? 5 Aug - Gremlin - possibly out of remission...

Discussion in 'Honeymooners / OTJ' started by Laura and Gremlin (GA), Aug 4, 2016.

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  1. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    Hello all!

    It's been a while since I've posted here but I'm needing some advice please.

    After seven months in remission, Gremlin has started giving me high numbers.

    Please see his spreadsheet for number details and here is the rest of the story...

    While he always continued to drink a lot of water and wee more, it seems to have become worse the last couple of weeks. This week he has been more vocal and clingy to the point of driving me crazy! Other than that, his behavior has not changed at all. He seems to have lost a tiny bit of weight. He got into the civvies treats two days ago:mad:

    Yesterday and today he has been above 300. How long should I continue to test him before accepting he's out of remission and taking him to the vet? I can't afford it at the moment and I need to find a new vet after the last one was insensitive and withheld insulin.

    I've posted on the Facebook page but I need more specific advice on what to do now, so here I am. I thank you in advance for your help!

    Laura and Gremlin
     
  2. rhiannon and shadow (GA)

    rhiannon and shadow (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Jul 9, 2012
    drat.... you are down under.... far far away.
    I have 3 newish vials of lantus to give away.

    I would take numbers in the pinks as he is out of remission..... and the sooner you get him back on the program.....
    the better his chances of another remission.

    It sounds like you definitely need to find a new vet....
    Do you have more than one choice?

    How are his teeth?
     
  3. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    I do have choices in vets but very little money to find a good one.

    Shame postage would be expensive and take ages :( Thank you anyway.

    As far as I can tell his teeth are okay but I'll need to have them checked too.
     
  4. Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey

    Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2011
    It looks like his numbers went up sometime between the 18th of June and the 4th of July, and he quite possibly has been in the 300s since then. Did anything happen in that time frame that could have knocked him out of remission, like an illness, infection, a kibble raid (I think the damage was already done when he got in the civvie's treats two days ago), traumatic event? When was his last dental?

    Do you have any insulin left from before he went OTJ? The sooner he is started on it, the better.

    I think you should go ahead and start posting on the L&L page to get more eyes on you.
     
  5. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    Nothing has happened in the last six weeks to set him off. Nothing at all! And he's only started showing symptoms in the last week, no more. The treat raid was two days ago, he occasionally gets into the civvies dry food but he always has, even during his otj trial. It's pretty rare and he never gets much, the treats two days ago was the worst.

    Sorry, I need to change that date on the speadsheet, it should be 4th of August, not 4th of July. I'll fix it now. He hasn't been tested between yesterday and 18th of June.

    Not sure what his teeth are like. He's not showing any discomfort and doesn't have stinky breath.

    I dont have any insulin left because, as stated above, the vet was not supportive and in the end withheld insulin and forced Grem into early remission. I was able to get a small amout of insulin from a lady on here who lives just under an hour drive away, that prolonged it slightly but it was still sooner than I wanted.
     
  6. Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey

    Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey Well-Known Member

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    Jul 18, 2011
    I do remember your having issues with your vet. I remember being incensed at the lack of compassion and understanding.

    Well the first step would be to take him to another vet for bloodwork and have his mouth checked to rule out issues there. If that isn't financially possible right now, I'd say you need to see if you can find someone to get you some insulin. Let's get some more eyes on this on the L&L page and see if we can get some help.
     
  7. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2015
    Hi Laura,
    I am sorry it looks like Gremlin is going OTJ.
    I will tag a couple of people here whose cats have gone OTJ. Maybe they have some left over insulin.
    @sarahtee @Tara & Ivana
     
  8. sarahtee

    sarahtee Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2015
    Hi Laura,

    I'm sorry that Gremlin appears to have gone out of remission. Unfortunately the Lantus we had for Max went out of date and I gave it back to our vet for disposal when Milly was PTS in June :(
     
  9. Tara & Ivana (GA)

    Tara & Ivana (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Aug 20, 2015
    Thanks for the tag Bron, I saw Laura's post on FB this morning. In a case of awful timing, I donated Ivana's almost full cartridge of Lantus to our vet just last week :( But I have already offered Laura a box of needles if needed (it's not saving much but at least that's a bit more to go towards the vet cost). Paws crossed for the Grem-Meister.
     
