4/9 - Xander | AMPS 319, +3 254, +6 226

Brianna & Xander

Very Active Member
4/8/25

Posting later today in large part because I don't have anything positive to say and didn't want to just come here and spread the sadness around.

I did decide to decrease last night because we're right at the end of this Libre (replacing tonight) and it felt like a risky time to experiment with lowering my reduction threshold.

Injections are getting harder. He's suspicious of even being spoken to when I give him his distraction Churu now. He barely eats it, and I end up having to hold him down to inject him, which just reinforces his anxiety for next time.

We had 3 weeks after months of misery where everything was good. I could do the injections with him barely reacting, and our solution to keep the Libre on was working. Libres are still saying on, but now the injections are back to being close to impossible. There's always gotta be something.

Hope everyone else is having a nice safe Wednesday. ❤️
 
@Brianna & Xander

I'm so sorry you are having a really tough time giving Xander his insulin. I wish I had something to tell you :cat:. Brianna I noticed on your 2025 SS you don't have the date Xander was diagnosed up top, also the insulin you are using on the SS also.

If you look you have BG numbers there :bighug::bighug:
 
@Brianna & Xander

I'm so sorry you are having a really tough time giving Xander his insulin. I wish I had something to tell you :cat:. Brianna I noticed on your 2025 SS you don't have the date Xander was diagnosed up top, also the insulin you are using on the SS also.

If you look you have BG numbers there :bighug::bighug:

Looks like something accidentally got pasted in the wrong spot. :rolleyes: Probably Xander on my keyboard, as always! Thanks for the heads up; I fixed it.
 
You’re doing a great job Brianna, hang in there :bighug:

Ps - Probably not great timing but I meant to share this with you a few days ago. A rare pic of Pookey in the “Xander” spot.

upload_2025-4-9_20-52-52.jpeg
 

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You’re doing a great job Brianna, hang in there :bighug:

Ps - Probably not great timing but I meant to share this with you a few days ago. A rare pic of Pookey in the “Xander” spot.

View attachment 73491

Pookey pictures and updates are always great timing!!! :D:D:D

I love it!! He's so cute. Has he been doing it even more than that one time you mentioned recently? I get that same back of head view view so often, just in a different flavor lol
 
4/8/25

Posting later today in large part because I don't have anything positive to say and didn't want to just come here and spread the sadness around.

I did decide to decrease last night because we're right at the end of this Libre (replacing tonight) and it felt like a risky time to experiment with lowering my reduction threshold.

Injections are getting harder. He's suspicious of even being spoken to when I give him his distraction Churu now. He barely eats it, and I end up having to hold him down to inject him, which just reinforces his anxiety for next time.

We had 3 weeks after months of misery where everything was good. I could do the injections with him barely reacting, and our solution to keep the Libre on was working. Libres are still saying on, but now the injections are back to being close to impossible. There's always gotta be something.

Hope everyone else is having a nice safe Wednesday. ❤️
I'm sorry for the struggle with injections. That makes things even harder and more frustrating. Petey got better when I changed the reward to something more high value and I think he was in pain during that struggle period as well (extra leave me alone).

Is it possible the gaba is losing it's effectiveness for Xander?

:bighug::bighug:
 
I'm sorry for the struggle with injections. That makes things even harder and more frustrating. Petey got better when I changed the reward to something more high value and I think he was in pain during that struggle period as well (extra leave me alone).

Is it possible the gaba is losing it's effectiveness for Xander?

:bighug::bighug:

It does! We really don't need things that had gotten better to get harder again! :arghh: Churus have been his absolute favorite thing, above anything else. I don't think there's anything higher reward for him than that.

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that directly. It's possible (I hope not). I did actually up the dose for tonight before I saw this, just thinking that maybe it would help since we have to do the Libre replacement tonight too and he's been so on-edge. He was originally prescribed 100 mg and it made him dopier than I'd liked, so I cut back to 50 on my own. So upping it back to 75 (or even 100, if it means I can give injections I guess) at least isn't unsafe.

Thanks, Laurie. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
4/8/25

Posting later today in large part because I don't have anything positive to say and didn't want to just come here and spread the sadness around.

I did decide to decrease last night because we're right at the end of this Libre (replacing tonight) and it felt like a risky time to experiment with lowering my reduction threshold.

