6/3 Jessi, PMPS 321 +2.25 245 +3 174 +5 240 +6 242, AMPS 346 +1.5 266 +4.25 166 +4.75 184

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...-5-81-6-5-120-7-193-pmps-321-2-25-245.278163/

Hi all,

I read today on the Lantus/Lev info page that back to back reductions can cause stored insulin to be released into the bloodstream. Could that be the reason she had that really long stretch of low numbers last night? If so, is it ok to reduce so quickly?

Couldn't it become a vicious cycle, reducing each time you go below 90, but then the reductions themselves can bring about the low numbers which makes you reduce again, etc...? And if reducing is depleting the stored insulin, the BGs could shoot back up suddenly, couldn't they, and it would take time to increase gradually again and bring them down?

I'm just feeling some concern about all these reductions so fast. And with the libre we know it usually reads about 10 lower so today's 81 could have really been 91 which would have meant we shouldn't have reduced, wouldn't it? Or is it the general approach to go by what the Libre reads even if we know it's usually off by a certain amount.

Numbers are on the high side still. I wonder if it's because I gave a little HC mixed with her LC earlier to slow down the drop. Maybe it was too much? Or maybe this is her bouncing? Is it possible a bounce happens 2 cycles later than the drop that causes it?

 

p.s. I keep forgetting to boldface the title. IS that important? I notice everyone else does that.

and how come so many titles have a little dot next to them that takes you to the first unread message? Do you have to put that in yourself when you make the title?

 

A poster's thread title in BOLD means that you haven't read that "condo" or the newest posted message in that condo yet. Your thread/ condo will always be "unbold"(if that's even a word ) because it's yours.
The most recent postings will always appear on top.
It's the same for the bold dot. If you've looked at that person's post earlier and a new message has been posted in the thread the title is automatically bolded, the dark blue dot automatically appears to the left of the title and when you click on the thread it takes you to the newest message that YOU haven't read yet. It's a pretty nifty system in place.

 

Oh, ok, got it. Here I was worried about why my title looked different than everyone else's.

'Condo' just means thread, right?

 

You are following SLGS, so everytime the BG drops under 90 you reduce the dose. It's for safety.

This is not a criticism only an observation and also based on my personal experience that once you start testing Jessi's BG with a handheld meter you will feel more and more confident with blues and greens and maybe even switching to TR.
I started with NO testing then 2 months later using a LIBRE then worked with my Cleo for another 3ish months to be able to test her with a handheld meter. She's not a very well behaved cat . I took the opportunity to teach myself and my brat cat that testing was good for us both.

Remember also that insulin is a hormone not an antibiotic or a Tylenol. Hormones change and fluctuate naturally so Jessi's insulin needs will change too. We are only human and we do the best we can. That's why the data helps us make the best decisions we can.

 

I get what you're saying. I have it in mind and I am already starting to do little things to get us going in that direction. It will take some time. I'm glad you understand as someone who went through similar stages of home testing.

It's exactly because insulin is so complex that I want to try to understand as much as I can so I can do my best for Jessi. And maybe I will never really understand but like you said, we can only do our best.

I also hope no one feels criticized by my questions and ponderings above. Inquiring can sometimes be misunderstood as criticisms or doubting the validity of something. That isn't it. Yes, I often have concerns and doubts come up but when I ask questions and have a dialogue about it with others, I have the intention to understand more and discover the best possible approach moment to moment. I don't expect anyone to be perfect or to know everything and even though I am the one who is depending on you all for guidance right now, and fumbling around in unknown territory, ultimately I see this as a collaboration that keeps evolving over time as I learn more and develop the skills to do what you all have been doing for longer, in some cases much much longer.

Thanks for taking time to share your insights, I really appreciate it. I better get some sleep now while I have the chance. where's the sleepy emoji?

 

Should I be concerned about the high BGs yesterday, last night, and preshot?

Can you tell me what is a "threat"?

 

Yes!
Condo - daily thread (one condo a day per cat in the L/L/B ISG), because a condo is where your cat lives every day
The Official Lantus & Levemir & Biosimilars ISG Slang Dictionary

A threat is sort of a joke here, I guess, where kitties who're bouncing/staying in higher numbers are jokingly threatened with an increase to their insulin dose, and after the threat their BGs seem to behave and start staying flatter/going lower. It's just funny banter in a condo, nothing technical. I'm a newbie here but that's just my understanding of a threat

 

Thanks @Nimi S, so when people talk about a threat there's no actual action taken in terms of the insulin or related things. So it's more like sorcery, ey?

I guess I better brush up on my slang!

 

Well, sometimes the threats fail too, because some kitties are too stubborn and don't respond to just threats.
And kitties will do what they want to do ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I hope none of the kitties are reading this or else they'll start getting ideas

 

Just give Jessi some time to settle down at this dose. Don’t worry. If necessary, you can always increase back up at the right time. Let’s hope not though!

