High at 4am, give dose early or wait?

Discussion in 'Prozinc / PZI' started by Kathy4Lewie, Sep 1, 2018.

  1. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    It's so great to hear that he's starting to feel better!
     
  2. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I started transitioning Lewie to Nulo Limited Ingredient today and that has proven to be the wrong thing to do as high numbers jumped up high. I gave him 1/2 Nulo + 1/2 Fancy Feast Kitten for both breakfast and lunch. I fed him only Fancy Feast for dinner. I was going to try the switch because he is thirsty a lot and was thinking the high phosphorous was being hard on his kidneys. I will just stick with the Fancy Feast until I get his numbers back down. He seems a little nauseated tonight, too.

    Does anybody have any thoughts?
     
  3. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    Wow, that is a big jump. I assume you have double checked to make sure the Nulo is low carb? (please forgive me if that's a stupid question -- I'm not familiar with Nulo). I've heard that when transitioning from one food to the next it's best to do 25% for a few days, then 50%, then 75%, then 100% -- staying a few days at each of those steps. Some cats can move faster than that, but I wonder if Lewie just has a sensitive system?
     
  4. HuskerGyrl

    HuskerGyrl Member

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    Re: thirst... Do you add water to his food? I add somewhere between 1/8 & 1/4c to Romeo's food and that helps gets more fluids in him. He prefers the "juice" in any case.
     
  5. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Goodness. Poor Lewie. That makes sense to transition by only 25%. Hopefully he will recover fast. I add only 2 Tablespoons of water to his food. I give him subq fluids... I will start adding more water to his food. Thank you.
     
  6. HuskerGyrl

    HuskerGyrl Member

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    Ahhh, that's right, I forgot you were doing subcu too! 2T is 1/8 cup so that's great. I'm sorry he's still thirsty... I hate that.
     
  7. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Thank you. I encourage him to eat as much as he wants in the first hours after his shot as I learned earlier in this thread, so tonight, each time I showed him his bowl I added extra water and he enjoyed that.
     
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  8. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

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    Do you have a water fountain? That might help encourage him to drink too...I have one and my cats seem to like it. Keeps their water nice and fresh from moving...and makes a lovely water feature if they want to zen out some! :)
     
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  9. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    That's a great idea.... the room does need a little more zen! Thank you!
     
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  10. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Lewie's AMPS was high this morning at 562. The only thing I did different yesterday was allowing him to eat at his daytime +8 nadir. I guess that messed him up? His evening postshot +9 value was good at 227 so I'm not sure why today's AMPS was so at high at 562.

    Will you please take a look at his spreadsheet and see what you think?
     
  11. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    It might be a bounce from dropping quite a bit through the night (402 to 227). It's possible he was lower mid cycle and that can also contribute to a bounce. I'm not sure about the snack effect but I doubt it was a factor. You could stay at 3.5 u for a bit or try 3.75 u soon if you can monitor and you feel he's tolerating the lows well.
     
  12. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    He was probably lower mid cycle. His overnight nadir is at post shot +8 but this morning I got up and tested at +9 instead. On 9/6/2018 in the morning is when I gave him Nulo food and that messed up his numbers. I thought he was back to normal since I started feeding the FF Kitten again, but I guess he's not. Thank you.
     
  13. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I just gave Lewie his pm shot. His PMPS value was 446 and I probably should have bumped him up to 3.75. It looks like we are setting up for the same scenario as yesterday. Funny things is that he felt so good today! I'll take a reading at post-shot +2. Yesterday his post-shot +2 was higher than the PMPS which is odd don't you think? The +2 reading was mentioned earlier as being an indicator of what the rest of the cycle will be. If tonight's +2 is higher than the PMPS, what should I do? Give him his shot earlier tomorrow morning?
     
  14. Jenna Josie

    Jenna Josie Member

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    I think it may have been me who said we would get a +2 as an indicator, but I meant if we were worried about giving too much insulin on too low a number. I actually expect the +2 to be higher due to a “food spike” since we feed at shot time. Therefore, if the +2 is *lower*, we know to be extra-attentive as the insulin should be kicking in around +3. If it’s higher, it’s probably a normal cycle.
     
  15. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    If you can tomorrow, try to grab some tests at other times. The nadir does move around, so seeing it at +8 during your curve doesn't mean it's always at +8.

