her lowest point. If she is fine try another test in an hour to check she is coming back up, keep checking those numbers.

 

Looby, don't panic!!!
It ok.
Just give her a little normal food

 

This is a brilliant number, you just need to test her again in half hour to one hour to see if she's dropping further.

 

OK thanks .... she is not eating though .... did a urine test this moring and she was negative for keytones and low on glucose .... she has just done another peee ...

 

No worries Looby. 6.7 is a normal number and still gives you lots of wiggle room before you need to be feeding her. Quite honestly though, with Caninsulin, the lowest point in the cycle could be at +3 or +4 so I am wondering if she could have been a bit lower than that earlier. Not dangerously low but just nicely lower. If that were the case, this would be an even more beautiful cycle for her. She may be eating the wet food because she is not used to being in such good numbers and her body is thinking her BG is low making her hungry enough to eat anything! Good news for you that she will eat wet food when she perceives the need for some grub! She will get used to lower numbers the more time she spends in them so hopefully her trend of blues will continue. Both of you need to adjust to that new blue colour on her spreadsheet and that can be tough on us beans at the beginning too!

Now just to clarify.....what dose did you give her this morning? Your spreadsheet says 1u so I am a bit confused by your comment above.

 

She is now 8.3 one hour later at +6 .....

 

Sorry her preshot reading was 13.7 this morning and she ate a fair amount so I gave her the usual one unit ...... I am due to give her one and a half in the evening but if she is only 10.7 tonight as she was last night then I won't shoot her at all ......... I was told somewhere here I think not to shoot Caninsulin if the preshot number is 10 or below plus she woulnd't eat last night - the other reason I didn't shoot her ... does that clarify?

 

Yes that does clarify things . As for not shooting at a 10, that's fine but if she is just a bit above that (say 10.7 which is almost 11), you could try giving her a reduced dose ? 0.5u if she is eating and then test her at +3 to see how low that takes her from her pre-shot. This would help her to stay in lower numbers so she gets used to them. Remember you have to do what you are comfortable with and if you feel better withholding at 10.7 then do that.

 

She is heading up again and still plenty of time before the next shot, why not post the pre shot number and we'll see how she is doing at that point and if you need to change the dose.

 

I like Alexi's idea!

 

I willl try to post the preshot number tonight ...... I am still finding this site difficult to work with .... don't get a ping or icon on my computer when there is a new message here as I do with Facebook ....... have to keep checking ...... minor issue .... good job I ordered some more test strips yesterday for the next few weeks!!! She has not been better in herself for ages .... and does things she hasn't done for ages ..... just not eating much .... thought she had gone off her diabetic biscuits but she ate them this morning as I didn't put her arthritis pill on the top disguised with treats ..... so I am hoping she will eat a bit more tonight .....

 

I am filling out Smiffy's spreadsheet as we go if you all want to have a look later ... doing hourly readings if I can now .... she is now 9 at +7 so rising slowly ......

 

Looby, you don't need to keep testing between now and her pre-shot. You know she is rising now so all that remains is to see how far she goes at pre-shot tonight.

 

The numbers look fine. Try not to panic and end up giving carbs when there is absolutely no need. Now you're testing you can find out how low she is going and give carbs if she really is low. These numbers you're getting ARE NOT LOW - they are lower than you're used to, that's all. Remember that she will be feeling so much better on lower numbers and it's up to you as care giver to try to maintain those and not push her up again. Erratic BGs can make a cat feel quite poorly so the longer you can keep her in decent numbers that aren't swinging too wildly up and down, the better. She may be quite flat for some of the day but that's not a bad thing if the numbers are under renal threshold.

Diana

 

Also if you want to get alerts to responses to your messages, go up to the upper right screen and hover over your user name. This brings down a menu. Select Alert Preferences and tick off the boxes in there that apply. This will cause a little red number to pop up when there is a response to one of your threads or any thread you have participated in or decided to watch. If you have any trouble setting the alerts, let us know and we'll help.

 

Me again .... spoken to Smiffy's Vet Roberta and she is thrilled with Smiffy's results and says that if her preshot is less than 10 not to shoot, 10 - 14 to give one unit and over that 1.5 units ..... know that if she has not eaten much to reduce that dose if necessary .....

