Info Where Can I Find ________?

The Critical Importance of Home-Testing, Even with the First Shot: Chewy (be forewarned, this is very sad) and Baby

The top portion of this post offers a "Table of Contents" of where to find commonly needed information from the Yellow-boxed stickies at the top of the Lantus/Levemir Insulin Support Group. The second portion of this post contains links that are often referred to, but that are not contained in the stickies.

From the Yellow-Boxed Stickies:

The Basics: New to the Group? Start Here:
...Treating a Hypo
...Daily threads & posting
...Create a spreadsheet
...Convert from mmol to mg
...FDMB FAQ's, including definition of regulation
...Feeding your diabetic cat, low carb treats, body condition score (how fat is your cat?), food lists
...Glucose Meters & spot checks
...Curves on Lantus & Levemir, understanding the tests you get
...Links to Tight Regulation Protocol and Start Low Go Slow approach

...Single topic posts
------Making the Most of Your Lantus/Lev Insulin Support Group
------Suggestions for Advice-Givers
------American Association of Feline Practitioners
------Health Links/FAQs about Feline Diabetes
------Hometesting Links and Tricks, Dosing with Calipers, Preventing Overdoses

------Using Food to Manipulate the Curve
------Feeding lowest/zero carb versus low carb
------Feed Kitty as Much as S/he Wants?
------How much should I feed? Feline Calorie Counter
------Suggestions on How to Stimulate Kitty's Appetite

------Should I Increase the Dose?
------New Dose Wonkiness, Bouncing, Failed Reductions
------Reminder: Earning Reductions and Starting OTJ Trials
------Reminder: Counting Cycles
------How Low is Too Low?
------Tight Regulation Protocol, Myths Debunked
------Cat on a Pogo Stick - Increase, Maintain or Lower the Dose to Stop Bouncing

------Feline Diabetes & Glucose Toxicity

------Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA); Oldtimer Alex Update & Ketone Awareness
------Dental Procedures
------A Primer on Pancreatitis
------Chronic Kidney Disease
------Vaccinations

------Acromegaly & Insulin Resistance Information
------2010 Special Report from AAHA: Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs & Cats
------2014 ~ 39th Congress of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA)
~~~~~~~~~~Which Insulin in Cats - p 156
~~~~~~~~~~Management and Monitoring of the Diabetic Cat - p 160
~~~~~~~~~~Feline Diabetes - p 229
~~~~~~~~~~Diabetes Mellitus and Quality of Life - p 730
~~~~~~~~~~Acromegaly in Cats – p 733
~~~~~~~~~~Insulin Resistance – p 737 (description of mechanisms of resistance on p 738 under heading Pet)
~~~~~~~~~~Medical and Nutritional Management of Diabetes Mellitus – p 739 (description on p 741 of glucose toxicity and lipotoxicity)
------French Fry's FD Library
------Where Can I Find?
------OTJ Party Videos

Lantus & Levemir - Syringe and Insulin Info, Handling, Drawing and Fine Doses
...Lantus & Levemir, what's the difference?
...Purchasing Lantus & Levemir
...How to handle the insulin & draw a dose
...Syringes, prefilling, testing on accuracy of markings
...Diluting Insulin
...How to know when your insulin is no longer effective, how long should it last?
...Syringes
...Video on how to draw Lantus or Levemir from a pen/cartridge or vial (made by julie & punkin)
...Pictorial guide to small doses
...Giving insulin injections; photos showing shot placement

Lantus & Levemir - What is the Insulin Depot?
...What is the Insulin Depot?
...Lantus & Levemir, what's the difference?
...Carryover & Overlap

Start Low Go Slow Method (SLGS)
...Treating a Hypo
...Requisites for following SLGS
...Guidelines on Dosing - starting, increasing, decreasing a dose
...Shooting and Handling Low Numbers
...Remission, Relapse of cats in remission
...Understanding the action of your insulin

Tight Regulation Protocol:
...Links for dealing with hypos
...Links to the various versions of the Rand/Roomp Dosing Protocol for Lantus & Levemir users
~~~~AlphaTrak users can find their meters referenced on page 4 of the 2013 PDF that you must download entitled "Management of Diabetic Cats Using Long-Lasting Insulins," by Rand, located on the TR Protocol page linked above.
...Requisites for following the Tight Regulation Protocol
...Weight Based formula & calculator for initial Lantus dose
...How often to test when you start your cat on insulin
...When to increase, hold or decrease a dose
...Remission, link to study about cats in remission and impaired responses to glucose

Lantus & Levemir - Tight Regulation Protocol: Shooting & Handling Low Numbers
...Links to dealing with a hypo
...Becoming Data Ready to Shoot Low Numbers
...How to Deal with Low Preshot Numbers
...Don't Panic! or How to Handle Low Numbers

Is Tight Regulation Possible With a Full-Time Job? Yes!

