8/30 River AMPS:446 +2:382 +7:347 +10:351 Too darn high

Yesterday

6:30 446 (24.8)
6:30 3.5u Lantus*
8:30 382 (21.1)
1:30 347 (19.1)
4:30 351 (19.5) bah

* Increased .5u this morning.

Off to a high start. Gave 2 lysine chews before bed, so maybe that's why. Increased the dose to 3.5. He still seems a bit congested. I can't tell whether it's the upper respiratory problem or his lungs, so I'll treat both.
Last night he got up at 4, then 5, and was yowling downstairs like an Italian tenor (assuming they yowl). He also peed on the kitchen floor, which Italian tenors don't do. The litter box was kicked up quite a bit, so I think there was an issue.

Ugh! Work that extra juice River please. My Neko is less accurate on the LB if she is high. Paws crossed he'll get better as he comes down. Looks like River might be experiencing a bit of NDW or New Dose Wonkiness.

I get l-Lysine capsules from Shoppers Drug Mart. Their store brand is OK for diabetics and I just open the capsules and add to food. Some kitties here have used Allerplex to help with allergies that were causing lung problems. Rusty (Ella) is one example.

I'd check the ingredients in the chews. Usually, any soft chew has corn syrup or some form of sugar in it.

It looks like you lowered the dose this evening? I'm hoping that the 3.0u on your SS is a typo.

Also, River's nadirs have largely been below 300. Based on the TR protocol, you would increase by 0.25u, not 0.5u.

Hi Wendy and Sienne,

Wendy, thanks for the NDW info, and your good wishes. He was going lower for a couple of days, and then went high and got congested. Right before dinner he threw up some dark yellowish mucus. I wonder what's going on. I gave him half a Cerenia with dinner. Maybe I should start giving Pepcid in the morning for a while. And thank you for the Shopper's (Pharmaprix here) tip. I have Sisu, but nobody likes the powder. I'll have to get tablets again.

Sienne, yesterday Marje mentioned that the chew have maltodextrin in them, so he's not going to get them anymore. The 3 is a typo. I gave him 3.5. I'd like to increase to 3.25 but in the last year my eyes have had a lot of problems that I can't yet resolve. I can see the marks on the syringe, but I have a very hard time trying to focus my eyes on the halfway mark. I know people would say, "Just find the mark in between." I can't focus my eyes properly anymore, so it's very difficult for me. I hope the half unit isn't a problem.

Lara, a number of us have all sorts of lighting and magnifying tricks for getting the .25 units. I use an overhead light and the syringe against a white background, with a magnifying glass. Some people use headband magnifier/light combos. The other trick some people use is a digital caliper. Here is an example of a caliper that some people use. I started using one this year. My DH bought me a different one at his tool/hardware store and you can also get them at Canadian Tire. With that and the magnifying glass, I can measure up to .125 units consistently. The BD syringes are also not the most consistently marked and that makes a difference at smaller doses.

I notice a difference with Neko and .125 unit changes at the smaller doses. The .25 unit change really is important to safely do increases.

This is so helpful. I'll look into all of these. I figure I can't be the only one who misses the sharp eyes of their 20s! ;-)

Now that I have increased him a half unit, should I hold this, and then in future I can, I hope, adjust by quarter units?

Hi Picknick,
Have you considered getting digital calipers and learning how to use them. You can ignore the lines entirely once you get skilled with calipers. See the following: Marje's explanation of using calipers (with photographs): http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=79851&hilit=calipers; a link to the Harbor Freight digital calipers that many of us use:http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-digital-caliper-47256.html.

Rusty has chronic lung congestion. Marje suggested that I try him on Allerplex and his breathing/congestion is greatly improved:
https://www.standardprocess.com/Sta...brary/Product-Detail-Sheets/allerplex0975.pdf

Good luck. It really is important to increase/decrease the dose by the proper amount. It is the only truly safe way to do it. Perhaps get a lighted magnifying glass or a loupe. Also, good lighting helps. I use a camping headlamp so that I have both hands free.

Enjoy the holiday weekend,

Ella & Rusty

(((Lara & River)))
Sorry for the high numbers, but I'm sure you'll see the results of dosecrease in no time.
Hear that, River?

Pepcid works pretty well for Lucy.
I only give it to her when she vomits on empty stomach like early morning because I assume that's stomach acid causing it.
She hates the pilling but feels much better about 30 minutes later.
You probably already know this but (just in case :smile: ) the dose is 1/4 of 10mg Pepcid AC.

Good luck with measuring quarter unit.
If you don't get a reply to your dosing question you posted earlier, maybe send a PM to Sienne?

Hey, I also increased Lucy's dose tonight!

Thank you so much for the replies - your help is a lifeline to me and the many others who are helped by your kindness!
* Mariko
* Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)
* Wendy&Neko
* Sienne

I was reading the ingredients for Allerplex, and saw a lot of cow-derived ingredients (bovine lung PMG™ extract, bovine adrenal PMG™ extract, bovine liver fat extract (Yakriton), bovine bone, bovine kidney, veal bone), and thought that's too bad for River, as he has a bad reaction to beef...then the little lightbulb went off :idea: that recently he's been eating food with beef gelatin in it, and this is probably why he now suddenly has vomited mucus, and is congested and has a high BG. So I've posted a separate question about it, as now I'm worried about having increased his insulin dose.

Mariko, I saw your dose increase in Lucy's condo. I hope she does well with it, as the last couple of days have been rough on her. Thank you about the Pepcid advice. Yes, the 1/4 is what I give. Fortunately River will happily eat it if I wrap it in some pate.

Ella, thank you for the info about the calipers. I didn't know about these, and they're going to make my life easier, I think. I love Marje's explanation. I'll too afraid of botching the dosage otherwise, as my eyes have gotten really funny since last spring. I hope you enjoy the holiday weekend too!

Wendy, thanks so much for your repeated help today. A trip to Canadian Tire is in order! I'm going to try your setup of an overhead light, white background and magnifier.

Sienne, thank you again for the dosage advice, and warning about the chews.

I hope everyone's weekend is off to a good start,

Lara