? 5/10 Jazzy AMPS UNKNOWN, NEED DOSING ADVICE

Hi. We tried to get an AMPS test this morning, but Jazzy was getting very frustrated. We did a curve yesterday, and he's had enough apparently. We could not get any blood from him. It takes two of us to check his blood, and my husband had to leave for work. I won't be able to try again before feeding him. His numbers have been generally consistent for a while, always green or blue.
I'm not sure if I should give insulin or not. I will be home to monitor his behaviour, but he won't let me test. There have been times where we have not been able to test, so I skipped his shot. I don't want his numbers to go out of whack. Is it best to skip insulin this morning, or give it and monitor his behaviour?
Also, he's been getting .25 for a while now. Should I make any changes to this dose or continue to hold it? TIA.

 

I’m sorry no one got to you earlier.
What have you decided to do?

 

I just skipped the insulin so there would be no danger. I can't seem to get any help on this site most of the time unfortunately. Thanks for your reply I appreciate it.

 

Sorry that happened. Many of us are on the west coast and were asleep when you needed help. Next time try posting on the main health board as well.

 

I think you were probably wise to skip if you couldn’t monitor and did t know the preshot BG.
Sometimes it is hard to get an answer if you need it urgently but someone will come along to help you.
We are all volunteers here and not everyone is able to give dosing advice. I live in Australia and try and cover the time when the US is asleep.

 

I realize everyone here is volunteering their time and I appreciate that. It's just frustrating that every time I ask for help, there isn't much offered other than how to ask a question. I dont have experience to offer advice to anyone else. I post when I'm unsure and need help myself. So asking for help and getting no information is a little frustrating when on the Facebook page, everyone says go to the FDMB. Sorry if I'm coming across the wrong way, that's not my intention.
So can anyone please tell me if I should continue on with the .25 dose based on Jazzy's spreadsheet? Or should it be adjusted to a lower one? I guess that is my main question. TIA.

 

Bumping your post, in hopes someone is able to review your SS and advise on dosing

 

According to TR you can decrease if under 100 for 7 days. He’s close but not there yet. Of course if he drops under 50 he would earn that reduction.

 

I'm sorry no one was there to help when you've asked! I'm usually on the forum between 6-7, but lately my work has caused me not to be on much at all! And when I am, I'm usually off by 7 a.m. eastern...working remotely doesn't mean not working unfortunately...and once I get caught up there it's after dinner when I can get back to the forum...if I have any energy left. Today I'm waiting...so I'm looking...

I presume you've put the '?' mark in front of your posts with the pulldown menu to attract attention.

That's a great looking SS - except for no mid-cycle tests. I presume you work during the day and can't test? Gorgeous greens when you do test...looks like he likes this dose a great deal. So without mid-cycle tests, it's kinda hard to say if you should change the dose to perhaps give him a bit of a push...I'd be thrilled with AM and PM pre-shots that looked like yours...but dying of curiosity on how low that dose is taking him during the day. If at any time he drops below 50 he would have earned a reduction...

Any chance of getting mid-cycle tests? Day or night?

 

We are both usually gone during the day. If I'm here I'm alone, and it takes two of us to test him unfortunately. We do get in random tests occasionally during the day, or we do curves when we know we will both be home. We did one yesterday.
Thank you so much for your help.

 

Thank you for the info. Is that under 100 for both AMPS and PMPS for 7 days?

 

We started out that way too. Luci wasn't having any of it! But because my DH was often gone for hours at a time, I started picking Luci up and putting her on the testing towel...same place every time...and I'd pet her and give her a treat...talk to her for a bit...let her go on about her business. We did that for a while...and then one day she just sat there and thought it was going to be business as usual...I decided to go for it...and she allowed me to test her without the wrestling match...from that day on one of us was able to manage getting the test and having her sit there...not long after I came into the kitchen to discover Miss Queen laying there in her testing spot...as if waiting for me! I took her picture...it was a momentous occasion!