 

ok, yes, let's hope not!

Right now the sensor hasn't given me a read for 3 hours. The chopped up graph showed numbers going down to just below 200 at around +3.25 but that's all. She ate about 40g of her LC over the course of a couple of hours finishing the last bits just 20 minutes ago (it's a flavor she likes less). I think I'll give her another half just to be safe since I can't see if the numbers are going down or up or what.

The sensor itself is likely coming loose, so when it's sticking in all the way, it reads and when it isn't it doesn't. Probably one more day left to it, I'm hoping it takes us to Monday! It lasted a lot longer than last time!

Send us good mojo for it to last until Monday!

Update:

Did you send it, because I just got a read right after asking!

+4.25 166

Of course, I just fed her so that will probably go up but...oh well.

I used the mojo and pushing the sensor in with my fingers, LOL!

 

and yup! +4.75 184

 

If you're feeding LC, she could drop again, so just keep an eye on her +6. Not bad numbers for the reduction, though. Not even much of a bounce.

You're doing a great job!

 

Thanks! THat's nice to hear!

I thought her numbers seemed kind of high, but maybe I've already set my standard lower. She's into the 300s a few times, and the lowest numbers are upper 100s. I was hoping for more blues....

+6.75 253

She doesn't feel so good right now. I don't know if it's higher BGs or other things she has going on. I get the feeling she's in pain. She has moments when she perks up and gets spry, more than she has in months, other moments when she looks low or unwell, and other moments where she's just resting peacefully. I know it's an up and down thing, I just so want to see her feeling better a lot more of the time.

Ultimately some of it is out of my control. I can only do what is in my power to do and wish for her body to get what it needs to do the rest.

 

The fluctuations can make them seem off.

For instance, Sly was low in blue and green for almost 3 days, and when he bounced last night, I could see the difference. Like he literally looks high as a kite on drugs. This morning he was mostly himself once he slid back down in the 200s.

 

Hooray for blue!

 

I would not feed any more until PMPS time.
A lot of cats feel odd or act sick when they first get into numbers that they are not accustomed to. Some will even hide. It takes a while for their bodies to adjust. Or do you think something else is going on? Does Jessi have any other health conditions that you know of?

 

I wish I could feel optimistic like you all. I actually am feeling quite anxious watching the numbers and seeing her behavior. She is acting hyperglycemic. She was actually starting to get used to lower blue numbers, I think. Now they're mostly yellow and above. How long before we know if the dose is right or not? When should the numbers start going down? When does that awesome gentle curve that Lantus is known for, and which we had at the start, come back?

We had stretches of a lot more blue at higher doses. I'm afraid we're losing the progresss we made. I don't understand enough about these things to feel reassured. Maybe if someone could explain in more depth what the reasoning is behind this method and what should ideally happen in the next 24 hours, 48 hours, etc...I might feel better. Not knowing is making me crazy with worry.

Another concern I have is that if the vets (endocrinologist) that are supposed to be watching this see what's happening, they're going to think I missed a shot or ask me if I changed the dose, which of course I did and I don't know what I'll say....even though this is not the most important thing, but for the moment I need them too.

Preshot was 307, at +1 we're still at 301, unless I missed the shot, this is way too high for right after the shot, don't you think? The last time we had +1 in the 300s was a week ago.

I'm sorry, I am trying not to let my anxiety get the best of me, but I'm feeling kind of powerless in my ignorance. Please explain more so I can feel reassured that this is part of the process and not just regression.

 

Lantus onset is approximately +2 — a little sooner for some cats and a little longer for others. It looks like you normally see a pretty good drop by 1.5. Maybe you should wait until 1.5 to do the first test. It may be less frustrating for you. Of course remember, if she’s bouncing, you will not see a lot of downward movement.

If you’re wanting to be a bit more aggressive with things, have you considered (and read about) the Tight Regulation (TR) protocol? You do enough testing to follow TR. Dose increases can be made every 6 cycles (3 days). Reductions are taken when your cat drops below 50.

 

Hi Stefania,

You’re already in great hands here but I just wanted to chime in with my experience with FD over the last 50-odd days. I’m not giving any dosing advice or observations, since I defer to FDMB for mine. Just my experience of dealing with this over the last 2 months.

The short answer (which I’ve got multiple times in my first few weeks here) is that newly-diagnosed unregulated, diabetic kitties are unpredictable in the beginning while their bodies are getting used to the insulin. It takes a while to accept this answer though, no matter how often you hear it initially. At least for me, my worry wore me out and I decided to focus on things I could control instead (testing, feeding and treating Shen's other symptoms).

