Q - Was just given the option to switch insulins....

Okay - so, Hershey is not too far from finishing his first vial of ProZinc. I called Costco (The pharmacist was very nice and set up an account in Hershey's name. ) and they have it cheaper than what I paid at the vet, so called my vet to call in a prescription. The assistant just called me to say Costco told her they don't carry ProZinc and my vet wants to know if we want to switch to Lantus, Levemir or Humilin N. Well - I KNOW not Humilin N...I feel nervous about the thought of starting all over with a new insulin...and think he's doing pretty good on ProZinc...but, could he do better on something else??? And, at least 1 person has switched from ProZinc to Levemir recently and had their cat go into remission...but ECID...

I called Costco and spoke to the same pharmacist who said...hmmm...and is calling my vet now to get the prescription taken care of.

I'd not ever really entertained the notion of switching, but now am second-guessing myself. Did I make the right decision to stay the course with ProZinc? What would be a good reason to switch insulins and how long is a reasonable length of time to stick with one before making such a decision???

Thanks -

Libby (and Hershey, too!)

 

While Hershey's numbers aren't awful they could be better.

As long as you are at the end of the bottle of Prozinc it might be a good time to make the switch.

I think as long as you get a choice I would go with the Lev but go over and read the stickies for both, they are both good insulins, see which one might suit you best.

You're right Amy/Ruby switched and went OTJ, Marty & Callie switched and now doesn't have those crazy swings anymore, Denise & Shakes switched and Shakes just got his first yellow PS in forever.

And remember, if you do switch, you are always part of the PZI family (this is a small community you can't get too far away from us :lol: ) .

 

You know Libby we have threatened to switch and that has helped our numbers before :lol:
Seriously, the thought is in my brain again too, but our vet only does Lantus besides PZI.
It may be worth a try for Hershey. I know I am going to have the conversation again with our vet before our bottle is thru.
Good luck with whatever you decide. I know it is a hard decision to make!

 

I do SO wish for better numbers...I think sometimes I should give up on the idea of remission and be happy progressing toward regulation, but I can't make myself abandon the hope, you know?

But, since I've already put the wheels in motion for another bottle of ProZinc, I guess that's where we are for now? I think we have probably another week on this bottle - not sure how to tell for certain. I would feel kind of bad to have to trouble the vet and nice pharmacist to change things...but this bottle will have lasted about 5 months...would that mean waiting another 5 months before thinking of changing or reading up on Levemir and changing whenever we felt ready (just eating the expense - wouldn't be the first time)...and it's pretty quiet over there...wondering who would hold my hand.....I know - some of my thoughts are pretty thin ;-)

Anybody know the price difference? The vet assistant said Levemir was 'pretty pricey.' Not sure what that means....

 

I sent this in a PM, but I'm fine sharing it with the board...

My Prozinc was $120 - $12 discuount for multi-pet.

I bought the Lev pens at Walgreens. They are FIVE in a box (but do not sell separately!).

Levemir (Walgreens)
5 x 3mL - cash price $229.89; PSC price $189.49 (Prescription Savings Club)
10 mL vial $173.99; $101.88 PSC

Pharmacy said vial was good for 28 days - propaganda in box said 42 days. Unopened vials can be used until the expiration date if stored in fridge Knowing that my first Prozinc vial lasted 3 months... didn't like those numbers. Pens more expensive, but if you are disposing after 4-6 weeks, pens are more cost effective. Someone on the board posted that if you keep it refrigerated, it will last longer than they say.

Lantus (Walgreens)
Vial 10 mL: $124.99 - no savings w/ PSC
Lantus Solostar pens (5) 3mL$281.99 PSC $241.99

The PSC is an initial purchase of $35 or $40. Then you get discounted price thereafter. Paid for itself on first purchase.

also Lev prices

Walmart Pens - $236.32
local Drugs $252.15
Walmart Vial $142.88
local Drugs (local - right around corner) didn't have vial in stock, didn't give me a price, or [most likely] I didn't write it down.

I've only been on one week now, so it's too early to say how it's working. Denise started Shakespeare I think a week ago Monday, but Heather started Sneakers (hmjohnson) about 6 weeks ago, I think. You may want to check out their spreadsheets and see what they've seen so far... at least Sneakers'.

I was concerned I started Grayson too low, but after reading a post on there today, I'm wondering if maybe it should've been lower. The Acro group also said you don't need to wait 6 -7 days to increase, rather 6 cycles. I'm thinking I should've held a little longer. Had some low black numbers, but last time I had so many reds on ProZinc, they went away as I reduced.... So hard to know sometimes!

