9/19 Gracie PMPS 285 +4 311

Here's yesterdays thread: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25284

Thanks, Ronnie, for response last night. I was worried she would dip and didn't know how much she COULD dip. First day anxiety.

Gracie did not want her squids last night. I think she is really getting tired of being messed with in this manner since she's always been so cuddled. I give her even more cuddles now but she's warey. Not off to a great start this morning. Her little ears feel bumpy from the sticks and she did not want to eat which is not like my baby girl. She just seems really peeved today and I don't blame her. The emotional part is the hardest. :cry: Every night of her life, she has slept cuddled in my arms and she won't sleep with me now altho she did cuddle/nap with me yesterday. I am trying to keep a very positive attitude around her but I am also tired. My hubby has been great...he's watching all the other cats and taking care of them PLUS helping me with Gracie.

So my biggest question this morning is...how much does she need to eat before her shot? I was working so hard getting something in her that I was 15 mins late with the shot. So should I still give the PM shot on time tonight...is 15 mins ok? Also, it didn't feel like a fur shot but it didn't feel quite right either. There was no liquid on her coat when I was done. I've been giving squids a long time to my CRF, Teddi, and she and my Gussie get B-12 and adequan shots so I know how to do it.

My other question is...can I give her a break on the sticks today and do a +4, +6, +10 or what is the best testing schedule to do and still give her a break?

So I need some good "talking to" this morning...any takers? I need

Re: 9/19 Gracie PMPS 280--questions, again

hi there

first thing, the 280 is your AMPS, not PMPS

your PMPS will be 12 hours from the AMPS


just hit edit in your first post here and fix that up k?

you will notice over time, physically she should start to feel better as regulation gets better.
So hang in there, if she's not her usual self, she will get there with the affection.

as for feeding, you want to test, shoot and feed all within an approximate time of 5 to 10 minutes at pre-shot time.
Try not to feed before shooting, or even in the two hours before shot is due or you may see a food influenced pre shot number.

Are you offering low carb kitty treats when you test? That may help associate testing with treats, most kitties catch on very quickly when they see they will get a treat after pokies.

Re: 9/19 Gracie PMPS 280--tough morning for us

15 min. give or take is not a huge deal.

I test, put food down, and while Gabby is eating, I shoot. There have been times when she's cantankerous and walks out of the kitchen that she gets her shot before she wanders back in to eat. Keep in mind that Lantus onset is roughly 2 hours after you shoot. It's not critical that Gracie has an entire meal on board before you shoot. This is one of the ways that Lantus differs from the shorter acting types of insulin. With the other types of insulin, it's crucial to have fed well in advance of a shot otherwise, numbers will drop like a rock.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--tough morning for us

Ronnie..thanks...got that correction made.

We didn't feed her between midnight last night and her AMPS test. Yes, we give her treats...she loves "Whole Life" chicken treats. I don't usually feed during the night. I have four cats, all with different needs inc a kitten, and so leaving food down overnight is tough esp because we do not feed dry food...not even grain free. Should I be getting up at night and giving Gracie something to eat?

I thought the order was test, feed, and shoot? Well, as a newbie, doing all that in 10 mins is tough esp because Gracie did not want to eat this morning which is so not like her. So we need practice. Gracie is also tired....poking her every two hours yesterday disrupted her sleep cycle because we aren't quite good enough yet to be able to poke her while she's sleeping. I know we'll get there....steep learning curve :shock:

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--questions on testing

Is it possible for us to skip down and just do the +5 test and then PMPS or what is the best approach to give Gracie a break today?
I want to be vigilant but I want her to be able to rest and let her ears rest. At .5u, is it possible her numbers would drop too much before
+5? I know you all will tell me what is best for her diabetes and if we have to test more, we will. But any break we can give her
would be great. Thanks.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--questions on testing pls

bump

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--questions on testing pls

I would alternate the hours of testing today...get the odd hours like 3,5,9 maybe....
Try with the other ear today if you think the one you used is sore.
After doing the ear prick, try to put pressure on the spot right after you test which will keep the bruising down to a minimum and help to stop the bleed. okay? Neosporin on the ear is a good healer too....

