1/11 Sami AMPS 236; +3 - 268; +6 - 236

Sami’s AMPS 236

She has been rising slightly at every pre-shot reading since I changed the diet and reduced the dose to 1 unit on a consistent basis. I know it has only been a few days, but I would really rather not see her rise back into the 300 or 400’s. At the same time, I don’t want to take her too low, especially since I can’t always be around her during the day because I work full time.
I have to admit that the high 100’s and the 200’s she has been having are a far cry from the 400 and 500’s she was having last week, and I am very happy about that.

Now I have read the dosing protocol, but I am a little confused. At one point it states to hold the dose for 5-7 days, but then it says that if the BG is > 200 then the dose should be increased by .25 every 2-3 days. Should I be thinking of increasing in the next day or so, or should I hold at 1 unit for a full 5-7 days and see how she is?

Yesterdays Condo

 

Re: 1/11 Sami AMPS 236

Good morning Tina

SS is looking so nice! What a pretty change in colours!
I'll leave the dose question to the more experienced.

Have a good day!

 

Re: 1/11 Sami AMPS 236

Yes, I am liking the color change, but I would really like to see blues and greens, but I understand that it might take a little longer to get to those numbers. After two months all over the place I am very happy with the way things are going with Sami's BG, but again, I would like to seem more blues then yellows. Yesterday during the day looked nice, but then all the rising in the evening was concerning me. I did note on the spreadsheet that it is possible that Sami got some dry food due to my Husbands impatience, so hopefully that is all it was.

I am at work today, but I am going to try to run home at lunch to test her between +6 and +7. I can't imagine she will be too low but it would be interesting to see if she is back in the blue during the day today.

I am still wondering about the dosage though, do I keep it at one unit or increase it a little. I am going to do a little bit of an experiment tonight with water to see if I can figure out how many drops are in a .5 unit to try to determine how I can increase by .1 rather than jumping a half unit. I read Deb and Spots post yesterday about the drops she takes off to give smaller doses so I am going to try that. If anyone has any other suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Re: 1/11 Sami AMPS 236

Yes the SS is looking better, I know you want more blues and greens (they will happen) but the first trend is usually a flattening out of the "curve" overall, be it in the pinks and yellows or yellow/blue, and that you have happening now. You have been consistantly on the this 1U dose for 5 cycles (counting this AM) and you are getting some action, an increase will probably be needed but normally we like to keep the dose (especially when we do have some blues) for 6 or more cycles (3 full days) then increases are done in .25U increments. It is tough to measure but being 100% accurate is not so important as being consistant. Have a look at the pictures in the "New to Lantus" sticky, there you can see what those doses look like. If you have syringes with 1/2 unit markings those .25U are the in-between doses. So 1.25U would be getting the plunger between the 1U and the 1.5U markings. Using the drop method is good, but generally it is best for small doses under .5U

It's hard to be patient, but forcing it will just lead to more frustration. If it helps.....I do see progress here, don't worry Sami will see green soon enough. The more gently you sneak into them the less likely he is to visit RBC!

 

Re: 1/11 Sami AMPS 236

Initially, the initial dose is held for 5 - 7 days. This duration allows the shed to build. After that period, if the numbers are >200, then the dose is increased by 0.25. If the numbers continue to be > 200, after 2 -3 days, the dose is increased, etc. You can increase as much as 0.5 if the numbers are >300. These rules don't necessarily apply if you have nadirs in the greens or blues, in which case it may make sense to hold the dose a bit longer to see if the dose is going to produce more action.

Does that help to clarify?

 

Re: 1/11 Sami AMPS 236

Yes, I will go ahead and hold the dose for a few more days. If Sami's BG continues to stay in the 200's I will increase the dose by .25, but I will probably ask again in a few days just to make sure it is the appropriate time.

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

Re: 1/11 Sami AMPS 236; PMPS 246; HUSBAND WHO WON'T LISTEN

My husband just doesn't get it. I have told him for three days that Sami is not to have the dry food and if he insists on giving it to the other cats he must stay an monitor to make sure that Sami doesn't get any. But every day he still puts it out and she eats it.

What am I to do? When I yelled at him two days ago he told me that he was just going to leave the food up to me to take care of and I was totally okay with that but he continues to put the dry food out. I really don't want to have to through the other food out, but unless I can get him to stop giving it to her I don't know what other options I have.

Does anyone else have this problem with other people continually giving the wrong food?

Just glad my husband refuses to give Sami her shots because he would probably do it at his convenience rather than on a set schedule. He is already telling me how I am letting the cat run my life. I know he loves the cat, but what can I tell him to make him understand the importance of diet and proper dosing to make him understand.

I am so worried that when I go out of town at the end of April he isn't going to be able to handle it and there is going to be a major problem. Any suggestions?

 

Luckily, whatever dry food Sami got wasn't that much. She is not down in the high 100's at +4 from her PM dose. Hopefully she will stay there over night, or maybe come down a little bit more.

 

there is good progress being made here already!

As others have already said, here most of us follow a slightly modified version of the Tight Regulation protocol referenced in the stickies. We usually hold a dose for at least 10 cycles when the dose has brought blue numbers. Then the increase is usually by 0.25 units. Cats like Spot who increase and decrease by smaller amounts are doing so because they have proven over time that they need to be adjusted in micro increments, but the majority of newly diagnosed cats are fine with 0.25 changes.

 

Stick around for a while and you'll see all kinds of problems with people in the house -- kids leaving chips out and the FD kitty having chip breath. Kitties that eat cookies and bread and who drink pop. (Bad beans! Bad kitties!!)

I don't know if you have kids or if DH has a favorite niece or nephew. I'd ask him if he what he would think of an adult who would leave a carton of ice cream out to appease a group of whiny kids when his favorite diabetic niece or nephew was in the room. Would he expect the child to not eat the ice cream? Maybe that analogy will help.

Alternatively, if you know someone you could donate the food to, that might be ok. The wet stuff is better for your civie, too.

 

I have hidden all the contraband food so hopefully that will help, and I can get an accruate reading today.