  10. Sienne and Gabby (GA)

    Sienne and Gabby (GA) Senior Member Moderator

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    Dec 28, 2009
    My first thought is teeth. Gremlin doesn't need to be in pain to need a dental. Tartar can cause inflammation and have an effect on numbers. For any cat that has a sudden shift in numbers and drops out of remission, a good first step is a vet visit to rule out anything medical or dental.

    Would your vet pay any attention if you gave him the TR protocol that was developed at University of Queensland?
     
  11. carfurby (GA)

    carfurby (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2012
    I'm sorry Laura. It sounds like Gremlin needs to be seen by a vet to rule out any health issues. Is there any chance he has a UTI? I hope you can find a way to get him checked and get insulin if needed. Sending prayers. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
     
  12. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    Thank you so much for your responses and effort!!!

    I will try to get him to a vetas soon as possible to check for UTI and dental. I hope it's not dental as I definitely can't afford treatment.

    Will he have to go back on insulin no matter what the results? I will test him again tomorrow.

    @Sienne and Gabby (GA) I gave the vet a copy of the TR protocol and said that I have to follow the protocol she uses, no ifs or buts. Then refused to give me more insulin to wean him off slowly. I tried all I could with her and I won't be returning. I have to start again somewhere else.
     
  13. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 21, 2015
    If it is a UTI or dental the blood sugars might go back to normal after treatment. No guarantee though.
    The sooner you can get him seen and assessed and if necessary treated or back on insulin, the better it will be for him....if you can manage it financially.
     
  14. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    His BGL is still high. I'll see if I can get him into a new vet tomorrow morning. I might just have to skip paying my loan. I can only do that twice though. Then I'll be borrowing money if I need it for treatment. See what happens in the morning.
    Thanks Bron. I'm determined to look after my baby! I've only just lost his sister, I'm not ready to lose him too.
     
  15. Mandarin'sMom

    Mandarin'sMom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2014
    So sorry that Gremlin's numbers have come up so much! :bighug::bighug::bighug: I am going through the same thing with Mandarin at the moment. I had originally suspected that his higher numbers were a reaction to the kitten food that he got into, but it turns out that he had a badly infected mouth. I never suspected anything. No odor, no visible problems such as drooling and he certainly didn't seem to be in any pain. He ended up having 5 teeth pulled, three of them were already fractured.

    And I don't know what the system is like in Australia, but I would definitely call a few vets and get some ideas on pricing. When I lived in Germany, I was able to take my rabbit to our teaching vet hospital to get him neutered. They gave huge discounts for common procedures. In the US, that system doesn't exist, but our vets in town vary dramatically with regard to their pricing. A friend recently found a kitten who needed a leg amputated and estimates for the procedures ranged from $800 to $2,100.

    Sending lots of vines your way!
     
  16. Tara & Ivana (GA)

    Tara & Ivana (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Aug 20, 2015
    Best of luck for Grem's vet visit, hope it goes smoothly and doesn't cost the earth. If it's any help, my vet has a sign up for Vet Pay, which is some sort of thing where you pay off the bill over time. I've never used it to know if it's any good, but it may be an option for you.
     
  17. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    Thank you!

    I'll be back to let you know how he goes.
     
    Tara & Ivana (GA) likes this.
  18. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    Vet has prescribed insulin. She's more than happy to look at the TRP and support me. Urine test Monday morning to test for UTI, etc. Dental in a couple of weeks as his teeth are not good. I don't know how I'm going to pay for all of this. I'm trying so hard not to cry.
     
  19. rhiannon and shadow (GA)

    rhiannon and shadow (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Jul 9, 2012
    I'm so glad you have a prescription. I didn't think I could get away with mailing you some even mislabeled for customs.....
    it does have a distinct smell and they do use sniff detection; plus too long in transit.

    we do indeed make huge sacrifices for our very special babies.....
    :bighug::bighug:
     
  20. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    I'm not sure if I should start insulin tonight or wait until tomorrow morning. I won't be home most of tonight and I think I need to be home to monitor him the first two shots at least. Unfortunately I have work Monday and Tuesday.
     
