Vet called today

Unfortunately the vet called me today to tell me my little girl is a diabetic.We have to go back in a couple days.Doing some research it looks like the insulin will cost me close to $400 plus office visits and I can't afford it
So I fear this is a death sentence for my joey
Does anyone have any other suggestions ?
Thank you in advance

 

Hi. Joey can still live a very long great life!

I am assuming from that cost quoted that it is lantus that is being prescribed and you are in the US. You can get it cheaper at Mark Pharmacy https://rxcanada4less.com/. It is cheaper to purchase from them and they will ship to you. You will need a prescription from your vet. If you get the pens vs. the vial - they last longer and you can use every drop in the pen using a syringe to draw your dose. Another option - check out the supply closet thread - there is always items in there for give away or cheaper options than going through the vet clinic.

If you are willing to test at home, office visits would be no more then the normal health checks. You really don't need a fructosamine test all the time. The one on diagnosis is good enough to say she is diabetic. With home testing and using the spreadsheet we have here, you will know her numbers!

You can pick up your other supplies - like the meter, lancets, syringes etc can all be gotten at Wal-mart.

 

Tracey is right, this is not a death sentence by any means. So many of our sugar cats live long happy lives with proper treatment. Home testing is the best tool you have to see how diet changes and the insulin is affecting your beautiful fur baby, and you can learn. Please review the Getting Started and the Education sections on the Home page, then the information in the Index in the FAQs forum HERE
I know you are worried and upset right now, most of us also began with those same feelings. But the information and support you are looking for is right here. One step at a time, like you have learned everything else in your life.
Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. Saint Francis of Assisi

 

Hey there!

I started this journey back in October, and here's how I keep the cost of Max's management, well...manageable!

1) If using Lantus, get the pens. A pack of 5 pens is $500 BUT some pharmacies (Walgreens) will break the pack and sell them individually. Look for online coupons as well! A quick Google search will bring you to some legitimate Lantus Pens coupons. My pen from Walgreens was less than $90 I believe, and that's for an entire month or two. You don't even have to use Lantus. It's said to be the better choice, but you can get other brands of insulin for like $35 a month.

2) If using pens, don't use the pen needles. Get a pack of ReliOn syringes at Walmart. A pack of 100 is only $12! That's a 50 day supply...nearly two months! Use the syringe to withdraw the insulin from the pen instead of shooting with the actual pen.

3) Home test! Again, go to Walmart (cheapest place for pharmacy supplies) and get a glucometer. My ReliOn Prime was only $9 I think. You'll need some lancets, a lancet device, and testing strips. All of those from ReliOn are VERY affordable. The testing strips are the most expensive, and even they're not too bad--$10 for a pack of 50 or $18 for a pack of 100. The lancet device was $5, a big pack of lancets was really cheap as well.

4) Switch to canned food! Fancy Feast Classic paté is the best. I supplement with some cooked turkey or chicken as well, but it's not necessary. You don't need prescription food.

5) Use the advice on this forum! You've stumbled into the right place. These people really know their stuff. I'm not saying ditch your vet, but you can use him/her a LOT less often if you have these good people here giving you tips and encouragement.

Diabetes management CAN be super expensive, but it doesn't have to be. I'm lucky in that Max is otherwise a healthy boy and I haven't had to deal with kidney issues, ketones or pancreatitis.

Also, don't be afraid to home test! Most cats don't really mind at all, especially if you give them a treat afterward. It may take a bit of practice (and even with experience you sometimes screw up the poke) but it's not generally a very difficult thing to do.

Please let us know if we can be of anymore help!

 

Thank you for your input
I won’t know the exact prescription info til Friday
I just did some looking online after the vet told me
Thank you again and will keep you up to date

 

Another way of saving money is to do the blood glucose testing at home. In the begging I was going every couple of weeks to the vet... So expensive. Once I started testing at home my cat didnt go back to the vet for a year. I just occasionally emailed the vet a link to my spreadsheet and that was it. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home.

Lantus through Marks is under $200 for about a years supply. If it's ProZinc it is $115 per vial through chewy.com. A vial lasts most people 3-4 months.

