4/4 Michelangelo AMPS 208, +5/275

Previous Condo.

My work-from-home schedule got switched around so I'm in the office today and couldn't do a straight increase from a fat 2.25u to 2.5u today like I had planned. Instead, I increased his dose last night from a fat 2.25u to 2.38u and he's hitting green again! :mrgreen: We'll see over the next couple of cycles how well he maintains this green and if he gets even lower, but I have a feeling we're going to need to keep going on the dose increase.

Dale 'n' Chip said:

I'm far from timid but I still do nearly the same thing as Kay.

I suspect it has more to do with the fact that those familiar with the TR protocol desire the more normal numbers that are possible with proper dosing.

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Yep, especially since such a tiny increase (~.1u) can cause such a huge drop in Mikey's numbers (almost a 100 points)!

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Time for some non-hyperglycemia related entertainment. Henry proved to be stubbornly adventurous last and managed to jump the fence again (he hadn't tried it again since his first successful attempt a few weeks ago). I heard a noise out back and spotted what I at first thought was a possum walking along our back fence.

Nope, it was Henry and he was too fast for me this time and ended up stuck in our neighbor's backyard. Luckily my neighbors were home and after a half-hour of talking him through their maze of 6-foot tall weeds, I tossed him back over onto my side of the fence. This didn't stop him from trying again and he spent the rest of the night determinedly honing his fence-jumping skills and ensuring that the collar I bought him a few weeks ago is now firmly in place.

Do any of you have cats that are just impossible to keep indoor (or at least home-based)? I know Henry's going to become an indoor/outdoor cat and I'm just trying to get comfortable with that concept since all my previous cats have been homebodies. I'm just happy that Michelangelo still seems to have no interest of leaving the backyard, much less getting up on the fence; it'll save me a lot of worry about him going missing at testing and shot times. Just in case, I still bought Mikey a collar and tag (that says, "I'm diabetic!") at the same time I bought Henry's, although I'm not going to put it on him till he proves he needs it. :lol:

Michelangelo is at least consistent with his weird numbers. He always drops immediately after a dose increase and then flat-lines a few days either till the depot tops off or he proves he still needs an increase, so I'm not really surprised by his high nadir in this AMS cycle. Two-and-a-half more days of this dose before I bump him up to a skinny 2.5u. :YMSIGH:

KPassa said:

Michelangelo is at least consistent with his weird numbers. He always drops immediately after a dose increase and then flat-lines a few days either till the depot tops off or he proves he still needs an increase, so I'm not really surprised by his high nadir in this AMS cycle. Two-and-a-half more days of this dose before I bump him up to a skinny 2.5u. :YMSIGH:

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The next increase should likely be straight up 2.5U. I agree 100% with Sienne, at this stage you need to be increasing instead of fine-tuning. Those tiny nudges are more for when they are in normal numbers and you need minor adjustments. If you go too slow you risk losing traction.

It may work to do something like 2.25 -> 2.38 -> 2.5 holding each for six cycles. But if you still can't shake all that yellow you may need to do the full quarter unit.

Mikey does pretty well for himself, but you do want to keep an eye on things and monitor in any case, especially with a full quarter.

I work from home again tomorrow, so I might just up him straight to 2.5u tonight, especially since his greens from last night weren't significantly low.

Retrospectively, I never realized how hard it's been caring for a diabetic kitten till these last couple of months when his caloric consumption decreased into normal adult range and he stopped growing as fast. These last two months have been waaaaaay easier! I think at this point what's keeping me from being aggressive enough in regulating Mikey is that I'm scared of falling into complacency or assuming he'll react like an "adult" cat when he might still have some "kitten quirks" affecting things. I need to just get over it like I got over my fear of shooting low numbers! ohmygod_smile

How much difference is there between f2.25 and 2.38?

As Sienne also said, you really want to hold each increase for a minimum 4 cycles, or better yet 6.

Just an orderly flow to things, settle each dose and reevaluate. More stable that way.

So perhaps put if off another night?

In all reality the accuracy of these doses is likely not all that precise with Relions. Even with calipers. So you may have a little more leeway there.

Dale 'n' Chip said:

In all reality the accuracy of these doses is likely not all that precise with Relions. Even with calipers. So you may have a little more leeway there.

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Since I'm not using calipers, that's why I've never been too worried about just upping him from a fat or a .38 straight to the next dose. In all honesty, I think during the "increase period," all that's really happening is that I'm simply delaying the depot from filling up too quickly to the next dose level and the skinny vs. 12.5 increase vs. fat are just to keep the depot out-of-whack a few cycles till his body gets used to the increase.

