One month, numbers not dropping

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Sorin & Loki

Sorin & Loki

Member Since 2016
I am at my wit's end. My cat started losing major weight, and he got his diagnosis. Put him on insulin and low carb canned food. He has gone from 1 unit twice a day to 5 units twice a day. Weekly he goes in to be checked for glucose levels. He'll be 300 one week and 430 the next and back again! I am at my wit's end, I can't keep paying to take him to the vet and it stresses him out very badly.

The thing is, he's looking so much better. The weight is back on, his coat is shiny, he is acting normal. He looks as healthy as he did before. Actually he looks better, as he was a tad overweight previously. But the numbers are not showing it. I don't want to take him to the vet anymore because I feel they are doing nothing useful but I don't want to chance losing my baby.
 
Hello and welcome to you both.

I'm sorry to hear about your kitty's regulation problems but you've found a great place to learn more about diabetes and to get any help you need. (I've learned so much since I joined.)

It would help us to help you better if you could give us a little more information:

1. Which insulin is your kitty being treated with?

2. Are you home testing at all? If yes, what meter are you using?

Also just to ensure we understand the story so far, my understanding is that your cat was diagnosed 1 month ago, started on 1 unit of insulin twice a day and over the space of the last four weeks your vet has increased the dose until it reached the current 5 units twice a day. Is this correct? Also, did your vet increase the dose in steps of 1 unit (or possibly larger steps)?

It would also be helpful if you could post the numbers for the blood glucose test results you have.



Mogs
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Hi, welcome to FDMB!

Has your vet discussed home testing with you? I'm guessing not, since you are going back to his office for tests. BG tests taken at the vet's can frequently look quite a bit higher than your kitty's BG actually is, due to vet stress. A difference of 100 or more is not unheard of. Most of us here home test our kitties; it's easier on our cats, on us, and is usually more accurate.

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

Some of us use pet-specific meters, but a human meter works just fine and is a good bit cheaper. Test strips for the pet meter run about $1.00 per strip, the human ones are something like $0.17, and trust me, you will use a lot of test strips.

Everybody has their own little tricks to make testing easier, and will be glad to share tips with you. Don't be overwhelmed, it is very "do-able" and really is a must in keeping your kitty safe! Home testing helps keep your dose safe!
 
He's on ProZinc U-40. He was started at 1 unit twice a day and each week has gone up.

Not doing any home testing, have no idea what kind of meter to buy to do so, and when I need to test.

His numbers have been 400-ish one week, 300-ish the next, back to 400 back to 300 back up to 400 today. The 400 has been between 404 and 434 if I remember correctly, and the 3oo-ish between 304 and 324. I don't have the hard numbers.
 
We put together a protocol for ProZinc. It is on my signature in blue.

Do you know when the vet got those levels? It is important to get a number before giving the shot and then 5-7 hours after the shot to see how the insulin is working. As others have said, it is much better to do this at home where the cat is not stressed (stress elevates levels) and it is much cheaper too!

Another factor might be diet. When we switched our Oliver from dry Science Diet to wet low carb, he dropped 100 points from his pm number to the am one. A vet explains about the value of diet here: www.catinfo.org

Here are some links/info on home testing

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

We have taught hundreds of people how to home test over the Internet and would be glad to help you learn.
 
The vet has has me come in 6 hours after the shot and being fed for a glucose check. He has been on the canned food low-carb diet since we first got the diagnosis. And his numbers have done nothing.
 
Many people report that heir cats test 100+ points higher at the vet than at home. Subtracting 100 points would get him into much better ranges.

Glad you have already done the diet thing. Can we help you with the home testing part?

It is really hard to know what is happening with just one number from the vet. Knowing what his level is before the shot and then how far he drops at his lowest point and how soon he starts up will give you a good picture of the way the insulin is working.
 
I don't even know where to begin with the home testing. Have no idea what meter to buy, and my husband and I work full time and have no idea when we need to test and if we'd be able to do all the testing he needs.
 
Here are some home testing links so you can get an idea of how to do it:

Home testing links and tips (includes links to video tutorials)

Testing and injecting tips (has a very useful diagram of the 'sweet spot' on the ear where it's typically easier to get a blood sample)

The vast majority of members here use human glucometers and work to a cat-specific blood glucose reference range. Some people use pet-specific glucometers and a reference range similar to lab equipment (e.g. the Alphatrak 2). The strips for the pet meters are quite pricey. If you let us know which country you're in we can give you some recommendations on meters and where to get supplies.


Mogs
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Most people here buy the ReliOn meter from Walmart. It is fairly inexpensive and the strips for it are very reasonable. You want a meter, strips and lancets (25-27 gauge - they are usually sold as alternate site lancets). You also need a treat that he loves - low carb is the best. PureBites and Bonito flakes are popular at my house. Lots of people also cook a chicken breast with no spices, slice into tiny pieces and use that.

Start by taking him to the place you plan to test - on a counter, bed, couch or between your knees on the floor. Play with his ears, pet and praise him and give him a treat. Next time add warming his ear. You can make a rice sack (thin sock filled with raw rice, knotted and heated in the microwave until very warm) or fill a pill bottle with very warm water. Get him used to your heating his ear, pet, praise and treat. The idea is that by the time you add the poke, he will be looking for the treat.