 

See that extra sweet little old man kitty in my avatar? He's been diabetic for over 9 years. I test his bg at least 3 times a day, many days it's even 1-2 times more according to how he's running for the cycle. It's no big deal for him and worth a million dollars for me. Needless to say but I'll say it anyway - diabetes is definitely NOT a death sentence! It's very manageable - with the right food and proper insulin, you can continue to dance together for a long time.

 

I use a human meter and my vet said to take the number I get and multiply it by .65 to get the "cat" number. Have any of you heard this? and then what? Still cannot get my cat to hold still for a test. Takes hubby and I both and the blood drop comes slowly. Vet told us to poke in the vein and it is so hard to hit. Hubby gets so upset and gets so frustrated he stomps off. Gray-C was in the hospital and had to be tube fed for a month because she had stopped eating. Now she is switched over from dry food to wet and just the last few days has been eating well. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Lesalana

 

Did your vet finish last in the class? I have never ever heard of this and where your vet got this idea is beyond me. Hunan meters are always off by a tiny bit at low numbers but not that much. Do not let your vet intimidate you. If I were you I'd report this guy to the college.

 

One more thing. We use the imperial system for meters here. If your meter is set to metric (all meters can be set either way) you simply multiply the metric reading by 1.8 to get the higher numbers you see here. The inverse proportion of that is .5555 which is no where near .65 considering this is medical and not "about right".
Thoughts anyone?

 

I never heard that. I just test the calculation using my Olive's morning number of 130. Multiply by .65 makes it 84. Nope I disagree. Just did Her newest test because she is running low I would get 34 that could be an ER visit if I didn't know what to do. I don't agree with your vet, have no idea where he is coming up with that.

 

Are you using a lancing device?

 

@Lesalana I dug up this thread but keep in mind it's over four years old. In this thread the 65 number comes up. It's in reference to two different meters giving whacky results. Meter technology has come a long way since then. Are you using a pet or human meter? Either way I implore you as a caretaker of two diabetic cats to ignore your vets advice. It's unbelievable but feline diabetes is just not taught in veterinary colleges so for once in your life the internet is right. I've always used a human meter and neither of my cats ever had a HYPO episode or seizure. We've used two different vets for a long time and they've always told me this is the way to do it.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...ert-between-human-and-pet-glucometers.125256/

 

I REALLY want to thank you folks your help had made me feel so much better and soon Joey will be thanking you
I called the pharmacy up in Canada and wow what a price difference
Thank you so much again

 

@Lesalana Can I make a suggestion? You should start a new thread in Feline Health with a title like "Vets meter advice seems wrong". The problem here is that most members will only read so far down a thread, see that the problem is being looked after and then move on. Your problem bears little resemblance with the threads original title.
You can also copy and paste your original text. You should get many more suggestions, just have patience.
The second problem you'll face is that due to the sheer volume of new posts every hour your thread may very quickly sink to the bottom of the page and out of sight. There is a way around this but it is not to be abused. Every new reply to a thread moves that thread back to the top. If you absolutely have to do this post something like "Still not understanding....." but be sincere in what you write and state your case clearly.
Third problem. I have no way of knowing if this is your first diabetic cat but every single person here has been sent home with a seemingly normal cat and many have received little or no guidance. You're not the first one and sadly won't be the last. As I've said before feline diabetes is just not taught in veterinary colleges. There may be a one day seminar on this "unusual" disease but that's it. All three of our vets at two clinics learned what they know the hard way, spending hours of their free time reading up on this.
The biggest problem of all. There was a time when doctors were Gods and were not to be questioned. If you ever meet a doctor who says "It's doctor actually" run away as fast as you can. They make mistakes just like everyone else but just cannot admit it. This website is the one place where common people have come to learn what is right and what is obscenely wrong. You have every right to ask for a clear explanation in plain English and you are not obligated to any particular vet.
Many of us have been where you are right now, knowing something isn't right. No one here will snicker at you, no question is ever too stupid to ask.
I'm in no position to judge your husband but your cat's world has been turned upside down and this will take time. Is this your cat or part of the family? "Stomping off" won't solve anything and the cat will pick up on this.
Stay with us, stay away from the Facebook diabetic cat site and know that this is a marathon, not a race.
Fill out your profile with as many details as possible. Meter and insulin used, age of cat and pre-existing medical conditions, other animals in the home. Ask how to set up your cats spreadsheet (I never did this, it's a long story). Hope this helps. Where to poke the ear, where to poke the cat and lastly what a happy 23 year old cat looks like. We are all on your side.

