Re: Bagheera 3/30 AMPS 325, +4 224
bagheerathediabeticcat said:
My human is using the Arkray exclusively now. He is holding the three unit dose even though he really wants to amp it up because he doesn't like these numbers he is seeing.
The good news is I am not fussing as much about the ear sticks now. And it's so funny how my human is doing it. Since he is used to the AlphaTrak2 lancing tool, he still uses that. But then he uses the Arkray to test. Silly human. But I guess it's best for me, because it means that I don't have to deal with him fumbling around when he sticks my ear!
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There's a lot of information on this board to consume, so not sure if anyone has shared this with you yet or if you've had a chance to read it, but with dose changes (usually
increases), there's a term called "
New Dose Wonkiness" as that all-magical Lantus depot re-stabilizes. Even though you've just decreased the dose and this doesn't
directly apply, I have seen in Michelangelo similar high numbers after a dose decrease but after a few cycles, it usually stabilizes and he drops into some better numbers....or I have to increase the dose again. Michelangelo also has the issue of it shifting his nadir around after a dose decrease (it also sometimes happens with a dose increase). Usually, whenever I do dosing changes, I test way more often the first few cycles (I call it Mikey's game of "try finding my nadir
now, Mom" :lol: ). My suggestion would be to give it a couple of more cycles and he might even surprise you this afternoon and drop lower into some pretty greens.
Disclaimer: If someone else comes along and advices you to increase again, trust them more than me because they know more about dosing than I do. ;-)
As for lancing devices, I use a ReliOn meter and an Accuchek lancet pen (my diabetic relatives gave me a ton of their spare supplies, which were mostly lancet barrels and pens). A lot people free-hand the lancets (it gives better control), but I love the pen because I don't have to dispose of yet another "Sharps" and they're easier for me to re-use (I just don't click over to the next lancet in the barrel). I've gotten so used to using the lancet pens that when I do go free-hand, it's a whole new learning curve for me every time. :lol:
The key to glucometer variance is to stick with one meter for at least the whole day (I usually use a different glucometer for a few days before switching back). The reason for this is that the numbers (and your actions based on the numbers) will always be consistent to that specific meter. When I switch over to my Micro for a few days, at this point, I know how it differs from the readings I get on my Prime, so I adjust my actions on that difference and, most especially,
on Michelangelo's behavior. For instance, the Micro reads lower on low numbers than the Prime, so there have been a couple of times when Mikey has tested low enough for a dose decrease on the Micro, but I haven't decreased his dose because I know that based on his previous numbers and
his behavior that a Micro 43 is in reality more like a 53. These are all things that you'll learn over time, but no need to worry about it just yet; we'll be able to help with that in the meantime. Just make sure you stay consistent with which meter's readings you're basing your dosing decisions off. It'll all even out in the end.
What I was meaning to say (and I think I accidentally deleted an entire paragraph in there somewhere - using a new iPhone and still can't figure it out):