    Jenna has already explained the +2, so I would just add that unless you're wanting to change your schedule, there's no need to shoot early tomorrow.
     
  16. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Thank you for the clarification... a good teaching moment. :bookworm: Very much appreciated.

    I took his +3 value and indeed the insulin had kicked in and the value is MUCH lower than I expected. Looks like he will be in the mid-100s (blue) for his morning nadir.
     
  17. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    With the low numbers tonight, hopefully he won't be in the black tomorrow morning (like this morning.) I didn't realize the nadir would move around... I'll test at some different times tomorrow. Thanks.
     
  18. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    Most cats will have a time that is typical for them, but can vary a bit from day to day, or just shift over time. My guy hits nadir super early - usually around +3. But there are plenty of days when he waits until +5-6, so I try to scatter the tests around when I can. Of course work makes that pretty difficult most of the time, but I try to catch a later test on the weekends to make sure.
     
  19. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I normally feed Lewie at 6pm... 2 hours before his shot. Tonight I didn't get home until 7:00pm so I wanted to feed him at 8:00pm at which time I was due to give his his shot. His PMPS value was 231 so I went ahead and fed him but did not give him his shot. Now 50 minutes later, his value is only 254... still too low to give him is 3.5 unit.

    Is an hour stall too long?
     
  20. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

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    No it's fine if it won't mess up your schedule. But why not shoot? You gave this dose on a similar numbers few nights ago and it seems like it was fine.
     
  21. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I stalled 40 minutes that night. When I gave his shot that night, his value was 351.
     
  22. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

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    I meant 9/5. But you can stall if that makes you most comfortable.
     
  23. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Yes, 9/5 is the night I stalled for 40 minutes.

    I just tested 9:15pm so that would be +13. He was 360 so I gave him his shot of 3.5 units.
     
  24. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

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    Ohhh ojsy. My mistake! Sounds good though!
     
  25. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Thanks for being here to reply. I made a note to myself that the next time this happens just stall an hour.

    So technically I should wait 12 hours until his next shot.

    He always seems to be high in the morning so I will test at his regular A.M. time and if he is high, is it ok to give the shot at +11?
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2018
  26. RRaptor

    RRaptor Member

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    You have about an hour wiggle room with Prozinc, so I think it would be ok to give him his shot at +11 if you're comfortable with his glucose numbers.

    It makes me nervous to shoot at those mid/low 200s too, but you probably could have shot at your usual time tonight. I'm working on being more brave with those numbers, too, to keep Olivia feeling well more often.
     
  27. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Lewie has been feeling great lately and is laying on his boxes again. I've heard it several times about ProZinc having "wiggle room" but I'm not exactly sure what that means. Is there an article you can point me to? Or is it simple to explain?
     
  28. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

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    Prozinc does have some wiggle room. The reason is there is no depot, so you don't have to give quite as exactly as the Ls. You want to give as close to +12 as you can often, but if you need to stall or shoot a little late for some reason, you can.

    In the morning, you can give early, but only if he's high enough and you're sure he's rising. You could do your test at +11 and then try again in like 15 or 20 minutes to be sure he's rising.
     
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  29. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Rachel: Thank you for the early morning post. I did read it when you posted, I just didn't have time to reply as I was getting ready for an early more vet appt for another cat. I decided to wait on giving his shot... and then I was an hour late in giving his shot because the vet appt ran late. So it was actually awesome that I stalled his shot last night! His AMPS number was good for him at 437.

    Question: What does "depot" mean? Does that mean ProZinc doesn't build up in his system? Is "Ls" label says? I looked in the dictionary but don't see these terms. Thanks!
     
  30. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    L's refer to the insulins that start with L: Lantus and Levemir. And you're correct about the depot, except that in general we don't say that Prozinc has a depot because the overlap doesn't last quite as long as it does on the L insulins. So they have a depot, we just have overlap :)
     
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  31. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Thank you for the explanations. That's really interesting about the depot forming with the other insulins... but not with ProZinc... so much to learn! :bookworm:
     
  32. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    What to do? Yesterday's early morning vet visit with my other cat caused me to be late in giving Lewie his shot... but that day turned out good.

    However, this morning I need to leave early so I was hoping I could give his shot early. I just checked and his reading is 92... the lowest it's ever been. I was needing to leave my house in 30 minutes but he won't be within shooting range in 30 minutes.

    What do I do?
     