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--questions on testing pls

Hi again Marjorie....I noticed that you are a member since 29 May 2010..just wondering when Gracie was diagnosed with FD and what insulin she was on previously. I am sorry if I missed that while trying to read your pat posts here.
I see she is on supplements, but wondering if she is on any meds and what other physical issues she has....
She is eating low carb canned food, right?
Thanks in advance for answering these questions...
Hope I am not being a pest...it helps us know more about Gracie...

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--

Thanks, Pat. Congrats that Raja is OTJ!! A great goal for us!

Do most people feed their kitties during the night? We typically do not; we feed frequently during the day but everyone seems to conk out and sleep all night...even the kitten. We don't feed dry food at all. But I have three different diets going....one for the CRF and it is low phosphorus so the kitten can't get into it (and he'll eat anything); one for the kitten which he tested really well for; and one for Gus and Gracie which the kitten can't have as it gives him diarrhea. Do I need to get up during the night to feed Gracie? We usually feed until we go to bed...typically between 11-12 and then I'm up by 6 the next day. Thanks!

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--newbie w/more questions

It's not crucial to feed overnight. Some of us provide a snack at around +8 each cycle. If the pancreas is functioning, a little bit of food later in the cycle may help to bring the pre-shot number down. I use a timed feeder to provide the snack. To be honest, I'm not always sure it's Gabby who is eating.

You don't need to do a full curve. If you'd prefer, what about testing at +3, +6 and maybe +9. That's a mini-curve. Just get a before bed test tonight so you save a strip and a poke -- providing there's no reason to be testing more.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--newbie w/more questions

Hey Pat

Thanks for responding. Gracie has interstitial cystitis...not caused by bacteria or crystals. She's had this since she was a kitten so our new nutrition vet who does nutrition response testing found out she had really high levels of aluminum...probably got them in utero from mom being over vaccinated as we do not vaccinate after kitten FVRCPs. Anyway, we tried everything (before NRT vet) and nothing helped. So finally, my vet put her on a dose of steroids last year. She had the start up dose and then we decreased her to where she was on 1/2 (I think they were 2.5 mg pills) once a week. She did that for five months..no IC episodes but then in Nov, 09, they started again. We increased her steroid a bit, but it wasn't helping so we gradually took her off of it. Her blood/urine work was always normal. She was off of it from Feb until May. Her best buddy passed away in Feb and she started having IC episodes every two weeks. So in May, we put her on a short course. During that time, we checked a UA and it showed sugar in it. That's when I joined the group to read and learn. Gracie's routine bloodwork never showed an high BG but we did a fructosamine and it was 477 so we knew she had spiked somewhere. But with squids and monitoring, she quit spilling glucose in her urine and subsequent blood/urine labs were all normal. We knew no more oral steroids. Then we found the NRT vet who started detoxing her from the Al and Gracie (knock on wood) has not had an IC episode since May. She was doing really, really well and I was checking her urine every couple weeks for sugar...nada. In Aug, she was squinting like she had conjunctivities. My regular vet, NRT vet, and opthamalogist all talked and felt that topical steroids (neopoly dex with .1% dex) would probably be safe. She was on a decreasing amount of that over a week. Shortly after, I found sugar in her urine and her BG was 409. We started the squids again and waited less than two weeks with testing to see what her BG would do; it came down but not normal so she is now diabetic and we started the lantus on Sat. She gets only canned food with less than 10% carbs...the ones we feed are about 8%. Treats are only Whole Life chicken treats.

