Dosing Advice

[Bobbie And Bubba]

We seem to have hit a wall. Sunday morning, I reduced Bubba's dose from 1.8 to 1.6. The idea was to try something different either way, up or down. Prior to that, he just wasn't coming out of the mid-200's after pink pre-shots. This morning he hit the red and it was his 3rd shot at a reduced level. Last night I only got a +5 and he was 231 so I don't know how much lower he went. Unfortunately, I won't be home all day to test. Assuming this evening's PMPS is still high, should I go back up to 1.8? I am stumped. Any suggestions would be so appreciated.

 

[Rachel]

Hmmm...yeah 1.6 seems to have caused a higher trend in numbers. I would say maybe go back up? Then stick at 1.8 for a few cycles and go up to 2? I know it can be discouraging, but remember, in some ways, this is data gathering too...tells you if going down would work or not.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Hmmm...yeah 1.6 seems to have caused a higher trend in numbers. I would say maybe go back up? Then stick at 1.8 for a few cycles and go up to 2? I know it can be discouraging, but remember, in some ways, this is data gathering too...tells you if going down would work or not.

Thanks Rachel. How's your kitties? I hope the vet can figure out the cause of the UTI.

 

[Rachel]

I have no idea. I will say this...Tigress had a nice big pee in the carrier on the way home yesterday (she so enjoyed the pet bath wipes after we got home and I discovered that). She's sitting with us now...and Elektra has seemed fine...but she had seemed fine before! I'm doing horrible lol. Here's hoping I can let this go and get some sleep...I'm trying to remind myself to let the current round of antibiotics work and we'll see in 2 weeks..and til then not to worry. Looking for a new vet now because my BF thinks Banfield is trying to take me for my money...and a second opinion can't hurt. Plus their vets change frequently and my favorite recently quit. Soo.....long story short I have no idea how anyone is doing but I gotta calm down and just pray we figure out what's going on. Thanks for the concern!

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

I have no idea. I will say this...Tigress had a nice big pee in the carrier on the way home yesterday (she so enjoyed the pet bath wipes after we got home and I discovered that). She's sitting with us now...and Elektra has seemed fine...but she had seemed fine before! I'm doing horrible lol. Here's hoping I can let this go and get some sleep...I'm trying to remind myself to let the current round of antibiotics work and we'll see in 2 weeks..and til then not to worry. Looking for a new vet now because my BF thinks Banfield is trying to take me for my money...and a second opinion can't hurt. Plus their vets change frequently and my favorite recently quit. Soo.....long story short I have no idea how anyone is doing but I gotta calm down and just pray we figure out what's going on. Thanks for the concern!

Another opinion can never hurt. With the vets at that practice changing frequently could be a sign. Keeping good thoughts. Yes, try and relax. I am going to listen to my own advice, LOL. Trying to be the Alpha lioness of calmness.....

 

[Merlin]

Ugh.. hate seeing those reds. Well I am glad you tried the lower dose. You have to rule out things and I always go lower first to rule out before I start going high. So you gave it a shot and now you can go with your next plan of moving up. I like Rachels approach and that is to start going high in small increments i.e. 1.8 for a few cycles and then to 2u.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

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Ugh.. hate seeing those reds. Well I am glad you tried the lower dose. You have to rule out things and I always go lower first to rule out before I start going high. So you gave it a shot and now you can go with your next plan of moving up. I like Rachels approach and that is to start going high in small increments i.e. 1.8 for a few cycles and then to 2u.

It will be interesting to see what he gives me tonight. At+ 2.5 this AM he had dropped 80 points. He's marching to his own drummer. He is trying when he goes into the blues and greens then all heck breaks loose.

 

[Luann and Nicky]

Hi Bobbie,

Bubba's SS looks just like Nicky's SS, almost down to the dose. Both have high pre shots and then dip into the blues, if we are lucky, and then go up again. I want lower pre shots, but don't know how to get them. I guess there are just some things we do not have control over. (venting over)

-Luann

 

[Merlin]

I agree that both of your spreadsheets looks similar. Eventually, you will start to get lower pre-shots. It will just happen someday, when it is least expected. It is that right now, your kitties are still getting used to the insulin and learning that it is ok to go lower and lower at mid-cycle. Once their systems can accept lower nadir, you will start to see lower pre-shot numbers. It is just a matter of time...slow and steady.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Hi Bobbie,

Bubba's SS looks just like Nicky's SS, almost down to the dose. Both have high pre shots and then dip into the blues, if we are lucky, and then go up again. I want lower pre shots, but don't know how to get them. I guess there are just some things we do not have control over. (venting over)

-Luann

I know. The step backwards to 1.6 appears to have helped. He was stuck in yellow prior to that. Today was a nice +6 of 161. It will be interesting to see what PMSP shows at 6pm EST. It's like @Merlin said, "it's like Christmas at test time to see what we get"

 

[Rachel]

That's a nice nadir! I always really enjoyed test time too...I loved seeing what we were going to get!

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

That's a nice nadir! I always really enjoyed test time too...I loved seeing what we were going to get!

Hi Rachel, how's the kitties and the UTI's. Hoping everyone is better.

 

[Rachel]

Thanks for asking Bobbie! They seem to be okay...I think I've found another vet I want to try. Recommended by several people...going to call tomorrow to see if they have room for new patients. Wish me luck!

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Thanks for asking Bobbie! They seem to be okay...I think I've found another vet I want to try. Recommended by several people...going to call tomorrow to see if they have room for new patients. Wish me luck!

Fingers and Paws crossed! Keep us updated!

