Stu's history

Hello again and thanks for replying so quickly. I'm attaching here the texts of my first 2 posts on the general diabetes health message board. I think they will tell you where we have been! Stu's BG at +6 today was 82 (I just put it on the spreadsheet). At 5 minutes before +7 it was 84. Our cat is not happy having his ears stuck!!
Ella
Previous posts re/ Stu's insulin history:
14 Jan. 2010: Hello. I need some advice. Our cat, Stu, now 12-years old, 15 lbs, 8 oz., was diagnosed with diabetes in January 2006, when he was a little over 8 years old. He was put on 2 units of Idexx PZI Vet (bid) and we immediately changed his diet to low carbs. To this day we feed EVO cat & kitten/ turkey & chicken/ wet food (a little less than a 5-oz can a day, doled out in 4 feedings) with a little EVO dry food available all the time for snacking. We have never home tested for blood glucose. Over the last 4 years Stu was gradually raised to 5 units bid of PZI Vet (based on occasional testing at the vet's). In October of 2009, when it became impossible to get PZI Vet, he was switched to Lantus. The vet at first put him on 4 units of Lantus bid. Stu was tested after 2 weeks (+5 hours after his morning insulin shot) and his blood glucose numbers had soared (to above 300—with PZI Vet his nadir numbers were around 130). So the vet raised him to 5 units bid. The next time, in early December, he tested at almost 400 (same time of day: + 5 hours). He was raised to 7 units. Several days ago, after receiving 7 units bid for about 3 weeks, he was again tested (same time of day) and his blood glucose was 78!! Through it all, and I mean since Jan. 2006—not just since he was switched to Lantus) he seems unchanged: he is active, healthy, friendly, drinks and urinates about the same as always (he has always drunk a lot of water), has good appetite, and still weighs 15 lbs., 8 oz. He has never had a hypo episode. He is very even-keeled. The vet says to bring him in for testing in another 2 weeks and if his numbers are still low, he (the vet) will begin to reduce the insulin dose. I, however, am worried that his dose is way too high, especially after reading the posts on this website. I reduced it to 6 units the very day we returned from the vet! I would be interested to hear comments from you experienced people. I am seriously considering home testing and would like advice about meters other than the Walmart Relion (the nearest Walmart is 100 miles away and not easy to get to in the winter; ideally I would like to order something online). My other question is about the new PROZINC PZI. My vet has been reading up on it, but since Stu's blood glucose was so much lower the last time he tested, the vet thinks we should stick with Lantus. Any thoughts about this? Thank you so much for your help.

23 Jan. 2010
I want to thank everyone for responding to my original post of 14 January. My cat, Stu (diabetic since Jan. 2006), who had been switched to Lantus from Idexx PZI Vet (5 units bid of PZI Vet) in early November, had been on 7 units of Lantus bid since early December because his BG level at +5 (at the vet's) had been in the high 300s (the vet had started him at 4 units bid in early Nov., raised him to 5 units, and then from 5 units to 7 units in early December). In early January (still on 7 units) BG had dropped to 78 at +5 at the vet's. I was worried at the precipitous drop and joined this message board! I received many messages of concern that 7 units were too much insulin, so I cut the dose at first to 6 units bid, and several days later (on 19 Jan.) to 5 units bid. On 21 Jan. I cut it to 4.5 units bid. I have been home testing 3 times a day (AMPS at 7 A.M., +6 at 1 P.M., PMPS at 7 P.M.) since 19 January (doing OK, but it is still not easy for Stu or for me!). I find that his AMPS numbers are consistently around 400, but his PMPS numbers have been between 100 and 225. At +6 his numbers have been between 83 and 89 except for 21 January, when the +6 number was 176. After reading other people's posts and a lot of the literature on feline diabetes, I suspect that I am dealing with carryover or overlap and the "storage shed". I would welcome your comments and advice. I have been giving 4.5 units bid for the past 2 days and also this morning (Sat., 23 Jan.) Should I lower the Lantus dose to 4 units bid beginning this evening? Stu is a large domestic shorthair and, except for diabetes, in excellent health. He weighs 15lbs, 8 oz.. He eats approx. 4/5ths of a can of EVO turkey & chicken a day, spread out over 4 feedings (7 A.M., 12 P.M., 7 P.M., 11 P.M.) He gets about 1/4 cup of EVO high protein/lo carb dry food per day available for snacking. Thanks for your help.
Ella (please excuse the redundancies in these 2 former posts)

 

Hi Ella

just so you know, here in this forum u only need one thread (otherwise known as a "condo") per day per cat.
Anytime someone replies or u add to ur thread, it gets bumped to the top, ok?
Please read the following information stickie called New to the Group

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=157

as well as the stickies up above on how Lantus works.


here is ur previous thread from earlier today, you might want to take a look at it as you have received some valuable information from one of our experienced members, Jojo.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3961

 

Sorry about not following the rules of the forum. Too much new info. for my brain to retain!!
Ella

 

No worries Ella,

how is Stu doing tonight?

 

This is a wonderful place for you to have found. Sounds to me that Stu needs the help of the people here...We all help each other & have amassed a huge amount of info about this disease, more than the vet has studied about FD. Please read the stickys when you have time, & try to assimilate some of the info--I think with some work, Stu could feel well & be on the right dose. elcome to lantus land.