I started my FD journey with the wrong kind of insulin which did nothing for Shen for the 11 days he was on it. Shen was more lethargic and dull when he started on insulin than he was before insulin. As a newbie, you’d expect that your cat feels better and not worse when you give them something that’s supposed to help. But as someone has already given an excellent example to you, getting insulin initially sort of feels like coffee withdrawal to them.
Since bodies of diabetic kitties have adapted to high glucose levels over time, a sudden drop to lower BG ranges can cause the cat to feel lethargic and tired. It may take some time for the body to readjust and for the kitty to regain its energy levels. Changes in dosage or timing of insulin administration can also lead to fluctuations in BG levels,which can still cause fatigue and lethargy even if the overall levels remain within the normal range (blues/greens) (source: Google )
Depending on how long a cat has had diabetes before being diagnosed and administered insulin (and a host of other factors, I’m sure), it takes a while for them to get used to lower numbers, to new doses and/or to break through glucose toxicity.

When I started giving Shen insulin glargine, I had questions pretty much similar to yours. With feline diabetes, there’s a lot of new information to process about many new things, but figuring out how Lantus works (beyond the basics, of course) was not one of them for me. No matter how many times I read about the depot, I could not understand it, since I was trying to imagine it visually
The first couple of weeks, I basically asked Bhooma and Bron the same questions that you have been asking, trying to figure out by how much Shen’s BG would drop or rise at a particular time of the day, compared to the previous day, just so I could be mentally prepared. It was absolutely pointless.
Testing and feeding often helped me with managing my anxiety about the unknown.

Seeing your kitty in blacks and reds and pinks is as nerve wracking as seeing them in new yellows, blues and greens is. Initially we don’t seem to know what’s better but our kitties need to be in greens or at least blues for a couple of weeks to start feeling/looking like their older pre-diabetic selves. It also all depends on whether your kitty isn’t going through some other underlying issue. Shen had a UTI, which I found out about, while checking for something else. That also was contributing to his other symptoms at the time.

I've seen 3 different vets so far for Shen’s diabetes. One of them prescribed the wrong insulin and then changed the dosage from 1.5U once daily to 2.5U twice daily. He said it's OK to shoot regardless of what the pre-shot BG is Another one suggested different doses for the AM and PM shots. The 3rd one suggested that I shouldn’t give insulin if Shen’s BG was under 150 (which is actually not the worst advice out there, just conservative, I guess).
I’ve said OK to all of them and moved on.

I’ll of course have to depend on the vets for Shen’s other medical needs but I don’t appreciate them giving random advice without even going through his SS properly to see the progress he’s made. I would have been inclined to take their advice more seriously if they were giving me advice backed by experience (which I get and see a lot of here). The vets do come from a well-meaning place but they don’t have to be necessarily right all the time.
I know from experience that some vets can be harsh and may berate me for following advice other than their own, but I also deserve to hear from them why they think my SS or current dose is not the way it's supposed to be. If their reasoning seems fair and convincing to me, then I could certainly take their advice into consideration.

I usually don’t test Shen’s BG at +1 since he’s had a food bump from his shot-time meals and for Shen the onset is typically at +2, at which time he starts diving into lower numbers.

On a particular day and time, a cat might eat less, play more, poop more, be stressed more, have some other underlying condition, the cat’s defective pancreas might decide to sputter a bit and any number of other things could be happening in the background which could affect the BG. We can’t possibly figure everything out to predict the trend, at least not in the initial days of insulin administration

Since insulin isn’t the only factor (although it is a big one) that affects how the blood glucose is utilized through the day, there is little point trying to break your head trying to read too much into things, unless there’s a huge variation all of a sudden. Of course, as a newbie, everything seems huge and sudden
This isn’t to say that you should put your feet up and just chill out, but to say that you should take breaks every often from worrying too much. Instead of reading up on new stuff, I often found going back to my initial / introductory posts to be as helpful, since I had missed reading or forgotten a lot of useful information shared there too.

I think it's normal to be this anxious, it is a big deal and a big life change, which takes a while to get used to
I’m also an over-thinker and over-worrier like most folks here initially must have been. In the first few weeks, I must have self-diagnosed Shen with a number of different conditions from hovering over him all the time and obsessing over each breath and movement of his. Initially I used to feel guilty if I was doing anything other than reading up on FD all the time
I also have poor sleeping habits (it's nearly 4:30 am here ) which don’t help me personally, but I’m glad they’ve made a difference to Shen’s health.
I’ve also survived on 4-5 hours of sleep daily but now I take naps or step out after certain points in his cycle where I feel relatively OK about his BGs.
You’ll also get there, give it some time, a couple of weeks more at-least

I still have days where Shen’s BGs are great but I feel he looks/acts a little dull. I’ve learnt that you never really stop worrying, unless you’re the type to or you learn to read your cats better. You get better at managing and accepting certain BG values after a while of seeing them.

