My cat Smiffy diagnosed with Diabetes April UK

[Diana&Tom]

Hi Looby, thanks for the updates. We are a very understanding bunch here and empathise with your situation. Just to remind you though, this part of the board is public (to registered FDMB members that is) so in your longer post above you weren't addressing only me, but others reading this thread (not that it's a problem). If you want to contact an individual member you can send private messages in the same way you can on Facebook (by the way, I'm not quite sure what 'following' means on this board; it may be similar to being 'friends' on Facebook but not sure - Elizabeth will know).

I do appreciate that there's a lot to take in. In your shoes now I would read back through this thread with pen and paper to hand, and make notes of the relevant issues under headings for insulin, food, testing, etc - I know it sounds like revising for an exam but in some ways it is just that. By writing in your own words, with pen in your own hand, the information will lodge better in your brain and you'll have a set of notes to refer to when you need to remember something or when you visit the vet.

We will all help you through this in what ways we're able but what we can't do is take deep breaths for you and try to adopt a calm and positive frame of mind, which is what you need right now! Try not to worry (silly thing to say, I know, we've all been where you are) - with patience and positivity, you'll get there.

Diana

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Dear Looby,
I'm sure your vet knows about ProZinc insulin for cats because it has been advertised to the vets in this country in Veterinary Journal - my vet showed me the advert and also, I think if there is something new available the manufacturer will push the advertising campaign to push the sales. It is after all how they generate money!
As I said before there are many human insulins called ProZinc/PZI (by human I mean for humans made from pigs, beef or manufactured to be molecularly identical to human insulin). I wonder why your friend working for the manufacturer of ProZinc thinks that vets don't know about it?
Regarding a person who, you think implied that you're starving your cat - please be assured that she did not mean that. Diabetes is a condition which makes the body of a human, cat or any other mammal for that matter starving because cells don't receive glucose for energy due to lack of insulin which is like a key to open cells for glucose. As the glucose is delivered via food and than in not utilised therefore it gets spilled out into the blood and becomes toxic to the organs. That's why you test the blood to find glucose level and if it is high it means that there is not enough insulin to take the glucose to the cells and if it is too low it means that there is too much insulin (delivered by injection). In a healthy body all this happens naturally, body regulates blood glucose itself.
So, if you have no insulin produced by your pancreas you have huge appetite and you eat a lot but you loose weight, you are constantly thirsty because body tries to spill the glucose with your urine. You loose weight and muscle mass, you are starving.
It is a very simplistic way of explaining diabetes but I hope this will help you understand why this person mentioned "starving cat".
I would feed your cat a lot if she is losing weight but would steer clear from high carbohydrate food. If you must feed dry kibble I would go with the smallest carb content. This site is full of information how to feed a diabetic cat, how to detox from dry food, what is the best food etc. Was your cat ever interested in fresh meat, let's say you chopping chicken for stir fry and you dropped a piece on the floor - would she eat it?
I feed Rocky species-appropriate diet which is raw homemade diet with supplements.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Best regards,
Marlena

Thanks that explains things very well and makes me think that the slimming diet that the Vet has put Smiffy on is too much for at the same time as getting used to the insulin - she must be all over the place poor thing and there is nothing that I can do about it until I speak to the Vet ....

 

[Critter Mom]

I have questioned the Vet about that and he said that wet food made a minimal difference to the kidneys and the urinary tract even if the had kidney problems!

And I say to your vet: "Horse feathers!"

Dr Lisa Pierson DVM on Urinary Tract Health

I can attest to the truth of what Dr Pierson writes. I lost one cat when a vet failed to properly diagnose a urinary tract issue (she passed away a few days later when I was gone for a few hours to pick someone up from the airport - I didn't even have the chance to get her emergency treatment - she was only six). I nearly lost her brother to a urethral blockage 3 months later. I started feeding so-called urinary protection dry foods (vet recommended). Saoirse had to have oxalate uroliths removed from her bladder as a consequence. She also developed a UTI about a year and a half after that. Anti-jinx, none of my cats have had urinary tract issues since the switch to wet food. I'm actually really, really angry about being told by vets to feed dry food whenever I asked them for advice on the optimum diet for my cats. (And I'm even angrier at myself for taking their word for it instead of educating myself properly about feline nutrition.)