As far as other conditions, the detoxing causes them to excrete the stuff through their skin, too, so she didn't have conjunctivitis...the opthamalogist found a little infection in her meibomial glands (sp?) around her eyelids about two weeks ago. He knew we couldn't do even topical steroids so she's been on 1/2 baytril (22.7 mg) bid and finishes tomorrow...plus eye soaks every four hours which we have decreased some because she's been so stressed by all of this other stuff. Of her supplements, the cosequin, duralactin, and albaplex are for bladder support. The cataplex c is the detoxer (I'm hoping we can drop soon as she is pretty much detoxed), the cataplex gtf is new and is pancreas support. The cataplexes and albaplex have sugar or honey in them and I've asked the NRT vet several times about that. She treats several diabetic cats. She said it is so minute and Gracie is only getting a minute dose of the pills/capsules. But I'm going to discuss with her again on Tuesday (she's out on Mondays). Sorry for the long post....but that's where we are.

Thank you...any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--newbie w/more questions

Thanks, Sienne. I think you and Pat have a realistic schedule for us so we'll try that. I'm glad to know I don't have to worry about the night feeding. Even with a timed feeder, which I would do, I'd still have to worry that the kitten (who is a total chow hound) would get it and then get diarrhea. So for tonight...I don't need to do anything but right before we go to bed? That would probably be +4 or +5 depending on when I collapse :lol: Last night her +5 was 216 and I was worried if it kept going down at +6 (like yesterday), then I wouldn't catch something that I should be catching so I was up 2-3 times just checking in on her (didn't pokey her). So you think she's on such a low dose and her numbers haven't come down so much yet as she fills her shed that she wouldn't drop down too low over night?

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--newbie w/more questions

You guys have certainly been through a LOT! Hope things will settle down for you now....
Thank you for that background...appreciate that...

When was Gracie actually dx and was she on any other insulin?

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280, +3 342 newbie questions

Gracie's BG went up to 409 on Sep 4...that's the first day we knew something was out of whack. Until yesterday, she has never been on insulin.

Her +3 was 342!! I am wondering if I did get her insulin in her. Her number should be going down. We had the same thing occur yesterday but I know I got her shot in her yesterday. Her +2 yesterday was up from her PS. Any ideas? Thank you all!

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--newbie w/more questions

Hi Marjorie & Gracie. Don't worry that Gracie's number went up after giving the insulin. Lantus builds a "storage shed" or "depot" under the skin and the first doses of Lantus that you give are going into filling that storage shed. In other words, they are not going to lower her bg until the shed gets filled. You are certainly doing a marvelous job with all of the conditions Gracie (and your other kitties) have. I am in awe of what you do. I'm sure that Gracie will come to accept her new routines and will become her old, affectionate self very soon. As soon as the diabetic kitties begin to get their condition under control, they become much more like their old selves. As the others have said, it is not necessary to do very frequent consecutive tests unless the kitty is going very low. Otherwise, just try to get what tests you can: always the AMPS and PMPS and bedtime tests. Then, you can try to fill in the other hours on alternate days (if you have time), such as +3, +6, +9 (the "mini" curve), and, on another day get a +2, +5, +8. That way, as you accumulate data, you will begin to see how Gracie does at different times of day and when she has, or has not, eaten.

I think that you will find that the routine of test-->feed/shoot works great. If you shoot while Gracie has her head in her bowl, she'll be busy eating and won't notice what you are doing. I get the syringe filled and ready to shoot, then put out the food.

Best of luck to you and welcome to LL!