Hang in there, you’ve got great company here for support

Sorry for the huge wall of text. I didn't want to take up space while you're asking for feeding/BG advice, but I hope it helps a bit

 

It’s lovely that you took the time to be supportive.

 

Hi Stephanie. You are seeing the kind of cycles you are because the dose is being changed too often as required by SLGS. As Suzanne said you test more than enough to do TR but I’m a bit concerned seeing the green bg readings will be hard for you. It is for most at first. Then green becomes addictive. So my question is which will be harder for you to see, low numbers or high ones. I think you need to think about that and then pick one method to follow. Cats new to fd bounce around a lot. It’s frustrating but a necessity until they get used to normal bg. Some lucky cats are not bouncers. Some bounce all the way to remission. So which will be harder for you?

When Max became diabetic there were many nights I was up at 2-3 a.m. with nobody online. I was following TR so I printed out the directions and kept reading them, updating my ss, and hoping someone would keep me company. Sometimes it happened but other times not.
Whatever you decide it’s not forever. Just give whichever method you pick enough time to see how it works.

 

You asked me several questions in a PM:

First piece of advice is to learn to relax and take some time to do some things for Stefania. All of us start out as helicopter parents, trying to interpret everything our cat does. You might want to read this post: Dear Mom/Dad (letter from your kitty)

Feline diabetes is a marathon, not a sprint. We also say that Lantus teaches you patience, which definitely was not a word to describe me when I started here, so I can relate to the million questions.

Jessi is bouncing. Bounces can take up to 3 days/6 cycles to resolve. Bouncing and the phrase "my cat's numbers are all over the place" are the two most common complaints we hear from new caregivers. You know what, this is not something we can control. It happens and it takes much more time in normal numbers to reduce or stop bouncing. My cat took a year to stop bouncing to over 400. And note, we have a phrase that you have to Learn Your Cat and ECID, each cat is different, because it's true. Over time, you might learn to predict Jessi's patterns on Lantus. At which point she'll change those patterns, because CAT. But the basics of when she onsets, and her response to carbs should stay pretty much the same.

We cannot do anything about back to back reductions when following SLGS, and we sense your frustration with having to hold the dose a week now (unless she goes under 90 again), which is probably why people are suggesting trying TR. You test enough for it and are feeling low carb food. In spite of that, we say that the choice of dosing method is also a matter of your life style, goals for Jessi, and comfort level. Some people just aren't comfortable with the concepts of TR, and that's OK if you want to stick to SLGS. However, that means changes have to be done more slowly if following SLGS. You will have to stay with 0.5 units for a week, so 11 more cycles.

Not just back to back reductions, but even single reductions will feel the effect of the higher depot for 4-6 cycles after the reduction. In that case, you may wish to help prevent her earning another reduction prematurely. Yesterday you saw a huge drop from +2.25 to +3.35. That might have been a good point to give something like medium carb, to try so slow her down and prevent her from going under 90. Rather that waiting until she went under 90 to boost her up. Learning how sensitive Jessi is to carbs will help immensely. I see you are noting when and what you feed (excellent), you might also want to note the amount.

Another suggestion for you, look through the posts on this forum and look for people who have recently diagnosed cats. Read their posts, look at their spreadsheets. A lot of the same questions get asked, or you might find one you had not thought of yet. You may also see some similarities between newly diagnosed cats and their response to insulin.

 

I didn't but she was ravenous by the time mealtime came. She's got that hyperglycemic appetite again and it worries me. She does have other conditions, I will finish my profile so that information is there. She probably has IBD and she may have skin cancer, still undiagnosed. I'm waiting to get the Diabetes under control before subjecting her to more invasive tests and/or procedures which might do more harm than good at this point. She is also getting on in years. Also the neuropathy is pretty advanced. That hasn't changed since starting the insulin.

Wow. It's like you're in my head. What your wrote is making me laugh and cry. You so get me! And I so get what you're saying. Even though others have said similar things to me with fewer words, somehow the way you're saying it is really hitting home. Thank you. I'm not going to lie and say I feel all better now, but I do feel totally understood. And I really get that this is a crazy wild ride and while we try to control some things we have to also let go of what we can't.

Yeah, I have trust issues. And these are coming up big in this situation! I am learning so much through all of this, not just technical stuff about FD but about myself, about life, about getting support (not an easy one for me) and so much else.

I have big issues with doctors having had to deal with many because of my own health stuff in the past. You could say I have it in for them for how ignorant and arrogant they often are. Sorry, no offense if there are doctors or doctors friends here. I know there are always exceptions and they are the true gems. But overall, really awful experiences. Having to deal with all these different Vets and their attitudes and sometime downright abusive treatment, to say nothing of their negligence, is sometimes the last straw for me.