The other thing is the board is REALLY small. I think I like that, but likewise, there was always someone present on PZI when you signed on.

Ups & downs of each.

IHope this helps in your decision. I was really surprised that Walgreens beat out Wally World. Was hoping the neighborhood pharmacy would be competitive so I could just grab some on lunch or after work, but no such luck. Their meters & strips are considerably more as well...

There's some good info on the Lev board - about the shed, AND comparison to Lantus. I think either would be fine. As they say, Lev doesn't sting, but the folks on the Acro Facebook group said not all cats feel the sting... so I'm sure it would be worth considering as well. How's that roundabout recommendation for a government worker? I guess I've gotten good at talking in circles! Sorry!!!

 

OH NO! Libby don't leave us!!! Everyone is switching off to LEV. Just being selfish! I think you will know what the best choice is for your kitty! Hope your numbers will start getting better! Maybe just the threat will make Hershey better. WIll support whatever you do. Come back over and say "hi" every now and then! Will miss you!

lori

 

UGH just the question I'm afraid I'll be facing soon - and these answers were interesting but just made me more confused. I'm glad to hear switching doesn't kick you out of the Pro Zinc family - everyone's been so sweet here. I'd miss everyone too much!!

 

Not so fast, Lori! You can't get rid of me that easily

I've been doing so reading over there and feel dumber than usual. Seems I have more questions now than ever! Can't seem to find a starting point of information...I see comparisons (documents/threads) Lantus/Lev, but not coming from ProZinc. Ugh - so much new stuff to read and so far not understanding any of it. Wish there was one that started out "YOU ARE HERE" - "THIS IS WHAT YOU USUALLY DO" - "THIS IS WHAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT"

It does seems pricier and I can't figure out how long to estimate the pens would last...

 

Libby,
keeping all fingers, toes and paws crossed for awesome numbers for Hershey, whatever you decide. For me the issue was the shed. I'm not convinced it exists. And, yes, I've read all the scientific stuff. I like three things about ProZinc: in my opinion, you can see what's going on (nothing unseen here), it's quite forgiving as to timing of injections, and it's formulated for cats (so, if in the future, Pudge grows a third ear or his fur turns green, I won't be able to blame human insulin :lol: . )

Best wishes,
Sophie

 

Libby, I would switch. Hershey is doing ok, but there is room for better. If you think about it is he really doing ok? You switched to TID.
If I had the opportunity I would switch. I wanted to switch to Lantus for Baxter. Tuesday when I visited a doctors office for work. On the container was the booklet for Lantus solar pens. I picked it up & brought it home to read. It talks all about the insulin & pens & how they work. I also got 2 BG recording books. :razz: I was thinking maybe it was a sign for me to start looking into the switch again. One thing I know I will be on my own. I might be able to get my vet to write for me, but he won't know anything about it. He is a ProZinc vet.

If you switch to Lev you will have Shakes, Grayson & Sneakers loving on Hershey. Sneakers has been there for a couple of months now. Have you thought about messaging Heather & asking her. I think she switched over right after the first of the year. Maybe in feb or march.

Libby if you leave ProZinc I am really going to miss you! I know we will still be friends.

 

Hi Libby and Hershey !!


I don't know if you remember me ( Marty ) and callie cat_pet_icon but callies first annervsary will be june 24th we started on prozinc and she was on it for 10 months !! she often had ps of 400 + I'm not knocking prozinc at all it is a good insulin but not for callie ... we switched to levemir on April 11th and I am glad I did cat_pet_icon she has not had a 400 number since April 22 nd !! I also tried tid with callie ( on prozinc ) . The thing that scared me with levemir is the ( shed ) for lack of a better word, but that is what callie needed, take a look at her spreed sheet and you will see the difference, tonight she was pmps 137 and I shot 3.75 units I would have never given her a shot if she was on prozinc and she would have bounced for days ! I hope this helps and again I'm not saying anything bad about prozinc, ECID and in our case callie just does better on levemir !!


what ever you decide to do callie and I wish you and Hershey all the best and greatttttt numbers :smile: :YMHUG:



p.s. sorry forgot to put this in here when callie was on prozinc I paid $145.00 a vial I pay $137.00 for Levemir !

