Info Who 'ya gonna call? Myth-busters!

WHO 'YA GONNA CALL?
GHOST MYTH-BUSTERS!




This is a living document.
More myths will be added if needed. If you know of more,
please add them in response to this post.

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Myth #1: "Lantus, Levemir, & Biosimilars require consistent dosing with the same dose every 12 hours. Sliding scales will not work."

• True: Lantus, Levemir, and their Biosimilars require consistent dosing with the same dose every 12 hours when following the dosing methods used on the FDMB.
  • Glargine and detemir are commonly known as 'depot insulins'. We chose to present the 'Start Low, Go Slow Method with Lantus, Levemir, or Biosimilars for Diabetic Cats (SLGS)' and the 'Tight Regulation Protocol with Lantus or Levemir for Diabetic Cats' because we thought it simply made good sense to incorporate the use of the depot when dosing our cats.
  • We chose to focus on these two dosing methods because given the nature of these insulins, the methods made sense for both cats and caregivers. The guidelines found in each of these methods are not intended to portray the only way one can dose glargine or detemir. Instead, they suggest how to best use Lantus, Levemir, or Biosimilars when practicing either of these two methods.
• False: Using a sliding scale when dosing Lantus, Levemir, or Biosimilars is simply another method available to tightly regulate your cat. It has been successful elsewhere on the Internet, but it's usually harder on the caregiver, initially requiring dosing after 8 or 10 hours (round the clock). It can be a rough schedule to follow given other commitments in a caregiver's life.

Myth #2: "It takes too long for dry food to break down to raise kitty's numbers." - (when you're trying to prevent kitty's blood glucose from going too low)

• False: Until there was a wide acceptance of TR in the group, we often used a high carb dry food to raise BG numbers. Dry food is a part of the hypo toolbox and hypo instructions for a reason. In my early days on the FDMB, I remember being told to keep a small amount of dry food in a container in the freezer (to prevent mold and mildew) for emergencies.
  • It usually takes about the same amount of time for dry food to increase BG numbers as canned HC (20 - 30 minutes to see the full effect, but ECID).
  • However, it does take longer for dry food to clear kitty's system. This is obviously not desired if one is following a tight regulation protocol, but don't discount its use if you're in a pinch!

Myth #3: "Opened Lantus pens/cartridges will last longer than an opened vial of Lantus."

• Not necessarily: Contrary to what we initially thought, more and more Lantus users have reported using a vial to the last drop without losing efficacy.
  • Lantus is NOT as fragile as we once thought.
  • Refrigeration and minimizing movement could help your insulin last longer whether using a cartridge, pen, or vial, BUT don't freak out if you drop your insulin or accidentally leave it out on the counter overnight. Chances are the insulin is just fine!
  • That said, your mileage may vary.

Myth #4: "Rule 999 - Do not feed/always pick up food 2 hours prior to shot time."

• True & False:
  • Initially, withhold food the two hours prior to shot time so kitty's preshot number is not artificially inflated from food.
  • However, once you have a good idea of how much of a bump your cat gets from a typical meal fed at shot time, it's no longer necessary to withhold food for 2 hours. You'll already have a good idea of how much food influences the preshot numbers and you can take it into consideration when dosing. Those +1 and +2 spot checks that most don't think are important will tell you what you need to know.

 

Bum-pa-licious!

 

Bumpity bump....

 

Bump

 

Bump... Always worth reminding ourselves of these things...

 

What does bump mean?

 

To move the thread up to the top people write bump. It’s to call attention to the thread.

 

Bump

 

interesting

 

Thanks for posting. Can this be pinned to the top of the forum like the other "info" posts?