This last couple of weeks I have taken a nice long break from them, communicating only with people here on the forum. And Jessi has had a nice long break too. It was nice of the sensor to last 11 days so we didn't have to take her to any of them to have it replaced. I was calling them so often before I started diving in here and getting feedback from people who have MUCH more experience with FD than any vet I have met so far. Some of the vets were kind and empathic enough, but incapable, others were arrogant and nasty and incapable. Occasionally, some good advice came in by chance, or maybe it was just what I needed in that moment, if you believe in happy coincidences, but overall, not people I could put my faith in, and entrust my precious kitty to, although I did have to more than ever before when she had the DKA, That was rough.

I won't write a novel in reply, though I could. Just wanted to say that this message makes a big difference for me. I hear you loud and clear about taking breaks, worrying a tiny bit less, taking naps...I try to do these things already but it is not easy to find a balance. I have moments of getting clear headed and calm about everything, and then in an instant I can swing to the other extreme. I guess in those moments I'm looking for something to make me feel everything is going to be ok.

I don't know if that's something anyone can give me, but it sure helps to have you all.

Maybe all of this is pointing towards learning about walking that line between left brain, scientific, mathematical, analytical thinking and intuitive, creative, right brain thinking. You need both, you work them both together and maybe that's where the magic happens especially in a situation like this.

Yes, Jessi has numerous other health challenges that haven't been officially diagnosed, some of which she has had her entire life, like IBD, and food allergies, although since being on insulin she almost never pukes or has mushy poop, except when I give her carbs and sugar to bring her BGs up, Lol! Her liver and obviously pancreas aren't exactly healthy. And there is a skin thing which could be serious and is definitely causing her pain and making her feel ill. She is often quite hot, not with fever but like when you have inflammation in your body. Her WBC is elevated without a known cause, but I think I know the cause.

I don't know how much she can handle with all this going on, and for how long she will keep going. I hesitated a long time before going down this path with her for so many reasons including my mental and physical wellbeing as well as hers. She is such an unusually sensitive and non-aggressive kitty who easily goes into extreme fear and gets traumatized. I knew how hard all this would be for her and for me. But I made the choice because it was that or lose her. I couldn't watch her starve and the DKA pushed us over the edge.

So we took the plunge and now we're free falling together on this crazy ride. I often find myself saying out loud, 'Oh my God, what am I doing? I can't handle all this. This is crazy!' But here I am, and there's no turning back now.

So some of it is my choice, but some of it is hers too and if at any point I start to feel like it's all too much for her, then I will have to find a way to let go and know that she knows what she's doing. They are so wise, aren't they?

For now, I'm all in! But without this forum and all these smart as heck, dedicated, generous, patient people we can not get through this. So please be patient some more with me, know that I am deeply appreciative even when I'm freaking out, know that it isn't about you, it's about me going through some tough emotions, and keep the feedback and the encouragement coming because what you give to me goes straight to Jessi and is not just extending her life but improving the quality of it immensely.

 

I guess overall it's good we reduced the dose right before the sensor quit. For now I will stick with SLGS. I just needed to understand more and now I feel I do. Or maybe it's more like understanding you can't understand. LOL! But even just hearing in more detail about bounces, how long they can last, how a cat can keep bouncing until remission...those things are super helpful to know.

I didn't know about preventing earning another reduction, I didn't realize this was a good idea to do. And I certainly didn't know how to foresee a sharp drop and feed to prevent that. It seemed like the idea as to reduce but only too late I realized this could be not the greatest idea if it went too far. The last reduction felt like one too many. Yeah, I feel some frustration for sure about not understanding enough sooner to have prevented that by feeding some carbs sooner. I saw the in the moment advice to feed but by then it was a little too late. If I had has a better sense of the reasoning behind that, I might have been able to catch it sooner and keep us in higher numbers.

Maybe TR would be better for us. I just feel nervous about getting into that until I can confidently and consistently ear prick test. As long as I'm sensor dependent, it would be a little risky, wouldn't it in case the sensor stops giving you a read at just the crucial moment, as it has quite a few times already, and then dies at random times? If I could learn more about what TR is actually like as an experience, what it means in terms of your lifestyle, schedule, sleep, etc...what are the risks, are they higher, maybe it would help to make a decision. Is there a place to read more about the personal side to doing TR?

I don't know if I have the stomach for it just yet. It does seem a bit aggressive for me and Jessi. As it is I am overwhelmed with the sense of responsibility. Maybe I'll give it one more week and see how I feel then...or maybe a few more days. Every day feels like a week since we started insulin, even more so since I started home monitoring. It's like there is so much packed into a day.

I'm conking out now from tiredness. It's funny, I probably could have gone to sleep early and slept a lot more with Jessi in such high numbers. But I stayed up anyway worrying. Silly me.

