Previously: https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/02-18-buddym-9-113-amps-85-2-77.243331/ It's the second day in a row of slightly higher AMPS. This morning he had a bit of an upset tummy and he also wasn't keen on the Fancy Feast Purely being offered at 5am (+9). I have noticed before that he didn't really like the stringy food when left out, but I felt like he was comfortable enough with the +9 snack by now that he would eat it. Maybe had two bites I've planned on reducing him to 0.1 today after 7 days on 0.25, so I still went ahead with that. It feels a bit strange reducing him when the AMPS looks like it's trending higher. Fingers crossed that it goes well. Look at this majestic beastie!
Aww you're right! Very proud of themselves when they put their front legs out like that What do you use for your pictures? Is it your phone? My iPhoneX doesn't hold a candle to yours lol.
They do look very superior in that pose. Like sphinxes. I just use my iphone as well. It's the Xs so I can't imagine it's much different than yours. I think I got lucky with the light.
What a handsome boy. Fingers and paws crossed for a successful reduction! No fans of stringy meats around here either.
Hi Marriete, just looking at Buddy's numbers. Am I reading your notes right, in the evening he has a meal at shot time then a snack at around +4 and nothing then until +9? Whereas in the am cycle he has more meals, at about 3 hourly intervals. From my experience with George both now when he is in remission and when he got down to micro doses, if he missed his snacks his BG would be high. I think that is why you are seeing those blues in the pm cycle rolling onto those blue amps starts you are getting, the +9 snack is bringing him down, but he is blue at +9 because he has not had food since +3 (if I am reading your notes right , it's hard because you note the times as opposed to the hours after shot time, but I think I have read it right) I would recommend you try leaving snack out in the auto feeder for him when you are off to bed, so that he has a similar night time food schedule. If you find he doesn't eat it because it dries out some folk find a teaspoon of water or two helps. George seems to prefer some foods to others in the autofeeder I sprinkle a freeze dried treat on top of his less favourite options and that usually sees him finish his snack off. Even now after almost 5 years in remission, if he doesn't get a regular snack it will raise his BG. So the regular snacks have become the norm at our household.
Yes, you read that right. Sorry about my notes being in am/pm times. I can't get out of the habit in dividing the day up that way and I am mostly making those notes for me to try and figure out what foods might upset his tummy and also what keeps him fuller. The little dude needs to lose weight and he always wants to eat! I feed very frequently in the am cycle because he is always asking for food. He'll eat what's offered immediately and usually waits for more At night time he's not as hungry. He'll usually go for a sleep around 6pm (+10) and after that he's happy with just a little tidbit here and there. So his weight is kinda a factor in me not wanting to feed the same amount in the pm cycle. I really need to watch his calories. But I totally agree with you - I think that food during the pm cycle will help the morning numbers. I actually fed him a 2am (+6) snack on 2/11 and 2/12. And it did indeed help the +9 number. Although strangely it brought up the AMPS number even though he had a snack at +9 as well. Do you have any idea why that could happen? I stopped that feed because Marje advised against it, and I hoped that upping his insulin dose might help bring that +9 down without the need for a 2am snack. It didn't unfortunately and I'm now reducing again with the +9 still elevated. It's interesting to hear about what works for George. Buddy might be the same type of diabetic. This is probably a stupid question but do you know if there is any harm in letting that number remain slightly elevated? Or do I really want to get it down as well? At the moment those pm feedings aren't particularly fun for me. Even though he's now eating the +9 snack consistently (except this morning - seems I should go back to an aromatic pate) he does not get down off the bed to eat it himself. So I have to get up to make sure he eats. Of course it gets even less fun if I'm doing the same for the +6 as well. But this is totally something I've been mulling over. So it's very good to hear about your experience with George. I may try that again.
Take close look at George’s SSs (go back to 2018) and you’ll see there are times when he’s in remission but still in low blue numbers. This is why I suggested you reduce Buddy’s dose; the blue BGs he’s been getting do not keep him from earning a reduction under TR. Yes, it does appear he looks better when you are doing those feedings at night but at what sacrifice to your own health? If he won’t eat on his own, are you going to get up a couple times at night if he does into remission to feed those meals? I sure hope not. I love his photo....what a sweet boy!
The night feedings definitely help the numbers. There's no doubt about that. I fed this morning at 2am (+6) and at 5am (+9). But I am just a shell of a human being today. It was a late night with me heading to bed at 1am, and then knowing that I have to feed at 2am meant I was lying there just waiting for the time to pass. I can't really fall asleep knowing I have to be up in an hour. I probably had about 3 hours of sleep last night. Since the diabetes my sleep time has decreased dramatically and it's definitely taking it's toll on me. But two night feedings is pushing things into nightmare territory. Not sustainable. I really thought Buddy would get the gist of the auto feeder quickly and get up by himself to eat fairly quickly. He loves to eat. But we've been doing the auto feeder now for 3 weeks (started 1 Feb). And he shows no interest in getting up by himself. He's happy to eat, but I have to retrieve the plate and hold it for him on the bed And then he's a messy eater so I have to go wash my hands after. So by then I'm 100% awake. I am not up for doing this again tonight. I thought I could try a 4am feeding. I think that's what George was doing. So maybe try an 11pm/12am and 4am. See what that does to the numbers. That would mean getting up only once at least. But even that is not something I want to do indefinitely. I just hope that at some point Buddy will want to get up and eat by himself.
Buddy looks good on the new dose! Happy for you and him. The goal is to have him healthy, and he is looking good even if a blue pops up every now and then! Hope you get some rest today!