Mogs
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[Looby & Smiffy]

@Looby -

When you start insulin, among other factors the vet will be basing the dose upon the amount of carbohydrates in the food Smiffy is currently eating (and dry food is typically quite high in carbs - Hill's m/d Dry is definitely over 10% calories from carbs). If you were to stick at the same dose and then change Smiffy to a lower carb food then that particular insulin dose would not have enough incoming carbs to 'work on' and you would be putting Smiffy at risk of an insulin overdose because, unlike the cat's pancreas, injected insulin doesn't come with an OFF switch.

The two approaches to diet change are:

Option 1 - Diet Change Before Commencement of Insulin Treatment

Doing the diet change before starting insulin eliminates the need to manage rapidly changing insulin requirements while the cat's carb intake changes and its BG levels (typically) reduce in response, but the cat's diabetic status must be considered first: insulin needs trump dietary ideals every time.

1. Determine whether the cat is a suitable candidate for this approach. It's not a suitable option for a cat who is ketone-prone, doubly so if there is a history of diabetic ketoacidosis; and it would not be a good option for a cat in very high BG numbers. If it is likely to be a protracted battle to get the cat to eat wet food then that would be another reason not to try the food transition first.

2. If the cat is a candidate for a pre-insulin-treatment food transition, then over several days the cat should be gradually transitioned from higher carb food (usually dry kibbles) to lower carb, wet food. The cat's blood glucose levels should then be reviewed after the transition (it should have had a positive impact on BG numbers) and a starting dose of insulin determined based on the new blood glucose level baseline. (Note: some cats who are not at very high levels to start with may go into remission with diet change alone.)


Option 2 - Start Insulin Treatment, Start Home Testing, then Change Diet

1. Start the cat on a suitable insulin dose based on weight assessment and current diet. (Start low and go slow for safety.)

2. Continue feeding current diet and learn to home test.

3. Once you're confident with home testing and you've collected some BG data to determine how the current dose is working you'll be ready to do the food transition.

4. Start a very, very gradual food transition (safer BG-wise and minimises risk of digestive upsets - steady food intake is even more important for cats on insulin). Regularly home test before each insulin dose and in the period between each dose to make sure that the dose is not taking the cat too low and to identify when and by how much to adjust subsequent doses.

5. As the food transition progresses it is likely that there will be a significant improvement in BG levels and the insulin dose will therefore need to be reduced. Home testing throughout the transition period enables safe and successful management of the cat's changing insulin needs as the diet change progresses. Depending on how quickly the food transition progresses BG numbers can start to show significant improvement within hours of starting the transition.

I hope the above gives you a better idea of the two approaches. Given that you envisage some issues with transitioning Smiffy to wet food, option 2 looks like the right one for her.


Mogs


(Sorry for long post: I just wanted to leave a full explanation for you to refer back to as and when you need it. )

.

Thanks for all of that ... I have copied it into a file and will try to get my husband to print it out ... I am seriously concerned now that Smiffy is in danger ..... she was not on m/d before we started the insulin by the way .. she was longterm on r/d but just before her shots strated she had loose stools so the Vet put her on i/d until her stools were OK again so then I started to reintroduce her i/d again so by the time the results came back about her Diabetes she was on half r/d and half i/d ... .....then she was diagnosed and the Vet has given us m/d as the preferred diet for her Diabetes so it took me three days to gradually get her onto to that entirely so that is what she is on now ... 70g of m/d a day and a few Thrive dried chicken treats that I am not supposed to give her but I am as she is hungry ..... The Diabetes Nurse at the Vets is immovable and very stubborn but if possible I could show this to the Vet but he is not going to be pleased if I try to undermine his professonalism is he?

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

And I say to your vet: "Horse feathers!"