  33. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    When will you be back home? Or are you leaving for the day? I would do one more test to just make sure it wasn't a bad test (since that number is a little surprising considering his usual ranges). If you're leaving and he's not in a shootable range, you may just need to skip today. I hate to suggest that, but you can't shoot on an unusually low number without being able to stick around and monitor.
     
  34. Jenna Josie

    Jenna Josie Member

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    That seems quite low for him. Did you try a second test to be sure it’s not a wonky strip?
     
  35. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Going out of town for the day... won't be home till 8pm. I'll go test again.
     
  36. Jenna Josie

    Jenna Josie Member

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    Crosspost! :) Good morning, Djamila!
     
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  37. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    Usually Kris and I are cross-posting in the mornings! I don't' see her around this morning though. Always nice when two posts agree!
     
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  38. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I just retested and it 88!
     
  39. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    Alrighty then. Probably best to just skip. You really can't shoot on an 88 at this point. It would be too dangerous for Lewie. At least you won't have to worry about him going too low while you're gone! :)
     
  40. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Will he get too high during the day?
     
  41. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I haven't fed him yet because I feed at shot time.
     
  42. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    Likely yes. But it's just one cycle. The alternative is that you give him insulin on a number that is too low, the insulin starts pulling down from an 88 and he ends up hypo. It's not worth the risk. Give him a kiss and tell his pancreas to do it's best. Some days this is just how it goes. It's important for you to be able to live your life too. You'll get him back on track.
     
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  43. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    If you have time, you could feed him and then test about a half hour after he eats to see if that will bring him up enough. But it sounds like you need to hit the road soon?
     
  44. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Ok. I just feed him. If he's still too low in 30 minutes, should I have someone come in and shoot say... in a couple of hours? I know a gal that might be able to help out.
     
  45. Jenna Josie

    Jenna Josie Member

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    If it were me, I would skip the shot and then test/shoot this evening at your regular shot time to keep a regular schedule.
     
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  46. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    I agree with Jenna. If someone comes and shoots in a couple of hours, you are going to face the same issue tonight with the number being off from what you need. Plus, if they aren't also testing, you will have no idea what number they are shooting on. I know it's hard to skip, but if you don't have a good safe number after feeding, I really do think skipping is your safest option.
     
  47. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Sounds good... I'll test in a little bit and let you know what his number is.
     
  48. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    I'm heading to work soon, so may miss your next post. If no one else is around and you aren't sure the number is high enough, please err on the side of caution.
     
  49. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    His number is 130 after feeding 30 minutes ago... he's still eating actually, he grazes a long time on his Fancy Feast Kitten.

    I will skip his shot this morning.

    Thank you everyone so much for your help... I don't know what I'd do without you.
     
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  50. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Lewie survived the SKIP yesterday, but it was hard on him. When I arrived home, he was really worried. He normally greets me with outstretched paws and happy eyes. I tested him and he was off the meter so that 600+. I gave his 3.5 units. At +1 he was still worried and was still 600+. At +2 he was alert and slamming down the water with a reading of 458. He calmed down after than.

    I still haven't given his AM shot because of these low numbers:
    +12=128
    +12:50=216
    +13:45=281

    Why is he so low this morning? I normally shoot around 350.

    Thank you!
     
  51. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    It’s okay to give him his shot now. I understand that going low is a concern because of his other health problems, but you really don’t want to wait for him to get to the 300’s either as that is hard on his body as well.
     
  52. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Thanks for your quick reply! :bighug: I immediately gave him his shot and then immediately tested and he had already jumped to 368. That was a quick jump from 281 to 368.

    What do you think Lewie's "safe to shoot" number should be?
     
  53. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

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    While those numbers are lower than he normally is they aren’t too low by any means. I’d go ahead and shoot.
     
  54. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    What is a "safe to shoot" number?

    Also, I need to get him back to shooting at 8am and then to 7am to fit in my schedule better. How do I acheive this?
     
  55. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    Safe to shoot number varies depending on kitty's reactions (moderate versus volatile) and also the amount of data you have with a variety of doses/PS numbers. With Lewie's health issues you'd want to err on the side of caution. I think anything over 200 is probably safe for you at this point.

    You have about an hour's flexibility time wise with ProZinc so you could shift by an hour at a time.
     
  56. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Ok, Tonight I'll test to see where he is and try to give his shot an hour early.