In that case, you could probably treat the *intermediate* doses as 2.38 and move on to 2.5U now. Monitor and and hold for 6-10 cycles.

When you get another set of calipers, go to the Harbor Freight store and look at 6" Digital Caliper Pittsburgh - item#68304. So easy to use. I spent half an hour in the store trying them all out, and really liked that one.

Yes I had a syringe in my pocket at Harbor Freight, but I never pulled it out because I was getting enough looks as it was. :roll:

Eventually I imagine you will want Terumo syringes if you can order those.

Dale 'n' Chip said:

Yes I had a syringe in my pocket at Harbor Freight, but I never pulled it out because I was getting enough looks as it was. :roll:

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I will actually sit on the floor at the pet food store with a pile of cans around me and my food list as I compare ingredients and nutritional information. I've brought in the syringe bags with me to the pharmacy (and vet's) when I need to order more. So, pulling a syringe out of my pocket in a store is not even something I'd bat an eye at doing. :lol: (Although, in that scenario, I'd probably take a used one that I'd already twisted the needle off....) The last time I bought calipers, I didn't know anything about them or how they worked, so I bought the cheapest ones I could find. One of the reasons I haven't pressed my brother too hard on giving them back. I'm planning on heading to Home Depot this weekend and comparing calipers, but now I know of Harbor Freight, I might take a road-trip to Garden Grove if Home Depot doesn't have them.

Just in case, I still bought Mikey a collar and tag (that says, "I'm diabetic!") at the same time I bought Henry's, although I'm not going to put it on him till he proves he needs it.

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Love you, Gonna get Ruben one. Just to have one

Michelangelo is at least consistent with his weird numbers. He always drops immediately after a dose increase and then flat-lines a few days either till the depot tops off or he proves he still needs an increase, so I'm not really surprised by his high nadir in this AMS cycle. Two-and-a-half more days of this dose before I bump him up to a skinny 2.5u.

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This sentence is exactly what newly DX kitties parents need to read,lt totally sums up why home testing is so important, and impowering. Learning the patterns helps all involved. Very proud of you, you are an inspiration. Mikey is so so lucky. I would have probably been committed into a nut house if Ruben didn't get better.
I find it ironic that Ruben got his DX 1 week after I got mine and he went into remission 1 week before I had to go back to work full time. So connected him and I.

I need to just get over it like I got over my fear of shooting low numbers!

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Read this before I tested (which is for me is still like having a mini panic attack every other day-Had to go to every other day cause couldn't handle it nailbite_smile :-| ) but sucked it up and did it, Thank you. (147 <not ideal but under 150) and all 5 P's implace)

KPassa said:

...I'm planning on heading to Home Depot this weekend and comparing calipers, but now I know of Harbor Freight, I might take a road-trip to Garden Grove if Home Depot doesn't have them.

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The reason I drove to Harbor Freight instead of shipping is because it was urgent. I got a new box of Relion syringes with terrible markings. I felt like I didn't know what I was shooting and had to do something before the next shot. But I was glad to be able to get a hands on look and try them all out.

I placed my first order for Terumos that week.

If you are hitting the road anyway, it may be worth looking at them. But probably cheaper to have it shipped. What I like about the model I linked is they were better quality than the various other models, of course about twice the price. It also retains settings when powered off. And doesn't eat batteries... 6 months later I'm still on the original battery. Those were a few issues I saw in reviews about some of the cheaper ones. Most of all I just like the feel.

KPassa said:

Do any of you have cats that are just impossible to keep indoor (or at least home-based)? I know Henry's going to become an indoor/outdoor cat and I'm just trying to get comfortable with that concept since all my previous cats have been homebodies. I'm just happy that Michelangelo still seems to have no interest of leaving the backyard, much less getting up on the fence; it'll save me a lot of worry about him going missing at testing and shot times. Just in case, I still bought Mikey a collar and tag (that says, "I'm diabetic!") at the same time I bought Henry's, although I'm not going to put it on him till he proves he needs it. :lol:

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I would never want to do indoor/outdoor again. Too much danger and trouble to get into, and the times they don't return home. Or the time.

How about a *safe* outdoor catio like Marje has? I have no doubt Henry will eventually lure Mikey to the wondrous great outdoors beyond the fence. Provided he never discovers it on his own. @-)