WAIT WHAT!?!--- Buttons - 7/8

So my baby had a VERY good day yesterday which made a very happy momma!

I woke up this morning, took her sugars and THEY WERE AT 5.9 (106) :shock: I dont even know what to say! I'm trying not to get my hopes up over it, but I cant help the smile on my face. Though theres a part of panic in me because Ive never experienced this. I obviously didnt shot this morning, and will be testing her through out the day. Does this indicate her pancreas is kicking in? *crosses fingers*

 

That's great! Is all dry food gone now?

Next time you get a low number like that, test again in 30-60 minutes and see if she is rising. You can probably then shoot some insulin so that she is not really high by the next shot. Even half a dose would help stop her from shooting up really high.

I need to look at her SS to give more specific suggestions, but don't have time right now.

 

I realize that ProZinc and Lev respond completely different from one another, but when I first met w/ one of my vets following Grayson's dance marathons on ProZinc, I told her I wasn't comfortable shooting the low numbers he was getting (the first 5 weeks). She looked at his spreadsheet and said some of them would/could have been shootable, due to the level the BG is by the time the insulin kicks in. Given Lev has a longer period before onset, that might mean the same here.

I'm still guarded - and even asked for help last week when he was lower than I'd ever shot before... But even with the full dose, it seemed to work okay. But I was biting my lip the whole time I was pushing in the syringe!!!

On PZI, we could change up the dose, or let them ride longer, cuz the insulin is completely gone after 10-12 hours. But even then, I had a "NO SHOOT NUMBER" of 250... not that I ever saw it! ;-) Do newer people on Lev do the same or something similar?

Again, Acros are a whole different kettle of fish, but when I see these guzzlers with blues getting shot large doses, I'm still panic-stricken! I remember being totally freaked out shooting 6 units into a high red...!!!

 

Lev is designed to be shot consistently and the overlap "built up" so that, hopefully the numbers stay down - meaning there is never "no" insulin on board. But you need to find the balance - the right dose -that keeps the numbers from going too high, bouncing really high, or dropping too low.

A lot (most?) people can shoot low to stay low, but that takes data to be comfortable with. I used to reduce the dose on low PSs because I could NOT shoot low to stay low with Beau (he plummeted). I tried shooting Jeddie low to stay low and it caused bounces, so I backed off the dose a bit. I would not shoot at all on a 60, would reduce below 140-150, and shoot the full dose above that. With Beau I had to have a do not shoot number but he was headed OTJ.

Bottom line, don't do something you are not comfortable with, but do "push" the envelope when you can be there to monitor and gather data. The data will tell you if it is safe to shoot or you need to reduce the dose some.

 

That's very well put Sheila!

Wow Victoria, it looks like Buttons really likes Levemir - so good for you two

 

There are good numbers and there are GREAT numbers and Buttons had a GREAT one!

I, too, would panic if I saw Sneakers go that low :lol: . Hopefully the lev is working on her and doing good.

 

Thank you both! Yes, Levemir seems to go well with my baby, better then the Caninsulin for sure.

We didnt have a good day yesterday, but that was all mommas fault. 2 fur shots in a row, yikes! But we're getting back on the right track again. I'm always hoping to wake up to a number like that again!

 

What makes you think they were fur shots? Those higher numbers could be a combo of a rebound bounce from the 5.9 (which could have been lower between that test and the +5 before it) and skipping a shot. It's going to take a few days to regain momentum after that.

FYI, she probably didn't go too low during the time period I mentioned, just low enough to cause a little rebound response maybe.

 

Of all the times I THOUGHT I had shot a fur shot, there's only ONE that I knew for certain! It was on him, on the table, on my hands... I know everyone freaked when I shot more, but if my dose was 6, and I was convinced 4 came out on him/me/table, and then I shot 2,... it worked out. I know I was lucky... but that's the only definitive "fur shot" I've done - no question about it.

Now, knowing about the resistance, and how sometimes you just get numbers that make no sense at all, I realize it could've just been the Acro or the resistance all along - and not a fur shot at all. Fortunately I wasn't completely convinced at the times, so I didn't even consider doing a re-shoot.

Sometimes it may be other things influencing the numbers.... at least in my case, that was it.

Hopefully the good numbers are here to stay, and there won't be many more fur shots in Buttons' future!

 

I had actually never thought about rebound. Thank you for mentioning that. Usually I can tell when I get it in, because you feel it, but those two times I didnt. I know its not something great to base off of.

Maybe i havent had as many fur shots as I thought either. There were two times where it got all over me, and I was like WHAAAAT?

MMM, thank you both. Its now got me thinking!

 

I wish they could tell us - "hey, that didn't all go in", but so far, Grayson's not talking!

Because I was having difficulty with "in & out" needle shots, I use the shorter needles (which help me tremendously!). I also have shaved two little patches on his shoulders where I give most of the shots. I've tried other places. The hip worked well after we had trimmed a mat of hair early on, but the inner thigh was a bust - on multiple occasions. The 1" patch allows me to see when I tent that the needle has gone all the way in. It also provides a surface that's easy to see should any get on him. It's made it much less stressful for me, although some people may not appreciate his haircut. My dad's answer to that, would've been "the difference between a bad haircut and a good haircut - about 2 weeks!" :lol: :lol: Grayson reminds me that his belly fur STILL hasn't grown completely in from his ultrasound in mid-May! (but he's not sporting his "bikini bod" any longer either!).