Advice on Dosage - low BG readings

Hi everyone,

I am relatively new here and have been posting on the main forum (didn't realize the insulin support groups were on a separate forum.) Anyway, several members have referred me over here and I could really use some advice.

Kismet was diagnosed on the 12th and my vet prescribed 3u bid. She based this prescription on two separate tests taken days apart without ever conducting a curve. She also told me NOT to home test and prescribed Hills Prescription w/d DRY. I found this board though and began home testing. I also realized I really needed a new vet so I took Kismet to a specialist. She agreed that the dosage was ridiculously high and told me to take him down to 2u bid and to change diet to canned DM. She advised me to test using keto-diastix and to reduce his insulin half a unit for every two consecutive days of negative testing. Well, I've been unsuccessful with catching urine samples and decided to continue blood testing, especially at the urging of members here, and luckily so as his BG was low tonight.

Traci just alerted me that he has been non-diabetic for a few days. I held his dose tonight because his levels were so low. He has not been acting hypo at all, fortunately. If anything, he has been very energetic and playful like his old self.

I am going to call the new vet tomorrow am and see what she advises. But in the meantime, any advice would be appreciated. Please see Kismet's SS for his numbers. I know I should never shoot if he dips below 100, but I know nothing about adjusting his dose myself.

Thanks!

Courtney and Kismet

Definitely don't shoot tonight and keep testing him a couple more times tonight. Then test him again in the morning IF he is over 200 then if he was mine consider dropping the dose back to 1u bid and go from there. Most cats don't need more than .5u to 1u bid and it is far easier to add more insulin later if not enough than it is to get it out of the cat once its shot.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang

Here is the post on Health. Isn't it great to see Kismet being playful? He is a very handsome kitty but I am a little partial to black cats anyway. I don't know what the dose should be but it should be quite a bit lower than 2u, that's for sure. I would strongly suggest getting input from Marje or Sienne or another dosing expert before shooting anything else. Quite frankly, I would not rely on a vet's dosing advice, unless he/she is that one in a million vet that is an FD expert. I just haven't heard of anyone say their vet knew how to dose Lantus with the level of experience and expertise of the folks here.
Liz

Hi Mel, thanks very much for the advice. I will test him again in ten minutes and then calling it a night. I will test him in the morning and see where he is and I will follow your advice and shoot 1 unit if he is over 200. This seems very reasonable to me. My husband is at home tomorrow so he can monitor him throughout the day until I get home.

Liz, thanks so much for the compliment! He is a little charmer. I'm partial to black cats, too. You're Zener is such a cutie! And yes, it is really, really wonderful to see him so active. Right now he is thundering around like a maniac, jumping on and off the couch. What a nut! And although I am new to this, I am starting to understand that vets are a little out of touch with how to treat DM kitties. Why is this? I find it really alarming that they seem to know so little and give such potentially dangerous advice. I am so happy I found this board... I'm frightened to think about where Kis would be if I'd followed the original vet's instructions and kept blindly shooting 3u bid!

I will keep you all posted and will check in if there any dramatic changes in his status. I'm off to test once more before bed and then I will check back in the morning.

Goodnight!

Courtney

In defense of vets, they have a very tough job, so many different species, different physiologies, different diseases, it's amazing the general expertise they have. FD requires a very, very specific expertise and that's where vets have trouble. The scary part is they don't know how dangerous their FD advice is. And to discourage/forbid someone to home test is just irresponsible. It's great that you are testing. That's the only way to keep Kismet safe.
Liz

From my own vets mouth, She said vets aren't used to clients who are willing to do all that we do here, unfortunately too many choose to give up on their cat.
And even her partners don't understand Lantus.....
They are so used to Canninsulin ( for dogs) that they tend to give the same advise for all the other insulins. They just aren't keeping up with the current knowledge.



And then I also think of how difficult it must be to be a vet....
think how many animals they see who could live longer with treatment ( any medical issue) and the owner doesn't want to.
How hard is it to put an animal to sleep that you know you have to ability to save.

Good morning,

Kismet's AMPS is 68 after no shot last night with low BG #s. I've held his shot again this morning. Does this mean we are really OTJ?

Could be...but still a little too soon to tell, but if Kismet can keep up those numbers without insulin for 2 weeks then we get to throw him a HUGE PARTY and announce him officially OTJ or diet controlled and that is the important part to remember. Even if Kismet goes into remission and goes OTJ he is still a diabetic and will only stay OTJ as long as his diet is the same..no more dry food or treats ever.

But yes, my own Maxwell went OTJ with a diet change along with 2 weeks on insulin and he will celebrate 2 years insulin free on November 1st.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang

Hi Mel, that's so great that Maxwell is OTJ with just a diet change! I hope we are just as fortunate! I realize I'm celebrating prematurely LOL just want him to be better so badly. I found the lantus forum and the folks over there have explained the protocol. Keeping paws crossed, though!

Great thing you found the board! Keep up your testing and don't let the vets discourage you. I've had the same trouble with my first bet telling me not to home test, feeding Fancy Feast was bad, feed dry D/M, etc. Stuffed her and got another vet that agrees with home testing and listens to me when I talk to her! Most the vets I've talked to now agree, home test before each shot, feed canned food only, no dry at all. They finally learned something from a client instead of the other way round. Good luck! Sounds like you are on the way to the falls! (remission) dancing_cat dancing_cat dancing_cat