Dr Lisa Pierson DVM on Urinary Tract Health

I can attest to the truth of what Dr Pierson writes. I lost one cat when a vet failed to properly diagnose a urinary tract issue (she passed away a few days later when I was gone for a few hours to pick someone up from the airport - I didn't even have the chance to get her emergency treatment - she was only six). I nearly lost her brother to a urethral blockage 3 months later. I started feeding so-called urinary protection dry foods (vet recommended). Saoirse had to have oxalate uroliths removed from her bladder as a consequence. She also developed a UTI about a year and a half after that. Anti-jinx, none of my cats have had urinary tract issues since the switch to wet food. I'm actually really, really angry about being told by vets to feed dry food whenever I asked them for advice on the optimum diet for my cats. (And I'm even angrier at myself for taking their word for it instead of educating myself properly about feline nutrition.)


Mogs
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Oh my goodness this is all too much for me to take in ... what am I supposed to do? I am going to talk to him about wet food then ....my other cat can enjoy it too as it will be good for her ...

 

[Olive & Paula]

To tag someone so they get a message you put the. @ then start to type their id name and a little box will pop up and you click on it. If should notify the person that they were tagged in a message (ex @Woodsywife ).

Even if your vet tells you (most do) you don't need to home test, it is extremely important to do so. It probably saved my kitty life. I was told to cut the dry food wasn't home testing and he went hypo. You don't have to tell your vet you home test right away until your comfortable.

To be fair to all. We listen to the vets as they are "the specialist" for pet care. I think most of us don't become educated until something unfortunate happens to our pet. Then we seem to start researching for answers. Until the internet where we can just type a few words and have info immediately in front of us, what resources did we have. I my self believed vet knows it all and never would have questioned them. Oh how wrong was I?

 

[Critter Mom]

I had a serious breakdown a few years ago and got messed about with drugs and the Mental Health Services and to cut a long story short I have not really been out of the house or driven for nearly five years now ..... I am now with a private group of people to try to get me off the drugs and to get my confidence back ... there is nothing wrong with my intelligence but I am not used to dealing with things so I am a bit rusty! I have only just started therapy and a new drug regime which is not complete yet as I have another drug to take to help me get of the one that I am on! Anyway, I don't go out and I am in bed quite a lot - I am extremely anxious so I have really had to concentrate on getting all my facts straight so that I can look after my beloved Smiffy and Pasha ... they in fact keep me going ...

Very similar story here, Looby. I've got multiple anxiety disorders plus I also suffer from chronic fatigue and depression. (I don't go out either). My concentration levels are pants, too. I really feel for you. (((Looby)))

I've been a member here for nearly two years (joined just after Saoirse was diagnosed). I try to read things here but it's very difficult and very tiring most of the time and the words on the screen often just swim in front of my eyes. That said, because you see the same subjects discussed regularly on the board it can help the information to gradually seep into the brain through a sort of 'osmosis by repetition'. I hope it helps you to hear about someone else with not dissimilar issues who has managed (eventually) to get her head around this diabetes lark. I'm very grateful to all the members who have helped me to get there, too.


Mogs
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[Critter Mom]

Oh my goodness this is all too much for me to take in ... what am I supposed to do? I am going to talk to him about wet food then ....my other cat can enjoy it too as it will be good for her ...

Maybe email your vet a link to the article ahead of the appointment along with a request to discuss it at the next consult?

When you feel up to it, Dr Pierson's page about Feline Diabetes is very helpful, too. Here's a link to save you looking it up. (NB: read it at your own pace! There's no fire here. And it might be worth discussing that page with your vet as well. )


Mogs
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[Looby & Smiffy]

Thanks that explains things very well and makes me think that the slimming diet that the Vet has put Smiffy on is too much for at the same time as getting used to the insulin - she must be all over the place poor thing and there is nothing that I can do about it until I speak to the Vet ....

@Looby ,
Just a thought but, you're probably less than an hours' drive from me...
So, if you want to know how I hometest Bertie you're most welcome to come and see...

Eliz

Sorry I missed this post from you .... I am finding this site really difficult ... usually I get an e-mail alert for messages here so I have missed a few .... I am getting to worried now and how best to go forward .... I have copied a whole load of information here into a file that I am hoping my husband will print out before we go to the Vet .... the idea that I might be overdosing her at the moment of that the Caninsuin might actually make her feel worse and not agree with her is very worrying but I have kept the diary that comes with the kit and she seems to be getting more and more distressed at meal times .. she is not as perky as she was before she was on the insulin so that is all documented in the diary ....