    Thanks for your thoughts on Lewie's "safe to shoot" number... it's good to have this point.

    What is a "volatile" reaction?
     
  57. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    Volatile refers to dramatic reactions to insulin - dropping low and rebounding high. It often goes along with a spreadsheet that looks like a rainbow.
     
  58. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Ok Thank you.
     
  59. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I checked Lewie's number at +8 which has been his normal nadir and it was 69. It was his pill and dinnertime. This is the lowest it's ever been. Seems like he's had a lot of lows lately but then my schedule has been off.

    I'm wondering if I should give him 3.25 instead of 3.5 tonight.

    Thoughts?
     
  60. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    p.s. I'd like to give his shot an hour early tonight so I can get back on schedule.
     
  61. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    I think a small reduction is in order. You can try 3.25 u.
     
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  62. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Thank you Kris & Teasel. I will reduce down to 3.25 u.
     
  63. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I just tested him at +11 and his value is 232, so I'm going to go ahead and give him 3.25 u now. As discussed above, I need to move his shot time up.

    I can wait a little if you're still online...
     
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  64. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Giving shot now... :)
     
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  65. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    Sorry no one was around earlier, but I think you made a good decision. And yay for getting a green! Looks like he didn't have too much trouble getting back on track after the skipped dose. :cat:
     
  66. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Thank you Djamila. Kris & Teasel gave me the information I needed... I was just being nervous :nailbiting: and seeking some hand holding!

    Thank you for confirming my decision. Yes, Lewie has felt good today and I'm so happy that he recovered from yesterday. I sure hope to never do that again.
     
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  67. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

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    We're here to hold your hand when we can! I used to need that just as much. We totally get that feeling. :)
     
  68. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Thank you so much Rachel. I really appreciate all the help. I don't know how people do it without this great team coaching along the way... everyday seems like a new adventure! Lewie REALLY appreciates the help. His purrs are the biggest rewards and the reflection that I'm getting things right... he even seems to know I have to poke him for a reason. With Halloween approaching and all the decorations in the stores... I've started using the Dracula voice at test time and I say "I vant to suck your blood"... he thinks that's kinda funny and gives me purrs. What a guy!
     
  69. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I'm just getting ready to go to bed and Lewie seems anxious... he keeps wanting food and every time I walk past him he looks at me asking for food even though he just ate... a LOT.
    So I took a reading and at post shot +3.5 he is at 155.... this seems too low because his nadir isn't until +8.
    Are we going to get into trouble tonight? Hypo?
     
  70. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I just tested at +8 and his value is 127 so it looks like he will be ok.
     
  71. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

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    Sounds like he's doing fine. That 127 is lovely and not too low even with his medical issues. You deserve a good night's sleep now!

    Maybe he was just hoping he could con you into a little extra food? ;)
     
  72. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Thanks Rachel for your early morning post. I saw it and it made me feel better so I feel back asleep! The new numbers are nice even though they make me nervous since I'm accustomed to higher numbers. Lewie is definitely feeling better with the lower numbers!
     
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  73. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I need some advice... I messed up!
    I've been trying to befriend a 6-month-old semi-feral cat to see if he was microchipped and I finally caught him this afternoon. He was apparently trapped by the city in the last sweep, fixed and ear tipped and returned to the trap location... except they released him at the wrong house. I finally caught him today. My cats were out on my screen-in porch and in my hurry to lure them back inside... always with the shake of the cat food can and an extra treat... I forgot that I'm not feeding that food anymore! I gave Lewie a pile of the dry cat food that he USED to eat before diabetes!
    What do I do? What should I expect with Lewie's numbers? (oh he was in heaven though)
    Update: This occurred at +7. I just tested him at +8 and he was at 95. Too low for just having eaten 1/4 dry food full of carbs right? Maybe he will be ok.
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2018
  74. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

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    Ack! Well it happens...it is surprising he didn't go higher yet, but he MIGHT (I think dry food takes a little while to get in the system). It's no big deal if he does go high though...it's just one day and one cycle! I wouldn't worry about it.
     
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  75. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    You're so right... Ack!
    He was super high in the blacks 5 days ago when I went out of town and I had to do the skip. So we just have to wait it out when they go high between shots? Can't just give a little insulin?
     
