Working on starting a spreadsheet

Hi this is Paula Nowak with Elvis the cat. I am working on starting a spreadsheet. My roommate uses the laptop usually but I like to be on the phone to do anything it seems. This all seems kind of overwhelming to me because I look at people's blood glucose numbers and Elvis's numbers are quite high. I'm always afraid of going to low or going to high. Like I said I am working on starting a spreadsheet. I just don't know exactly where to start I feel like a big dummy. I do have what it seems like a lot of readings on my advocate PET test glucometer but it probably isn't really that much compared to everyone else on here. I'm looking around here I'm like the bottom of the barrel and wondering where do I go next. I've made some posts here that some of you have read and commented on them and gave some wonderful information. I want to again say that about Elvis and about him. Elvis is 13 years old this February. he is currently on Lantus insulin and is eating Fancy Feast turkey and giblets classic pate. I give him two units now I did give him one unit this morning not knowing exactly what I should do given all the problems and headaches about vets but tonight I gave him two units. This is going a little Ross for us and I'm sort of in a whirlwind as what to do sometimes, so I am going to start on a spreadsheet. Is the spreadsheet basically self-explanatory am I going to know what to do when I look at it. I know I am not computer illiterate and I do know about how to get my way around a computer but some things like spreadsheets , well it seems a little difficult. I do have a vet at the hospital that I go to for Elvis and someone is calling me on Monday. This has to do with the fact that Elvis went down to 173 but my vet wanted me to give Elvis 2 units and don't test for 2 weeks. If I hadn't tested him last night there may have been a hypoglycemic maybe coming about maybe not though so last night I gave him one unit. This morning he was 488!!! I know, that is really high and it seems like from what I'm seeing here, that no one from what I saw and there's probably more to see, but it doesn't seem like anyone really goes that high here . Anyway I do want to start a spreadsheet. I do want to tell you just a little bit about myself because I am sick like my kitty is but we don't have the same things wrong with us. I am 63 years old and I have diastolic congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, I have a pacemaker, and I have degenerative joint disease with no cartilage left in either of my knees. All this and then Elvis getting diabetes is very trying. I love Elvis more than life itself and I would go to the ends of the Earth for him forever and ever and I would put myself second in any way shape and form to help him out because that is what is going to help me the most and make me happy and make me deal with my situation better. If Elvis is doing good, then I am doing good.............!!!! I pray everyday and several times a day for Elvis and my son Gordon, who is in Colorado and has times of struggle. My son Gordon is trying to do his best and is working with someone right now but his situation is that sometimes things go a little not so good and then he seems to be homeless again! Right now Gordon is not homeless at this time because he is living with someone and the work that they do, Gordon is doing with them. My son is a good worker very smart and is trying to do whatever he can to better himself and he's always trying to look for that next better job. Well enough of that. Elvis and I even though we have the physical situation that encompasses us, we are doing all right and I know that we will make it!!! Somehow by the grace of God and by having faith in God we will succeed and we will both get better I believe!!!

 

Yes, it is but you might find this useful: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/understanding-the-spreadsheet-grid.156606/

Here's the link to the SS:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

 

Welcome Paula!

Bronx was stuck in the 400s for a long time, I've seen other kitties here that were stuck on "hi" on the meter which means >600. You found the right place to help Elvis, just try to get that spreadsheet up and running so the pros here can see what's going on and offer their best advice.

 

I was reading on here about lantus having a shed . I gave one unit of Lantus last night because Elvis was at 192. I was concerned so I tested again right away and it went up to just 219 and that was because he started getting a little like he didn't want to be there and wanted to get down.
I gave him 1 unit this morning also and am going to do this for a 2 weeks. At least that is what someone told some one on here. The thing that concerns me is that his BG this morning was 476. The number of doses and units have been changing up in dose then down due to what Elvis's BG is. Like I said before someone told some one in here to do a steady one unit of Lantus for 1 ro 2 weeks to see if the dose should be changed. My new vet that I went to just 3 days ago on Friday Feb. 22nd said that she wanted me to give Elvis 2 units twice a day for 2 weeks and don't test his BG cause then she said I will ve wondering and worried about how many units ro give. She said again not to test. Now I'm glad I didn't listen to her because that evening I tested and Elvis's BG was 173 so I gave him 1 unit, not 2. But un the morning that day his BG was 374 and that is a 201 point drop from that day since morning, what the heck !!! Now I'm supposed to be getting a call from my new vet but will be from another vet there cause mine won't be back for a week or 2. I'm worried and concerned and wondering what this orher vet will say. Elvis has been making big ups and then going down considerably. So I am giving him one unit twice a day for 2 weeks or should it be 3 weeks to see where that goes because of the "shed" that Lantus has. The one unit seems safe. Shouldn't he ve on a consistent safe unit dose for 2 to 3 weeks to see the affects of the "shed" that Lantus has ?? I'm just so so concerned and worried cause you know the kids game musical chairs, well, I feel like it's musical vets ! This is the second vet and now I'm not liking what this one is saying. I'm going to run out of vets and then uf worse comes to worse, I'll have to probably get Novilin cause no prescription is required and that won't be good cause I've heard mixed opinions about it, mostly bad so that wouldn't be good for Elvis but he has to get something ! Now someone on here did say they had great results with Novilin but made it clear that they were one of just a few and said Lantus did not work for their kiitty. Now that seems strange cause from what I heard mostly us that Lantus is supposed to be the king of insulins and good results will be quick. Elvis has been on Lantus since the first week of November 2018. I am working on starting a spread sheet but starting out in this journey, I didn't have a BG monitor and not until recently. After I did get one, I didn't now that I should test often so some readings are far apart. I guess I'll just have to put down what I do have! (What to do, what to do, such a dilemma) !!!

 

The best thing you can do right now to get the best advice here is to set up the spreadsheet and enter any/all BG numbers you have on it. I gave you links in my post #2 above.

I'm not trying to be dismissive. It's just that we're very data driven here and rely heavily on the spreadsheet before we advise. Here are a few nutshell concepts based on what we do here:

• consistent dosing is important - ie., same dose AM and PM for several days in a row, regardless of the type of insulin you use
• home testing of BG is of paramount important in keeping Elvis safe and learning how he responds to insulin - no vet permission needed to home test
• Lantus is a depot insulin (shed = depot) that often works really well in cats but needs stricter dosing and BG tracking rules to get the best from it
• select the vet you like for his/her "people skills" and willingness to work with you, not against you - failing that, smile and nod and learn from FDMB what to do for Elvis.

I hope this is food for thought. Try to breathe. It'll be OK.