I should explain my situation a bit better .. you know that I suffer with anxiety and depressiion .... it was after a breakdown (my second major one) about four years ago and I was referred to a Psychiatrist to try to prescirbe a drug that might help me ... what I didn't know and wasn't told was that I was automatically then involved with the NHS Mental Healtt Services in whom I blindly put my faith for two years but I actually got worse and suffered unrinary retention so now I have to self catheterize three times a day but pee normally at other times but they messed me about and I actuallly got worse to the extent that I spent most of the day in bed ......

My routine now is to get up around 9.30 to 10.30 and see to the cats and go back to bed until about 2.30 and the come down and see to the cats gain and play with them etc and feed them again and go out to the garden and then I will eat around 5 and then again around 8 and stay up until the early hours of the morning until about 4.30 or later sometimes so I have become nocturnal like my cats!

We have finally sorted out a private team to help me get off the drugs and to get my confidence and life back together again which involves going on a new drug regime to get me off the existing one, a CPN to visit once a week and a Therapist one a week too ... I have not been out of the house or active in the outside world for four years now and haven't driven for five years .....

I would love to come and see you but I am not sure how we would do it - I would have to get my husband to drive me to see you ...... I am so frustrated because despite the 'mental illness', I am me under it all and am just as intelligent but it is a long time since I have to deal with anthing other than to look after my babies .... I am really a clever person but my mind is rusty if you see what I mean so all this information is really overwhelming and worrying to me ......

I will talk to my husband to see if he will drive me over to see you but I hope you will not be alarmed at my apperance and manner ... it is difficult for me to get things out that I want to say as I am so drugged up and I am frustrated .... I have even lost the confidence to shower so I have to have somebody with me to do it - the CPN or my husband and I konw it is difficult to imagine but I live in my pyjamas (that look like outdoor wear) and as the drugs I am on have made me put on weight I have no clothes to wear - I used to be a size 6-8 and now am a good size 14 so I am trying to find clothes now on line that are suitable for me but I am really uncomfortable leaving the house ..... if you were nearer I would ask if you could come to see me ..... the Vet has offereed to teach me but I am afraid that he will not be using the meters that you use ... the One Touch Ultra 2 sounds good but it is for humans which is good as far as all you girls are concerned but the Vet will want me to use a meter that is supposed to be designed for animals.

I am really worried about Smiffy now after seeing all these posts but I have got some information to take to the Vet if he is willing to comply or be flexible. The Diabetes Nurse will not be flexible .... if anything I am a good judge of character .. she told me very frimly not to give Smiffy treats but I have done!

I wonder if Malcolm could bring me over to you and if I would have the confidence to go - it seems such a long way to go to me and back again ..

Sorry I missed this post - don't know why it wasn't signalled to me on my e-mail account .. most of them are and some not for some reason ....

Thank you very much for the offer - will see what my husband says and what the Vet has to say about using a human kit ..... I am scared that I am overdosing her or giving her something that doesn't agree with her as one of the girls here said was the case for her cat .....

I have a lot of notes to talk to him about - ProZinc being another one of them ...... I am scared that I am not well enough to look after her and stand up for as much as the old Looby would have done ... I would have been all over it ...... but I am not doing badly ... see how it goes with the Vet and see how flexible he is willing to be or how flexible he is allowed to be should I say!

That's all for now ... I need a rest ..... thank you so much for your help .....

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Hi Looby and welcome from another UKer. It does sound as if there's a lot to take in initially, but after a very short time it all makes complete sense and you will be managing things just fine.

Have a good chat with the vet - they don't always have as much training on feline diabetes as we would like, so the advice you'll get from here is an extremely useful supplement. Ideally you need to have your vet on your side when it comes to food choices, testing, etc.

On the subject of food, many of us have been where you are and convinced that our cats can't or won't eat wet - but many of us have succeeded. It takes time and patience so a lot of this is down to you! Incidentally, there's nothing wrong with Whiskas or Felix in jelly - the multi-flavour pouch boxes may be a good place to start as you can offer different ones to see which ones might go down well. But as others have said, don't switch to wet food if an insulin dose has already been prescribed.

