Here’s his sheet. Wondering if I should up his insulin to 2.75? https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1S15-dJ5nHpXmzr2qcIBX2yg6u3q6q79_l3qQ8A0dQdI/edit
There are much better advice givers than me but I think they’ll tell you to hold for a full week on this dose before increasing - especially with the large drop from over 500 to 175 in the mid cycle. Likely going lower during the night time. I’m sure someone else will be around to guide you later but I wouldn’t increase yet.
Yes. If you are following the Start Low Go Slow dosing method, please hold this dose for a full 7 days/14 cycles before considering an increase. I see that you got a blue number yesterday. Let's let the dose settle for the full 7 days. All of this is, of course, if Jake does not "earn" a reduction by going below 90 (which doesn't look likely at this point, but I have to say that.) Keep up the good work! I like to see those tests.
I agree about those very large mid-cycle dives. Is it possible for you to get more tests in so we can actually see what's happening before that dive? Tests at +2, 4, etc. would be sooo helpful in filling in the picture. It looks like he dives too fast and too far for his comfort level and then he bounces back up to the black preshot. We need to find out what's going on and see if you can slow the drops down to help prevent bouncing and very high preshots. Strategic feeding at certain points in the cycle can help with this. @FrostD would you please take a look at Jake's spreadsheet. I want your opinion (to see if you will say what I am thinking )
Thanks everyone. I’ll do some more testing today. I won’t be home for +2 but should be able to get +3 and more when I get home. I was considering doing that anyhow. Picked up more strips yesterday just so I could.
Yes, agree with Suzanne. Hold the dose for a few more days, and if/when you can some +2/+3 would be good. Do you have an autofeeder? What's your current feeding schedule? Tweaking that may help slow those dives and help with bounces.
He gets as much tiny tiger/ friskies/9 lives pate as he wants. No dry or non pate. Some bonito flakes. No auto feeder except me!
I upped him to 2.75 today since his numbers are still high. He is acting somewhat better. Climbing on the bed again, letting me know when he’s hungry and insists on him coffee. He likes to lick the rim for any left over cream. I make my own so there’s no sugar in it and he barely gets a taste as it’s just what’s stuck to the side of the cup.
Just a bouncy boy! As an FYI my house is down with a nasty case of hand foot and mouth, so I'll be a little scarce. Will do my best to pop in once a day
Wow my kids just went through that a couple months ago. My daughter when just had a baby Wednesday and her husband and one of the resins. My 17 year old granddaughter and my other son in law. Not fun!
All that black and red on your spreadsheet is what Jake's body has gotten used to and thinks is normal, safe numbers for him. When you give insulin and his BG drops fast, too low or even what his body perceives as too low (even those yellows would seem awful low to his body right now) his pancreas, then his liver is triggered and releases hormones and various sugars into the bloodstream to bring the BG back up to a level his body considers safe. Now you've got a bunch of excess glucagon, glycogen and counter-regulatory hormones floating around in the bloodstream 'helping' keep the BG higher, making it harder to bring the BG back down by working against the insulin you're giving. ECID, but, it 'usually' takes 3 days (6 cycles) to fully clear the excess hormone/sugar dump from the system and why we always want to make sure a bounce has fully cleared before increasing a dose - we need to see how low a dose really takes him when he doesn't have all that excess in his bloodstream from when his liver 'panicked'.
Thanks for the explanation. So we should keep The 2.75 for at least 3-4 days which is what I did with the 2.5. I did 6 days. This morning he’s in the 500’s again. I’ll do a +3, +6 and + 9 to see how the 2.75 is doing. Yesterday it was great till +9. So I guess a bounce! Especially since it was his typical 500’s this morning.
Ummmm, no! I've been checking for a mid cycle today after your last post and wow, when it popped up I had to look twice! This is what @Suzanne & Darcy meant when she said give it time to let a dose settle in. I was expecting a good AM cycle tomorrow, what a nice surprise! Your first GREEN!!! YAY! Did your heart skip a beat?
This morning he was 142 so I only gave him 1 unit. Went to 100 at +4 and 243 at + 7 now PMPS he’s HI. Not sure how much to give him
You have shot full dose when he was in the black before and all was well. Are you able to test tonight before you go to bed?
Yes he’s polished off a can of friskies pate and now working on a can of tiny tiger. I’ll test at +3 just before I go to bed.
Jakes sugar was high today. 554 so I gave him 3 units and will do a curve today since I’m home. He wines all the way to the litter box and pees outside the box a lot. I’m wondering again if he’s got a bladder infection. Thinking of talking to the vet.
At +2 he’s 502. Have an appointment tomorrow morning with the vet. Will continue the curve today and take his ss with me to the vet tomorrow. Maybe we need a change of insulin or he’s got a bladder infection
Took him to the vet today. His temp was normal sugar was in the 260’s. Get p scrip for lantus if I decide to switch
Did they do a urinalysis or bloodwork? I hope so because you can’t always tell just by body temperature. I’ve also had cats who were completely asymptotic when I took them to the vet and it turned out there were a lot of cocci (bacteria) in the urine. Also you get a lot of other good data from that. Similarly, I have had cats whose white blood cell count was within normal limits and they still had lots of bacteria in their urine.
No they didn’t. He didn’t even suggest it. We’ve had peeing outside the box in the past. He’s on reconcile fir that. Vet seems to think he’s getting confused in his old age and I tend to agree. He spends a lot of time staring into space. He starts to eat and the. Walks away till I remind him he has more food. On the flip side he’s asking more like his old self. Climbing on the furniture and our bed again!
It wasn’t so much the peeing outside the box that got me — but I thought you said he was crying in the litter box. Has his blood pressure been checked?
Don’t know about the BP. He’s not peeing in the box it when he owes, just walking to and from the laundry room like he’s letting me know he’s going. I got the prescription from the vet for lantus. He wrote feline on the prescription. Has anyone had problems filling it with the coupon? Also does it matter which pharmacy. He’s on ProZinc now and I have half a bottle left. He’s on 3 units and here’s his ss. Should I finish the bottle or get the lantus now? I’m thinking of changing due to price as I’m on ssn.
The coupon seems to be hit or miss, but you'll definitely have better luck getting a generic cheaper. Typically called semglee, or another one is "insulin glargine". Best bet is to call around to your local pharmacies to see. There's not much harm finishing the vial if you need to... although I don't like these swings and the very high numbers, as long as he isn't throwing ketones or otherwise acting ill I certainly understand the cost constraints. When you're ready to switch you'll actually want to post over on the Lantus forum asking for starting dose advice.
Thanks. He’s actually acting much better now on insulin than before we started him on it. Acting more like his old self. Jumping in bed with us when we let him. Sleeping o the coach rather than the floor.gained a few ounces. Drinking a bit less and eating plenty.
His numbers are bouncing all over the place. Tomorrow morning I’m going to switch to lantus. ProZinc doesn’t seem to be working.