  76. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    Alas, no. If you do that you end up with one shot hitting nadir in conflict to the other shot, and then there's no way to predict what happens next. Besides, he's too low to shoot right now anyway. It's possible that with his regular dose and a bit of luck, he might just process this one little treat and not go sky high. And just like with the skipped shot -- it's only one cycle and even if he does go high, you'll get him back on track soon enough.
     
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  77. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Excellent point!
    I just checked and he is on his way up. At +10 he is 232. I've been trying to bump his shot time up in the morning to get back on a earlier schedule. If I test at +11 and he is still increasing (confirming that he indeed is on the way up), is it ok if I shoot at +11 (since ProZinc has the 1 hour window)?
    UPDATE: I shot at +11.5
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2018
  78. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

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    Sorry Kathy! I was headed off to dreamland when you posted. Generally, you CAN shoot an hour early, but I avoid it when I can because then you either have to shoot at 13 hours post shot the next day, or move your shot time earlier and that cycle continues...until you're shooting at midnight! But +11.5 should be fine. I don't think it will HURT, it's just about your schedule and the insulin overlap.
     
  79. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    I agree with Rachel that in general you want to be as consistent as possible to avoid the ever-changing shot times. However, since you are trying to actually change the shot time, and you verified that he was rising, then shooting early for that cycle was fine. It looks like you only moved about 30 minutes though. How far do you need to move to get to the schedule you want?
     
  80. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    Djamila... I need to move it 30 more minutes earlier. That will allow me to shoot at 8am/8pm.
    Isn't the rule not to feed 2 hours before the shot? So I need to feed him either at 6am or 8am?
     
  81. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

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    I tested Lewie this morning at +12 and he is HIGH (600+) so I guess that carb meal yesterday afternoon DID mess him up. And we were doing so good.
     
  82. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2015
    Yes, two hours w/o food, so your suggestion is right on: Feed at 6am, and then wait until 8am for the official test/feed/shoot. Or just teach him to wait until 8am for breakfast.

    Assuming his numbers stay consistent with his typical patterns, you should be able to move the shot time that other 30 minutes earlier with no problem.
     
  83. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    Thank Djamila. He can wait till 8am... it's just me that feels guilty because he wakes up at 5am and patiently waits!
     
  84. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    My Super Walmart no long carries the ReliOn Confirm so I'm in the market for a new lacing device (we paw test), meter, and test strips. Can you recommend a brand that will provide similar test results as the Confirm? I definitely want a better lacing device because I have a lot of trouble with the Confirm with the lancets not seating properly consistently causing me to have to try several times to get a blood drop. Thanks in advance for suggestions.
     
  85. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2015
    I use this meter: https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/8178/agamatrix-presto-blood-glucose-meter-kit-and-strips I believe it takes a 0.5ul drop of blood which is a little bigger than one of the ReliOn's, but except when Sam was sick and dehydrated, we haven't had a problem getting enough blood. And even then it just required a little extra squeeze.

    For lancets, I usually use these: https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/1207/advocate-glucose-lancets Although I don't use a lancing device, so I can't speak to how well they work with that.

    As an added bonus, these are the same strips that are sold at Kroger pharmacies under their store brand, so if you have any of their grocery stores near where you live, you can buy them locally in a bind.
     
    Kathy4Lewie likes this.
  86. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    Thank you Djamila. The lancets look nice being triple beveled. And I see that the tops are pull-off instead of twist-off. One reviewer said the twist-off are less than safe and I agree... I've worried about dropping a circular top and another cat eating it! Thanks for the links.
     
  87. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    Question time. :bookworm:
    I'm having to stall again. Here are his numbers:
    +12=170 so I gave him his pills (in 1/2 duck pill pocket) + dinner of Fancy Feast kitten thinking that would raise his blood sugar as it normally does, but it didn't.
    +12.5=174 and I feed him more food.
    +13=207
    I use 200 as Lewie's "safe to shoot" number.
    Do these low readings mean that I need to reduce his insulin dosage *OR* is this some leftover effect from the big high this morning that was probably a result of me feeding him carb food yesterday afternoon?
    UPDATE: +13.5=225, therefore, 3.0 units were given. Rationale: Yesterday afternoon's nadir was 95, and tonight's need to stall. Please let me know if you agree or disagree with my decision. Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2018
  88. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2015
    Normally I would say that I don't think the reduction was necessary. However, given that he had a little high carb feast yesterday, it was probably wise. Carbs and dehydration (a side effect of dry food) can each make the numbers more volatile, so since he got a high-carb dry snack, it means that while he would normally have been safe with the full dose, he might have surprised you. If you can, get a before bed test to make sure he's looking okay. It can take a few days to settle back down.
     