It's recommended that all new members should begin with the posts listed above. The yellow-boxed stickies contain the fundamentals to learn how to use Lantus and Levemir with your diabetic cat.

From the Announcements: Suggestions for Advice-Givers

After learning the basics, you may have additional questions that aren't addressed in the stickies above. The posts below are from the bookmark collections of Amy & Trixie, Dyana & JD, Julie & Punkin, Marje & Gracie, Sandy & BK, Sienne & Gabby and Wendy & Neko. We compiled the best of our bookmarked posts that often explain more about what is in the stickies and apply the information to particular cats and situations. As with everything on this site, the discussions are by lay people, not veterinarians, except for some posts by Dr. Lisa, who is a vet. Overall, we thought they offer interesting discussions and opportunities to learn a little more about feline diabetes. If you have questions about something contained in the posts below, please open a new thread (condo) and ask how (or IF) it applies to your cat rather than bumping up these posts below.

A Collection of Interesting Past FDMB Posts:

Reflections on having a diabetic cat:
A Break Up Letter to D'Artagnon's Diabetes
A Tribute to FDMB from Genghis
Gabby's Tribute

Starting out with a diabetic cat:
A New Member's Advice to Other New Members
Updated Tips for New Members
Hometesting: Bonnie and Junior's Adventures
Counting Cycles
Dawn Phenomenon
Expectations, Why You Should Manage Expectations
Pet Specific Glucometers, discussions about pet meters vs human meters: Applying Dosing Guidelines from SLGS and Tight Reg Protocol to pet glucometer numbers: spreadsheet conversions: Pet Meter to human glucometer spreadsheet and AT/Merck value spreadsheet ; Low numbers on pet glucometers
Lantus, repackaged by Wedgewood Pharmacy
Reductions and starting OTJ Trials
Shooting Schedule, getting back on time
Somogyi, latest research disproving its existence: ; Somogyi, Bouncing, Overdosing, Charlie
Spreadsheets: Whole Cat Report and Spreadsheets, Spreadsheets - Jigsaw Puzzle Analogy, Coleman: Adding a new year to the ss
Testing & Shooting Tips: here and here ; Dosing with Calipers; Preventing Overdoses, Marking Vacation Doses;
Syringes in Australia:
....You get them from Hyperdrug UK: https://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/ and these are the syringes you get: BD Microfine Insulin Syringes 0.3 ml Item Number: BDMICROFINE03ML, webcode D7118. They take about a week or so to get to Australia.

Food is important:
Two different lists from CatInfo.org, sortable depending on what you need:
.....Food list - sort by components,
.....Cat Info (protein, fat, carb, phosphorus chart updated spring 2017) and
Cat Nutrition
Dry Food (low carb) in the Diet, by Dr. Lisa, DVM
Dry Food Carbs - Scooter from 5.5u to OTJ:
...and Scooter's ss (look at February 19th)
...Spider got rid of dry food starting 6/4 and ending 6/8, otj trial started 6/15
Food in Australia (Canned) for FD
Food in Canada
Feeders, Timed or Auto
Low Carb vs Lower Carb
Senior Kitties: Don't let your senior cat become a skinny old man
Senior Kitties: Metabolism Explained


My cat may be ill/not feeling great/have a special condition:
Appetite, lack of appetite and skipping shots; Appetite: Liver Shake Recipe
Assist Feeding (video)
Assist Feeding Yahoo Group
Blood Tests, Interpreting Results
Capsules, Chicken flavored
Cerenia
Chin Acne
Convenia by Dr. Lisa, DVM:
Dental: Find an accredited Veterinary Dentist in the US
Digestive Problems:

Constipation, Maggie11 & Ann; Feline Constipation
Fortiflora
Hairballs/Chronic Vomiting
Probiotics in IBD (or other) cats
Probiotics, Prebiotics, S. Boulardii to stop Diarrhea
Antacids (Pepcid)​

