7/23 Toeby PMPS 68 - Question's been answered, thanks!

Last Thread: https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/july-19-toeby-ambg-158-no-insulin-9-155-pmbg-185.232471/

Hi,
I haven't posted much - I am trying to figure this out but I find myself confused tonight. I reduced Toeby's shot from 0.5 to 0.25 units b.i.d. this week. Toeby's spreadsheet is up to date for reference... I just checked his BG before his evening shot and he is 68. I'm not sure if I should proceed with his shot, knowing his food will bring him up, or if that is too low to shoot on... 68 is not what is classified a "low" number according to what I read, but that is PRE insulin... He has only been on insulin a month. Help? Advice would be great.

 

I'm sorry no one has gotten back to you. Can you test again to see where he is? Did he eat a meal?

 

Looking at Toeby's history, if it were me I'd be inclined to skip tonight and see where it takes him, but if a second test shows he's zoomed up you might decide differently.

 

With a PMBG of 68, did you skip? If so, you might want to look at a dose of 0.1 units next. There is a picture in the Sticky Note on Syringe, Insulin Info and Fine Dosing.

It'll be really interesting to see where he's at tomorrow morning. You've haven't managed to get any mid cycle tests the last three days or nights, so it's possible he's been going low and bouncing.

 

Hi Nan and Wendy, I skipped his shot - I figured it was better to err on the side of caution, so we skipped the shot and he has eaten, so testing his BG now is useless, I think? He won't really be mid-cycle until after I go to bed, so maybe I will try for a 6 hour reading tomorrow morning. Regardless, I will post his morning reading (his AMPS) for sh*ts and giggles if you two think it would be useful to see... I will start a new thread. Thanks for replying to me, I appreciate it!

 

Not useless-- well, for the "shoot or not?" decision, yes, but otherwise, more data is always good! If you can grab a test tonight (perhaps just before bed) to see if he's still surfing or starting to go up, that will give you more information about his patterns for the next time this happens. He might even go down further (there is still the depot, even on a small dose), and that would be good to keep an eye on.

 

OH!! Here's a question for you.... I did read this fine dosing sticky after I was whining about not being able to measure less than 0.25 and you gently suggested it can be done - LOL - but I also read somewhere that you are never supposed to draw the insulin into the syringe and then return it to the vial because you can contaminate the vial with silicone.... Well! I will be wasting a bunch of insulin if that is true, because I mess around a bit to get to 0.25. Not that insulin is expensive here in Canada, but is there truth to that? I mean, it's minimal, but I have been drawing out a wee bit more and putting it back in the Lantus cartridge I have. ?

 

Yes, you will be wasting itty bitty bits of insulin. I used to draw about 0.5 units more than I thought I needed, cause I also had to deal with those darn bubbles! Since Toeby hasn't been on insulin long, you are probably OK. But from now forward, just squirt out the extra.

When I say "mid cycle", I mean somewhere between +2 and +10, so we can get a picture of what happened that cycle. Another test is good, to make sure he's not still going down.

 

He was 5.9 three hours after

Just tested him, 3 hours since his 68, with no insulin, and with food aboard, and his BG is 106. So it's up a bit, but not a lot. Not sure what that means, but there it is... I'm on Atlantic time, so it's getting on for 11 pm here so I probably won't test him again before my bedtime.

 

I find it helpful to understand Philly's patterns if I set an alarm for 2 or 3 AM a couple nights a week to test and see how he looks mid cycle overnight. If I feed him at that time his numbers seem more reliable in the morning.