 

[Robin&BB]

Hi, Bobbie! Was just looking @ Bubba's PMPS tonight ...
Looks like somebody we know is starting to drop: 79 points lower than his AMPS!
Not bad, Mr. Bubba ...not bad at all!

 

[BJM]

See my signature link Vet Interview Topics for some things to discuss with the candidate vet.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Hi, Bobbie! Was just looking @ Bubba's PMPS tonight ...
Looks like somebody we know is starting to drop: 79 points lower than his AMPS!
Not bad, Mr. Bubba ...not bad at all!

Hi Robin, how's it going? Right when I think Bubba is going to fly right, he stalls. He was at 248 @+ 7 nadir last night which was pretty close to his +3 reading. I can't imagine that he dropped a lot in between. So, I upped his dose to 2.0. I hate doing it because it seems like we are going backwards in progress and I have this fear that we will just keep going up and up and up. Sigh. Sure hope not.

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

Remember that when using ProZinc, you shouldn't change the dose for 72 hours. It takes that long for the kitty's body to learn to work with dose. Exceptions would be a very high or a very low number.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Remember that when using ProZinc, you shouldn't change the dose for 72 hours. It takes that long for the kitty's body to learn to work with dose. Exceptions would be a very high or a very low number.

Hi @Mogmom, he was back on 1.8 for 48 hours after I had lowered him from it to 1.6 for 2 cycles to see what would happen and he was only going up, so back up to the 1.8 and he was just flattening out. I thought it was hold the dose for 3 cycles or 36 hours?

 

[Merlin]

According to the protocol, it indicates three cycles however every cat is different and some do better at 72 hours. My vet suggested one week of the same dose and I suppose if the kitty is bouncing all over the place, I can see the one week even helping out. When starting out, I wouldn't change it no less than three cycles and sometimes more...it all depends how your kitty is responding to that dose.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

According to the protocol, it indicates three cycles however every cat is different and some do better at 72 hours. My vet suggested one week of the same dose and I suppose if the kitty is bouncing all over the place, I can see the one week even helping out. When starting out, I wouldn't change it no less than three cycles and sometimes more...it all depends how your kitty is responding to that dose.

@Merlin, thanks for clarifying. In lieu of Bubba just hanging in the mid 200's, did I do the right time dosing up to 2U ?

 

[Robin&BB]

In lieu of Bubba just hanging in the mid 200's, did I do the right time dosing up to 2U ?

Good morning, Bobbie! Yep, it's sometimes hard to tell what is the "right" thing to do; you'll just have to see how Bubba does w/ this small upward change in dose. And Cindi's right: Sometimes one does need to hold the dose for additional cycles, depending on the cat. (Sure do wish there was some sort of magic formula for figuring that out for all diabetic cats, don't you? Would certainly cut down the time we spend in "Frustrationland," huh?:rolleyes:)

How's he eating these days, btw? Times of feedings/ total amount of food over 24 hrs.? He's not going outdoors to explore alone anymore, is he?

 

[Robin&BB]

Ok, I have NO idea why the text in the above post just turned ALL BLUE!
Did my post show up all in blue to you, too, Bobbie???

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Ok, I have NO idea why the text in the above post just turned ALL BLUE!
Did my post show up all in blue to you, too, Bobbie???

I like the Blue! How do Like the pink? LOL About food, still feeding 2 X a day, with insulin. I give him a few Bonita flakes with test time. He is still going out. I tried both ways and the days I kept him in, he was higher. I'm thinking from lack of exercise and being so mad that I wouldn't let him out. I chatted with Elizabeth and Bertie about it and she said she got her indoor/outdoor cat regulated. Whenever he brings me back a mouse, I grab it from him. He doesn't like that. I vacillate about the indoor/outdoor issue .......Anyway he didn't drop as much as I thought he would with the increase today.

 

[Robin&BB]

I like the Blue! How do Like the pink? LOL About food, still feeding 2 X a day, with insulin. I give him a few Bonita flakes with test time. He is still going out. I tried both ways and the days I kept him in, he was higher. I'm thinking from lack of exercise and being so mad that I wouldn't let him out. I chatted with Elizabeth and Bertie about it and she said she got her indoor/outdoor cat regulated. Whenever he brings me back a mouse, I grab it from him. He doesn't like that. I vacillate about the indoor/outdoor issue .......Anyway he didn't drop as much as I thought he would with the increase today.

Pink is good, too ... (You made me laugh - thank you!)

As for the rest of it - you're doing fine, Bobbie. All we can ever do is our best, and I know that's what you're doing! Sometimes our kitties' bodies just don't seem to want to cooperate as much as we'd like, despite all of our efforts. <sigh>

But not to worry: Just hang in there, sweetie - it will get better.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Pink is good, too ... (You made me laugh - thank you!)

As for the rest of it - you're doing fine, Bobbie. All we can ever do is our best, and I know that's what you're doing! Sometimes our kitties' bodies just don't seem to want to cooperate as much as we'd like, despite all of our efforts. <sigh>

But not to worry: Just hang in there, sweetie - it will get better.

I hope so.... I lost my job with my son, business is bad. So, watch out Bubba, I can prick those ears all day long now LOL

 

[Robin&BB]

I hope so.... I lost my job with my son, business is bad. So, watch out Bubba, I can prick those ears all day long now LOL

Oh crap! So sorry to hear that you're out of a job. But glad you're able to see the bright side as relates to Bubba (although he may not quite see those additional ear-pokes as a plus).

 

[Merlin]

Yep - I would have gone with that dose-2u. Let's see how it goes...