Help For Molly #14

Continued from previous threads @MrWorfMen's Mom @Kris & Teasel

 

Should I stick with the .10? For this morning? @MrWorfMen's Mom

 

Yes I would stick to the 0.10u for now. Nice to see that blue start to the day.

Work that juice Molly!

 

.10 or a drop? @MrWorfMen's Mom

 

It looks like you continued with the 0.10u and that's exactly what I would have done. Nice cycle today.

Come on Molly. More cycles like today is what we want you to do!

 

Just an FYI- I will likely not be online for PMPS tomorrow night. Have to head up north to a friend's 70th birthday party and likely won't be home by PMPS. If any questions about dose, you can post on Health or be conservative if unsure.

 

Ok, I usually go back and look at the spreadsheet if I’m not sure. Safe travels tomorrow and enjoy yourself

 

Skip this morning? I see the pattern now.

 

It's either a stall to see if she rises on her own or a skip since it's a work day. SIGH!

 

I think she was lower than that? She slept with me all night. I left food out for her before I went to bed. She got up at 4am and ate it.

 

She might have been lower earlier but right now you'd want to know she was rising without more food on board. Do you know if she ate all the food you left down at 4am or could she have eaten some it since then?

 

No, she ate it all her dish was empty when I got up

 

Check her BG again even if she has eaten now and see how much she has gone up. You could drop her to a drop dose and leave food down if she is rising fast.

 

5.3 what do you think?

 

I think it's likely she will bounce a bit from the lower BG (she has every time you've shot a low pre-shot) and skipping is just going to magnify that. I'd give her the drop dose, leave food down and if you are concerned, mix a little MC in to up the carbs just a smidge and of course get that lunchtime test.

 

Drop or .10 for tonight?

 

She's not holding reductions well and was just barely below 90 this AM so I think I would keep her on the 0.10u for now and get the before bed test to make sure she isn't going to have an active cycle. She usually bounces and seems to be starting a bit now but hopefully continuing the 0.10u dose will keep the bounce to a minimum.

 

Ok, that’s what I thought but was waiting for you to respond

 

Would the .10 be ok for this morning? Or a drop dose?

 

I'd go with the 0.10u but test again before you leave like yesterday and if she seems active, leave MC food out for her to eat until lunch time.

 

.10 for tonight? I’m late

 

Same dosage for this morning? Where I was late last night. I can go back half hour?

 

Yes stick with 0.10u and you can shoot 30 minutes early.

 

We’ll be in Alberta this weekend. They are an hour ahead of us. I assume I just go by my time? For shooting

 

Yes I think that would probably be best. You could move the shot time back 30 minutes today and tomorrow but then you'd have to move it ahead again when you come home which seems a lot of trouble for a weekend.

 

Molly isn’t very hungry. Is that normal with the lower numbers?

 

Yes it's normal. She is processing and utilizing food more efficiently when her BG is in lower more normal range. I'm loving today's readings! Go Molly!
As long as she is willing to eat, you can give her insulin and just leave food out for her to eat when she needs/wants it.

 

I was up an hour earlier this morning. Tested Molly and retested an hour later. Big Jump for an hour

 

I imagine that is the start of another bounce from those beautiful cycles yesterday and last night. Looks like Molly usually has a "food bump" just over 1mmol. so unless she got into some contraband which I'm sure she didn't, that definitely looks like a bounce.

 

I'd leave her some MC to eat until lunchtime assuming you will be at work today. That is the lowest pre-shot she's had that you've given 0.10. While it looks like a bounce is starting, you still don't want her dropping too low.

 

That’s what I figured. Contraband as in people food?

 

Contraband could be people food! Why did she pilfer something she shouldn't have?

 

She had found a crumb on the floor. Had a little piece of cheese.

 

Doesn't sound like enough to put her up that much but who knows. Was the crumb from cake?