 

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=72340&p=788524#p788524
A lot of good info on the "L's" in that thread. There is also a stickie in Lev about the differences and they both discuss the "shed/depot" issue. Good reading if considering a switch...
Carl

 

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=72340&p=788524#p788524
A lot of good info on the "L's" in that thread. There is also a stickie in Lev about the differences and they both discuss the "shed/depot" issue. Good reading if considering a switch...
Carl

 

Hello,
I just wanted to chime in on the length of time that I have used a vial of Lev has been 10 months. Others that have used the lev pens have used it to the very last drop, which is sometimes over a year (depending on the dose). You keep the insulin in the fridge and you do not roll it like you do with Prozinc.
Good luck!

 

Take a look at Ruby's spreadsheet. We switched to Lantus after 59 days of her being all over the map on PZI. I read all of the stickies and ended up terrifying myself, to the point where I waited an extra 2 weeks after the vet told us to switch.

I finally sucked it up, made the switch and she was still all over the place for almost 5 weeks. To say I was discouraged is an understatement. Then it seemed all of a sudden her body decided "Hey, I don't want to do this crap anymore. I better get to work!" We started her OTJ tried about 3 weeks later and now its been 7 weeks since her last shot.

I can't express how glad I am that we made that switch.

I honestly didn't think I would be able to handle the tight regulation, but once I got into the swing of it, it really wasn't that much different that what I was doing with PZI. Getting used to shooting into lower and lower doses was the hardest part. I had already been testing a lot and feeding her on a pretty tight schedule. She's a grazer, so I didn't have to worry about a timed feeder. She's pretty much her own timed feeder...breakfast/dinner, a snack around +3 or 4, a snack around +8 or 9. Yes, there were a lot of very late nights and very early mornings but I don't regret a moment of it.

Ruby is doing amazing. She's lost about 2 lbs (now down to around 12). Her eyes are bright and clear. Her fur is glossier and less dandery. She RUNS. All over the house, she'll just jump up and run a few laps, grab a toy and throw it around and run some more. This girl is 11 years old and I have NEVER seen her do that before. I still spot test her about once a week and she clocks in around 120-80 on the AlphaTrak.

So, basically, do I think you should give it a shot? It very well might be worth it.

 

Thanks, y'all, for all of the information and support! Doug checked the bottle and said he thinks we have another couple of weeks worth of ProZinc (at the current doses). My mind is so fractured - BUSY weekend - West Side Story and friend's graduation tomorrow, normal Sunday stuff and grad party on Sunday, etc...plus not sleeping well, is making it difficult to process, know what I mean??? Doug did some reading last night and Levemir seemed to make sense to him (It's nice for him to get more involved on the reading, too.), so he called the pharmacist this morning who said he'll just hold on to the ProZinc script until we decide. *Deep exhale* Now I feel like we have a little time to make heads or tails of changing...where to buy, etc.

THANK YOU!!!!!!

Libby (and Hershey, too!)

 

GOod luck Libby with the decision. I know that is a hard spot to be in. Maybe HErshey will start behaving better on the prozinc now. DId you ever test him for insulin resistance? I think i'm going to get copper tested just so i know if he is resistanct or agro. Don't think he is, just always good to know. He just doesn't want to get below 1.6u and his ps's are always so high. My vet wants me to switch to lantus. Heard Lev was better from this board. WOnder how Denise and Grayson are doing.

God Bless!

 

Denise started a few days before me, but Grayson is still trying to find his sea legs on the Lev. Still having high preshots, but much deeper range (perhaps the insulin resistance hasn't kicked in w/ the new insulin yet?). Moving about 150 points, not the 40-60 we might see on ProZinc. Working w/ Dr. Lunn (formerly CSU- now at NC State), another vet at NC State, Dr. Timian (who did Julie's Punkin's SRT), and my regular vet. Still increasing w/ Grayson, to get a hold of his preshots. Acros can increase faster than regular diabetics - after 6 doses, but keep in mind we lowered the dose to half when we started. And Grayson had been on much more (6u TID) prior to that last week (6u BID) before changing. No sign of ketones, so that's good. Will keep you tuned in... or pop over and check in with us from time to time!

 

Doug --

I come from the Lantus side of the world. The strategy for Lantus and Lev dosing is the same. The Tight Regulation Protocol that is used on the Lantus board was developed for use with BOTH Lantus and Lev. While the two insulins are pharmacologically different, they act in much the same way. They are both long-acting, depot-type of medications. It is the insulin depot that gives both types of insulin their duration. I've linked a post that describes the insulin depot. I don't post on the Lev board but there are Lev users who started with Lantus and continue to post there.

