Should I go to the next line on the Syringe?

Hi, this is my first post. New to the Diabetes Lingo. Bare with me, this will be in my lingo. Jazz-Man is 16yrs. old showing beginning stage of pancreatitis which has resulted in diabetes. A friend donated ReliOn Confirm meter, lancets and strips. Jazz is on U40 Vetsulin using a U100 syringe filling it to the 4th line. Which I've been told according to the conversion chart he's on 1.6 units. I've been checking his glucose daily to monitor his readings. It looks like before he eats breakfast it's 350-400. After he eats the range is 350-450, basically the same. Then I give him insulin and check again 7 or 8 hrs later the range is 300-400. Dinnertime is close to the same as breakfast. Thinking I should give him the next line up dose, right?

 

Do the U100 syringes have half unit marks on them? When you say the 4th line are you counting the first line closest to the needle as zero?

 

The reason people use U100 syringes with half unit marks to give a U40 insulin like Vetsulin is to allow tinier dose fractions to be given. Without half unit marks on your U100 syringes you haven't really gained that benefit. You're correct, though, that the 4 th line from zero on the U100 syringe corresponds to 1.6 u of Vetsulin.

Some important things to tell us and for you to know:

• how long ago was your kitty diagnosed?
• what dose was he started on?
• what kind of food does he eat?
• testing blood glucose at home is ideal but you need test results at key times over several days to assess whether a dose is working well
• until you get that data don't change the dose
• consider switching to a diet of canned low carb food only if you haven't done so - it can have a dramatic effect on blood glucose levels
• be prepared to test more often as you undertake a food switch.

You need to have a good idea of time of onset, nadir and duration on an insulin dose in order to evaluate your kitty. Here's the basic testing routine we recommend:

1. test every day AM and PM before feeding and injecting (no food at least 2 hours before) to see if the planned dose is safe
2. test at least once near mid cycle or at bedtime daily to see how low the BG goes
3. do extra tests on days off to fill in the response picture
4. if indicated by consistently high numbers on your spreadsheet, increase the dose by no more than 0.25 u at a time so you don't accidentally go right past a good dose
5. post here for advice whenever you're confused or unsure of what to do.

Consider setting up the spreadsheet we use here to log blood glucose data:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

 

Try getting a test around for 5 hours after the shot. Vetsulin usually peeks 4-6 hours after injection.

 

The long line? No, not counting that one.

 

5 hr test is 441