3/16 Sheba AMPS 275 PMPS 120

Status
Not open for further replies.
Bron and Sheba (GA)

Bron and Sheba (GA)

Member Since 2015
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...124-6-144-7-124-pmps-140.134589/#post-1388363

Two weeks ago I would have been delighted to see AMPS of 275 but after the numbers of the last week I am disappointed. I can see I am getting addicted to the low preshot.
275 is still below her renal threshhold though, as I tested her urine this morning and no sugar. (I walked in as she was going so I grabbed the container and put it under her)..

Thank you Julie for all that really good information.
You are right, I do have to be aware of how fast she is dropping an hour. Bouncing has been her biggest obstacle and since joining the forum and feeding the drop, numbers have improved greatly.

We are off to the vet this morning for the 4th cartrophen injection
Bron
 
Back from the vet and the course of cartrophen injections for her arthritis is finished.

I asked my vet about the squatting without weeing Sheba was doing. He said it was probably caused by bladder irritation and to give more not less fluids when she does that to flush out the bladder. He said being a girl it was most unlikely she would block. He asked, when I tested the urine, if there was blood or protein in it as that could mean an infection -but it was clear.

I had sent him the link of the latest diabetic info and pain management which was posted on the main forum during the last week or two and he found them really interesting, especially the part where they are now saying they are lowering what they consider to be the upper level of acceptable BSL in cats.

He was also really pleased to hear Sheba's BSL have lowered and was impressed with her lower preshots.
I told him how we were feeding the drop with higher carbs to slow it down and prevent a bounce. He had not heard of doing that and was very interested, asked me lots of questions.
He said he thinks he will try and get more of his diabetic people to try and home test. Asked me the cost of monitors and strips and where I got them and how Sheba reacted when I took the blood - if I thought it hurt. Does anyone have a link to a good example of how to get blood from an ear that I could send him? He could then show his new diabetic people.

Bron
 
Hi Bron!!

I'm so glad to see Sheba doing so well :). Great job!!!

Good info on the condo yesterday. Gracie is also on lev and will flip flop her day and night cycles so sometimes she keeps me up at night and sometimes she's a day dropper. With her, I've found that I can't estimate where she might be based on how fast I think she might be falling. For example, if she's down 50 at +2, I can't assume she's come down 25/hour. She could just as easily have come down 15 the first hour and 35 the second. If she's low enough for me to need to worry, I'll test her after 30 mins to see how fast she is actually dropping. I do think it helps because then you can feed higher carb food to slow the drop, if needed.

I will also sometimes feed higher csrb food to get her up enough for me to sleep a few hours. As long as I don't overcarb her, especially late in the cycle, the effects don't hang around to the next cycle.
 
Marje and Gracie said:
Hi Bron!!

I'm so glad to see Sheba doing so well :). Great job!!!

Good info on the condo yesterday. Gracie is also on lev and will flip flop her day and night cycles so sometimes she keeps me up at night and sometimes she's a day dropper. With her, I've found that I can't estimate where she might be based on how fast I think she might be falling. For example, if she's down 50 at +2, I can't assume she's come down 25/hour. She could just as easily have come down 15 the first hour and 35 the second. If she's low enough for me to need to worry, I'll test her after 30 mins to see how fast she is actually dropping. I do think it helps because then you can feed higher carb food to slow the drop, if needed.

I will also sometimes feed higher csrb food to get her up enough for me to sleep a few hours. As long as I don't overcarb her, especially late in the cycle, the effects don't hang around to the next cycle.
Click to expand...

Hi Marje,
That is really good info you have sent me, thanks very much. I am learning so much since I joined the forum. I think Sheba's drops are now much more sedate and a bit more predictable. I used to be scared to go out when she was heading towards nadir because I never knew how quickly or far she would drop. I guess I still don't but she seems to be less erratic. I am really enjoying the low preshots now after greatly fearing them.
 
Looks like you might get one of those blue preshots again tonight. :cool: Those low preshots do become addicting. When I shoot when Neko is low, her cycle is much flatter. When I shoot and she's higher, it's much less predictable what she's going to do that cycle.

To answer the question from yesterday, I find the HC only lasts a couple of hours. I try to give HC not too late in the cycle. If you give carbs after nadir when the insulin is slowing down, it can put the brakes on the insulin action and lead to higher preshots. Neko's nadir is quite variable so timing is a guessing game. I try to not feed HC any later than +9. It also takes quite a bit of experimentation to find out how much to feed. Depending on how carb sensitive your cat is, anything from higher low carb 8-10% to MC to HC may be needed to abort the cycle. And it depends on where you are in the cycle. Whether it's early when the insulin action is strongest (may need higher % csrbs) or when things have slowed down (less carbs needed). Take notes on what, when and how much you feed to help you figure out what will work for Sheba.

Regarding the cartrophen, what do you mean they are finished? We did a loading dose (one every 4 weeks), then moved onto once a month for Neko's arthritis. Some people find they need to do once every 3 weeks An interesting other thing about cartrophen, is that it can be used to strengthen the bladder well. My civie gets idiopathic cystitis, and after his last episode the vet put him on a series of 4 cartrophen shots, one week apart, with no follow on. So far so good. (antijinx!) And lots of extra water in the food too. He doesn't drink water since going on raw, so I add to his food to make his urine dilute.
 
Yes! We have blue tonight!:cat: I now lurve blue numbers-----I can't believe I am saying that because a week ago I was a quivering mess thinking about having to shoot a low number. Mind you---I am not too keen on shooting green numbers yet:eek:

Thanks Wendy for all that information about the carbs. I really think feeding the drops have made a massive difference to Sheba's numbers. Well something sure has!!!!!:D I have been noting everytime I feed Sheba any extra food and carb value in my book here at home and since I joined the forum, in the SS. It is invaluable to look back on. The first time round I kept no notes and only the odd BSL in my diary. Not even a good record of how much insulin! When I started to run into trouble this time I looked back at the first time and couldn't believe how little I wrote down. I guess she was easy to regulate and get OTJ and I didn't know any better.

Re the cartrophen, when I asked my vet about further injections today, he said she shouldn't need one for 3 months. Is that not correct? He has only given it to one other cat so he may not know the deal.
That is interesting that cartrophen helps idiopathic cystitis.

Do you feed your cats raw? Because Sheba has raw (and some cooked chicken, raw makes her sick) she has very few carbs. I find the low carbs do nothing for her if she is in the part of the cycle where the insulin is strong. A teaspoon of 16 carb usually slows the drop at that point, but when she was dropping from a high number, I needed 22 carb to make a difference and sometimes honey when she was really low.

I can't believe how much Sheba has improved since I joined the forum. I really appreciate the help and support from all you wonderful people. You really all deserve some form of recognition for the work you all do.
Tonight Sheba went silly at the bottom of the stairs, spun around, then raced up the stairs 3 at a time. I have not seen her do that since Maxie died. :cat:
 
We all get addicted to those pretty blue and green numbers...and yes, you'll quickly be addicted to the green ones too!

Sounds like Sheba is feeling great and acting like the cat you "used to know"! We went through that too with China...I had figured she was just too old to play games anymore, but once she started feeling better, she started playing the same old games she used to!

Isn't it great?? :):):)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top