3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123; +5=99; PMPS=91

Hi,
Maggie's numbers have been great lately, some green. I have been using the one unit syringes and just trying to eyeball a .50 unit or skinny .50 unit. I have the half unit mark syringes from Hock.com, and wonder if I should be giving her just a .25 unit. Yesterday I dropped off Maggie's SS to the Vet and asked this question about decreasing her insulin, but did not get a return call. I get the feeling he isn't used to working with the Lantus. I know I need to spot check more in the evenings, but I am still using the Vet Alpha Trak meter strips, and they are so expensive. I put in an order six days ago, and they still haven't arrived (strips from Vet), so guess I will be buying a Relion at Walmart. It normally only takes two days once I put in an order with the Vet, so I wonder what's up! Do any others use the Alpha Trak meter? I was told by another Vet in the same hospital as my Vet that this meter gives more reliable readings.

Yesterday
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9855

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Morning Ann, don't have any dosing advice for you, but how long has she been on the current dose? I use the relion micro from walmart and I like it. The strips are pretty cheap ($21 for 50 strips), the meter itself was cheap too. I got it off of suggestions from this board. Hopefully someone will come along to help you with dosing advice!

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Good morning Ann.
Maggie's numbers have been great. :mrgreen:
Not sure if I missed something on the ss but why did you go from a 0.5 to a s0.5? Why do you think you should reduce to 0.25?

There are a couple of ways to earn reductions. A newly diagnosed cat (which Maggie is) needs to go below 50 or if you have 7 consecutive days with green ps's. Of course there are always exceptions to these rules.

I think I would stick with the Relion meter. The Alpha Trak might be good but as you now know you can only order the strips from your vet and they are expensive.

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Maggie's numbers have been great.
Not sure if I missed something on the ss but why did you go from a 0.5 to a s0.5? Why do you think you should reduce to 0.25?

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Hi Miriam,
Maggie has been on the .50 for a month. I was just thinking with her numbers being so good, she might be ready for a small reduction. Maggie was diagnosed January 4th of this year, and the Vet started her out on 2 units Lantus, and she went so low. He then reduced it to 1 unit and then back up to 1.5, so he had her dose hopping until I found this forum and learned it was not the way Lantus worked. I still wonder if he he understands; he may be used to the other insulins.

Hi Michelle,
Thanks; I've heard good things about the Relion. The Alpha Trak strips are almost $50.00 for only 50 strips.

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Maggie is doing so well which is why it is best to stick with the dose until the numbers inidicate she should be reduced. A few drops can make a big difference.
I would stick with the s0.5 and see how that goes. :smile:

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

I agree with Miriam. Dose reductions are earned by numbers dropping below 50 in a newly diagnosed kitty or, overall, numbers in the below 100 range for a week. Maggie hasn't really earned those reductions. I would stick with your current dose until Maggie earns the reduction.

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Okay, thanks much Miriam and Sienne. That makes a lot of sense. She is also feeling great and seems to have a lot of energy, especially early morning

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Morning Ann...I agree with Miriam and Sienne.
Oh, I use the Reli-on Micro too and love it! I don't mind spending the $22 for 50 strips instead of waiting for the order from Ebay or something (I used to use the Contour) Very convenient!
Can you find those test strips on EBay for the Alpha track? Still, they are super expensive.

The more testing one can do, the better the idea you get about the range of BGs. I realized early that if the strips were so expensive and I was putting off testing because of the price, it was defeating the purpose of testing in the first place. With the Reli-On, I test when I think I need to, not according to how many strips I have left. It's very liberating. :lol:

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Morning Ann...I agree with Miriam and Sienne.
Oh, I use the Reli-on Micro too and love it! I don't mind spending the $22 for 50 strips instead of waiting for the order from Ebay or something (I used to use the Contour) Very convenient!
Can you find those test strips on EBay for the Alpha track? Still, they are super expensive.

The more testing one can do, the better the idea you get about the range of BGs. I realized early that if the strips were so expensive and I was putting off testing because of the price, it was defeating the purpose of testing in the first place. With the Reli-On, I test when I think I need to, not according to how many strips I have left. It's very liberating.

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Thanks Pat. I would not mind spending $22 at all for 50 strips in comparison to paying more than double for the Vet strips. The other day I saw a Reli-on Micro at Walmart and very inexpensive. There is another Reli-on meter, and I'm not sure the difference. I didn't think to try EBay for the Alpha Trak; good idea!

I'm curious; do most of you work with your Vet and show your Vets the SS or let them know how your kitties are doing, or are most of you on your own?