 

Not sure she gobbled it up quick

 

Should I drop back to a drop in the morning? Depending on BG @MrWorfMen's Mom

 

Ok I see your tag here and don't think it showed up BUT I was in the midst of a kitty PJ crisis party last night and I could have missed it. My bad.
I see Molly is bouncing again right now but not badly which is great.
If you are willing to be a little more aggressive with her (within reason) then I'd stick to the 0.10u for now. Let's see if getting her into those nice green healing numbers more often and for longer periods gets her to hold the next time you reduce.
Remember it's your call as to what you are comfortable with. I think if you let Molly get down to the 60s more often it might give her pancreas more of a chance to heal and work better. Obviously doing this on the weekend and during the week might lead to different choices but she is surfing nicely and Lantus is much better at holding low numbers than pulling numbers down.

 

Ok, I’ll leave it for .10. I’m on vacation this week to. So I can monitor her more.

 

OH goody! That will give you a good opportunity to keep the momentum going. Go Molly!

 

We’re going away tonight. Won’t be back til Midnight. She dipped down low the other night. When we were out. Should I leave food with medium carb?

 

Yes that sounds like a good plan as long as her PMPS is 150 or so. If she is any lower, then maybe some high carb food. I'll be around at 6 your time (9 mine) so I will check in to see if there is any questions. I see she's taken quite a drop in the last few hours.

 

I don’t have any high carb food with me. Just the FF gravy . Yes she’s dropped since this morning. Little worried about tonight.

 

FF gravy is high carb. No worries .....she will be fine. Let's see what she has for you at PMPS.

 

You can always make higher carb with some honey added to low or medium carb in a pinch!

 

Should I leave high carb out for tonight

 

I think she'll be fine with low carb. Didn't think she would be into the yellow. Have a good time tonight.

 

What should I do about this morning? @MrWorfMen's Mom

 

Technically you skip if you didn't stall to see if she was rising on her own. Not sure I'd chance the drop dose when you can't monitor.

 

I’m on vacation this week. So I can monitor

 

Oh yeah I forgot. Give her the 0.10u dose then and check her again +2 if you are willing to push her a bit. Otherwise you can reduce to a drop dose.

 

Will you be on here tonight? Between 6-630 my time!

 

Yes I will keep an eye out for you. I'm loving this cycle! Look at Molly surf!

 

What should I do for dosage tonight @MrWorfMen's Mom?

 

I'd stick with the 0.10u again and check her around +2 or +3 and see what she is up to. She did beautifully today.

 

I think she’s a little tuckered out from yesterday. Two hour drive home. She meowed the whole way. Just wish she would get use to the truck. She really did good today. I hope it continues

 

She'll get use to the truck in time if you keep taking her. If you aren't going anywhere special for awhile, taking her for a little ride periodically between longer trips would probably help her settle down more.

 

Nice start to the day. Wondered if she's be up more given that beautiful run yesterday so pleased to see that low blue. Work that juice Molly!

 

I was happy to see the blue this morning she’s not that hungry. But I think you were saying before. It’s where she’s in the lower numbers?

 

Yup. Those lower numbers mean she is utilizing the food she eats more normally and her cells are getting what they need with less food. She'll eat less than she has been but her appetite is just going back to normal.

 

Not sure what to do for tonight for dosage? @MrWorfMen's Mom

 

I think you are alright to give her the 0.10u but there is always the possibility that she'll decide to go low especially since our kitty's have a habit of going lower at night. It's a toss up. If you don't want to chance a PJ party reduce to a drop. Test at +3.

 

I’ll do the .10 she’s eating her supper right now. I’ll test her at +3 go from there. What’s a safe number for +3?

 

If she's up at +3 then it's unlikely to be an active cycle. If she has dropped by +3 more than about 10 points, then I'd test again in an hour and then go from there. Not a bad idea to get a couple of tests in on the night cycle no matter what she does when it's the first time shooting that low at night. If you want/need to, you can give her some higher carb food to boost her up before you turn in or if she has dropped at +3.

 

Continue with the .10?

 

Yes. You got it. Molly is doing great. She bounced a little and cleared it quickly.

 

She’s been sleeping alot

 

It's likely just the adjustment. She has to get use to being in those lower numbers again and her whole body has to readjust. She is also still bouncing a bit and that I think that plays into it too. Just keep an eye on her.

 

Oh my she’s high today

 

I wouldn't worry. Look how low she went yesterday. She has only seen numbers that low a few times so I am sure this is a bounce. Notice the bounce level is also lower than it use to be. She'll drop again. She's just trying your patience again.

