10/18 Lola PMPS 92; 126 +2; 109 +4

I believe I'm okay to give Lola her new dose (.75u), but this is the first time I'll be shooting a PS number this low. Can anyone confirm for me it's okay to do so? (I will be around all day to test.)

 

I cant give dosing advice but will find someone available who does.

 

@JanetNJ

 

I have to buzz out and won't be back before her 1 hr PZI leeway expires, so I've given her (a perhaps a bit skinny) .75.

 

I dont know are you use to shooting into low numbers? when you say one... how long will you be away its 4:30 am where i am

 

If you can re-test before you leave, that'd be helpful-- just to double-check where she is.

When do you get back?

 

Sorry Janet I cross posted with Enid.

 

If you won't get back before this dose starts to take effect, I'd also leave a snack for her.

 

Thanks Nan

 

Agree with Nan, test before you leave and leave some food out. Are you back before +2?

 

Thank you all. I'm back. Yes, I did leave food out for her, and she's eating now.

She's at 66 at +1.5. I'll test again at +2. (Her typical nadir is at +5 so I'll be watching her like a hawk with MC and HC at hand.)

 

Good plan! She looks like she is planning an exciting day today...

 

That's too much of a drop for a +1.5. I'd give a bit of HC now. We need to slow that drop.

 

That was music to Lola's ears. She came running for the Friskie's Treats. I gave her 2 (and she would happily eat more). Do you think 2's enough? (+2 test is due in 15 mins.)

 

I'm not familiar with Friskie's treats. Are they like hard food? I'd do HC wet food.

 

They're the Friskie's equivalent of Temptations.

 

We don't know how carbs and/or the treats impact the BG. Post the next test and we'll go from there. Do you have karo or honey?

 

I do have karo (and honey).

She's not crazy about the FF with gravy, but I can draw the gravy off with a syringe and feed it to her that way. Next test in a few minutes.

 

She still at 66 at +2. I'll proceed with gravy via syringe.

 

Thanks! Just a wee bit of gravy for now and test again within 30 minutes. We've got a long way to go.

 

She licked up a bit, and I fed her about 1 tsp via syringe. Will test again at +2.5

 

We're just trying to slow her down right now not slam on the brakes.

With Prozinc, if you see a 40%, 50% or greater drop, between the pre-shot and that +2, that's a serious heads up warning.

Again, we're not sure how carbs effect Lola, I'd rather be safe.

 

There is so much to learn! I figure we're way better off today than if I was blindly shooting the 1u initially prescribed (and if I was blindly shooting the 1.5 the covering vet prescribed on 10/1 that sent Lo into a tailspin, she'd probably be dead by now).

Thanks for being here.

 

Sadly we hear this a lot .

So glad you found us

 

67 at +2.5

 

Good! Looks like the drop has stopped. No more food or gravy for now and test again in 30 minutes please.

 

I've removed food. (She does typically graze all day). I'll test again at +3.

 

As unsettling as this is, it PALES in comparison to the horror show that we went through before we found FDMB. We're lucky to have an excellent, FD experienced vet, but twice (2 different cats) I've gotten dangerous (life threatening) recommendations from vets covering for her. It's such a relief to be home-testing and have the guidance of y'all.

 

+3 is 67

 

Perfect! You need to keep testing though. We don't know when the gravy will wear off and we're not at the expected nadir yet.

 

Don't feed just yet. Let's see how long she can hold/surf in the greens.

Oh, and dose reduction tonight!!

 

I plan to test every half hour. (Fortunately, she and I have both gotten much better at it.) Her nadir is typically +5 (I know it can/will shift); I won't breathe easily until post nadir.

This is my understanding of the reason to withhold food : since she's in low normal and not dangerous low, to see how her body responds to the insulin without the influence of food? Feeding her HC was to keep her from falling any lower since she had dropped so low so quickly. Is my understanding correct?

Also, I'm assuming I should continue to post new readings in the thread and not just update the title. Is that correct?

Once we're through this episode I'll need some guidance on what to give her tonight. I know now that at 114 she was too low to get the full dose. Perhaps a token dose (.25) was more in order?

 

69 @ +3.5

 

Oh wow Lola! She's doing awesome!

I'll be checking every 30 minutes to see how you're doing.

You are correct. We wanted to slow that fast drop and not knowing how she responds to different levels of carbs HC was the safer bet. And I was looking at 10/16 no shot and you didn't get much of a food bump at +2.

If she's used to grazing a little LC food would be okay. But we don't want to fill her up in case the insulin picks up momentum again. If you test every 30 minutes you'll see if she needs a bump again.

 

Mogs
.

 

84 @ +4

 

75 @ +4.5 I offered her a little Friskies, but she declined. She's napping happily in her sunny window.

 

76 @ +5

 

Fantastic!

 

79 @ +5.5

Is it safe to assume that she's passed her nadir since she's now on the rise w/o benefit of food? I propose to do her next test at +8, which is when I typically give her a meal to carry her over through the 2 hour PS fast.

So today's excursion below 90 earns her a further .25 reduction, even though she's only been at .75 since yesterday, right?

 

75, 76, 79 are all basically the same number. She's surfing along nicely. I think she's safe.

Yes, dose reduction "earned". Following SLGS anytime Lola drops below 90, it's another dose reduction "earned".

I'm gonna pop away from my computer now, I'll check in later, see where she's at and again at PMPS.

 

121 @ +8.5/9 (She got a little off her schedule this morning). PMPS will be in 3 hrs.

 

Lola's 92 at PMPS, only 1 hr fasting (life interfered and I forgot....)

So no shot tonight!

I'm off to dish up some tasty LC. I'll test again at +2. Should I plan on testing through the night?

 

A +2 to see what kind of food bump. And a +4 to see if there is any pancreatic activity - BG dropping on it's own without insulin.

I think the transition to Friskies pate has made a huge difference in Lola's BG.

 

Hubster reminded me that when Lola and her fur brother Sonny joined our herd 2 years ago this month, they arrived with a full case of Friskie's canned salmon pate -- which I promptly donated to the local shelter because "no cat of mine was going to eat Friskies!" Sigh....

Pancreatic activity would be evidence that she's producing her own insulin to meet the food bump, right? Am I correct in assuming that without the PZI she won't be in danger of dropping too low in the night?

 

Sorry for the delay, was poking my own cat!

Yes. We test to find out if and when she's producing insulin and other hormones on her own and if it's enough to maintain good BG levels.

Prozinc is an in and out insulin. Duration is generally 12 hours in most cats. Some get up to 14 hours. No danger of dropping too low later tonight with no insulin.

 

Super!

Thanks so much for shepherding us through this, Shelley.

Enid

 

You're welcome and glad I could help.

 

126 @ +2

 

109 @ +4

 

109 @ +4

 

great numbers! What I wouldnt have given to have those numbers this early into Troubles journey!

 

C'mon remission!

 

Trouble was such a mess I never thought remission was possible. He came to us never having even licked canned food and in his former home, had to fight the dog for his kibble.