 

Thanks Diana ...... have spoken to the Vet and we are all agreed now you, me and the Vet that her numbers are to be celebrated ..... I am over the intial panic of seeing such a dramatic change in numbers and have a smile on my face I will not give her high carbs don't worry .. only if she is under 4 ......Vet has given me a dose plan that is still flexible and I think I can trust my instincts now thanks to all the help here and knowing my Smiffy Smiff .......

 

I have done that already thanks and get the little red alert but only if I come onto the site ... I keep the site as a tab on my computer and would like to have an alert on that as I do for Facebook but it doesn't do that so I have to keep checking on the site if that makes sense?!

I am going to stop testing her now but she has been as good as gold with it and is getting used to it as am I .... I now kneel down with her between my legs and fuss her head and ears before I give her a test .... she doesn't even need a treat now .... things are getting better .... hope I can keep this up when husband is around - he tends to makes things more difficult not understanding what I am doing and lettting her out at crucial times ..... his head can't take in the information that I have been trying to teach him bit by bit but it goes straight over his head!!!

 

just did a +9 reading and her numbers are going down - she is now 8.4 .... form +7 at 9 ... thought she would be going steadily up .... that is odd isn't it?

 

That's not odd Looby. Those numbers are essentially the same when you take meter variance allowance of 15-20% into account (not sure exactly what meter variance allowance is in the UK.)

 

Oh Ok - no nor am I? I use the Alphatrak Aviva Clickeasy ........ so each meter varies a bit so she could still be rising a tad really .... I see ......

 

Looby, are you alternating meters to get readings? The Alphatrak meter will read higher than the Aviva. I thought you were using a human meter based on your spreadsheet. It's important to pick one meter and stick with it because going back and forth isn't going to give you a consistent picture of how Smiffy is doing and will confuse you and us.

 

Yes Looby, it's very important to use the same meter to get consistent readings, especially now that Smiffy is dropping from the teens into single figures... I know it's scary when numbers suddenly go lower than what you're used to but you have to develop a different mindset now. As I said earlier, she will be feeling a lot better now she's in lower numbers and you want to keep her there, within a certain comfort zone (ie not too low). This is why we've said all along how important it is to home test - you know this yourself now. It may be that the numbers are better because as her pancreas is starting to heal, she is producing some insulin herself (what's called a sputtering pancreas) so it is STILL important to test because if she's in single figures and producing some endogenous insulin, you really need to test before every shot just in case she's lower than you expect. As you know, we don't give dosing advice as such but if these numbers continue you may end up reducing the dose to once a day or even less... It will keep you on your toes!

Good luck
Diana

 

Cappuccino does a small dip at +9, then back up for PMPS - so don't worry, I think it is just what Caninsulin does. You are doing great with all the testing, you just have to be patient, all the testing helps to fill in the jigsaw. Wait on the PMPS number.

 

Looby, I think perhaps a little more clarification of meter variance is needed here.

The AlphaTrak is a pet meter and it will read higher than any human meter 99.9% of the time. That 0.1% would be very rare circumstances in numbers much lower than you are dealing with and really don't want to see. The difference in readings between pet and human meters is NOT a straight forward percentage. There is no direct way to convert a pet meter reading to a human meter reading or vice versa. The difference is partially because cat blood and human blood are different and the pet meter is coded to read cat blood according to the composition of cat blood. The human meter is reading the cat blood as if it were human blood so the readings are lower.

All human and pet meters have a 15-20% variance allowance which means if you did two tests on the same drop of blood even with the same meter, it must produce a reading within that variance range to be approved for use. This variance has nothing to do with the difference between your Alphatrak meter and your Aviva meter.

 

Smiffy is very passive and sleepy on her new low numbers .... is that her body just getting used to them? She is not as lively as she was a few days ago on higher numbers ......

 

I know that ...... sorry yes I understood that but worded it badly .. thanks

 

I understand completely and she is getting used to being tested now ..... I have good instincts now about how much to dose or when not to ..... there is just one thing: She seems less lively on her new low numbers and a bit passive and sleepy .... I am wondering if that is her getting used to the change in her body chemistry?

