? 7/3 Skooter AMBG 98 PMBG 120 +3 100

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MollynSkooter

MollynSkooter

Member Since 2014
Skooterboy's ups and downs condo (07/02)


07/02 RECAP:
AMBG - 130 :confused:
PMPG - 107 :cool:
+3.5 - 89 :D


Okay, so I am assuming since I have green, I know not a super low green, but green nonetheless, that I could consider today day one of Skooter's OTJ? If so, I would not test again until PMBG?

It is really nice to see a lot of his "pre-diagnosis self" coming back. I am trying to be cautiously optimistic here.....

 
:D:D:D

Iz gettin your fallz condo all ready fur u, Skooter! - Eddie

So thrilled to see the start of Skooter's trial!! Fingers and toes and every thing else crossed for success! :D:D:D

Have a wonderful weekend, Molly!
 
Happy Day 1! Go Skooter!
dancing_cat.gif
 
He was probably lower at your sister's because he ate less since you weren't there. Many cats eat less when their people aren't around - that's one reason why most people reduce the dose when they've got a petsitter. It's not just because they aren't being tested.

I feel like a total wet blanket, but as a kitty that's more than 1 year since diagnosis, I would sure want to see him lower overall. If he was just a month into the diabetes-dance, it would be different. If he were mine, though, I'd probably have restarted the insulin unless he was under 70 or so at preshot. The chances of having a strong remission are greater if the cat has insulin support as long as they will tolerate it, ie, if they can stay above 50 with even 0.1u, that suggests to me that they still need a little support.

Of course it's up to you, and I'm cheering about how well he's doing!!! I just want to make sure you have complete info when you're making your decision.

Here's what it says on the Tight Reg page about remission:
  • Since 2006 we've encouraged those practicing Tight Regulation to attempt reducing the dose from 0.25u to 0.1u before stopping insulin completely. During a two week OTJ trial, you want to see mostly green numbers (under 100) with only a few random blue numbers between 100 - 120 to help ensure a strong remission.
Remission:
  • From Tilly's Diabetes Homepage:
    Phase 5: Remission

    "14 days without insulin and normal blood glucose values. Most remission cats are able to stay in the normal range all of the time (50 to 80 mg/dl), although there are a few cases of sporadic higher and lower BGs. Don't stop feeding low-carb and try to avoid cortisone if possible. Test the cat's BGs once per month.

    Approximately 25% cats that achieved remission using this protocol relapsed and required insulin again (frequent causes are hyperthyroidism or bouts of pancreatitis). Therefore, it is important to keep your diabetes kit up-to-date. Then you can react immediately by giving insulin and home testing. Importantly, the sooner you react to a relapse (i.e. preventing hyperglycemia and initiating other necessary veterinary treatment), the more likely a second remission will become.

    The longer a cat has had diabetes, the less likely it will go into remission. Many long-term diabetics get stuck in Phase 3 or 4. Yet there is a benefit of using this method for such a cat as well: keeping the cat's BG levels as normal as possible is much healthier for it long term. Insulin requirements will often decrease to very low levels too."
  • Glycemic Status and Predictors of Relapse for Diabetic Cats in Remission
 
He did bring himself down nicely, so hopefully that is a good sign. Just out of curiosity...did you sister test while you were away? I'd be curious to see what his numbers were during that time, even though there were unusual circumstances. Fingers crossed here that Skooter decides to enjoy no juice!
 
As much as I hate to agree with anyone who suggests going back on the insulin, only because it has been so nice the past few days to not worry about it, I fear it might be the best thing to do. I am hoping he just needs a little bit more time on insulin, but it is very discouraging, only because he did so well --- when he wasn't home :arghh:. It is also discouraging, and I feel very selfish saying this, it has been nice the past week (while I was gone and the few days since I got back), to not really have to worry about it and test him a ton, etc....oh well.....I am not trying to get super discouraged as I am assuming this is the most frustrating time, being SO CLOSE to not having insulin, but still having to have it....being this close that I can reach it, almost makes it worse that I can't, if that makes sense....

@julie & punkin (ga) - My sister said he pretty much ate up all of his food everyday, and I think she might have actually given a little too much food versus too little (I knew the chances of DKA were really slim, but figured if he did develop some sort of infection and wasn't getting any insulin, I didn't want to take chances with the third --- not enough food)....

@Amy&TrixieCat - No, they did not do any testing while I was gone. So much was going on leading up to leaving that I did not have enough time to properly show them and have them do it a few times to make them comfortable enough to do it while I was gone.

I have been trying to give him enough love and attention even though he is not getting tested a bunch right now, but seeing as it is just him and me, I am not really sure how much more I can give. At this point, if I don't see super great green numbers tomorrow, I will re-start insulin. I overslept a bit tonight and if I shot him tonight, I would have already had to start moving the 15 minutes at each shot to get back down where I would want to shoot, so I figured one more cycle wasn't gonna hurt. Even though the 120 is in the normal range, I will be getting a +3 from when he ate to see where he is at.....

I guess my question from this point, is assuming that I will be starting the insulin again tomorrow, which let's face it, is most likely, say he does his week at the 0.10 dose and the next step is the OTJ trial, but he has higher green numbers, low blue....do I start the trial or do I just keep going on the 0.10 and if so, when would I then know to try a trial, if ever?
 
Here's what the guidelines say about decreasing the dose:

  • If kitty drops below 40 (long term diabetic) or 50 (newly diagnosed diabetic) reduce the dose by 0.25 unit. If kitty has a history of not holding reductions well or if reductions are close together... sneak the dose down by shaving the dose rather than reducing by a full quarter unit. See additional notes in the next paragraph about drops into the 20s and 30s. Alternatively, at each newly reduced dose... try to make sure kitty maintains numbers in the normal range for seven days before reducing the dose further.
You'll have to take it one step at a time, but you'd be looking for 7 consecutive days with everything under 120 and most numbers under 100 before trying to reduce the dose. Or if he went too low on the 0.1u - I'm guessing we're looking at 40 now, since he's past a year since diagnosis, but that's probably your call.

And Molly, this is just my interpretation of things. It's your call, and maybe others have a different view of what you should do. I hope others will weigh in.
 
julie & punkin (ga) said:
And Molly, this is just my interpretation of things. It's your call, and maybe others have a different view of what you should do. I hope others will weigh in.
Click to expand...

I know it is my call, I just hate that the right call is to put him back on insulin LOLOLOL I see the other kitties doing their trials and they are in the 60s and 70s and as much as I would love for Skooter to get off insulin, I would love more for him to get off insulin and stay off and not have to go back on. And I know I shouldn't compare Skooter's numbers to other cat's numbers, but so hard not to.

So unless he gives me some fantastic number tomorrow morning, back on the insulin we go :(
 
I hate to say it too, but I think that's the wise decision Molly. Nice to have had a break but it will be even nicer if it can become a permanent break. Time to strap on a pair of patience pants :)
 
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