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Good morning Ann
I use the Contour meter and buy my test strips using buy-it-now option on eBay. Sometimes even find one that will accept a *Best Offer* -- I just orderdered 100 strips for $39 (shipping included). I also bought a ReLion meter -- what I particularly like about those strips are that they are individually foil wrapped -- so they truly ARE usable as a backup (in the event I cannot find Contour strips for less than I would be paying for the ReLion strips). However, I wouldn't suggest meter-hopping back and forth either.
As for my OLD vet -- he was totally against the idea of hometesting -- in fact, he kinda made me feel like I was an idiot for using a *human* meter on a *cat*. But from all the ppl here that use them (and quite successfully)and from reading University of Queensland dosing protocol for cats I felt confident enough to continue the hometesting and begin "vet-shopping" for one that was willing to support me with hometesting -- in fact, that was the very first question I asked when I began calling around. I am so glad that I did -- I have given my NEW vet the link to KiKi's SS so she has real time access to how he is doing. Less explaining I would need to do over the phone (if a problem should arise).
I certainly don't have any dosing advice for you -- accept "go slow and have patience" :roll: I seem to be having a particularly hard time with that one myself :lol:
Anyhow, I just thought I'd throw my 2 cents out there . . . . good luck with Maggie - blue is pretty too :mrgreen:

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Hi Donna,
Thanks for the info on meters. That is a real deal with paying only $39 online for the strips. Yes, that is the impression I get from most here is that the Vets just do not want the Owners home testing. It sure does not make any sense to take a kitty in once a week for a glucose reading when the pet will be so stressed it won't be a true reading anyway! Thanks for that link also. I have it in the back of my mind to look for another Vet that would be more pro home testing.

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Ann , I will tell you about working with my vet.
When Putty was first dx the vet wanted to start him on 2.0 units of Lantus 2x a day. I had been lurking here for a few days before he was dx because I had an idea from researching his symptoms that he had FD. I thought the dose was high so I went with 1.0u which was recommended here.
My vet was all for hometesting. I did not really like the vet I went to so I switched vets within the same practice and I love her.
Once I found this site I never once asked the vet for dosing advice. Putty was only on insulin for 24 days the first time. When he did have to go to the vet I brought my ss just to show her what I did. She was very impressed and said that I probably know more about treating FD than she does....but she was willing to learn from me.
When Putty needed insulin again I was afraid to ask the vet for a script because she said she would not put a cat on insulin if the numbers were under 250. Putty's was only 180. I thought I would have to grovel but when I called she said that since I was so attentive to Putty's diabetes and tested on my own she was fine with giving insulin.
When I take him to the vets she asks me how his numbers are and what dose he is on. I am in charge of all of Putty's diabetic needs and she is in charge of the rest of his health.
I would not have it any other way. She does not live with Putty , she does not test him, or give him shots. She has no idea what he is like on a daily basis like I do. We have a great relationship.
It is your call how much you want to have your vet involved. Some vets will not treat unless they have the dosing power. Others are willing to learn from you and let you call the shots. In the end Maggie is your cat. cat_pet_icon

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Howdy!

I'm just gonna throw a few things out here.

First of all the Alpha Trak isn't "more rialable" than any other meter (there is variablility in all of them) it is basically the same as the human meter just "calibrated" for either cats or dogs. I have even heard that the strips from a freestyle meter (same manufacturer-Abbott) will work in the Alpha Trak. It is more expensive and as you have experienced more difficult to obtain strips for. I have heard of people ording them from Amazon, they do ship pretty quick and maybe cost a little less.

If you check out the link Donna gave below and read through the protocol you will see that there is a provision made for dosing on cats who are measured with an "animal" meter. Basically the Alpha Trak measures a bit higher or better said a human meter tends to underestimate the BG in cats, so while we feel comfortable letting our cat go below 50 to earn a decrease on a Relion meter, when using the Alpha Trak you can earn a reduction by going below 70 (the truth is that in reality if we could measure the absolute TRUE BG of the cat at those numbers it would probably be around 60-65) which is slightly below the "normal range" for mammals of 70-120 mg/dl and therefore considered "low" BG or very mild hypoglycemia.

As for your dose I'm to lazy to look at a SS right now but if you are getting lots of good numbers (70-100 range) on your AT meter at the current dose then you should continue on that dose until
#1 the cat goes below 70 (AT) or below 50 should you start using the Relion or other
#2 a small reduction can be attempted when the cat has 10 days or more mostly in the "normal" range.

As the saying goes if it's working don't change it!

Re: 3/23 Ann & Maggie11 AMPS=123 QUESTION

Thanks Miriam for the info on Vets. I'm glad you found one you can work with and who values your home testing. She's a keeper. It's so amazing the Vets we trust do not knoe enough about the insulin they prescribe, but as someone said before, they only get a little training in this one area.

Thanks Monique for the info on meters and ordering the strips from Amazon and the differences in meters. I may just get the Reli-on meter as many here seem to use it, too. Yes, I agree about Maggie's dosing. If it's working, why fix it or change it. Thanks much.