Try out the meter on yourself so you are comfortable using the lancet holder and getting the strip in the meter.

We'd suggest starting with a test every morning and evening before the shot and his meal. We urge new diabetics not to give a shot under 200. Whenever you can, get a number 5-7 hours after the shot. People who work get numbers on the weekends or get up at night and get a test in.

It's tricky getting started but home testing will give you excellent information about how the insulin is working and will keep him safe. And you'll feel like you have some control over what is happening to him.
 
That ReliOn gets very bad reviews from Amazon, am I looking at the right one? There seem to be two different ones.

And what all do I need to buy?

I am completely overwhelmed as I have two foster children, one with several medical issues of her own plus I have my own medical issues. I really have no idea when I am going to be able to do this. I literally have to decide between eating and showering some nights, I have no time.
 
seateal said:
That ReliOn gets very bad reviews from Amazon, am I looking at the right one? There seem to be two different ones.

And what all do I need to buy?

I am completely overwhelmed as I have two foster children, one with several medical issues of her own plus I have my own medical issues. I really have no idea when I am going to be able to do this. I literally have to decide between eating and showering some nights, I have no time.
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The first month after diagnosis is very stressful - there's a lot to learn and it feels like you're thrown in the middle of a race track without a car. I had near breakdowns just figuring out what I was going to feed our sugarcat along with our six other non-diabetic cats. It's only 3 months in since Joshi's diagnosis and I'm only now beginning to feel more comfortable dealing with the ups and downs.

From what I've read, the length of time it takes to regulate a cats BG varies greatly. After only month, it would not be unusual if he isn't completely regulated. Perhaps Prozinc might not be the insulin that works best for him. Like others mentioned, perhaps his diet can use further tweaking. The fact that your kitty is showing visible signs of improvement is definitely something to be hopeful about.

As for testing - I work a full time job, so I work testing in when I can. I wish I could gather more data on Joshi's BG numbers, but if I'm going to afford her treatment, I have to work. That's a reality for many on this board, so don't feel bad. You'll find a schedule that works. It's all about balance (something I need to remind myself of A LOT ;)). In fact, by learning how to test at home, you could actually avoid too many stressful vet visits.

Welcome to the board? What is your furbaby's name?
 
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Sorin. He'll be 7 in June. We have one other. My husband is active duty so it's just me a lot of the time, which makes things harder. We ordered a glucose meter, the one my FIL uses (he's diabetic as well) because I know how to use that one. My MIL insisted I knew how just in case of emergency. It's a Bayer.
 
As long as the meter just takes a little sample, it should be fine. The strips are the most expensive part. I bought mine on eBay. Seniors sell their extras for less than half the price of drug stores. Just be sure the seller has a good reputation and the expiration date will work.

I'd start getting him ready. Find a snack he loves and start messing with his ears, warming them.
 
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Hey there, sorry you had to find your way here, but it's a great place. I am similar to you in that I still haven't been able to regulate my cat, and it's been since Jan. 12. It's hard, frustrating, and frankly, scary.

The home testing has been great for us; even if you can't do every few hours, anything you can do is good. Some data is always better than no data. The biggest thing it gives you is a picture of trends, which is important to see the picture over time.

I have also found the stress of the vet to significantly increase my cat's numbers (which makes sense), and I fully believe it elevates glucose readings, especially for a cat that is already stressed and feeling back because of their diabetes.

Best wishes on your journey; this is a really great space.
 
I had a short period of time with Tara when she kept needing more insulin, though pretty low levels compared to your cat's. I finally decided to change her food. I thought that perhaps she was allergic to an ingredient (guess). Just because you believe a particular food is low carbohydrate, doesn't mean it's a good food for him or her.

I also came to a tentative belief that Tara had better BG numbers on one shot per day versus two shots per day of ProZinc. When she was receiving two shots per day, the numbers tended to climb. On once per day doses, they tended to decline.

Theses are both different variables which you have some control over, and each cat is said somewhat unique, though my experience is limited to one. Charting the BG data points is helpful to understand what is occurring in your cat in a more precise way.
 
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I have been battling very high BG numbers (400-500s) with my cat for over two months, now. I decide to change him from one supposedly low carb food to another, and within a week his BG numbers started to go down.
 
I use a CVS meter, and it's very economical...:Dthe strips are also very inexpensive, at $23 per 100 strips. I really like this meter, and you may want to consider it for yourself.
Home testing is easy, and if you approach your kitty with calm words and a treat after testing, pretty soon he'll be looking forward to the process instead of struggling. The key is to go slow, and easy, learning to test in steps instead of trying to do it all at once.

Food has a great bearing on many cats' BG numbers. Pate style canned food, like Fancy Feast classics and Friskies classic pates, are two good wet foods. The change can be quite dramatic:)
 
seateal said:
I have had my cat on four different foods now, and that has not helped either.
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Keep an eye out for ingredients like soy and beef. Some cats can be quite sensitive to these ingredients and if they eat them it can spike their BG.


Mogs
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