Now that the sensor is dead, I am blind. I hope the numbers stay relatively high for now until we get another one. Poor little love, it's not just a nuisance to her having that thing on her, it aggravates the thing on her skin that hurts and itches to begin with. The bandage for the sensor covers that too and rubs it constantly. Plus the sensor itself can't feel very good. I only do it because it is better than wrestling her down and traumatizing her every time I need a read. I wish I could at least relieve her from having it on her neck, but I don't know that we can find a better spot that she can't kick or bite off.

Thank you all for your replies. I will be reading through them again. There is alway a lot to take in. I am so glad no one got irritated or impatient with me!

This is so good! Made me tear up!
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/letter-from-your-kitty-to-you-during-this-time.131186/

 

I should probably start a new thread, huh?

 

Again, long post alert. Please read at leisure

I’m so glad I could help you in some small way. I just wish I had written to you sooner. I had a whole reply written out a few days back when Bhooma shared Shen’s SS with you as an example, but got occupied with a few cat things and now I can’t seem to find it. It was mostly to do with how I’ve changed feeding quantities and schedules for Shen since his insulin administration started. I stumbled quite a lot in the beginning, mostly because I was trying to apply my own stupid logic without really understanding how glargine and food react with each other

I have some of it typed out and will share it with you in a while so you can read it when you have a free, calm patch of time. As you might be able to tell, I suffer from oversharing

When I joined FDMB and made my intro post and received responses, it felt like a dam within me burst and I just had to word-vomit as much as I could It sort of felt like therapy to me.

I kind of noticed that experienced members are more crisp with their responses (it’s actually great since when you’re in a pinch, you need brief, precise advice ) but that’s also because they do this day in and out and there’s so many sugar kitties on board here who need them too. With time, once you’ve settled down a bit more, those are the kind of responses you would come to appreciate even more.

I don’t know if this could be true, but we also start to mirror their practical (or emotional) approaches/responses. And after some time of being overwhelmed 24/7, being practical is better than being emotional for our own mental well-being I honestly think it’s an art and a very smart way of calming newbies down, regardless of whether they do it knowingly or not

But because I was hungry for more assurances and data, like Wendy suggested, I would read the newcomer posts on the Main Health forum since they felt very relatable and I could feel like I was getting advised and comforted too. It also served as a recap on a lot of basics/beginner things. I would also go through a few SSs to see what I could possibly be in for. I didn’t want to delude myself into thinking we would get a remission outcome just because the diabetes was steroid-induced.

Obviously you don’t want to overload your brain too much with too much new info, so I just read a few threads at a time. Also a lot or most of the sugar kitties here have other stuff going on besides FD, so you don’t want to go down too many rabbit holes wondering if your kitty has / will have it too. You cross one hurdle at a time even if there’s always something.

Big disclaimer: I’m currently unemployed and taking care of Shen is my full-time job There is no way I could have done whatever I’ve managed in the last couple of months had I been working in a 9-5 job. Somewhere down the line, I may switch to SLGS to make it work better once I resume working full-time.

I’m also have a tough time imagining how I’ll be able to manage Shen’s diabetes once I get back to work. For such times, I’ve noted what another FDMB member had to say (back in 2010) about sticking to a 12/12 schedule:
“It's important to keep in mind that some cats remain diabetic for years and trying to keep to a strict 12/12 schedule long term like that is going to be pretty much impossible. No matter how much you care about your cat (and we all do), you're allowed to have a life too. Your life doesn't stop the minute your cat is diagnosed with diabetes.”

Yep, especially if you’re managing it all on your own :’) I remember a friend’s mom, who knew about Shen’s situation, commented that I was doing a great job with him and I burst into tears, knowing that it was true that I have been doing a lot but still feeling strangely inadequate.

I think we all wish we had clones to help us out and who cared as much as we did about our kitties or that we had 12 more hours in a day.

I hope you can figure out what else is up with Jessi once you’ve settled into a more comfortable routine (comfortable for me means more rested, brain slightly less overworked).
My overactive imagination would go to work like nobody’s business. I’ve given myself a lot of unnecessary grief because I didn’t know where to stop.

You did the right thing and you’re in the right place

I was very nervous about TR because it says it’s an aggressive protocol compared to SLGS. I didn’t fully comprehend what that meant but just the word “aggressive” threw me off.

For me personally, after switching to TR, I didn’t have to do any major ( I realize major is subjective) adjustments to what I had already been doing, apart from modifying the feeding frequencies and quantities once we realized a few things about Shen’s BG trends.

SLEEP: When I first started insulin, I slept for like 2-3 hours daily because I was afraid of hypos happening at night, even though his BG was in 300-400s. LOL. I actually started sleeping a few hours more once I switched to glargine.