 

@burtgummer See how many good things come from Canada. Sir Frederick Banting, basically the inventor/discoverer of insulin his farmhouse is a nationally preserved historic sight not far from where I live. We also invented doughnuts eh!

 

Oh heck I know the Cops like the doughnuts

 

And the cops where I live are super nice. They have to pass an annual fitness exam so the myth of the "fat cop" is just that, a myth. I live near a school zone and take great delight in observing the stupidity of mankind.
We also have a Glorious Leader but that's another story.

 

I just ordered from Marks Marine Pharmacy and I am super happy with the savings.
If you are getting Lantus, make sure your Vet writes the script for 5 Solostar Pens, that is the minimum to order at Marks.
I just took a picture of Bear's Script and text it to the number Mark's gave me, so easy.

There will be other items you will need but are very affordable.

Ask as many questions as you can think of because this forum has a lot of members that have all experienced what you are going through and love to help others and their Kitties.

 

Thank you so much for all your advice. The vet that told me this is the vet that was at the "elite" 24/7/ 365 day a year hospital and specialty clinic. I had a run in just the other day because I noticed that the insulin they gave me and charged me for, was expired in Sept. of last year. They gave it to me in November and the expiration date listed on their label said it expired in 3 days. I noticed this when I ran out of syringes and checked the bill and was billed for 100 and ran out way too early. We had put them all in a bottle to dispose of and counted 68. Needless to say, I took the insulin back and spoke with another vet that was on duty. She said they were using a new dispensing system and that is why it wasn't caught. Then when the tech brought in the new bottle, she got snotty and said that you can use the insulin 6 months past expiration and walked out. I have a feeling she got chewed out before and chose to take it out on me.
I am going to try the glucose testing again this weekend when it is not so busy with company and see if I can get a reading and Gray-C will hold still. Thank you again for all your help. I have never posted on or read a blog before so all new as to proper listing, answering, titling, etc. I have learned so much just reading all the posts and get such encouragement from all the posts. Thanks again.

 

Beautiful Cat !

 

OK so it was vet day once I finally got Joey out her carrier (no small chore) the vet took some urine to double check the diagnosis
If she is indeed diabetic she goes on ProZinc
For the insulin 125.50
ProZinc care kit 45.55
Glucose curve 179
the meter 68.07
Fructosamine 124.78
I hope someone can help me out with the glucose curve and the fructamine I couldnt really understand what they were

 

If you are home testing there is no need for a glucose curve or fructosamine. Your home numbers recorded over time show a pattern that the on the spot tests just can’t show. Also most of us in this forum use a human meter which is much cheaper than the one your vet will sell you. The Prozinc kit is just u40 insulin syringes and a disposal container. You can look online and find both cheaper. I like ADW diabetes supply but there are other websites that sell discounted diabetes supplies. The syringes are very important - U40 0.3cc with half unit markings.

You have come to the right place. There is so much info and experience here!

 

ProZinc is $115 on chewy. ($109 if you set up an autoship)
Syringes are $13 for 100 on Adwdiabetes.com (u40, 3/10 with half unit markings)
Alphatrak starter kit is $51 on amazon. You can use freestyle insulinx strips in the meter to save money, but I keep alphatrak strips to compare and make sure each bottle is accurate. Insulinx strips are $37/100 on amazon.
Fructosamine test is ok to diagnose, don't need it again after that.
Curves only cost the price of test strips of you do it at home... Home tests are more accurate because the cat isn't as nervous. A curve is simple a blood glucose ear test every two hours for 12 hours. A fructosamine test is a blood test that gives the average bg for the past 2-3 week.