Wynken, controlled portions- still hi, tho.

Well, I thought I'd start a new thread for Wynk. I was really hoping that with these four days off, at home with him, I would be able to get a handle on his blood sugar at the dosages that Sue had recommended.

Since joining the group earlier this month, I have made several changes… Including always checking the pre-shot glucose, and feeding him even lower carb wet food than I was previously! Finally, I have gotten his portion size under control. I keep track in the comments of exactly what I feed him and for the last few days I have also kept track of the exact amount that he has been fed. I am weighing it on a small digital kitchen scale, and he and Blynken are eating every meal separately. He is definitely eating less food than he was, previously.

I am sad that there are cycles where he just doesn't seem to "get" the insulin.... And yet there are cycles were his blood sugar drops nicely. So...??? Now what?

I have been incredibly careful for the last 10 cycles or so, to ensure that the insulin is gently mixed and that the dose is exactly measured... (Always have been, really...). He has new injection sites that have been shaved and I am 100% certain that I am injecting under the skin, and that none of the shots have been fur shots. I woke up last night to see if I could catch his nadir, but he was high....

He is spending far too much of his life in the pink. What else can I do?

 

Hi Cara - You are doing a fantastic job - look back on the past few weeks and think about how much progress you have made in his treatment plan. I think the most important thing to consider is that this is a marathon, and not a sprint. Sue and others will help out with your dose and you will get there - really. Also, Wynken seems like a happy kitty who enjoys life and that is also important. Don't despair - there has been some recent evidence that cats do handle higher sugars better than other species, but even disregarding that, you are getting there. It just takes a while sometimes- we all wish our kitties went into remission quickly like so many on the forum seem to do, but we just have to keep plugging away -
How old is your insulin?

 

Thanks for the encouragement Carol! I am of course glad that Wynk feels good and really seems to not have any complicating issues.

I wondered back near the end of October if his insulin vial was old... It had been opened in summer, although I had a diabetic foster kitty at the time and we were using insulin much faster.... So I bought a new vial and opened it on 10/29. That's the vial we are using now.

Also, although I would LOVE remission, I would totally settle for better regulation.

 

Oh, I hear you on that sentiment - me too (settling for better regulation)!!

 

I agree that his cycles are puzzling, Cara. Every so often we do see a kitty whose bounce is the next cycle the next day. I don't know if Wynken fits that pattern, but if so, the encouraging news is that he should eventually flatten out. I'm with Carol, there are fewer reds on that SS and some nice blues.

 

Hmm ... Cara, if he stays high and flat this cycle, you might want to try reducing the dose again - and then holding that dose for at least 3 cycles.
As he could possibly be one of those kitties who overreacts to dose changes (I know my cat is one of those), just like there are some cats who are extremely carb sensitive. (ECID, that's for sure!) You're doing a fantastic job on the portion control, so all I can tell you is to try to keep those patience pants on (yep, we all hate wearing them) and hang in there.

 

Keep in mind that aside from the cutoff at the low end, those color ranges are only there so you can see large range changes.
Take a look at the Secondary Monitorng Tools in my signature link - he is more than a glucose number!
Is he playing? Purring? Preening/grooming himself?
Is he eating, drinking, peeing, and pooping normally? Is he dehydrated?
Have you detected ketones or glucose in his urine?

 

Umm... Ok so he's lower than he normally would be at +5. Probably because I fed an especially low carb breakfast today (Tiki and NVI duck, like I did on the 24th). Plus I shot for 350+ since he was all but there. I did this because I would be home all day.

Robin, I have the steering directions you gave me a couple days ago... Maybe I won't need them, but it's sure peace of mind. Thanks.

BJM - he is feeling ok, other than perhaps sleeping a lot ... Although maybe he does a ton of that when I'm at work, and I just notice more on my days off. I have no other concerns for his health - he DOES need to lose weight, but with Robin's portion control suggestions, we will get there...

Good news too... as of yesterday, Blynken is now eating ALL her (lonelier) food! She seems happy. I guess she just needed to get used to him not being right there.

 

Well, that's a nice surprise. Maybe he had a food spike or a wonky test. If he gets to 80, then a tablespoon of regular food and a test in 20 minutes. If he continues to drop, a tablespoon of the gravy off higher carb food. If he drops below 68 or so, maybe some honey rubbed on his gums or in the gravy.