Ella & Stu

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--newbie w/more questions

All I can tell you is that Lantus is not an "instant fix" It takes a little time to get working, as you have to build the shed first. Muffin was on insulin for roughly 2 weeks before I started home testing, and when I did, I was getting higher numbers here at home than she had given the vet when they did her curve. So it really took us about 3 weeks to see a difference. ECID (every cat is different) but you do have to have patience. Breathe, Marjorie, don't panic. I'm sure you'll get some actual advice from the smarter folks here, but I can at least share OUR experiences.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280--newbie w/more questions

Thank you, Ella and Anne. Your posts really helped. And, DUH ME...as soon as I sent off that post, my husband and I both looked
at each other and went "storage shed". :roll: I think neither of us have working brains today after the last few nights. I think it's
great advice, Ella, to do alternate tests for a few days. If we do +5 on one day and +6 on another, then we should be able to see
when the lantus kicks in. And Sienne suggested we just do one pre-bedtime test in the evenings for right now so that will probably help
us all. I wish I hadn't tested so much yesterday but I guess we have our curve for now. I'm assuming once the lantus kicks in, we'll
have to do another full curve?

Gracie just ate some and she's playing. She is drinking more water now that we aren't doing squids but it was just getting to be too
much for her between the ear sticks, the eye soaks, and the squids. We're adding alot of extra water to her food so that should help.

Thank you all..I'm actually going to put on makeup and do my hair and go out shopping for a couple hours. hooray. Will keep you posted
on the +5 or 6..whichever we do today. I'll get a plan. You all are amazing. Thank you for your kind words and help.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280, +3 342 Newbie needs non emergency help

Gracie is at +6 right now and I was going to test as you all suggested at +3, +6, +9 but she is sound asleep in the top of my dresser in the closet so I have to have a little step stool to get to her. She ate a little bit more earlier. Should I let her go a little longer or take her down and poke her? Is it ok to wait until +8 or +9 but then I'd only have AMPS, +3 and +8 and then PMPS.

I know you all have lots going on today so thank you very much.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280, +3 342 newbie needs nonemergency help

Hi Margorie,
I just read all your posts today and I want to welcome you to Lantus Land. You and Gracie certainly have been through a lot, but it sounds like she's on the mend. You'll get the hang of all this very quickly. Don't hesitate to ask questions, either. I hope she'll be sleeping with you again very soon.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280, +3 342 newbie needs nonemergency help

wow, marjorie...you have been through the mill with your babies!

i'm sitting here in sheer admiration of your care-giving...

celi

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280, +3 342 newbie needs nonemergency help

Thanks, Ele and Blackie! With the help of this group, we are learning and I'm so thankful that Lantus is slow as it is giving us time
to read other people's posts and spreadsheets and learn, learn, learn. I know I will always have questions.

Celi--boy, you don't know the half of it :lol: My Gussie has severe arthritis (he's a Scottish Fold and we believe it was congenital but didn't kick in until he was 14). Last year, my vet extracted some of his belly fat and the VetStem lab grew his stem cells and my vet injected them back into his joints. It's been very successful for dogs but didn't help Gus. So he is buprenex addict and the vet chiropracter comes every week to help him out. Last Feb, we lost my most beloved and amazing Maxie to polycystic kidney disease. Thankfully, he was not sick long..he kept that horrible disease at bay for 13 years. I grieve his loss every day...I have to say of all the cats I've had in my life, he truly loved me every bit as much as I love him. And now my darling Gracie...we are just trying to do the best for her.

BTW...Gracie came down out of the dresser and I pokeyed her. It went great this time...she didn't growl..vicious girl :mrgreen:
She's a riot....she begs to get in the drawers and when I open them, she rearranges my clothes and then jumps into the upper part of it and rearranges all my bathing suits and then naps.

Hey Binks...you're doing great buddy!

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280, +3 342 +6.25 311

looks like marjorie and gracie have a whole new set of friends :mrgreen:
i think i can tell you all i've never listened to or helped a more diligent newbie.
marjorie i hope you get some really good rest tonight cause i'm afraid when you see your first 110 at +6 your going to faint or put out a 911 call :lol:
i know the numbers going up is not putting a smile on your face...but when those numbers start coming down...i just don't want you to be too warn out on this then. that should be happy time ok?
and really this is just a bump... ;-)

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS 280, +3 342 +6.25 311

Quick question: I was 15 mins late this morning giving a.m. shot because Gracie wouldn't eat and I didn't think I could shoot
w/out grub on board. So...should I go ahead and shoot tonight at my regular time (7:30 pm) or at 7:45 pm which is technically +12?