 

No I am just using the AlphaTrak

 

Ok Looby. Knowing those readings are being done with the AlphaTrak is a very important piece of information and your spreadsheet should reflect that. Do you know how to add a row to the top of your spreadsheet? If so, you really should put a row there and type in ALPHATRAK METER. If people are giving you advice about whether to shoot or not especially with Smiffy's numbers coming down, you don't want ANY confusion to cause someone to give you any bad advice. Given you are now getting some "normal" readings on the AT meter, it's REALLY important to make sure you get those pre-shot readings to make sure it's safe to give insulin and some +3/+4 tests to see just how low Smiffy is going.

 

Girls ....... preshot 8.8 this is really low so I am not giving her insulin tonight ....... why so low so quickly?

 

@MrWorfMen's Mom @Alexi No sorry it is not the Alphatrak - it is the AccuChek Aviva that I am using (always get the names mixed up) ...... just taken a preshot evening number of 8.8 so I am not giving insulin at all tonight ... she is very passive and sleep today - not the bright cat she had become in recent weeks when she was on higher numbers ... why could that be? Is her body just getting used to the lower numbers? She doesn't want to eat either (think she thinks I am going to inject her) will just leave the biscuits out for her to graze on .....

 

Looby, That is terrific news. Smiffy's little pancreas may have just needed a little extra shot of insulin to "wake" up and start working a bit more. Don't be concerned...celebrate. This is good news. And even if Smiffy is a bit less lively than she was, it likely is just her body adjusting. My little one can be more active when her numbers are high sometimes than she is when she is in better numbers so I don't think that is a concern. Like us our cats are going to have more and less active days.

 

We cross posted. Even if that is the Aviva meter, it's still a good number. It's fine to skip the shot tonight as the vet suggested because she is well below 10.It will be interesting to see what she does tomorrow as she's been slowly coming down the last few days.

 

@MrWorfMen's Mom and @Alexi ... why is she so passive and sleepy and limp on these new low numbers? She is not being the alert new cat she had become over the last few weeks ... is it because she is getting used to the change in her body? She doesn't want to eat either so I am going to leave her biscuits out for her to graze on .... why is she off her food ... she has also peed a lot today ....... this is worrying me now .....

 

Looby, it could just be her body adjusting to the lower numbers. It's probably a bit confused right now because she hasn't had low numbers like this for awhile. The lower numbers usually decrease hunger so unless she is totally refusing to eat anything, it may be that she just isn't as hungry as she used to be. Cats get really hungry when their numbers are high and less so when their numbers start coming down. If her appetite is completely gone, then there could be something else going on but otherwise I wouldn't be concerned unless it becomes a continual lack of interest in food. Is she eliminating normally? Any chance she might be constipated? She also ate wet food which she is not accustomed to doing so maybe that has made her feel a bit off because sometimes a change in diet even if only for one meal, can cause a bit of tummy upset.

 

She had the tiniest amount of wet food at lunchtime - more like licking the jelly off the top .... she has just had a few biscuits at +6 .... she had stools this morning - most of which were normal but one little part a bit tacky and lighter but a good amount ...... she ate more this morning than she did just now ...... I will see how she is tomorrow .... hope you and I are right and she is just adjusting ..... she was so much brighter and back to her normal self over the last few weeks - it is so sad to see her seeming off colour today ......

 

Sounds like you and Smiffy are doing great!

Such a huge difference from a month or so ago.

Well done, you.

 

Pre-shot this morning (Friday) was 11.11 - that's after no shot last night ... gave her one unit as she ate nearly half her biscuits .... she is more fiesty this morning and was by my bed this morning purring ...... here she - she is on better form today and has her appetite back ......

 

What a great start to the day, especially with no shot last night!!

If possible try to get a few tests in today. +2 or +3 would be good and if possible even doing a mini curve today. Smiffy is doing so well and the data you are getting is most useful. Great numbers overall considering you have skipped two evening shots!

 

I agree with Mary Ann. Getting a test at +2 or minimum +3 would be ideal with that lower pre-shot just to see how fast her BG is dropping. I know you don't usually test again until +5 during the day but Smiffy started a little lower today so she's likely to go down a bit lower too.