Sleep is also subjective. I’ve been one of those kids who used to stay up all night on the night before an exam and that habit has followed me well into adulthood. So, while I’m perpetually tired and sore, I somehow manage. There’s also this thing called Revenge Procrastination because of which I don’t sleep even when I know Shen’s comfortable because now I want to do all those things which I couldn’t do during the day

Sometimes I take naps during the evening after the nadir till PMPS. I set hourly alarms, all the time.
It’s not a very sustainable habit, I know. Don’t be like me please.

LIFESTYLE: I don’t have a social life to speak of currently I simply can’t imagine going out to chill unless I’m very sure someone’s looking after Shen while I’m gone. For a few months, I’ve also mentally not been in a place where I could interact socially/ with my friends with ease. It felt triggering to answer their questions about Shen, so I avoided doing that entirely.
More recently, since Shen’s BGs have been somewhat predictable, I’ve stepped out after his usual nadir and have been back by his PM shot times. There's also stuff like vacation dose, in case you need to be away from your kitty for a while. You could always seek inputs here to make temporary dosage adjustments in times of need.

I’ve still not learnt how to trust my family to take care of Shen and I have this weird feeling of not wanting to give them the responsibility of looking after Shen, in case something goes wrong then. It’s weird and I wish I could be more trusting and optimistic.

RISKS: To me, the risk has always been a hypo, regardless of which protocol I was following and regardless of where Shen’s BG lay, then and now. It took a few weeks to get used to the greens. I was told seeing greens is scary initially but they get addictive after a while of getting used to them. It is kind of true and once you see your kitty looking/acting better in lower BGs, you do feel that’s what you want more of too.

The downside is that you have to be on your toes all the time (for some time) to bring their BG above 50, the few times it does happen. The plus side is that you get a dose reduction (T&C apply )

Shen has always been a lazy, sleepy, grumpy, hungry cat. Whenever his BG has gone under 50, he has been sleeping like usual. Even if he came to me begging for food, I wouldn’t necessarily know it was because of a low BG. So in a way, I have less signs to go by, if I had to identify a hypo by symptoms alone.
So, if I feel paranoid for some reason, I just check his BG. If his BG is below 50, I do the hypo drill. If it’s between 60-70, I feed his LC snack. If it’s above a number I’m comfortable with now, I chill for some time before giving him his next snack. It all took some time and self-restraint to reach here.
Regardless of protocol type and time of the day, you could probably define such thresholds for yourself, now that you've seen all sorts of colors on Jessi's SS and how both she is and you are during those BGs.

Suzanne, Elise and Wendy have given great suggestions to you to decide if you want to try TR. You’ve to strike a balance between managing your own work/ lifestyle/ mental health and your kitty’s well-being. Some people have no choice but to opt for SLGS and keep their kitties in slightly higher numbers. Some people see higher numbers despite following TR.
Regardless of which protocol you opt for, everyone’s been there and no one’s judging. We all love our kitties too, too much

The sensor must feel like an asset and handicap both, so maybe you could put TR on hold till you feel like you could get the odd ear-poke test here and there, if at all. Or till you feel confident enough seeing and managing lower BGs (> 90) with food and want to move further down the greens.

I wish I could pass down some of my cat’s vibes to yours - he does not care about ear pokes and most of the time, I do them while he’s sleeping.

As I end this, I think the whole thing is about giving yourself more time to get used to the various aspects FD entails
It’s difficult in the beginning, but you’ll get there

 

@Nimi S What a caring post full of information. I wish more people learning about fd would post and get knowledge and emotional support from others. Many of us that arrived here together become life long internet friends and even meet up. That’s the FDMB at its best. We return after our cats join others at the Rainbow Bridge or go OTJ to pay it forward. We have lives away from the FDMB so at times need to be brief and to the point because we care about the cats and want to keep them safe. Managing multiple cats needing to be out of a danger zone is quite stressful. If we commit to helping we need to stick with the person until safe or we find someone to take over. That’s why it’s important to post a specific way so we know who needs help. Otherwise posts get missed. It’s not because we are being difficult. If we pop in and don’t see a subject that calls out to us that help is needed or we can’t be around to help we go back to our lives away from the FDMB.

 

Thank you
I've not posted often before, because I'm afraid of over-stepping and over-sharing at times. Also sometimes more important information gets lost between the walls of text that I might post

Absolutely! I often read most of the condos on the ISGs and can see how fellow members boost each other up through their days. It really is great to have online/offline friends who can relate to doing what we do for our kitties.

Oh yes. I missed writing the part about experienced members having full lives of their own, because I feel it's obvious But I guess empathizing with volunteers is not at the top of the minds of those who come here seeking guidance, at least not on day one or even month one

Because I've got into the habit of reading signatures of most members, I've realized how much more most of the experienced members, and even others, have gone through. It also helps me to be more grateful for my own situation.