So I actually put on makeup, did my hair, and went out leaving DH in charge. Unfortunately, as I was closing the door, I heard a collective sign of relief from DH and all four cats so I think I'm driving everyone crazy inc me.

Lori--you are so right..(about me being diligent...no, I mean about me panicking at 110). Heck, 216 last night at +6 gave me the shivers :? Hey where's that vampire icon or is it just Mr. Green Jeans? Thanks for the bump and for listening and checking in on me.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 newbie PM shot question

15 min. one way or the other isn't going to make a big difference.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 newbie PM shot question

Ha Ha, no there is no vampire icon...we all just know you are one!

i look back and laugh at my early days and things i did as i was obsessing over my cat 24/7. like the morning i was hurried and grabbed the glucometer instead of my cell phone as i left for work...i was devastated as i reached to make a call only to pull out of my purse my one touch ultra.. angry(2)_cat

i do remember my good friend 'howdygirl' on pzi writing me a long pm one day to tell me basically, that eventually, one day soon, if i allow it...i will be able to go 2, possibly 3 whole minutes without thinking about the dire beasties and tom.

my freinds eyes glazed over when i would start talking about testing and all the kewl stuff i was learning...and how tom was a sugar cat now ....boy i was pathetic. but you know what....i would'nt have missed it. all in all it's been a wonderful ride. and i am grateful.

dancing_cat dancing_cat dancing_cat ,
lori
and tomtom too!

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 newbie PM shot question

Hi again, Marjorie. Keep your regular shoot time tonight (and tomorrow) otherwise you'll go nuts. You have about a 15-20- minute window of opportunity if you need it. But also keep in mind that Lantus likes and needs consistency, so you can't make a habit of using that "window" (the window will wind up being moved!). With regard to your question on the mini curves. It isn't so important if you are doing a +3, +6, +9 etc. and you miss one of those hours. Just do a different hour instead (or simply skip a test). Remember that all you are doing is collecting data!
Have a great evening, and I hope that the shot goes/went well.

Ella & Stu

P.s. I see that while I was struggling with this paragraph, Sienne, as always, has said it all in one succinct sentence!!

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 newbie PM shot question

when binks gets in my dresser, i know he's choosing outfits!

did you know stu's mom's name is Whoopi Foldberg??

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 newbie PM shot question

But does he choose your bikini? Gracie looks oh so fine in my HI bikini..in fact, she looks way hotter than mom.

Is Stu a "fold"? I LIKE it...Whoopi Foldberg. DH has thought up hip hop names for all our cats. Too much time on HIS hands.

So Lori...I'm really disappointed...no vampire icon. So here's to the goal of me learning to be as calm and collected as the rest of you.
Grace just had squids...counting down to PMPS.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 newbie PM shot question

Maybe you could take the question out of your header now Marjorie...okay? You're all set with that. right?

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 PMPS 285 NEWBIE ?

YAY!! we got everything done in 10 mins and injected right on the dot!! But it took both of us. We're at 285 PMPS!! That's where we were at +2 last night...so do you all still recommend I just do a pre bedtime check only? I'd like to just to save her ears. We can do it at +5 or +6..don't mind staying or getting up.

Big question...I'm really having problems getting every single tiny air bubble out of the syringe. I read the instructions in the LL sticky:
1. draw up .5-1 u extra
2. hold vertical, draw in a little air
3. flick syringe to get bubbles to top
4. holding vertically, depress plunger to clear bubbles
5. hold horizontally and move to desired amount
6. do not ever squirt any insulin back into vial

I am so careful to follow the above directions and I always have a tiny, almost imperceptible bubble...not all the way across..just tiny hanging on to one small part of the syringe.