 

Thanks - her plus 5 was 8.7 today ..... by the way @MrWorfMen's Mom she was not on a lower dose this morning ... she usually gets one unit in the morning and only for the last week before her numbers went down a couple of days ago she was on one and a half at night ....... if you mean 'lower dose' because she missed last night then that makes sense ....

Have I missed two evening shots? Just a sec ...... yes you are right - in that case her numbers are really good ... do you think the rise to one and a half in the evening last week has kick started something in her pancreas? She is in a much more fiesty mood today so I am pleased about that ...... yesterday she was very passive and let me test her all day but today is not so impressed which means she is back to normal!!! So far anyway ......

So you think I need to do a curve today? I did the best I could yesterday ... every two hours if I can maybe .......

Is it worth doing readings in the evening after the preshot is taken if she doesn't have a shot? I would try to get a +3 or +4 in the evening if she has a shot ... that was mine and Roberta's thinking behind giving her the higher dose at night as I am about - that was back when she was on 13s and 14s everyday but I don't think one and a half units is going to feature again as Roberta said only to give her that if she is over 14 which seems unlikely now thank goodness ....

Really do a curve today?

Please tell me what you think about me testing her in the evening even if she hasn't had a shot?

I just can't so +2 or +3 - my illness and routine just won't allow it but I can to it in the evening - is that good enough? Surely it would give some idea ... cats don't vary much in the day or night do they like humans do?

 

I will try to get a +2 and +3 in the evening if she has a shot ... that is as good as doing it in the morning surely to see how the inslulin is working?

 

Thank you .... yes it has come as quite a shock ... one day all in the 13s and 14s and then right down ..... I didn't realise things could change so quickly - do you think it means her pancreas is suddenly starting to try to work?

 

Looby You don't need to do a full curve really, but doing a mini curve...a test as close to every 3 hours during the cycle will give more data...and more data is a wonderful way to track Smiffy's progress. Smiffy seems to be at a very good place in hertreatment program right now and the more data you have the easier it is for you and your vet to make the best decisions on dosing. This is very exciting for you and Smiffy. Hopefully Smiffy will also start to be a good girl about accepting low carb wet food soon and you may see even better numbers

Looking good!!

 

Looby, I didn't say her dose was lower this morning....I said her pre-shot reading. She is looking good at +5 but that probably wasn't her lowest reading because that is usually around +3 or +4 in the cycle and by +5 it's likely she is starting to go up again.

If you don't give insulin you don't need to do any testing in the middle of that cycle.

Some cats go lower at night than during the day but the key word there is "some". Every cat is different and that's why testing at the critical points in the cycle according to the insulin you are using is important. I don't think you need to worry about any more testing today until the pre-shot tonight.

Looby, my concern is that with Smiffy now getting some lower numbers, if she has a very active cycle during the day and she has her lowest reading at +3 or +4 but you don't test until +5, Smiffy could potentially go too low. Right now she is fine but that could change if her numbers keep dropping as they have been doing the past few days . Anytime there is a sudden drop in the readings, more vigilance is important to make sure kitty stays safe. You can control the insulin you give but if Smiffy's pancreas is starting to do some of the work again, you can't control that. I understand that your illness and routine make it hard to get a +3 or +4 reading during the day. Would it be possible to do a +2 test during the day then to see just how fast Smiffy's BG is dropping? I'm asking because I want to make sure Smiffy stays safe and Caninsulin can drop the BG quickly and by quite a bit by +3 in the cycle which is why we all keep talking about getting a reading at that time.

