? 8/23 Max - PMPS 103, +2 81, +7 118; AMPS 102. Are #s okay for heading towards OTJ?

8/22 post

I cannot find any specific Sticky for going OTJ aside from the info at the bottom of the 'Dosing Methods' sticky for SLGS & TR. Is there one that I'm just not finding? Some have said they did needle shots to just a drop; some have said they just started skipping shots. Is there a better method? From what I understand, tapering off seems to have better long term success, than just stopping. Are Max's blues a good indication that he may be on needle shots for a time before we attempt OTJ? I read and was told here that a week of all greens are what we are aiming for, but he still has blues. Is using food around +7/+8/+9 to try and bring PS number down worth a try, or is this the time to just chill and wait to see what Max's pancreas is going to do? ECID, I know, so I'm good with whatever... I just don't want to do anything to mess this up.

I'm not testing him as much as I was - partly due to the fact I'm not worried about a hypo, and partly because we still have our elderly dog taking up much of my nights. Max has been adamant he wants to sleep outside in his spot during this heatwave - and now even at night! I have had to test him twice outside during the day because he won't let me pick him up. I was not going out in the dark to do that this morning at 4:30 AM, so I skipped the +5 read I had planned to do but got the +7 at 5:45 AM when he came in to eat. If going back to more testing would be best, please let me know!

The only good thing I can say is this is the Max he was before DX! He adopted us by showing up on our quiet cul-de-sac 14 years ago, and since I fed him, he decided we were good hoomans. We had him neutered and it took almost two years to get him to come in and stay inside. Even 2 episodes of FLUTD (almost lost him the first time) couldn't keep him inside for long. Now that he's older (16), he loves beds and such during the winter or any times we get rain (not much), and finally decided the litter box was an okay thing (outside was his litterbox) since his DX...but right now, he wants OUT to sleep right under our kitchen window! You don't pick Max up unless he wants you to pick him up, and he's been fighting ear sticks every time again...Max is my feisty one, that's for sure!

 

From the New the Group Sticky Note, here is a link for you: Reminder: *earning* reductions and starting OTJ trials

Fighting the ear sticks is also a good sign - we see it often when cats are close to not needing insulin.

 

Awesome, thank you! Waaaay back in May when I first started poking around, I thought I saw something, but could not find it again last week.

 

Are you giving Max a small snack/meal around +8 or +9? With cats nearing remission and a sputtering pancreas, the small meal can cause his pancreas to kick in and send out some of his own insulin, hopefully bringing down those preshots.

 

Based on what I just read, though, he's not ready, and I am wondering if I need to go back to the 0.1U and go for the 3x at below 50? His greens are in the 80s & 90s with blues every cycle. I still have our elderly dog hanging on, vet totally not worried and me worried (sleeping on the couch to monitor him). I just couldn't watch Max like I knew I'd have to after his 49, but I chose the easy way with the needle shot. It's funny, I'm not scared of the high 40s, but the low 40s freak me out. I haven't wanted to push it for fear I'd not catch Max, with the dog issue still looming.

To top it all off, my hubby came home Friday from his out of town job and told me he'd been laid off (gah this is my first public proclamation ). He's the only one who works (aside from our 22 yr old) as I care for my 91 yr old dad too, and I'm trying not to totally lose my s**t. Luckily we have some money in savings, but the job market for him in construction just isn't there locally for the foreseeable future due to COVID, and we only have so much saved. I'm angry because he was wooed away from his previous secure job (spent 29+ years at the same place, going thru four owners), and was promised so much only to be dropped because he didn't have a certification that he needed, yet could not get due to the testing centers shuttered because of COVID (at least that what hubby said). Anyway, I told Max he needed to get into remission ASAP because we are now living on limited funds for the unforeseeable future. At least I just got a new insulin pen at the end of July, and he's on so little that it will last us a long time!

 

I haven't been specifically aiming for those times, but I try to feed him around 9.5 so that he's fed before his 2 hr fast. I had fed him during the +8 hour before, but he'd be back around +10.5 begging for food...so I pushed him later to help with that. I did notice that his +7 test and then feeding did show a slight drop by his AMPS, so I guess it's time to set +8 feeding reminders!

 

So sorry about DH's job - this pandemic is really hitting so many families hard. Construction, cause it's outside, was one of the few jobs that kept going strong here even through lock down. Approaches have been so different, depending where you live.

I wouldn't be in a rush to get back to 0.1 units. It got him below 50, and you've got a lot on your plate right now. I wouldn't classify him as "not holding reductions well" just yet. Give him a few more cycles on this dose before deciding if you need to increase. Maybe the +8 or so snack will help too.

 

Thanks so much. We'd felt so blessed seeing so many of our friends affected...and yes, construction is still going, but just no new jobs starting locally as yet. He said he could go back out of town and work, but he was in a superintendent position and he and his bosses shared a rental with the company paying the rent. No way could we afford the rent for him to work there. That's life and there is a reason for it...to quote Carrie Underwood's song, "Jesus, take the wheel".

I will keep holding Max at the needle shot and push the +8 meals and see where that brings us...patience, grasshopper!!

 

I'm sorry about your DH. I hope something works out for a job soon. I hope Max gives you some more greens. Sending prayers.