The biggest differences between ProZinc and the Ls is that dosing is based on the nadir, not on the pre-shot number. As a result, it's important to get spot checks (at least one per cycle). In addition, you don't slide the dose the way you do with ProZinc. Doses are held for a minimum of 3 days unless a dose reduction is warranted. The hardest part for those people who switch insulin is changing their mindset about the dosing strategy since it is so different.

The manufacturer's recommendation is that Lantus be discarded after 28 days and Lev after 42 days from the time you start the use of a pen or vial. However, most of us get more time from a vial or pen. There is information on the use and handling of the insulin in this sticky note.

If you have questions, please feel free to ask on the Lantus board. There are a number of people who have switched and they can help to answer any questions you may have.

 

I would agree with what Sienne said with one correction. Pro zinc dosing, as you realize from having used it for some time, is not based on the pre shot number. It a combination of the PS and the nadir. For example consistent 400+ PSs with nadirs below 100 would indicate a decrease is needed. Regular PS numbers of low 300s with nadirs of 250 would indicate an increased dose, even when both cats are on the same dose of Pro zinc. The Ls do rely more on the nadir. The hardest thing to wrap your head around if you switch will be shooting a normal dose into what you have always thought of as a "no-shoot" number like 110, or not reducing unless you see a number less than 50, assuming you choose to try TR. However, lots of people are able to do TR, and it sure seems to work well for lots of kitties, so it all comes down to what you think is best for Hershey, and what you are comfortable with in terms of protocol and how it fits into your daily routine. With my job, TR is not an option, so even if Bob (by luck of the draw) had seen Dr. S instead of Dr. M on dx day and been prescribed Lantus, I would not have been using TR protocol.
No matter what you and Doug decide, tons of people are going to be around to help you.
Carl

 

Libby:

I am seriously considering switching Pumbaa from Lantus to Levimir, due to his extreme bounces and dives. There are a lot of others who have done this for their kitties. So, just my humble opinion, go with the Levimir.

BTW...here is a thread discussing both. http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=72340

Suze

 

Hey, so I get on after a long weekend and I see people are talking about us!

So... I wasn't blushing, it was just my ears burning ;-) .

I sent you a PM letting you know some of the things I've noticed with Lev. Ask me lots of questions! I asked those on the Lev board plenty.

And it is true that it is small and there isn't someone on-line all hours of the day and night but there are so many users switching that will soon change :lol: .

 

Heather - I didn't get the PM yet, will check tomorrow.

Thanks, again, y'all!!!!!

 

hello pzi'ers! i couldn't help but notice this thread. as a user of both lantus and levemir, i hope you don't mind me sharing some thoughts on a few of the points that were brought up. switching insulins is scary and a difficult decision to make. it might help hearing from someone who has used both lantus and levemir.

imho, both of these insulins are great! one is not better than the other. it saddens me to read anyone learned on this board that levemir is better. actually, research has shown lantus has a slight edge over levemir as far as the success rate in getting newly diagnosed kitties OTJ (lantus 84% vs levemir 82%). although, imho, a 2% difference is negligible at best. the BEST insulin is the one that works for YOUR cat... no matter which insulin it is! we've seen many, many kitties thrive and some go OTJ on every one of the insulins currently available.


as to the Ls...

pricing:
when switching to either of these insulins, i strongly urge you to call the pharmacies where you live to get the best prices. prices vary... and sometimes a lot. i was shocked to see the price range within 5 miles of my home! many of our lantus and lev users get the best prices from costco (you don't have to be a member to use their pharmacy), BUT that's not always the case. and you can't count on the big box pharmacies charging the same from one area to the next. for instance, one member i know who lives in another state gets the best price for lantus at target. where i live, target is one of the most expensive places to buy insulin. go figure.

a few pharmacies will break up a box of lantus solostar or levemir flexpens and sell you one or two at a time if you don't have the cash available to purchase an entire box at once. we've found pharmacies make these kinds of decisions on an individual basis. you have to ask.

longevity:
yep. the manufacturer of lantus says to discard open lantus after 28 days. the manufacturer of levemir says to discard open levemir after 42 days. what we've found (and so have lantus and levemir users on the german-katzen message board, who incidentally have been using both of the Ls for in most cases years before the Ls were available to most of us) is both lantus and levemir can be used long past these days if refrigerated and handled properly. the important thing is to visually inspect regularly. if the insulin is discolored or you see floaties (tiny crystals), discard the insulin. if your insulin freezes, discard it. please refer to the STICKY: LANTUS & LEVEMIR - INFO, PROPER HANDLING, & STORAGE for detailed information.

