30/5 Alice AMPS 497

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=117976

Hello,

I am having real problems finding the right dose of insulin for Alice. She is needing less over time but seems to need so little at night that I am failing and giving zero in error as it is so hard to administer a little with these tiny amounts in a tiny syringe. For 2 nights now she has unhealthy highs by morning. Only a few nights ago I had to give glucose as she dropped a huge amount very early in cycle on about 0.1 units of Lantus (plunger just sitting below first line on syringe.

I took advice to reduce the day dose which I believe was correct as a couple of times BG was too low to shoot at night - & again high in the morning. I reduced from 0.75 to 0.5 and still seemed too much so reduced again but finding it hard to get consistent dose. I think I may need to give 0.1 again at night & stay up for chance of another low.

Really exhausted and finding this difficult to live with after 3 months now of very little sleep and constant monitoring during the day too. I'm wondering if a different insulin may be easier to control? I will put a new thread on main forum re LantusZI.

Any ideas, is there anything that I am clearly missing?

Thanks!
Julie

Good morning Julie,

Give me a couple minutes to go stare at her spreadsheet and see if a fresh pair of eyes can see what you're not. Just wanted to pop in quickly to let you know we're on it and your question isn't being ignored.

Mel and The Fur Gang

Well that was easier than I thought it would be. It's not the p.m. dose that's the problem it's the a.m. dose. If she was mine I would also drop her a.m. dose to the same .1/fat zero. With Lantus the dose your giving doesn't immediately effect the current cycle's bgs it is the dose in the previous cycle. Plus Lantus likes consistency.

So what's happening I think based on my experience with my own cats is her a.m dose is carrying over into her p.m. cycle dropping her too low which causes her body to go into self preservation mode throwing out stored sugars and the counterregulatory hormone glucon (sp?).

If you look at her spreadsheet she just about straight lines down. Ironically right now I have a foster girl that's doing the same thing as Alice. So with her since she's already on .1 as of this a.m. I'm taking her off and letting her show me what she can do on her own. You're more than welcome to follow my Cali as we try to solve the same dilemma. Her spreadsheet is in my signature.

But with Alice I would first try matching her a.m. and p.m. dose and see if that smooths her out for you.

Mel and The Fur Gang

Thanks Mel!

I had meanwhile spoken to the vet who saw Alice's SS. She more or less said the same as you except she suggested reducing morning dose to 0.5 & evening dose to 0.25. She suggested that the morning dose, was going into the night and it might be better to give the evening dose at about 13 & a quarter to 14 hours after the AM shot. Well at the usual 12 hours it was still too low to shoot so I waited to 14 hours which I think may have been too late as the BG was rising rapidly & continued after the shot as though she had had none again! So discouraging as I suspect it will be another red or black morning and she wasn't at all well this morning (vomited without food). I'll try her with less in the morning or earlier. I thought I had given her 0.1 units tonight (plunger sitting just under the first zero line) I daren't increase her night one just yet. I've had to give glucose once even with just 0.1! Its as though I've given her nothing again tonight! confused_cat

I looked at Cali's SS thankyou. She looks much more stable than Alice, I wouldn't dare not test Alice after the PM dose. I'm glad Cali is feeling more at home & comfy with you. Can't you keep her? :smile: I so love kitties, its upsetting to think she has to get used to someone else after finding a good home! I understand you are fostering of course. So sad how these lovely creatures suffer so.

Love to your fur gang!

Juliex

Well I do test at night at about +3 right as we're headed to bed just a lot of the time I forget to log it in the spreadsheet. Lol

If we kept Cali she'd be number 17!! And I'm only fostering while her owner is recovering from knee replacement surgery so she'll just be going back to her daddy that raised her for 14 yrs.

Mel and The Fur Gang

Wow Mel, that was a quick response - thanks!

I'm heartened to hear it - bless her! Glad she's loved :smile: You certainly are doing your bit for the feline fraternity! I'd just love to see them!

I feel like the whole thing is running ahead of me & I just can't get on top of it. It is so finely balanced & Alice is right out of balance thanks to her owner! I just get so anxious when I see it going wrong & feel that I am waiting for the next shot to try & put it right only to find that I miscalculate again! nailbite_smile Her low pre-shot numbers make it difficult as I have to then delay, causing more wonky numbers!

I hadn't twigged that her am shot was too high before so now I am at least aware that I need to get that right rather than the night one.

Thanks again

Juliex