Euthanasia, Deciding When and How to Humanely Euthanize a Companion Animal and Quality of Life Scale
Feline Hepatic Lipidosis - Maverick's Story; Feline Assisted Feeding Yahoo Group
Glucose Toxicity
High Dose Kitties
......Acromegaly, Insulin Resistance, Insulin Autoantibodies: research and testing information
.......Acromegaly, IAA, Using R - collection of 12 links and information
.......Cushing's (Hyperadrenocorticism): Zoey 1 and Zoey 2; Purrdy 8/29/16; Turner 8/30/16
......Switching from Lantus to Levemir, JoJo & Dr. Lisa, dvm
......Switching from Lantus to Levemir, Doodles, advice before switching
Ketones, Blood Ketone Meter, Izzy
Ketones, Tigger; Barsa 4/3/15: and Barsa 4/7/15
Ketones, Mechanism of Diabetic Ketoacidosis graphic
Metacam in Cats
Overdose double-dosed Lantus - Ebby
Overdose - Ole 9uR instead of 9uLantus
Overdose - Baby 1st dose 5u instead of 0.5u
Pancreatitis & Concurrent Conditions (a vet well-known for her experience with feline pancreatitis)
Phosphorus Binders in cats with kidney disease
Slippery Elm Bark and a second link on SEB
Subcutaneous Fluids (Video):
Urinary Tract Inflammation/Infection, Dr. Lisa, DVM ; D-Mannose
Urine in mattresses, getting the smell out
Vaccines in Cats by Dr. Lisa, DVM

Special strategies that help some cats:
Bouncing, Jetta
Using Food to Manipulate the Curve, Tashie
Reductions, Reductions, Shaving & 3 drops below 50, Maggie
Reductions & OTJ Trials
Shooting Intra-muscular & Sid
Shooting Low
Tight Regulation, Following TR, Pumbaa & Suze
Tight Regulation Protocol: Myths Debunked (&Bouncing)
..........Post #6 Shooting a dropping number
..........Post #17 Increasing the dose during a bounce
..........Post #37 Combining elements of Start Low Go Slow & Tight Regulation Protocol
Traveling with Diabetic Kitties; and Traveling and Camping

If other members have bookmarked posts that contain helpful information that you would like to add to the list above, please post them below & include the main topic of the post.

 

Bookmarked!

Thank you Julie

 

Thanks Julie! Great info in here. c:

 

Thanks for posting this Julie, got it bookmarked!

 

Awesome, this will be so helpful to so many! :razz:

We had a few excellent bookmarked topics on treating FD kitties with IBD an/or CKD. Tanta's website is an excellent one for CKD. I will see if I can get through them and will send to you.

Anne

 

THANK YOU, Julie!!! I needed this today, and was soooo excited when I saw it! Very, very useful!

 

Thankyou Julie

When you bookmark, how exactly do you do that. I have wanted to bookmark many posts but have not known how.

Edit-ignore me I've just found the button at the bottom of the page. I can't believe I missed it and have lost all the threads that I have found so useful :sad:

 

Just to be clear, while I posted this, it was a team effort - the folks listed above dug into their resources to pull all of that together.

 

Thanks julie and all that put this together....GREAT INFO all in one post....definitely book marking this.

Risé ( AKA Monet's Mom)

 

bumping for the weekend . . .

 

bump

 

Bump, this really should be one of the stickies on top of the page!

 

You can bookmark it using your browser. I put it in my bookmark bar so that I can find it easily. Of course, I have most of the stickies in the bookmark bar right next to it, too. ;-)

 

bump

 

Awesome, Julie, thanks!

 

Brilliant Julie, just what I need as a newbie.
Suki & Crystal

 

Hello Julie,
Thank you for this very useful link,I am sure it is going to be used time and time again,everything in one place.Invaluable.
Hope you and yours are well. Diane

 

Bump

 

Bump for new members. ..

 

Julie, thank you for this thread. It's very useful!

 

bump

 

bump

 

THANK YOU!!!

 

Bump

 

Bump

 

Bump! Can this please be made a Stickey? It's such a useful quick reference!

I know we can bookmark it, but new members don't even know it exists and it would be very useful for them. Or add the info in "New to the Group" w/ Links added to the subject.

 

I try to remember to give it to new members fairly soon after they start posting. Feel free to help me!

There isn't anyone who can make stickies at the moment. When we first put it together, Jill added it to the New to the Group list of single topic posts at the bottom, then decided it might not remain current so she removed it.

 

I put the link to this thread back in the New to the Group sticky. Yes, there are valid concerns about the post remaining current. There's also so many links at the bottom of the post now that it's become difficult to find the link you're looking for in the post itself. Embedding links might go a long way to making the list easier to read. It would also be nice to link to the Health Links / FAQs about Feline Diabetes Forum if we want to help out new members.

FYI: There are several who can "make" stickies... if the Moderator Team and/or Robert wanted to make more stickys.