speaking from personal experience, i've been able to use some to the last drop and there have also been occasions when i've had to discard a vial/pen before the manufacturer's suggested amount of days. overall, i've been able to use the Ls long past the manufacturer's suggestion... which has brought down my insulin cost to approximately $20 - $23 per month. your mileage will vary depending on the amount of kitty's dose.

flexibility:
early and late shots... heck, these are a concern to anyone who has a life outside feline diabetes. :lol:

as we all know, the Ls are meant to be shot on a 12/12 schedule. if only our lives were that simple! i'll tell it to you straight... until you learn YOUR cat's response after switching to one of the Ls, shooting as close to a 12/12 schedule will offer you the best opportunity to learn how your cat responds. however, once you know how your cat responds you'll find there is some flexibility because of the Ls being depot insulins as well as the overlap and carryover involved. you might find this post i recently wrote about early and late shots helpful.

bouncers/divers and the L insulins:
we've had more levemir users in what's now called the lantus TR forum than there have ever been in the levemir forum since i joined the fdmb... it's just not obvious because TR forum posters do not differentiate between lantus and levemir. i gotta tell you folks... i wish i could say one or the other of the Ls is better for bouncers/divers, but it just wouldn't be so. kitties bounce with both lantus and lev. some kitties bounce more on lantus. some kitties bounce more on levemir. they bounce... until they don't.

what IS different is the approach used for bouncers/divers in the lev and lantus TR groups. the lantus TR group advocates following the TR Protocol (the only researched and published approach) until it's time to fine tune based on the individual cat's needs... if needed or as necessary. from what i've read and seen, the lev group may often follow the TR guidelines, but has a tendency to lower doses based on bouncing.

neither approach is wrong. as a TR advocate, i bet some of you are surprised to hear me say that. :mrgreen: neither approach is wrong because ECID is not just a slogan. every cat IS truly different and different approaches work for different cats. however, there's one thing i have observed after studying many spreadsheets of kitties whose doses have been lowered to prevent a cat from bouncing... in almost every case (not all), weeks or even months later the caregiver eventually ends up taking the dose back up until they're right back where they started or they have to surpass that dose if glucose toxicity has set in. just looks like a whole lot of wasted time and effort to me. according to research, there's a golden opportunity to get newly diagnosed kitties OTJ when their BG numbers are brought down into the normal range as quickly as possible... allowing their pancreas' to heal before more damage is done from remaining in unnecessary and unhealthy hyperglycemia. if that's the case, it just kind of makes sense to work towards tight regulation and ignore the fluctuations caused by bouncing, but that's just a personal opinion.



anyway, there's my 2 cents. that and a buck won't even buy a decent cup of coffee these days.
fwiw, just a few thoughts and observations for you...

 

Jill: Thank you! Great post!

Suze

 

Yes, thank you, Jill! And, thank you to everyone who has tried to help us wrap our minds around this possible change. My poor maturing brain cells are screaming - feeling like we're starting all over, but Doug is feeling pretty confident as he's reading the information. Hershey has been on insulin almost 5 months and we don't know how long he had diabetes before he was diagnosed (I fear for a while :sad: ), so I'm not expecting any miracles - but I am still praying for one!

I didn't realize there were Levemir users in the TR group...I truly DO learn something new every day! Since I'm home much of the time, I'd love to dive in as strict as possible...whatever will give him his best shot at regulation...or, dare I hope...remission???

 

yep, lots of Levemir users in the Lantus TR group. :mrgreen: Many of us have used both insulins. I think there are some Lantus users in the Lev group too. L users have lots of choices of where to post.

With regards to bouncing, one thing that I don't often see pointed out is that sometimes the caregivers' schedule might be the determining factor in which insulin is best used for a bouncer. I used Lantus with Lucy, who loooooooved to bounce. I knew that I could get a +3 in the evening and that would give me a good idea of whether she was going to dive that night or if I could go to bed. I used Levemir with Jazzy, who fortunately was usually a flat cat. I learned that for her, the onset of Lev was so late that even getting a +4 before bed didn't really tell me where her cycle was going to go. Several times I went to bed thinking she was going to be flat, and woke up to a green surprise in the morning. If she had been a more unreliable/bouncy cat, I'm not sure I would have liked using an insulin with such a late onset. I work away from home, and I like to sleep sometimes, and I'm not sure Levemir's schedule would have been right for me if I had a cat that required more carb intervention than Jazzy did. If Lucy ever goes back on insulin, I'm honestly not sure which one I would choose for her. Just my opinion (or lack thereof!).

