Sudden low numbers?

Hello,

My cat Blu, diagnosed about 3 months ago with diabetes with numbers in the 500's has been receiving Lantus insulin and is on a strict low carb wet food diet of Fancy Feast Classics.

We started with 3 units 2X a day and his AMPS and PMPS numbers generally ran in the 250-315 range. On New Year's Eve he was looking weird to me so i did a random glucose test and he was in the 40's. I fed him a bit of high carb wet food and we were fine. Vet was called and she said to go down to 2u Lantus 2X a day. We've been on that since then and he had AMPS and PMPS numbers were again ranging 250-315.

All of a sudden, as of last Wednesday, with NO gradual lowering of glucose numbers, he was getting PMPS reading of 60-75. After feeding his numbers would not go past 90. So skipped evening insulin. With no evening insulin, his morning numbers are ranging from 122-146. At first I gave him 2u in the morning and watched him and spot tested and his levels seem to hit the 60 range (lowest reading) at 8-9 hours after morning insulin. Then they just seem to hang there in the 60-90 range until the next morning when I see 122-146 levels.

I am guilty of not keeping a glucose spreadsheet - I apologize. I'm trying to get a general idea of why/how/what to do with this sudden seemingly instantaneous drop in numbers especially since his numbers weren't all that great (rather high) just over a week ago!

Some other notes:
-back leg neuropathy hasn't improved, possibly worse, which I'm not surprised about because we were seeing too many highs on the 2u's but nervous to go back to 3u's after a hypo episode and I am the only caregiver and work long hours away from the home - ordered the Zobaline B-12 waiting for it to arrive
-water consumption waaaaay down compared to pre-treatment...urine output down to normal amounts and much less than pre-treatment
-cat LOOKS better - coat is much softer, fluffier and shiny
-appetite decreased, eating about 2.5 of the small cans of fancy feast classics per day

Any thoughts or similiar experiences, etc appreciated.

Thanks!
Tanya (and Blu)

 

Some cats do go into remission. Their bodies seem to heal, and their pancreas picks back up and they don't need as much insulin.
The numbers you are describing (120 ->70 -> 120) sound wonderful to me. But I don't really know much

 

It could well be that your kitty is in remission or is going into remission (ie, becoming a diet-controlled diabetic).
Cats have the ability to recover from type 2 diabetes. Small snacks can help a recovering pancreas to get used to producing insulin without having too much to do at any one time.

Sometimes remission can happen pretty quickly, and maybe this is what is happening to your kitty. (Incidentally, does your kitty have any other health problems?)
Regarding the neuropathy, well that can take a while to resolve. Nerves can be slow to heal. But I'm betting that the Zobaline will really help with that.

Can you clarify - is your kitty still receiving insulin? (Sorry if I've missed that bit...)

Eliz

 

Yes, Blu is still receiving insulin. But as of last Thursday, no evening doses due to the low numbers. I was giving him 2u for the morning dose when his numbers were over 135, as I did this initially over the weekend and he didn't drop to below 60. Today, he was at 122 before feeding so I gave him only 1u as I would not be home. (I am fairly comfortable shooting under 150 but 122 is kinda hitting my comfort level)

It's just very strange/worrisome to me because we went from pre shot numbers of mid 200's into low 300's to 65-145 seemingly overnight.

As for infections...When Blu was diagnosed 3 months ago he did have a broken back molar that may have an abscess. Vet will not extract that until his diabetes is controlled. They said the broken tooth could raise glucose but they also said not enough to go into the 500's which was where he was. Also, he was drinking tons of water and urination was really high at the time, so all signs pointed to diabetes.

Right now, the neuropathy is worse than at the time of diagnosis. Blu has to sit after walking 10 feet or so and is almost walking on his hocks (walking "low"). His legs are wobbly, too. Which is scaring the heck out of me right now.

I guess what I really am trying toiunderstand is: Can a kitty be in the mid 250's or more and then drop to 60-140 readings in a day or two? Is it better to continue giving him one small dose in the morning if his reading are in the low to mid 100's range or would it be better to be giving him even tinier amounts so that his glucose rises enough to need a pm dose? I hope that makes sense.

I'd LOVE for this to be a sign of upcoming remission but I think I'm too nervous to get that hopeful yet!

 

Yes, sometimes the numbers change dramatically, especially as the pancreas heals and starts to produce some of it's own insulin to help out.

Lantus is best dosed every 12 hours, so cutting the dose in half and giving half in the AM and half in the PM would be better. Otherwise, the depot is constantly draining and refilling with only once a day dosing.

Keeping our paws and fingers crossed that Blu is headed for remission.

You may want to print out this Sticky from over in Lantus TR forum on STICKY: LANTUS & LEVEMIR - SHOOTING & HANDLING LOW NUMBERS

 

Thanks! I did give him a half dose (1u) this morning due to the 122 reading, so I'll try 1u 2X a day (depending on pre shot numbers) and see if/how/what that changes.

I really appreciate the advice and am very grateful!

Tanya