The syringes are drawn back a bit...in other words, the hub is not all the way down to the zero mark; the Lantus instructions state:
1. insert needle into vial
2. empty air into vial
3. draw insulin into syringe
4. flick syringe to clear bubbles
5. depress syringe to desired amount (into the vial!!).

So any help is so greatly appreciated before the next shot because I feel at giving .5, I may actually be giving .5 on the skinny side.

Thank you!!

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 PMPS 285 NEWBIE ?

i'd be interested too becuase i get a tiny bubble and everyone i know gets a tiny bubble. if the bubble looks more than tiny i compensate with slightly bigger dose.
all so imperfect is'nt it?

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 PMPS 285 NEWBIE ?

And one other question besides the bubble one (please read above if you can answer the question about bubble in the syringe)...this one is really, really important:

On the "getting data ready to shoot lower numbers" sticky, it says for newbies that if your preshot number is lower than what it normally is, think about whether to shoot or not. So...does that mean under 150? For instance, Gracie's PS numbers (except one) have been around 280. But let's say tomorrow it's 200. Do I shoot the normal dose? I need to be clear now because of the small window I have to do the PS value and then give the shot. I esp need to be clear because we are, I think, starting to approach, maybe, her lantus kicking in. Maybe.
Thanks...as many scenarios as you can think of and what I should do would be appreciated because I won't have time to do the PS BG, run back, get on the computer, ask the question, and then wait for a reply.

THANK YOU!!

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 PMPS 285 NEWBIE ?

Try moving the plunger back a forth about 5 times before you do anything else.(that spreads the lubrication around inside the syringe)
Then, depress the syringe as far as you can to express the air. (you are using a vial or a pen?)
Hold the plunger all the way in as far as you can and then insert it into the pen or vial and release.
Now you will draw up some insulin....check to see if there are any bubble, flick them to the top.
Express the air and bubbles
then put syringe back in to draw out the needed insulin.
You can turn the plunger clockwise to express an excess insulin. There is better control that way.
Try that and see if it works better....

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 PMPS 285 NEWBIE ?

marjorie that question deserves a bump and also maybe delete most of your subject title and put in there 'important question NOW' or something to get attention to that very important question.
altho' i think they're gonna tell you to stick to the dose.
almost certain.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 PMPS 285 NEWBIE ?

Unfortunately, there's no way to know every scenario. Remember, we're dealing with cats! What you can do is get a +11 or a +11.5 and post if you have a question. Unless you're shooting at 4:00 AM, there's usually someone around who can help you decide on what to do.

Re: 9/19 Gracie AMPS280,+3 342+6.25 311 PMPS 285 NEWBIE ?

Thanks, Pat...we'll try that. We're using a vial right now...will probably move to pens...something else to learn :roll: Kidding....

Sienne...I appreciate your response. I'll probably take Lori's advice and bump just in case anyone else has this question or has had this
happen. I know ECID, but since there is already a "protocol" which talks about this, I just wanted to see if there was any clarification.
I know the +11 can be important...man, I hate to pokey her twice in an hour...at +11 and then AMPS or PMPS cause I know when the lantus starts working, we're gonna be doing extra pokes.

So the question for any joiners is:

On the "getting data ready to shoot lower numbers" sticky, it says for newbies that if your preshot number is lower than what it normally is, think about whether to shoot or not. So...does that mean under 150? For instance, Gracie's PS numbers (except one) have been around 280. But let's say tomorrow it's 200. Do I shoot the normal dose? I need to be clear now because of the small window I have to do the PS value and then give the shot. I esp need to be clear because we are, I think, starting to approach, maybe, her lantus kicking in. Maybe.
Thanks...as many scenarios as you can think of and what I should do would be appreciated because I won't have time to do the PS BG, run back, get on the computer, ask the question, and then wait for a reply.