 

@MrWorfMen's Mom @Tuxedo Mom @Alexi Smiffy more herself today so she is getting used to her lower numbers ... taking readings when I can ... have a look ... not sure I need to do a mini curve again today but I am trying ....... there are a few questions above in my posts to you

 

Yes I understand completely ........ I simply can't do the +2 ... wish my flipping husband would have learned this but he said from the start he couldn't do it (squeamish) .... all I have told him is to watch out for the symptoms if she follows him down to his office in the garden and to keep an eye on her and to give her high carb treats if she is wobbly and call me .... te best I can do today is to hope that I can give her shots in the evening and do the +2s and 3s then ........ just to get some idea .... this is worrying me sick that I am not around in the morning ........ I wish that things were different ...... there is an opportunity for me to do it next Wednesday when I take her to the Vet as we have to get there by 12.30 ...... this damned illness is so crippling ... will try to test tonight or tomorrow night .... today I have the most ridiculous headache and I am feeling very inadequate ... best I can do is the evening to get some idea .... now I am sweating with anxiety ... need to go outside to calm down ..... it's terrrible ....

 

Looby

I understand that with your illness it is extremely hard to plan out your timing. Is there any way you could change the shot time so that you are able to get the rest you need after your meds and then be up for the shot and a +2 reading?? Even if you can do this for one or two days then switch back it would be very valueable information about how Smiffy responds to Caninsulin in the early hours after the shot. The "usual" is that most kitties will do larger drops in the the first 2 hours...who knows Smiffy may be different, but without actually getting those tests, it is so hard to say.

As far as tonight...if Smiffy is too low to shoot then you don't need to do glucose tests. If you are curious you could do one during the night just to see how Smiffy's numbers change after eating and without insulin.

Looby... just do the best you can. You have made such major progress with testing and all and Smiffys numbers are looking very promising. All of us here would like nothing better than to see Smiffy eventually go into remission. In the meantime we all want to be sure Smiffy is safe and you are not stressed out.

 

She is far from being on low carb wet food ..... more pressure but she is just not going to eat it ....... she licks off the jelly ... I have left wet food out for her when she is hungry and she is not interested ..... I and all the girls here have to accept that Smiffy is going to stay on the low carb dry food ..... thanks for your interest and comments - yes she is doing really well so one step at a time ..... I know it is possible to be in remission on the biscuits as there are cases of it at the surgery where Roberta our Vet has worked with lots of cats ...... I am feeling very inadequate as it is because I can't do the morning +2 +3 etc ... the earliest I can do is preshot and get her dose right based on what she eats and then +5 ..... I am getting really stressed when I should be really pleased for her ..... I leave biscuits out for her and she seems to know when she needs to eat if her BG goes a bit low ...... I just have to keep my fingers crossed for her and try not to worry @Alexi understands my circumstances ...

Thank you so much for your help and support ....

 

Thanks .. .... when Smiffy had her hypos back when she was on 2 units twice per day one happened at about 1.30 which would have been +3 and at that time she is in the bedroom with me and she called out to me so that is a possitive ......... I am around in a way but not to test unless I get a second meter set for upstairs ....... the second time was at about +5 and I was with her ...... she spends the morning wth me in the bedroom .......

After these episodes I also decided to leave food out for her and I know for a fact that if she feels a bit low she will come downstairs and have something to eat .....

The best I can do at the moment is to hope that I can give her a shot tonight and see if I can test her at +2 or maybe it will have to be tomorrow as I have an almighty headache (that;s why I sound a bit disjointed today) ........ well I hope she doesn't need a shot but if she does I will try to test her - at least that will give us some idea - that is better than nothing ......

I can't change my routine as it sets the rest of the day out ... difficult to explain ....

I will do the tests tonight or tomorrow night as Roberta suggested and see what that shows ... sorry I am really really tired and in pain today ....

I completely undertand what you are telling me and know it already ........

Yes whilst her numbers aren't too low I will try to test in the evening ... I will think about having a second kit for upstairs ... that makes sense .....

Thanks .....

I can't have people telling me to change to wet food at this stage - she just won't eat it as a meal - just licks it - it stresses me out when I am told again that we need to change her diet - the Diabetic biscuits have got her this far and Roberta has cats well on it .... ideally I would like to change but that is not going to happen .. one thing at a time ......

 

Looby you just do the best you can. People here will always suggest the safest and best approaches for anyone's kitty...it is just because we all care. I understand that your illness makes changing the routine hard to do, but we all care about Smiffy's safety as well. It is just a matter of finding the safest approach for Smiffy and an approach that you are able to deal with.

Rest up and feel better.

