When To Switch Insulins

Since I am still relatively new to all of this, I was just curious...at what point do you consider using a different insulin? :?:

My cat is now up to 4.0U twice a day, so 8.0U total of ProZinc. Even at that level, he doesn't seem to be 'controlled'. According to the Vet, they can't find anything else wrong with him medically except for the diabetes.

Overall, he looks and acts so much better than when he was first diagnosed and is physically stronger and has put on some weight, so from that standpoint I know that the insulin that he is getting is working.

He's on a strict feeding/snack schedule of Fancy Feast Classic (has no other sources of food). I'm using the same insulin, needles, dosing time schedule, etc. So, I'm doing everything the same day after day, yet his BG readings are all over the place. I don't know if I just give it more time and keep upping the dosage or consider switching to a different insulin :?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

I can't speak to exactly when it is time to change insulins with Prozinc as all I have ever used is the L's. But in both cases when I changed Musette and Autumn from Lantus to Levemir it was in Musette's case because Lantus was like shooting water, regardless of the dose she would dive and bounce, putting her on Levemir smoothed out her curve substantially, in Autumn's case her numbers were great on Lantus, her personality was not, she was tense, high strung, and down right dangerous to try to shoot. She felt the sting even at very low doses and wanted no part of it. She bite, growled and attack from across the room, switched her to Levemir and she became a happy, relaxed and loving girl.

Both Lantus and Levemir are depot insulins in that they build up under the skin so you have a longer carry over with them, and they can give you a longer duration with them. The downside is that you can't make dosing adjustments on the fly like you can with the P-insulins.

Mel and The Fur Gang

 

You were getting better BGs on 2.4 and 2.8 units. However, even with those you had a high PS.
I would try changing to Levemir when you run out of ProZinc since you may have a high-dose cat and Levemir stings less than Lantus which is important with high-does cats.

 

Thank you both for the above advice. I appreciate it. Very informative!