It does take time and lots of loving and petting and encouraging for them to get to know it's not all about being poked and prodded...it's about that treat! Luci to this day still expect to get a little food or a treat after each and every testing encounter...at least that's her way of thinking about the whole thing. Now she comes when I whistle for her...and sometimes she even jumps up on the counter for me and circles around...

Just be patient...and keep working with him. It'll happen one day...

I used to watch the video of someone testing their cat...and wondered how I'd ever in this world get my hellcat to cooperate like that!

 

Take a look again at the TR protocol on how to earn reductions. All tests under 100 for a week earn a reduction or dropping under 50. Sue suggested getting some mid cycles in to see if he is in fact dropping under 50. That would be a reduction no matter when it happens. The ss looks great and you are soooo close.

 

That's awesome. I hope to have Jazzy at that point some day as well. I have attempted it on my own, but so far, no luck. Lol.

 

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it

 

I think in the early days kitties associate this new process of being picked up and held...with the all new and frightening process of being poked. They don't know what's going on or why...Luci was a real piece of work when I started with her...she's never been a cuddly cat, never wanting to be held or overly affectionate...she likes her distance...and so all this touching and petting was a whole new thing for her...much less holding her on the counter and trying to get her to be still...so DH would hold her and I'd get the poke...I remember the early days, it was torture for all of us...exhausting and overwhelming...I never thought we'd get to this point...

But I think with enough patience and repetition any cat will come around. We've had some real doozies on here...you can look at some of the other condos and see what others have to say about how they get their kitties to cooperate. Hang in there, you'll get it. One day he may surprise you...but I'm a firm believer in the 'routine' pick him up, petting and talking, give him a treat, put him down...multiple times a day as often as you can think about it...he'll be thoroughly confused and thrilled about that treat...taking you for a sucker! And soon that'll be the only thing on his mind. Luci is crazy for the freeze dried meats - I have a variety so she doesn't get tired of them. Chewy.com has a nice selection...

And you're very welcome

 

Glad you had some help and advice today! I just got home from work myself.

Cosmo was tough for the first week, but then we discovered that he wanted and needed to be brought along on the journey LOL.

We used a blanket that became his testing blanket.
We brought out his testing tools (kleenex, strip, meter and lancet)
We let him smell and inspect each of them while talking to him. He likes to rub his face on the meter and strip container. Puts his scent all over it!
Warm up the ear if he needs it by rubbing and milking the ear (some use a warmed up rice sock, but we don't). Super good when I catch him after he has slept on his testing ear! It's always warm and ready LOL. Some people rub a tiny bit of Vaseline on the area you will test to hold the blood bead well.
Then, we put the strip in the meter, hold his ear and poke! sometimes, we poke a few times
Then, we make sure we have enough blood and collect the sample.
Pets, pets, good boys, treats, etc.

Cosmo now comes waddling over at the sound of us collecting his supplies. I think he looks forward to it.

 

Lol. We do all those kinds of things as well. He was diagnosed in April, so we've got a few tricks we use too. Sometimes he cooperates fairly well. We wrap him in his towel, always the same spot, treats, all the good stuff. Although sometimes when he sees me with his towel, he tries to run away. Or if he's feeling brave, he attacks it. Lol.
For the most part, it's all good. It's just that it still takes 2 of us. After doing his curve the other day, he had enough and wasn't cooperating and wouldn't give any blood yesterday morning. Lol. He gets pissed sometimes.
Thanks for checking in on my post. It's nice to have the info I was looking for.

 

Hopefully he calms a bit after the curve and let's you test

Do you think it's the burrito that he dislikes? We don't need to burrito Cosmo, but I understand that for many cats, it is necessary for safety. I tried to wrap Elie a few times and it did not go over well at all LOL. He was a 22lb Maine coon

 

Yes we have to do that. It's the only way to keep him secure. Lol. We've tried it without a couple of times and he squirms too much.
That's a big boy. Maine Coons are beautiful. Jazzy weighed about the same when he was younger. He looked like a football with a head. Lol.

 

Would it be possible to start a new condo for today? 8/11/20 with AMPS and name?

Thanks so much!

 

Didn't see this until late, but I will do it tomorrow.