 

Thanks ..... I know everybody wants the best for Smiffy and so do I of course ... she and Pasha are my life ....... Smiffy has done this well on her biscuits so I am not going to worry about that for now .....

She is with me all morning up in the bedroom so if she were to be poorly she would let me know .... but I am going to ask DH if I can keep a second testing kit in the bedroom for emergencies ......

I will feel better tomorrow ..... headaches are desinged to make you feel distressed and fed up I think! Smiffy is out in the garden on her bench on her rug and we have been for a little walk so she is happy as Larry .....

I have a feeling I am not going to have to give her a shot this evening judging by her readings again today ...

hugs xxx

 

Looby, feed Smiffy whatever she will eat. I have a kibble addicted cat and know just how that feels but don't feel frustrated about it because there is nothing you can do to make Smiffy eat something she has no interest in. The fact that she ate any is far better than happens at my house so kudos to you. I agree that right now you do what you can and don't try changing Smiffy's diet. That is not the important thing right now. The important thing is to keep Smiffy safe and if she is in the bedroom with you or out with your husband and you leave food out for her and she'll eat when she feels the need, then she should be fine.

 

Thanks - and I think my instincts with her are good ... she would let me know if something was wrong I am almost certain about that ... headache a bit better now Thanks again Linda xxx

 

Glad your headache is slowly passing.

 

It's gone! Smiffy was again below 10 this evening so didn't give her her shot ..... Her appetite is back tonight so all is well

 

Just as everything was going so well Smiffy has decided not to eat her breakfast and at only 12.8 (she was too low last night to have her shot at 9.11) she is going without a shot again this morning but I can't risk it .... damn ... her numbers have been so good and now they are going to be high again ... she didn't eat a scrap so I can't even risk 1/2 unit ...... ohhh her Daddy came back and now she is eating so I take all that back ... going to give her a whole unit and hope she sticks aorund me for the morning .... wish me luck .... she moved so I got a bent needle so I don't know if it went in or not ...... every day is different!

 

I hate when they decide to move at just the wrong time. I always do a feel for any wet fur and a sniff test but I am not sure if Caninsulin has any scent. Wishing you a good cycle today!

 

I have just done a +5 and she was 8.5 so I think the one unit I gave her this morning must have gone in .... I couldn't feel any wet fur this morning ..... she is fighting me a bit now when I test her so she has got her mo jo back which is good news but it makes things more difficult for me ...

Sorry about yesterday - my head was throbbing so much I couldn't think straight and the stress on top was a bit much ... had to calm down and watch the tennis at Wimbledon in the end and Smiffy is just fine .... it is DH I would like to throttle as he still after all this time refuses to take part or even understand what is going on or what to do if I am not there ..... ahhhhhhh

I am not going to do a curve today as Smiffy needs a break from the pricking .... I am happy with the 8.5 as I now know what happens from now on and I will then try to get a shot in tonight if she needs one but it is looking as if she only needs one unit per day now in the morning ...

What do you think? Roberta told me not to shoot her in the evening if she is under 10 and she was 9.11 so I didn't shoot .... if she is a bit above that and she eats I might give her 1/2 unit and then try to do some +2 and +3 or +4 readings if she doesn't go upstairs to bed that is ..... she is such a tinker .... trouble is if I don't give her any insulin at night she has a reading ike this morning of 12.8 which is only just above what our Vet is aiming for her to have throughout the day ....

Don't know whether to give her a 1/2 shot tongiht or not if she eats that is .....

if she is under 10 then I won't ... value your opinion once more

 

The numbers are looking good, ideally she should have insulin every 12 hours but her overall need for insulin seems to be falling, which is why the pre-shot numbers are so important. If you feel comfortable with a 0.5 tonight I would go ahead, she has access to food which is why her numbers are not dropping too far in the cycle, now you are testing regularly it will be easier to decide what each dose does to her readings and you will be able to steer her into the lower numbers.

 

For some reason today her numbers have gone up in the afternoon from 8.5 at +5 to preshot now in the evening at 12.7 so I am aiming to give her one unit tonight after she has eaten ... that will be safe ..........

 

Yes I think one unit will be fine, she is giving you nice steady numbers.