I will also say that I did use PZI for a while with Lucy and it didn't work, but I would never say that PZI/Prozinc are poor insulins for cats. In my case, I think the problem with PZI is that I didn't know how to use it (plus TR for PZI, at least in those days, mostly required TID shooting and I couldn't do that). The results might have been completely different if I had been able to get her tightly regulated on PZI, who knows? Jill is right, whatever works for your cat (and for you) is the best insulin.

 

Hi Libby!

I am also one who has used both lantus and levemir....Gracie was a bouncer and diver on lantus and after a year, I switched her to lev. As Jill said, cats do bounce on lev as well but what I learned is also proof of something else Jill said....the best insulin is the one that works for your cat. When we switched to lev, I had to take Gracie's dose up and we spent a few months still seeing bouncing but the diving pretty much disappeared

Then things started changing and it became evident to us that lev was the insulin that worked best for Gracie. She is now doing really great and is on the lowest dose she was ever on on lantus but doing so much better on Lev. I know when to fine tune her dose (needs it now ) to keep her coming down the dosing scale.

Libby brought up some really valid points about lev. The late onset (typically +4) can be a great bonus for shooting low PSs. And within TR, we shoot low to stay low. With lantus, onset can be around +2/+3. Gracie, like Libby's Jazzy, does not onset until late...sometimes +7 or after so it gives me the ability to shoot low. She gets really amazing duration and overlap from lev when I have her dose just right...she rarely did either with lantus. I think her onset, duration, and nadir on lev are atypical from most lev cats but it works for her.

We started in the TR group and have stayed there because I believe strongly in TR and there's almost always someone up to help 24/7.

Again, I am not advocating one L insulin over the other. They are both great insulins. There have been a couple lantus users that switched to lev and it really did not prove to be the better insulin for that cat. But I do want to show you what it did for Gracie. These graphs depict her BG on each insulin when she had been on them the same amount of time. The first is lantus, the second is lev. Since these were done, her lev graph has improved even more with very little yellow on it.

 

There really are quite a few Lev users who post regularly on the Lantus TR board. In fact, I often forget who's using which insulin since the protocol is the same.

The reality is that there are differences between ProZinc and the Ls. Most of those differences are in how you think about dose, especially with regard to consistency. However, it's not as though everything you know about feline diabetes changes overnight when you switch to a different insulin. All of the basics that were so completely overwhelming when your cat was first diagnosed and have become routine are still routine. You will still feed LC, canned food. You're still going to be home testing. None of that changes. In many ways, you can ease yourself and your cat into Tight Regulation. Those of us who started out with TR made missteps while we were learning the protocol because everything was new, confusing, and overwhelming. Everyone who is using TR advances in their use and knowledge of that approach at his or her own speed -- or as quickly as their cat will let them.

I tend to think there's a misconception in that when you get to Lantus TR, people will be strong-armed into testing 24/7 or forced to shoot low numbers that they are uncomfortable with. That's far from the case. Some of us do test more than others. And yes, I can say with a great deal of confidence that I have strongly encouraged people to always get a pre-shot test and at least one spot check per cycle. However, that's a far cry from asking someone to test every hour (which seems to be the FDMB myth). It is true that we encourage, "Shoot low to stay low." There's a very big, "however" that goes along with that statement and the "however" is hinged on safety issues and the caregiver's level of experience and comfort with shooting low. It's a nerve wracking situation for everyone the first few times. But, just like everywhere on FDMB, if you are new to a situation, there are people there to support you and watch your back.

Rather than listen to me, do some lurking on the TR forum. See if it suits you if you are contemplating switching. The Lantus TR board has a culture all of it's own. If someone indicates that they're frustrated or scared, see what the response is. If people ask for help, is help forthcoming? Look at spreadsheets. They tell a story better than any of us can.

 

THANK YOU for clearing up so much for me and for the encouragement! I'm going to come back after supper and read it all again. I started a new thread in the Levemir group with what we thought we were understanding and questions we had. http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=73002

Spoke to the vet and she's calling in the prescription. We want to go with 8/8 and since we don't have the insulin in hand, will go with ProZinc at 8am and start Levemir at 8pm...excited and nervous... nailbite_smile