  89. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2015
    That is a fair concern! I caught Atticus, my civvie chewing on those little round tops a couple of times when I had the twist off kind.
     
  90. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    His numbers were acting a little strange tonight. One thing I did differently is this: I moved his pill pocket to +12 instead of giving it to him at +10. These are the lower carb Duck & Pea kind. I know they affect his number some so my delay was to let him stay low for another 2 hours. So I don't know if it was the pill pocket, effects from yesterdays carb meal, or that he needs less insulin... or the dehydration (I gave him fluids this a.m. and looks great)... or the volitileness...

    I can test at +1 which is now. Our schedule is so messed up! What might you expect his numbers to be tonight? I'm not sure what to expect as he settles back down so any thoughts are appreciated!
     
  91. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2015
    It's really hard to predict right now given all of the other variables the past couple of days. I think my hope would be that he'll have some greens tonight since he's starting the cycle off on a lower number than normal. But you want his +1 to be higher than his PMPS number. If it's lower, especially if it's notably lower, you may want to set an alarm, or at least be very sensitive if you hear Lewie meowing or trying to wake you up during the night.
     
  92. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    +1.5=211 which is LOWER than his PMPS of 225.
    +2.5=212 still LOWER
    +5=218
    So then, this isn't good, huh?
    I gave him his shot at 10pm Central Time, so technically his nadir will be at 6am Central Time. I think I'll go to bed and get up at 5am to test him.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018
  93. Rachel

    Rachel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2013
    Hmmm...strange that he was staying so flat. I'm hoping you'll see some greens at nadir.
     
  94. Bama Kitty Mom (GA)

    Bama Kitty Mom (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2018
    Are you looking for a new device because you can no longer get the size lancets you need or is your device worn out and you need a replacement? I have a new device that came with the Relion Micro I’d be glad to send you. I believe it uses the same lancets that the Confirm does. At least, the meters use the same strips. I don’t use the device nor do many others who test.
     
  95. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    I just tested at +8 nadir and he is down a little at 178. I'll test again at +10 because I'll need to give him a snack for breakfast (this will be 8am central time).

    UPDATE: Tested at +10=158. Gave pills in 1/2 pill pocket + 1/2 breakfast
    UPDATE: Tested at +12=317. Gave 3 units = 1/2 breakfast. I gave 3 units because I don't want to need to stall tonight since the shot time is at 10pm Central Time. I need to start moving back to 8am Central Time.

    Thoughts?
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018
  96. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    Bama Kitty Mom (AL): Yes, I'd like to try your lancet device, especially since the Micro uses the same strips as the Confirm... this is good to know since I'm almost out of strips again. I waste a lot of strips because I don't have the proper size blood drop. I guess I don't know how to put the lancet in it properly and it takes me several tries to get blood. I'm hoping the Micro device will be easier to put the lancet in properly so that I get the same depth each time without me having to fiddle with the lancet placement. Hope this makes sense. Thank you.
     
  97. Bama Kitty Mom (GA)

    Bama Kitty Mom (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2018
    Have you tried just using the lancet without the device? I twist off the protective circle, look for the bezel and hold the lancet bezel side up. Put your protective cotton pad behind the ear to protect your fingers. Come at the spot you're going to prick at an angle rather than straight down and give a couple quick pokes. I try to do a couple pokes close together so that between the two, there will be enough blood to wisk into the strip. Have you watched the YouTube video @JanetNJ links in her signature? She shows how she tests her cat and it was very helpful to me.

    Send me a private message with your address and I'll mail you the lancing device. You do that from the top of the page under Conversations (PM).
     
  98. Kathy4Lewie

    Kathy4Lewie Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    Lewie absolutely hated me testing his ear so I test using his metacarpal foot pad.
     
  99. Bama Kitty Mom (GA)

    Bama Kitty Mom (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2018
    I'm not sure I know which pad that is. :oops:
     
  100. Bama Kitty Mom (GA)

    Bama Kitty Mom (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2018
    Ok, so I googled it and got a pic. Guess you prick the side of it somehow but not on the bottom?
     

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