 

I think Smiffy should be safe with that number.
Well done you Looby.
Hugs

 

I agree. Don't worry about the wobbling numbers. It's probably just her adjusting to the lower numbers she is getting more frequently these days.

 

@Alexi and @MrWorfMen's Mom Smiffy was 12.7 preshot tonight .... didn't eat a lot and at +2/+2.5ish she is now 7 so have offered her some new food ..... you are right - she drops quickly and I must make sure she eats more in future before I shoot her!

 

It's ok Looby, at 7 she is still fine. You don't need to be feeding her until she gets a bit lower than that... conservatively around about 4.5 or 5. Check her again in about 30 minutes just to be sure she is holding steady and not still dropping. That is why we've been urging you to get that earlier test on the day cycles Looby. Smiffy is starting to come down and those early tests tell you if you need to be watching her more closely.

 

I put some fresh biscuits out because she hardly ate anything for her tea so I think that's part of the reason also she dropped so quickly .... I want her to have the food there so that she gets used to having a little nibble when she is low ... she only had a little bit .... I put the food away now so that she is hungry for the morning ....didn't get another number as I fell asleep - just woken up again now - nearly 3 in the morning!!!

 

@Alexi and @MrWorfMen's Mom

Smiffy now seems to be going through a phase of being in the 12s preshot am and pm and then dipping a lot two or three hours later (last night preshot 12.7 and +2 7)

She was preshot 12.4 this morning and she ate and she is only 8 at +5 so she must have been a bit lower

She is now having peaks and troughs whereas when she was having the higher numbers they were about the same readings all day so level all day

Her body must be all over the place poor thing

Why is she suddenly having peaks and troughs? You can have a look at her spreadsheet on the FDMB ... that said she seems very well in her self .......

Do you recognise this pattern Cyndie Moscone as you used Caninsulin? It is a different pattern.... she has gone from mostly 12s and 13s all day to all lower numbers all day to now high preshot and low in the cycle!

Comments appreciated ..... she is well ... flinches when I go near here though because she thinks I am going to test her no matter how gently and friendly I am ..... best introduce a treat again I think .. thought we had got over that ....

 

Looby, the pattern you are seeing is pretty typical of Caninsulin with higher pre-numbers, a dip and then back up. You don't have a lot of pre-shot numbers before this past week or so. It's possible that Smiffy's pre-shots were higher then and she was dropping just as she is now. As Smiffy gets more accustomed to the lower readings, her pre-shot may come down a bit but Caninsulin does cause a lot of up and downs in the BG readings because it usually doesn't last the full 12 hours in cats.

 

Those are nice numbers and consistent. No meter is 100% accurate and I'd say you were getting there with Smiffy.

 

@Alexi @MrWorfMen's Mom

Smiffy is all over the place ... this morning she is preshot 15.9 - she has shot up!!!

What could have caused her to shoot up like that?

I am not exactly worried but very surprised and a bit disappointed after all her good low numbers

There is nothing that cold have scard or stressed her except I heard a bit of a cat scrap earlier? Would that increase her BG that much an hour or so later?


What do you think girls? Quite a big difference to yesterday and the past few days ..... do you think it is because she has been getting less insulin over the last few days or because of the cat scrap I mentioned .... very odd or maybe you would think not so odd? Please have a look at her spreadsheet for me .... I didn't give her a full unit yesterday morning because she didn't eat anything as I left her biscuits out over night by mistake so she probably had a little snack before I wanted to give her her shot but I couldn't be sure so only gave her 1/2 unit ....

 

Looby, a cat's BG can shoot up because they heard something unfamiliar to them and if you test right at that moment, you'll get a higher reading. Don't worry about one higher number. It's the pattern over time that matters. Smiffy's up a bit but not that much so I wouldn't be concerned at all. I know it's disappointing as I go through this with my girl too where for no apparent reason she has a higher than expected reading, but after that big sigh we all let out when we see that higher number, we need to move on and forget it. If she stays up or keep going up, then you deal with it. Right now it looks like she is coming down again this morning so no worries!

 

She was 12.3 at +1 and now 7.8 at +4 so that is a big drop - her curves seem to be a lot more of a curve the last couple of days ......... try not to worry .... she has had a lot more of her Diabetic biscuits than usual today .........