The Lantus & Levemir ISG has more stickys than any other forum on the FDMB. We're mighty top heavy! Robert prefers single posts linking to more info rather than creating any more new stickys. He just doesn't like stickys. Neither did Rebecca. This is why we have so much info linked in each one of them.

Also, this is just one post. I wish I had a nickel for every time someone thinks we should make another sticky!

 

Great! Thanks for the effort and time. Bookmarked!

 

bump

 

Bump because I find this SO helpful as a newbie!!

 

It's helpful for long termers too

 

bumpity

 

Bump,bump

 

Bump bump

 

bumpity - fyi, some new links have been added above.

 

bump

 

Bumping for newer members.

 

Bump - great resources...bookmark it!

 

bumpity for new members

 

Every time I need this, I can't ever find it! Could this possibly be copied and made a sticky in the main Health forum? This would be SO useful for new people and those of us with gray hairs growing into their brains.

 

Me too. I finally put a link in my signature.

And/or seriously sleep deprived

 

The "Where Can I Find?" link has had a home towards the bottom of the "The Basics: New to the Group? Start here!" sticky for quite awhile now... along with many other links pertaining to treating cats with Lantus or Levemir. They might come in handy when dealing with a new caregiver on Health as well. You might want to check it out!

It won't be stickied on Health because the post is specific to the Lantus and Levemir ISG. Only "general" posts are stickied on Health and the fewer stickies (in every forum) the better, per our Administrator. He wants us to have less stickies containing more links to the information.

FYI: The bulk of *informational* type posts which have been vetted by moderators can be found in the
Health Links / FAQs about Feline Diabetes forum. Everyone should have that forum bookmarked! Others are marked with a yellow "Info" prefix in each forum.

Those of a technical nature can be found in the Suggestions, Tech Support, & Testing Area:

• HOW-TO USE THE FDMB: The Basics
• FDMB SPREADSHEET INSTRUCTIONS
• UNDERSTANDING THE SPREADSHEET/GRID
• CREATING A FDMB PROFILE
  

Hope this helps...

 

Thanks Jill! I notice that the last time that document was updated was 2008. Is there a later similar document?

 

Hi Lyresa. I linked the Health Links / FAQs about Feline Diabetes forum... a forum with links to numerous documents, posts, or articles. I'm at a loss. Please provide the link to whatever document you're referring to. Thanks!

 

I'm sorry Jill, I should have provided that first shouldn't I? I was referring to the FAQ document at the top of that forum. That post contains the link to this doc: http://www.felinediabetes.com/fdmb-faq.htm

 

Ah, yes. I'm aware this document as well as the felinediabetes.com mother site are in need of an overhaul. We've recently been told now that our Webmaster, Rebecca, is retired she may run through the entire site for updates.

 

NICE! Thanks Jill!

 

Highlight/Select this:
Where can I find ___

Then select "copy", edit signature line and use "paste" where you want it.

There are several variations on how to do it but I think this is the easiest.

 

Easy is good

 

If you select the text it will hyperlink so it will show the "Where can I find ___" vs. the link. Kinda hard to explain.

 

Yeah you lost me.

 

bump

 

bumpity for new members

 

I’m going to bump this up because it was soooooo helpful to me on soooooo many occasions

 

Bump

 

Thanks dude. I bought one of these https://www.capsulefillers.com/handheld-capsule-filler to help me with the capsules which saves so much time.

Can anybody recommend places in the UK for flavoured capsules?

 

Not sure about UK but this thread was posted last week.

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/gel-caps.161636/

 

Awesome, thankyou

 

bumpity

 

Hi Julie Hope you have a great holiday season this year!

 

Thanks Karen! Christmas with our 17 month old toddling grandson has been super special! Hope you've had a great holiday too!

 

Bump

 

Bump please

 

Bump

 

@julie & punkin (ga) Hi Julie. Hope all is good with you.

 

Hi Elise!! I'm fine - just busy with the family. My daughter with Lyme disease needs a lot of help. That's where my energies are all going now. Great to "see" you!!

 

bump

 

Bump

Does anyone know where I can find the insulin measuring chart that can be printed out so insulin can be measured accurately? Mine is wearing very thin after three years and I couldn't see it linked above.

Thanks!

P.S. I wish the syringe markings were actually accurate!

 

@Laura and Gremlin

The link can be found in the "Links to more information and discussion" section at the bottom of THE BASICS: NEW TO THE GROUP? START HERE! sticky along with the "Dosing with calipers" link:

Insulin ruler template for use with BD syringes: https://www.diabetes-katzen.net/insulinruler.pdf.