8/18 Reuben AMPS 500+ 3/277+4/207+5/228+7/291+9/483 pmpsHI

Yesterday's Condo

Good Saturday!

I started with 1.5u last night and stayed up to monitor BG, which went UP. Apparently another missed shot? I wonder if sometimes I am just shooting into his skin.

I am trying to overcome my fear of shooting, it`s kind of a big deal!

This morning is different however, and +3 is 277. Kind of a fast drop? I will test every hour now to follow the trail.

His behavior for the last few days is verrry low key. All of his body functions are good: eating, drinking (a TON), peeing (a TON) but IN the box, and no issues with with either constipation or the opposite. He grooms himself and is responsive, alert and himself - BUT he does nothing except lie around, either sleeping or not. He is relaxed, stretched out and yawning so I don`t suspect pain or stomach issues. He has gained weight and his coat looks great. It`s not ketones, it`s not stomach infection (or he wouldn`t be eating) so it must be the high BG? His eyes look strange a lot of the time, all black and glazed - but then sometimes they are blue, and I feel so relieved.

Melanie - Thank you for the support! I did do the increase last night and was prepared to stay up all night to monitor, but after 2 tests and the numbers only going UP, I assumed (rightly or wrongly) I had mis-shot AGAIN ohmygod_smile and went to sleep. I will find out now how imprudent that may have been by the comments today. Your comment yesterday about the 500+ not being as bad as they make it seem really calmed me down last night when we got Another of those... About his pancreatitis, I didn`t know he could recover from it! Both vets we have seen only said, 'it's a horrible illness and there is nothing you can do'. So we are ready learn about healing this illness!

Leslie - I feel better knowing I`m not the only message board newbie! And thanks for the encouragement to start looking at everyone's condos and SS I started last night and will do more today... And I need to make a profile!

Dale - Thank you for encouraging me to continue looking for corroboration of the information on the ketone reading, becauseI found it right here right on the site! http://www.felinediabetes.com/ketones.htm

There is a paragraph at the bottom of the page that clears this up the question about the readings:

'When to call the vet
In a diabetic, any urinary ketones above trace or trace urinary ketones plus some of the signs listed above, are cause to call a veterinarian immediately. If your vet doesn't offer after-hour emergency care, be sure to have the number and location of a 24 hour emergency veterinarian. '

Trace is anything under 0.6 and Reuben's was 0.2 :mrgreen:

Thanks for being so concerned, we really do appreciate your 'worry wort'-ness'!!

Re: 8/18 Reuben AMPS 500+ +3 277

Here's a possible explanation for what happened last night. With some cats -- and not necessarily all the time -- when you increase the dose the numbers go up. We all realize that this is not what's expected. Nonetheless, it still happens and we refer to it as "new dose wonkiness" (NDW). The other factor to keep in mind is that because there is an insulin depot that is effected by a change in dose, it can take a cycle or more for you to see a change in numbers.

That is a sizable drop in numbers. I would suggest giving Reuben some LC food just to slow things down a bit.

I suspect that Reuben doesn't feel great sitting in these high numbers. Hopefully, that's going to change as he responds to insulin.

Re: 8/18 Reuben AMPS 500+ /3 277/4 207/

Sienne - What is LC ... low calorie food? He just came down to 207 right after eating a little (he eats Dr Lisa's recipe). Wow, he is getting active at these numbers!

Re: 8/18 Reuben AMPS 500+ /3 277/4 207/

It would be great if Reuben would move down to numbers like those all the time.

Here's a way to practice to get more comfortable with syringes.
I had a horrible fear of injections ( too many childhood medical surgeries, blood drawn, etc)
It took my favorite cat needing them to get me to "just do it!"
Use some of your old syringes and practice stabbing lemons, limes, raw chicken. banana peel which sort of tents :lol: :lol:
anything you can find that has a little resistance. stuffed toy for practicing parting fuzziness.
Pay attention to where that bevel is, if you shoot upside down, it drags on the skin and hurts a little.
(longer side should be on bottom)
practice that sideways angle (parallel to the spine) , practice using your trigger finger on the plunger ( thumbs are most likely to have a furrshot)
my biggest concern is always that i'm pushing too hard into her body or hitting something , you just want it under the skin.