 

Molly has become more constipated lately. How often should I giver her the clearlax?

 

Some folks use it everyday with kitties prone to constipation to keep them moving their bowels especially since it seems that when our extra sweet furkids get bunged up, their numbers go haywire. We can all relate to GI issues and our kitties are no different. If their innards are acting up, it stresses them and BG numbers go up.

 

Ya she had a hard time this afternoon. Uses her box

 

Do they seem to be in pain from it? She didn’t want me to pick her up

 

I assume like us they have gas build up which could make their abdomen tender. When is the last time you know she pooped?

 

About an hour ago. She had a hard time. Dragging her bum.

 

I'd definitely get some Clearlax into her. Have you tried mixing some plain pumpkin into her food at all? It seems to add a bit of fibre and works well for both constipation and diarrhea for a lot of kitties.

 

I put 1/4 tsp in her food tonight. She didn’t eat it all. I’ll grab some pumpkin while I’ll out.

 

Just make sure it's pure pumpkin and not pie pumpkin with all the spices and stuff in it. Sometimes they have the plain pumpkin in pet stores.

 

Back in the yellows

 

How are the bowels doing now? Is she going regular yet?

 

I’d say she’s feeling better but not regular. Gave her pumpkin mixed in with her food.

 

Interesting that her numbers were so good and then back to the yellow BUT that could also be a product of a bounce from that 58 the other day. Then I also wonder if she went a bit lower n the night of the 23rd, given that blue start on the 24th. Bounces are known to last for 6 cycles and in some cats more and Molly can be a bit bouncy. She's been pretty flat so let's see what she does. In the meantime, keep adding that pumpkin in her food to avoid any GI issues to upset the applecart.

 

The pumpkin won’t interfere with her numbers?

 

As long as it's plain pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling it won't effect her numbers.

 

Ok, I have the plain pumpkin

 

How often do I give Molly. The pumpkin per day?

 

I know it's fine once a day but not sure if you need to give it with both main meals or not. I really think this is something you need to experiment with specifically for Molly to keep her moving her bowels. You could so a search for "pumpkin" and see what comes up or just post for some feedback. I've never had to use it so I don't want to mislead you.

 

Should we increase dosage again?

 

As long as you can check her at lunch time, yes I would bump her up again.

 

Ok I’ll start tonight or tomorrow morning? I already gave her shot

 

You think the pumpkin is increasing her BG?

 

It shouldn't but then ECID. I'd gamble that it's more about the lack of going regular than the pumpkin itself.

 

I was upset to see that number.

 

It happens. I know it's hard if not impossible, but try not to hang on that one number. Molly likes to throw a little extra colour in there every so often so this is not out of character for her. She'll be back into those blues and greens in no time.

 

She was doing so good. She didn’t eat much of her lunch. I thought we the higher number she’d be starving

 

Sounds to me like she might be a bit off due to not regularly pooping. That can elevate BG. And if her tummy is off or she has some gas, that could affect her appetite too. All you can do is try to find a routine to keeps her regular. Have you considered trying a little Clearlax again? Are you still adding water to her food?

 

I’m going to giver her clearlax tonight. I don’t think the pumpkin is working? It be ok to giver her the clearlax twice a day?
Yes, I mix water in with her food but maybe add a bit more.

 

You can give it twice daily but I'd stick to the same dose and frequency you used the last time to start to avoid pushing her in the opposite direction. Easier to add more than deal with effects of too much. Starting dose I believe is 1/8 tsp. and can go up to 1/4 tsp. I'd start with the smaller dose once daily and if that doesn't work give it twice daily. You may need to start giving it to her more regularly to keep thing moving better. Have you noticed her straining or spending longer in her LB?

 

I think she has always had a problem with her bowels. I think it's just getting worse. Yes she does strain sometimes. It's like she hates to poop. I was giving her 1/4 tsp to start. Should I drop back to 1/8 tsp?

 

No I wouldn't drop back. Try the 1/4 tsp again and if no joy in a day or so, give it twice a day. Just found a thread where it looks like folks give it 3 times daily in some cases. There is also another laxative called lactulose that some folks use. Does Molly show any sign of discomfort if you palpate her abdomen?