The trick is to steer the curve, keeping him in nice numbers with a little regular food while ready to add a little something more if he dips low. Just a little food at a time, to keep him eating if you need him to. Reserve the higher carb if he dips low.

Now that I have explained that, you most likely won't need it. It would be lovely to have him surf along in the blues for awhile.

 

Sue, it WAS a surprise, and I had a good food all picked out to steer him with... Weruva chicken frickazee... At 2% carb....

But then I got to thinking about BJM's secondary monitoring tools... Which I had read before, but just RE-read. He is such a sleepy boy mid day(so is Blynk - they were SNOOZIN' at +5 check. So before his +6 check I got a wand toy and we just played hard for about 10 minutes. She is electrifying and spry and acrobatic and a complete spazz, but he played hard too and chased the mouse and jumped in the air and up on hi bench and ran tho the top of the tall cat tree after the mousie.... (He really does need to lose a pound or so!).

So I am thinking the whole time we are creating sugar demand.... And sure enuf at +6 he's up to 270. No food required. (Good, yes?) I feel good about this, I think. It was a good solution, today. ALSO, I won't dose him so high when I can't be here this coming week ( actually I should not have given 2.4u this morning, as he was not over 350...).

So not sure what to think and will re checking him today... Thoughts?

 

Perfect! Not only using up calories but increasing his levels without adding calories!

 

Nicely done! Plus the playing will help him lose the extra bit of weight.

 

Woo-hoo! Nice yellow AMPS ... GO, WYNKEN!!!

 

Thanks, Robin! Recently I've even taken the 4% carb Wellness out, and he's getting only 0 to 2% carb foods. Tiki, Weruva chicken flavors and the Nature's Variety Instinct. Will try to keep the dose more constant...

Meanwhile, as periodically happens in my geriatric feline nursing home, another kitty has taken front seat. My 15 year old grey boy Nokah was taken in for a dental today and they just called me at work and said he has a heart arrhythmia so they can't put him under, but he also has an abdominal mass... They are going to X-ray and do blood work. I am so sad about this!!! Will go get him tonite... Poor baby. He's been feeling and eating fine. I really just thought he needed teeth done.

 

Awww ... I'm so sorry to hear that Nokah is having health problems. I know how that feels: You take them in for one thing, and find out there's something worse going on. Please let us know what you find out later today, ok?

 

Sorry about that news, Cara. Yes, please let us know

 

Sorry to hear about Nokah, Cara. I hope it isn't an immediate issue.

Nice news for Wynken this morning.

 

Sue, Carol and Robin.... Thanks for your concern about Nokah. I brought him home tonight, and he seems fine (other than the shaved tummy for the ultrasound). Of course he did not get his dental... Darn it. Tomorrow we will get all the labs, ECG, X-ray and ultrasound results. Praying it isn't as bad as I'm imagining right now...

Meanwhile, Wynk is great, and has lost 1.5 ounces. LOL. I am going to try to post a Before Dinner weight for him about once per week.

I may not post much this next week or so (though I will keep his SS up to date -WHAT a great tool!! I think I have a solid game-plan with him, thanks to EVERYONE here at FDMB. You all ALL Angels.

 

Sending healing vines for Nokah!

 

Thank you,Rachel! Took this pic of Noke tonight. I have known Nokah since he was just a few weeks old (1999, I think)

 

What a beautiful shade of charcoal he is ... what a handsome boy!

 

Is he a Russian Blue? He looks like my Niko (my avaitor)

 

Thank you both! Nokah was born to a semi feral calico mother in 1998, and his only litter mate was a tuxedo boy. So he's just a mutt, but he is a precious and sensitive soul. His mother, Tillie died at almost 20 years old in Nov 2014. She was an absolute angel, and I am so glad I saved her and Noke all those years ago. Some schmuck in our neighborhood at that time asked if I was feeding her and then said "she keeps having litters under the front porch!" When I asked how many, he said "oh three or four times!" Dear god. Do I think she was 3...maybe older? So, I spayed her as soon as I claimed her (immediately!) and kept her the rest of her life. I miss her so much!

 

He does look like Niko! He's s little sad tonight and reserved around me... Maybe tomorrow he will have forgiven me! I do not want to face losing him!!!