 

As already mentioned there could have been a number of reasons why the numbers were higher this morning. Also glucose numbers even in a non-diabetic kitty can fluctuate each day. Another possibility is that Smiffy might have dropped lower than she usually does last night and this morning's number could have been a bit of a bounce. Since you weren't able to get any tests after the shot last night it is hard to say if Smiffy did go lower or not. But she is coming down well this morning, so hopefully the good numbers will continue.

 

OK that makes sense ...... I thought I would give her a bit of a rest last night from Mummy testing her .... the preshot is the one that I am aiming for and normally at night I would try to get +2 and +3 or 4 ....... I am now really in the realms of the 'sugar dance' and now understand why it is so called!

 

Preshots are very important so that you know the number is safe to shoot, but the nadirs are also important in order to know how low a dose is bringing Smiffy. The nadirs can sometimes explain why a preshot seems high...if the nadir was a lower than usual number there is a good chance that you could see a bit of a bounce at the next preshot. But overall Smiffy is looking good and it is so wonderful that you have managed to be able to do regular testing! The "sugar dance" is quite the thing...just when you think you have all the steps figured out, the steps change.

 

My Callie uses the same insulin. Her preshot tests are always the highest tests for the day, because the insulin has worn off. About 4-5 hours after her shot she is at the lowest.

You might be able to see the pattern better if you record her numbers on a piece of graph paper. I put the time across the bottom and the test numbers going up the side. You will be able to see the patterns after just a few days. I give my vet copies of the graphs every week or so. Then she will call me to give me her opinion

I hope things get better for you and your sweet kitty.

 

Thanks for your remarks Donna - nice to hear from you and from somebody that is also using Caninsulin ....

I am watching her pattern and recording all her numbers on an FDMB spreadsheet ... you can have a look at it if you click on the link in my signature ..... I am able to e-mail the spreadseet to my Vet so she can see ALL her readings over the weeks and up to date on line - our Vet really loves it!

Smiffy was very poorly but now for the past month or so she has been back to her normal self ......

I posted this today because if you look at her spreadsheet she has been getting very encouraging low numbers for the past few days (for two evenings in a row she was too low for me to give her a shot) and now she has suddenly gone up agin ......

Smiffy goes low as quickly as +2 hours in the evening on one night but generally she is like your puss and is lowest around +3 or +4 .....

How is Callie? How long as she been on Caninsulin ....

Oh sorry I see you have a spreadsheet ... I will have a look as it is interesting to see another Caninsulin puss cats numbers .......

Do write back and tell me about Callie .....

 

Gosh just had a look at your spreadsheet @donnalea ...... Callie is on a high dose and her numbers are way more erratic than Smiffy's .... our cats were diagnosed around about the same time ....

Have a look at Smiffy's spreadsheet and doses ...... she is doing really well really ...... even though you are doing US readings (as you know have to multiply my UK readings by 18 to get your equivalent) we can tell by the colours each others numbers the equivalent kind of readings at a glance ....

Look forward to hearing from you again

 

Looby this is a perfect example of ECID (every cat is different) Callie may have other health issues that make it harder to get a good regulation. OR Callie may be one of those kitties that doesn't do as well on Caninulin/Vetsulin. OR Callie may just take longer to get into the good numbers.

Actually you have been fortunate with Smiffy, since she seems to be responding well to a low dose of Caninsulin even with a dry food diet.

 

Yes I think we are very lucky ... I certainly don't have data (readings and clinical signs) sufficient to really justify a change of insulin at this point in time ...... we will see how it goes ...

Thank you for following us - really appreciate it

 

Callie has had a UTI. She is on her third antibiotic. She finally seem to be getting better. The UTI sent her numbers sky high just when we were starting her insulin. We basically have to start all over again to get back where we started. I have more numbers to put into her SS in a little while.

 

So sorry to hear that. If they don't get the right antibiotic at first it can take a long time to clear it up. Both my kitties have much higher numbers when they have UTIs. I'm glad to hear that Callie is finally improving. Hopefully you will be able to get her into better numbers soon.