For what it's worth, I think your way of posting and steering new members is just perfect. I appreciate you all a whole lot more seeing as those who I pay to give me advice don't compare at all. But enough vet bashing from me, I won't shut up if I start.

 

I was going to say even before I read your reply, and in response to what Nimisha said, that I don't need time to appreciate the "crisp" responses, as she appropriately called them, from senior members coming to our aid. Quite the opposite, I have already been in situations where I was helped in this way in critical moments and anyone who was filling up my thread with tangential things, or having conversations with each other, or even arguing with each other on my thread, was actually a deterrent to getting the help I needed fast.

I definitely appreciate the terse, fast, attentive responses to my calls for help! They are life savers no doubt!

And I also appreciate the kind of support I'm getting from Nimisha right now that she is taking the time to give me. They are just different kinds of support and together it's the perfect balance for me.

@Nimi S I notice that you are quite mindful of when you can write such a long post on a thread. I don't think you would have done so if you noticed it wasn't a good moment for it. And that is really good.

@tiffmaxee I totally respect all the specifications and the purpose they serve. In the beginning it's kind of intense to learn all of these while at the same time trying to get the info you need to keep your cat safe. The time pressure is crazy. There is so much to learn all at once. It can get pretty stressful and hard to manage. There were definitely moments in the first week of being like, 'just tell me what I need to know to take care of her! don't make me change my thread title!" Lol! Hopefully we can chuckle about these things after the fact. There is still loads more to learn, but at least the basics I'm starting to get. I shouldn't say that too soon though or I'll get slammed with another truckload of new information!

It just keeps pouring out doesn't it? I'm learning to pace myself though, knowing there is only so much I can learn at once and trying to trust that I'll get the piece that I need in the right timing. Ah, there's that word "trust" again....

Anyhow, I am so so so grateful for you all!

I know I didn't post a new thread today, sorry about that. There was just this amazing thing happening here and I didn't want to disrupt it by starting a new thread. Is that ok? I should just skip to the next date right?

Plus I didn't have new BGs to share and Jessi and I were having a more chill day. Even though I could be nervous about the fact that I'm dosing blind right now, I'm trying to stay calm about it knowing it's a fairly low dose and I am home with her all day so I can watch her closely and feed frequently.

Tomorrow morning the phone calls begin to find a vet closer to home who can put another sensor on, instead of going 30 minutes away to the endocrinologist who does absolutely nothing for us.

Send me some good mojo for that to happen quickly and easily and for it to be an awesome, informed or at least intelligent and open minded, skillful, kind, communicative, attentive, experienced person who will play a vital role in caring for Jessi. Everything is possible right? Or am I asking for too much?

 

Yes, please do pass down those cat vibes. We sure could use some of that! I am making some progress with a new treat. But I will tell more about that once it's sure.

I really want to reply to all of this, but I'm so tired right now and I don't want to keep this thread going too much longer. I might get in trouble.

Maybe if I get a little more energy later on I will reply some more before starting a new thread. I feel like once I start a new thread this conversation which is so good for me right now will get interrupted. You definitely can't quote a reply from an old thread in a new thread.

Just know that I'm reading everything and taking it in and that your head and heart work a lot like mine! I'm so happy we met here! I'm sorry you're so far away! What is the time difference between Mumbai and Bologna? It's 11:09 pm here right now...

 

So long as you and Jessi are doing ok and are not in need of any urgent help, skipping a few days of posting every now and then is fine I’m a bit less diligent (and a bit more lazier) than I was before, so I skip a few days between every post. But I do update my SS almost instantly since I don’t want a backlog and I don’t have the best memory.

Correct. And you can give a link to this condo for anyone who wants to read back to get up to speed.

What a lovely, big leap that was! From tracking nearly all day to not tracking at all. Those are some big balls!

Wow! Soooo many adjectives in one sentence
One can always hope, right
Hope you get the new sensor in place soon, one less thing for you to worry about.

Great news!
Check out reply #15 from Elizabeth & Bertie on this thread. It’s more or less the same advice/tips on ear poke testing that you must have already read/received here but it’s a good read anyway

Please don’t feel obliged to reply, I understand. I tend to ramble and the exchanges won’t ever end
I will post one last bit about my feeding experience on this thread itself, so that I don’t crowd the next one where you’ll likely ask about dosing/feeding. This thread might get bumped up for a little bit but that should be ok, I feel.

You can. On your old thread, click Reply on the post you want to respond to, then copy the bit that gets populated in the text box and paste it in the text box of the new thread. It should mostly work.

We’re 3.5 hours ahead of you. It was about 2:45am here when you last posted. Not a big time difference, given that I sleep quite late anyway