Re: 9/19 Gracie PMPS 285 Important NEWBIE ? NOW

sorry, there really isn't a way to outline every possible scenario. As a newbie, if you get a lower than usual preshot and nobody is here to help you, I would follow the steps outlined in the sticky:

IF YOU'RE A NEWBIE the FAQ section 4.4 applies:

Q4.4. My cat's pre-shot level was way below the usual value. Should I give the injection?

A4.4. There's no hard and fast rule, but if you don't have data on how your cat responds to insulin, here are some general guidelines. Below 150 mg/dl (8.3 mmol/L), don't give insulin. Between 150 and 200 (8.3-11.1 mmol/L), you have three options: a.) give nothing; b.) give a token dose (10-25% of the usual dose); c.) feed as usual, test in a couple of hours, and make a decision based on that value. Above 200 (11.1 mmol/L) but below the cat's normal pre-shot value, a reduced dose might be wise.

If you can get a +11 and post, then most likely someone will be around to help walk you through it. In the evenings there are usually people around, and depending on your shot time there are often folks here in the morning too. Once you start collecting more data, you'll know how your cat responds. The questions people will ask you will help narrow down the important factors: how much below your usual is this number? What happened in the last couple of cycles leading up to this number? Is it rising or dropping? How fast? Is she eating normally? Are you home to monitor? Have plenty of strips? Does your schedule allow for delays? For how long can you stall? Have you already fed? The answers to all those questions can help us help you shoot low safely. If you're faced with a lower preshot at a time when you aren't able to let us walk you through it, then your choices are to shoot full dose, shoot a reduced dose, stall until you get a number you are comfortable shooting, or skip.

Re: 9/19 Gracie PMPS 285 Important NEWBIE ? NOW

There are too many variables...

• Are you going to be home?
• If you're going to be out, for how long?
• Will your cat self-feed?
• Is the pre-shot 150, 120 , 180?
• What is the lowest you've shot before?
• Will you be able to test at +1? At +2?
• What's you cat's pattern?
• How flexible is your schedule if you need to delay?

And probably a bunch of things I've missed!

Re: 9/19 Gracie PMPS 285 Important NEWBIE ? NOW

Come on the board in the am & test her as usual--See what her number is & you & the board here can decide..
When Moonie was going low, I brought my laptop near where I test her so I was in arms length of the computer--I sat like that many times while testing her at different times of the day ohmygod_smile Am I a Nut?? ;-) @-)
WE never know what the bg will be till we are there doing the testing--We have all been where you are.
As the shot is subcutaneous(under the skin, not in the muscle) a tiny bubble wont hurt her..
Just have patience, it all sort of comes together after a while..It is a lot to absorb, so take one step at a time-
You are doing great so far!! Give yourself a Big Chocolate Brownie & try to relax!!
It gets easier I promise!! HUgs from Us!

Re: 9/19 Gracie PMPS 285 Important NEWBIE ? NOW

Thank you all very much. I told you I'd have lots of questions ;-) I'm a scientist so I'm pretty detail oriented. I have looked at the info you inc, Libby, and looked at it and looked at it and finally printed it to have it right here. The really good thing is I'm working from home this week as my boss is a cat lover and DH is home, too. And then we are on staycation for two weeks so we've got the next three weeks to just be here and we have the computer on all the time now...and I have a netbook in the other end of the house so one of us can get to you all if need be. We usually shoot at 7:30 am/pm and we're on Pacific time right now (in AZ). I would probably err on the side of caution until I get my feet on the ground but I've been reading people's posts and even ones who have been around awhile sometimes get surprises. I've never been fond of surprises. grr_red

Ok..chocolate in hand, chocolate in the frig, chocolate in my hypo kit. I'm gonna gain 10 lbs before I learn this. Thank you all..you are the best. And thanks from my baby girl, too.

Guess she's still figuring this out. But at 11:30 pm and she's at 311 at +4, we're going to try and get some sleep....and let Gracie get some.