Re: 8/18 Reuben AMPS 500+ /3 277/4 207/

Hi Alexa,

You poor thing, thinking that pancreatitis is permanent! There is such a thing as chronic pancreatitis where it is recurring but most cats get over it! There is lots of info about how to treat it on the site. Mainly you want to make sure you give enough insulin, plenty of water, possibly fluids, possibly antibiotics, depending on how bad it is and how soon after the attack. A lot of people give the fluids at home and treat it at home after the cat is released from the hospital if bad enough to be hospitalized, to save money and reduce stress. Does Reuben still have pancreatitis? If so, you should put in your subject line- questions pancreatitis - and one of the people who has personally dealt with it will help you. Luckily I have not.

Sienne is the dose expert. Like her, I would automatically have thought the high numbers due to the change. Racci's numbers go crazy sometimes when I change her dose. It sometimes takes her 3-4 days to get regulated again. Don't be so hard on yourself.

Learn to relax and take your time with the shot. Massaging the back and lifting the skin and fur a few times will help you find the right spot and get the right grip. You ccan do that when you two are just sitting together also. You'll get the hang of it. Be sure to go in the direction of the tuft of skin you pulled up on that slant. We've all poked our poor cats learning and screwed up but it's just part of the learning process. All we can do is our best and keep trying to do it right.

See you later.

Melanie & Racci

Re: 8/18 Reuben AMPS 500+ /3 277/4 207/5.5 228/

Hi Alexa, LC is low carbohydrate food. Carbs raise blood sugar so carbs are bad for diabetics including cats. Most here feed our kitties low carb food. If the cats blood sugar (glucose) drops too low you give him small amounts of MC (medium carb) or very small amounts of HC (high carb) food or drops of syrup (very high carb) to raise the blood glucose quickly back to safe levels. When you use carb food to raise the bg, you see right away why low carb food is much better for everyday feeding.

Rhiannon has a good idea about using fruit to practice shooting. In the interest of skill building, maybe I will get a clean syringe and practice shooting some fruits with rum :lol: drinking09

Re: 8/18 Reuben AMPS 500+ /3 277/4 207/5.5 228/7.5 291/

Leslie - Yeah, I figured out LC eventually, hahaa... Reuben eats Dr. Lisa Pierson`s recipe so I`m offering him that. I love the fruits with rum idea!! :lol: :lol:


Rhiannon - I do keep forgetting to turn the bevel up, poor guy! I'll stab some stuff today... :lol: :lol: My technique shooting through parted fur wasn't working....and in the youtube vids they seem to be just shooting through the fur, so that`s what had started doing; I have just been concentrating on the tent, on getting the needle where is supposed to be.

Melanie - Wowwwwww, this is SUCH great news about the pancreatitis!! He still has it. I have to give him antibiotics and metoclopramide or he gets really sick. I will definitely start asking about this on the board! And thank you for the tips about shooting, I really appreciate it!!

Re: 8/18 Reuben AMPS 500+ 3/277+4/207+5/228+7/291+9/483 pmp

Hey, just checking in. Hang in there. You are doing a great job of being proactive and learning as fast as you can. You will be comfortable enough to take care of your cat without tons of support someday, I promise!

Re: 8/18 Reuben AMPS 500+ 3/277+4/207+5/228+7/291+9/483 pmp

When I first started shooting I had the vet shave a couple of patches so I could easily see what I was doing. After every shot I would also smell the area and feel to see if there was any wetness. If you've done a furshot you'll be able to smell it - HOWEVER if you don't wipe the top end of the syringe (not the needle, the plastic bit) with a tissue before you shoot you will likely smell insulin anyway because there will be a little on the top of the syringe from adjusting your dose. I was going crazy for a little while there thinking every shot was a furshot :lol:

Re: 8/18 Reuben AMPS 500+ 3/277+4/207+5/228+7/291+9/483 pmp

Dale - having help is a huge relief!

Serryn - thanks for explaining about the smell, i couldn't figure it out! and shaving, what a great idea :smile: thanks for stopping by!