Spreadsheet help... what is "Dosing Method (SLGS or TR):"

Starting in on our spreadsheet but I'm still learning the terminology... what is SLGS or TR?

 

SLGS = Start Low, Go Slow
TR = Tight Regulation

Both refer to dosing methods. SLGS is used for all insulins, TR is specific to the depot insulins (Lantus/Levemir). Here is information on both:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...-low-go-slow-slgs-tight-regulation-tr.210110/

 

Thank you!!

 

Usually for new members we recommend SLGS. This means starting with a low dose of 1/2 to 1 unit and then slowly increasing it over several weeks to find the optimal dose that works best to keep the glucose levels under control. The dose is increased by 1/4 to 1/2 units and waiting at least a week before determining if another increase is needed.

When you get comfortable with testing and changing doses you can switch over to TR if you feel that works best for your cat.

 

@Lisa and Witn (GA) - That's not always the case. Many people start with TR. Historically, before TR, everyone here used SLGS or whatever the initial iteration was. Once TR was published, if you were starting out and using Lantus or Lev, you were dosing based on TR. It's only been in recent years that SLGS was. used again. The choice that caregivers make appears to be based on how available they are to test and if they want to use a more aggressive approach to dosing. My general impression is that more cats reach remission with TR or certainly reach it sooner. There are pros and cons to each method.

 

Thanks. I was not aware the the protocol changed. Though I do think that for new members that are learning home testing and about adjusting doses that TR still may be very intiminating.

 

Lisa has a good point. Not everyone's work schedule and life commitments lend themselves to TR (tight regulation).

Having said that, I'm going to play "devils advocate" here and link you to a good post about using TR with a full time job, and what one member found worked for her. Give it a read and see what you think. Is Tight Regulation Possible with a Full Time Job? Yes!

Is your cat Oktober still eating the Friskies Shreds type food? That is more of a medium carb food, running in the 12-18% carb range, better for your hypo kit to bring low BG (blood glucose) readings back up. I see you live in the US. Than this food chart will give you other options for food that are lower carb. Food chart for US. Look for foods that are 10% carbs or less. Plus any other requirements your cat may have.

I remember when Jamie and Jupiter were here. Jupiter was eating the Friskies shreds foods. She slowly switched the food a little bit each day, substituting some of the pate style Friskies for the shreds style. It took some time, and it was one step back, two steps forward. But her cat Jupiter learned to eat the pate style food.

Friskies makes a chunkier style food, the Flaked varieties. If I remember correctly, that one is lower carb too, but only certain ones. You might look for the Friskies Flaked Tuna or the Friskies Flaked Tuna and Egg.

Please start home testing before you switch to a lower carb food, as doing that food change can dramatically drop the BG readings (100 basis points or more) and we don't want your cat to have a hypoglycemic episode. You do have your hypo kit ready don't you???
How to treat HYPOS - THEY CAN KILL! Print this Out!! A bit dramatic with the heading, but the old girl scout motto "Be prepared" applies here.

 

Yes, she is on Friskies Flaked Tuna in Sauce, which I believe (according to the chart) is 4, but another website said the carb count was 2.2 on it. Either way, I was very careful about the shreds/flaked/gravy/sauce/carb count and it was the closest thing I could get that I knew she would enjoy. I spent hours standing in the cat food aisle, and searching online, chart in-hand. We have FF Delights Tuna and Cheddar Feast in Gravy in our Hypo kit. She refuses to eat pate, even with water mixed. But this Tuna one mixed with water she is happy with.

I have been home-testing since December, and watched the dramatic drop from the 400s to the 70-109 range just with food. We started with SLGS method when we first started insulin in October, with an increase up to 2.5 units (granted, she was on Hills KD up until a about a week ago) and since then food change I've got her at 0.5 unit holding steady numbers.


Thanks for the clarification all, I truly appreciate all the help!

 

I updated my signature from "FF Tuna Shreds" to Friskies Tuna Flaked. I was very tired when I made that signature!

 

The first few weeks here can be very hard. Even though Oktober may have been diagnosed back in October of 2019, doesn't mean you found out about this message board then. In fact, you may have been 'lurking' and reading a lot of posts before you joined back on Jan 15, 2020.

If you have any sort of test data, perhaps from your vet, you could enter that on your SS. Most recent data is the most valuable, last couple of weeks. Hey, tell us to "go fly a kite" if we push too hard. Bad habit.

There simply are not enough hours in the day to do it all. Go get yourself some rest and maybe have a bite of chocolate as a treat for yourself. You need to take care of yourself so you can take care of Oktober. Mindfulness breathing can be a great focusing and calming technique. Or yoga. With or without your cat. Your preference.

Hang in there, it will get better. You are doing good to get your cat down to the 70-109 range already.

 

Thank you very, very much! I'm in the process of collection the data off the 4 meters I have been using, and will be inputting that into her chart asap!

Thank you for the endless support, I'm glad I found this message board when I did! I had no idea it existed and am grateful for it constantly throughout the day!

 

Tuna might be low-carb, but if you’re feeding that exclusively, you might want to add some non-fish options. Dr. Lisa Pierson is referenced frequently on this site and strongly discourages a primarily fish diet. From her site www.catinfo.org :

“You will notice that many of the higher protein diets are fish-based but it is not a good idea to feed fish to cats. Or, at least not as their main diet. Fish can be high in mercury, high in PBDEs (fire retardant chemicals linked to hyperthyroidism), high in phosphorus (not good for older cats’ kidneys) and can be very addicting. It is best to feed poultry-based diets to cats.”

 

Well, damn! She is at risk for hyperthyroidism and had elevated kidney levels a few years ago. And she is a senior. What a bummer, this is the first low-carb option she's been willing to actually eat. Back to the drawing board I go!

Thank you for the heads up on this!