  21. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 21, 2015
    Sounds like you have found a good vet who will listen to you! That is great.
    How much insulin are you starting him on?
    Hope you can sort it all out financially.
    Please let us know how it all goes.
     
  22. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    Starting him on 2 units again as it worked well for him last time. Gosh, I'd better re read the proticol and get myself reacquainted with the sugar dance.
     
    Connie & Max likes this.
  23. carfurby (GA)

    carfurby (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 19, 2012
    Sorry Gremlin has to go back on insulin. I'm glad you found a vet that will support you. I hope you get some answers soon and he isn't on insulin very long. Hopefully the payment will work itself out. Sending prayers. :bighug::bighug:
     
  24. Tara & Ivana (GA)

    Tara & Ivana (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Aug 20, 2015
    Great news that you've found a helpful vet! Hopefully they acknowledge your past success with Gremlin and take into account that you know what you're doing, it sounds like he is good hands with you both.
     
  25. Voula

    Voula Well-Known Member

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    Sep 15, 2014
    Best wishes for Gremlin to go back into remission fast and a hug for you Laura and that is great you have found a vet who is willing to work with you and the protocol you want to follow though it is all very stressful and financial issues add to the stress. Hopefully the dental will help and cats can have severe dental issues and keep eating with few outward signs of distress. More hugs for you. :bighug::bighug:
     
  26. Voula

    Voula Well-Known Member

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  27. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    Thank you so much everyone!

    Thank you @Voula . How are you and Lucy going?
     
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  28. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    Grem starts back on insulin tonight as I slept through my alarm this morning. Hopefully the 2u works out well like last time as I have work the next two days. I will try to get home during lunch to test and check on him. Gosh I'm nervous about starting the sugar dance again! See you in L&L very soon!
     
  29. Voula

    Voula Well-Known Member

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    Sep 15, 2014
    Hi Laura. Me and my Lucy are well and used to the insulin and glucose testing routine now. I have accepted that we will probably not get remission but I am fine with that, though of course like everyone else I would love it if we got remission. I stopped following the tight regulation protocol recently due to my health issues and exhaustion and also because I have more on call work now with often unpredictable hours and I would be too anxious to aim for tight regulation given all of these factors. I am able to do at least three glucose tests a day and often more, but I feel that aiming for regulation at this time is best. Lucy has had another dental recently with another two teeth extracted and two needing removal of the crowns as the roots could not be removed due to resorption. I now brush her teeth daily and put a gel on her teeth every second day. The vet has also prescribed medication for Lucy's arthritis and she is doing very well with that. It is nice to see my Lucy more playful again. So we are doing well and as I said I have accepted that Lucy will most likely always need insulin but that is fine. I am very thankful that modern medicine allows us to treat diabetes with insulin as well as my own health issues with surgery and medication. I can imagine you would be feeling a range of emotions right now. More hugs. :bighug::bighug:
     
  30. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    I'm glad to hear things are as well as can be for you and Lucy and that she is more settled and happy. I hope your health problems are resolved quickly and painlessly for you!
     
    Voula likes this.
  31. Voula

    Voula Well-Known Member

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    Sep 15, 2014
    Thank you Laura. I feel happy that my Lucy is doing well and whilst my health issues are ongoing and won't be solved any time soon, I am coping okay at the moment. Thank you again.
     
  32. SweetAngel

    SweetAngel Member

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    May 30, 2014
    hi Laura,
    me and Angel are going through something similar, he had been in remission for just over 2 years, He recently had a dental so maybe that is what started the high numbers again. Hope our babies can go into remission again.
     
  33. Laura and Gremlin (GA)

    Laura and Gremlin (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Sep 26, 2015
    Hi Cassandra,

    I'm happy to tell you that three + months on, Gremlin is regulated and down to 0.25u of lantus twice a day. It's super slow going compared to last time but he's still inching his way to remission again. I had just about given up but then I decreased his dose successfully so now I'm not giving up!

    Best of luck to you and Angel, I hope he sees the falls again really soon! It's definitely possible.

    Laura and Grem
     
    Tara & Ivana (GA) likes this.
  34. carfurby (GA)

    carfurby (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 19, 2012
    Laura, I'm glad Grem is doing so well. I hope he gets OTJ again.
     
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