? So conflicted about meters

2 week follow up was a dead end for my boy so went to another Vet today for 2nd opinion. At least this one is all for home testing but is heavily making me re-think whether to get the pet AlphaTrak 2 meter supplies or use the ReliOn Prime stuff I bought from Walmart. I explained to them that I found lots of people on the forum that use a human meter but she made it sound bad because he was started on ProZinc and said it will vary too much since it's made for humans. This Vet is also a pretty strict Lantus recommend-er and not a fan of ProZinc or Vetsulin but I did tell her I wanted to try to give the ProZinc another chance because it's just been 2 1/2 weeks and I don't want to just throw away money. I'm supposed to do my first real curve in a couple days because the follow up with the Dx Vet did 2 tests and had me come pick him up and said it's not working, he's a complicated case, go see a specialist.

Apologies for the rambling post, I usually have tried to type up proper ones but I am very frustrated because I want to do what is best for my boy and Vet's seem to make me feel inadequate because I'm not a millionaire.

Everyone here has been much more supportive and understanding. Are there any ProZinc and ReliOn Prime users around?

 

Hey! I used the relion and prozinc when I had Gypsy. My very actually told me to get a human meter. She told me they make pet specific meters but human ones are cheaper and just fine. I was lucky in that.

My opinion is that it doesn't matter. Human meters read lower but we have a general range of numbers we go by for both human meters and pet meters. As long as we know which you use we can help. Its not really about the numbers so much as patterns which yoiyoiu can see on either Meter. And we know about where hypo starts for both types so you can keep your boy safe.

Plenty of people use and prefer pet meters since it helps match what their vet uses. That's fine too. More expensive though.

Its really up to you. We can help either way and I truly don't believe it matters. I do think giving the prozinc a good try since you're already on it is good. You can always switch later if needed.

 

I use ProZinc and ReliOn Prime.
I too was discouraged with ProZinc in the beginning but was told it takes time. My vet is OK with human meters because like Rachel said, it's about the trends more than the difference in numbers on the two meters. I have been using human meters the whole time and have yet to get to a point where Chuck needs vet care for a low BG reading *anti-jinx*knockonwood*
When I switch from accu-check to ReliOn the ReliOn read higher but the accu-check was also 4 years old.
The meter is a tool to help you decide how the dose is working and to prevent hypos.
Some people use both. Human meters for daily testing and alphatrac for the curves.
It's good that you're home testing and the kind of meter really doesn't matter in my opinion.

 

Thank you both for your responses. @StephG, have you used the ReliOn for a curve? I just wish Vets were more willing to familiarize themselves with other options and new products. I just found this new pet monitor http://a.co/d5IVbh3 but I bet if I ask a vet they won't know what I'm talking about and will just say use AlphaTrak

 

If you click on "Satan's SS" in my signature you'll see I'm a bit obsessive about testing. I do a curve almost every day.

 

It also proves that any data is good data. You can see trends and differences the doses make in his BG levels.

 

He doesn't look like a satan!!! )

 

He is a pill that's for sure! Very reactive to food and bounces easily and often! He gets extra food because he needs to gain weight so until he gets back to a smaller/normal amount of food he will continue on the higher dose of ProZinc.

That meter should be OK with your vet. It's just for cats and dogs so that could be an option for curves. You'll use 7 strips per curve so that would get you 7 curves for $30 ( $29.99 for 50 strips)

 

@StephG is your kitty considered to be regulated? That SS kind of scares me
And I agree with Phoebes, he looks like a sweetie.

 

Yong is beautiful !!

 

DH calls him Chuck Norris. Mostly just Chuck. I'm use to him calling him that so it's like he has to names. Ask the animals have different nicknames and they respond to all of them haha.
He earned the name Satan when he was younger by treating me as his prey and toy! I was always on guard! He would jump from as far away as possible and land all 4 feet on my face when I was sleeping! He tortured me! He is a lover now and saves his devilish play for his brother, Kitty.

 

No. He is far from regulated. I believe on ProZinc regulated is when their preshots are consistently under 250 and they get into low 100s or higher double digits mid cycle. I could be off on the numbers here but if you go to the ProZinc forum the sticky threads at the top are very informative. (Derp, I thought we were in the feline health one. Long day!)
Chuck is not a normal case! He's very bouncy and requires a higher dose. I'm not very daring with his doses either. He gets into food he shouldn't have way too often (human's fault).
Don't get scared off by his SS. It's not a typical case and every cat is different.

 

I'll take a look tomorrow for that, about being regulated under 250 for preshots. Maury was the same when I first adopted him, he was a bad "teenager" for sure! The Vet did mention that ProZinc can cause a bit more bounciness through the 12 hour period and they stay in a good BG range for a shorter duration before going back high. This was her argument for the Lantus preference, she believes they stay more even throughout the days and the numbers don't make a defined curve but more of a flat line.