Injections are getting harder. He's suspicious of even being spoken to when I give him his distraction Churu now. He barely eats it, and I end up having to hold him down to inject him, which just reinforces his anxiety for next time.

We had 3 weeks after months of misery where everything was good. I could do the injections with him barely reacting, and our solution to keep the Libre on was working. Libres are still saying on, but now the injections are back to being close to impossible. There's always gotta be something.

Hope everyone else is having a nice safe Wednesday. ❤️
Hi Brianna, I hope Xander will eventually get better with the injections.
I do remember in the beginning of our journey, Ivy was harder to give injections to, like Xander.
I do think eventually, as I got more used to giving the shots and intentionally tried to convey more calm and relaxed, intentional vibes, eventually things got somewhat better with Ivy.
I can remember there were times where she would run and hide from me and I would have to grab her and get my husband to hold her down so I could give the shot.

I think it was probably more about my anxiety and fears than hers as I look back and think about it.

I’ve learned to try to take a deep breath and calm myself and intentionally think about being calm and in control so that Ivy learned from me that it was going to be OK.
That sounds crazy I know, but I was mindfully calming myself down and actually taking a deep breath before I started the routine to try to get the shot.
(and making sure everything was very quiet and calm, no TV on, nobody talking to me, in a quiet room).

Maybe try that so that you are trying to actually feel yourself and think about yourself being calmer Hopefully, he will eventually feel your being more calm and will pick up on your vibe.

Also, if he’s tired of the churus, I know Ivy loves plain baby food. You could take a teaspoon of that and see if he likes that as an alternative.

One more thing, have you tried the roll method of giving injections?

For me, when I switched to doing that, it seemed to help as I was feeling like I wasn’t giving the shot well because Ivy doesn’t really have a lot of loose skin to pull up and “tent”.

Here’s some information on that method and more related information.
Maybe read through it and see if you think that might be helpful.

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/testing-and-shooting-tips.85113/

As always, sending you lots of good wishes for both of you
I know you both will get through this and things will get better. You’re only on this journey four months and I know it feels like forever, but it’s still really new for the both of you and you both have to really settle into this new reality. Hopefully, he will get more used to things and it will not be so stressful for him as it becomes more part of his life and yours.
(Maybe not forever….we can hope, right??)

Lots of hugs to both of you :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Hi Brianna, I hope Xander will eventually get better with the injections.
I do remember in the beginning of our journey, Ivy was harder to give injections to, like Xander ....

Staci, I just want to say how much I appreciate your advice and support to Brianna here (and elsewhere, to so many others too, myself included). We are so lucky to benefit from your experience, wisdom and kindness. :bighug:

Brianna, I hope that you can find a way to give Xander his jabs with less stress for him and for you.

For many of us a big part of managing to FD is being flexible - everything changes, all the time. What works one day does not work the next. Got to just keep trying different things, til you find a way that works, and remember that that might change again down the line.
 
Staci, I just want to say how much I appreciate your advice and support to Brianna here (and elsewhere, to so many others too, myself included). We are so lucky to benefit from your experience, wisdom and kindness. :bighug:

Brianna, I hope that you can find a way to give Xander his jabs with less stress for him and for you.

For many of us a big part of managing to FD is being flexible - everything changes, all the time. What works one day does not work the next. Got to just keep trying different things, til you find a way that works, and remember that that might change again down the line.
That’s very kind of you, Helen. I just want to help Brianna and anyone feeling overwhelmed or lonely or stressed in any way I can.

I continue to feel the same feelings Brianna expresses so well and it’s all about community and paying it forward.

I’ve benefited from some lovely, wonderful, kind people here as well and hope to be able to lead by their example.
It really does take a village to help our sweet kitties and one another.
:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
That’s very kind of you, Helen. I just want to help Brianna and anyone feeling overwhelmed or lonely or stressed in any way I can.

I continue to feel the same feelings Brianna expresses so well and it’s all about community and paying it forward.

I’ve benefited from some lovely, wonderful, kind people here as well and hope to be able to lead by their example.
It really does take a village to help our sweet kitties and one another.
:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:

I really hope if I'm ever lucky enough to get as far as you have that I'm as comforting and helpful to others that are struggling as you are to me!! ❤️❤️❤️
 
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