 

Saw your note about meters and thought I would chime in here.

The pet meter you found on line appears to be the same meter being marketed in Canada under the name of FastaCare. I had an opportunity to use the meter to do comparison testing of it against the AT2 meter. I found it read a bit low at high numbers and a bit high at low numbers but all the reading were within the allowed 20% variance dictated by health regulations. I would have been happier if the meter had read a bit low rather than high at low readings. The other thing I found frustrating was that it requires far more blood than the AT2 pet meter and many of the human meters. My girl tends to not bleed as well at low readings and I ended up ruining more strips in 2 weeks with this meter than I have in almost 2 years with my AT2 pet meter and my human meter combined. I also found the meter to be a bit dicey to use as it would turn on without the strip being well seated in the meter.

In short if I was going to choose between that meter and a human meter, I would take the human meter.

 

I can't speak to how Lantus works much, but Prozinc doesn't really cause bounciness I don't think. Honestly, cats who are going to bounce will bounce on Lantus as well. On Prozinc, you do want a smile curve...higher at the preshots with about +6 being the lowest point of the cycle. We do have some bouncy cats on the forum right now, but a lot of cats don't bounce on Prozinc..and we have ways to handle bouncing too.

There are cats who do better on Lantus. from what I know, they shoot low to stay low and sometimes it is a better choice. However, there are kitties who have changed from Lantus to Prozinc too. Basically, we feel whatever insulin works for your cat is the best for you.

 

My vet said "Get a meter and home test" so I got home and immediately bought one. That was before I found FDMB. Alphatrak strips are $1 each. Assuming *only* 3 tests per day (AMPS, mid cycle, PMPS) that is $90 a month. It is just not sustainable unless you just have the money to burn. You can mitigate it a bit by using Freestyle Lite strips in the Alphatrak. That cost can be a bit lower at $.60 per strip (Amazon $30 for 50 strips). In hindsight I would have just gotten a pet meter.

I have to honestly say that I do not consult my vet for insulin dosage. I use the guidance of some very experienced, kind individuals on this forum. At a recent vet visit for something else my vet asked what Morris' numbers were running. I spoke intelligently of Preshot numbers and nadirs and his response was we were doing great. I simply call when I need more insulin and they get it ready for me. That said, I have chosen a vet that knows I will educate myself on a subject and is not threatened by that. Caring for my animals is a collaborative effort between us.

 

Yes, there is a group of very bouncy kitties on this forum - mine, Satan, Hermione, Phoebe. As Rachel said, the ProZinc doesn't cause the bounciness, these cats are just bouncy in their reactions to insulin. Go look at Lisa and Smoky's ProZinc data - that's how a non-bouncy cat responds. My guy was on Lantus at the start but only for 2 months. However, after a week (when the Lantus depot was filled) he bounced terribly. Maybe I could have made the Lantus work if I knew then what I know now but it was a bad experience.

 

I haven't been on the forum much lately but thought I'd chime in too. Over the last year I've taken in 3 diabetic foster cats, 2 of them have been adopted. All 3 have been managed with a human meter and ProZinc. The first 2 both went into remission. The third one, Oliver, is still with me and basically regulated.

If I were you, I'd stick with ProZinc and your ReliOn. Work on getting him onto a lower carb diet. Even though the vet sold you DM it is too high in carbs. Keep posting here you'll get lots of helpful advice. Kudos to you for home testing and being a great advocate for Maury!

 

Thank you all for the help! I do feel like Vets are threatened by those of us who do heavy research for our babies and try to counter with their authority. Luckily one of the long term Vet Assistants has personal experience with a diabetic kitty and she said she used her mother's human meter. I definitely do not have money to burn and I did not think a certain insulin could cause a kitty to be bouncy either. I just want to do what's best for him so I think I may just go for the Alphatrak 2 meter and Freestyle Lite strips. I'm hoping to start working in a couple months and don't want to regret not going with the pet meter. The Vet Assistant said I can get him regulated with his current feeding schedule and that is what her kitty's diet was like. I may be posting this Saturday when I try to do his first curve and testing. *Finger's crossed* I don't mess it up

 

I use Freestyle Lite strips in my AlphaTrak meter almost exclusively. They generally read about 3 to 7% higher than the AT strips in the AT meter. However, I strongly recommend you do your own same blood drop comparisons a few times every time you start a new vial of FS strips. Leave your AT meter set at the cat code specified on your AT strip bottle.

 

Let us know if we can help more! We'd love to help you figure out how to get your kitty regulated.