It might help if you take pen and paper and write a few short notes or bullet points to remind you of these important facts, then it doesn't seem as if you're wading through lots of long paragraphs online!

Good luck and keep posting

Diana

Have a list a long as my arm now! Why do you say don't switch to wet food if insulin has already been prescribed?

 

[Diana&Tom]

Have a list a long as my arm now! Why do you say don't switch to wet food if insulin has already been prescribed?

Looby, this would be because wet food is lower in carbs than dry, so if a cat is fed dry food it would most likely need more insulin than if it's on wet. If you change to wet whilst on an insulin dose prescribed while a cat has been fed a dry diet, this could confuse the issue because less insulin may be needed. What we're aiming for is the optimum/perfect dose of insulin, not too much and not too little! Mogs and Eliz are better at explaining this than I am.

Diana

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Looby, this would be because wet food is lower in carbs than dry, so if a cat is fed dry food it would most likely need more insulin than if it's on wet. If you change to wet whilst on an insulin dose prescribed while a cat has been fed a dry diet, this could confuse the issue because less insulin may be needed. What we're aiming for is the optimum/perfect dose of insulin, not too much and not too little! Mogs and Eliz are better at explaining this than I am.

Diana

I understand ..... but Smiffy is on m/d that is only 14.5% carbohydrate ....... so in the end it is best to home test and adjust the insulin level ourselves depending on the readings - is that what everybody does? Or take the reading chart to the Vet and they decided what dose to give? Do you adjust the insulin does yourself with Tom?

 

[Alexi]

I an completely new to Diabetes - even Human Diabetes and what it means so would welcome a simplified explaination of what it is and how it works and what the most common abbreviations are and what they mean? Going to see Vetenary nurse on Monday and want to make sure have some knowledge before going and have right questions to ask .....

Hello Looby, I am also new and in the UK but I can certainly help with the explanation of what diabetes is.
In people without diabetes when you eat the body breaks down the food by digestion into small molecules which are helped into the body's cells for later use by various chemicals the body produces from the glands. One of these glands is the pancreas which helps by producing insulin which acts to help the sugars into the body's cells where they can be stored to use as energy later. The main sugar produced from digestion is glucose. Glucose is the product from the breakdown of carbohydrates.
In diabetes, either the pancreas is not producing enough insulin or the body's cells fail to recognise the insulin but the effect is the same - the glucose cannot get into the cells so stays in the blood. This has a number of effects.
The body tries to get rid of the glucose by the kidneys so more urine is produced, this in turn creates dehydration so activates thirst and drinking a lot more fluid than usual.
The rise in blood sugar makes you tired, and because you have not so much energy in the cells to use because the glucose can't get in you have less energy.
Sugar also acts as a laxative.
As things progress the body gets desperate for energy so starts to break down fat and keeps going by trying to use every bit of stored energy it can find. So people lose weight, sometimes very quickly. This is where things get start to get bad because the body then starts to produce chemicals called ketones and there is an increase in the acidity of the blood, left untreated a person will then go into a coma and die. This is why we worry about ketones in diabetics.
The good news is that diabetes is very treatable, you just replace the insulin, sometimes by reducing carbohydrate intake so the body doesn't get overloaded with glucose and the body's remaining insulin can then cope or by giving it as an injection or a combination of the two. (I won't mention tablets because in cats it is not the usual treatment and you can't give insulin in a tablet) It is important to get the balance of the insulin dose right because too much insulin drives too much sugar out of the blood into the cells and again left untreated the blood sugar level falls to a very low level and the person can go into a coma and die. In people without diabetes the body just adjusts the 'dose' itself to maintain the blood sugar levels in a normal range.
Cat diabetes is no different, but because cats bodies work in different ways from humans in other respects the treatment regimes are a little different from those used in humans.
So you need to be aware of how much carbohydrate goes in (the type of food and quantity), and how much insulin you need for the body to be able to use that food safely. In order to know how to get the dose right, or if the glucose in the blood is too high or too low a tiny drop of blood is tested using a special meter. If the blood glucose is high then the urine also contains sugar, and if it is too high it contains ketones.
Cats can't say if they feel unwell (unlike humans) so they tell us in other ways, often by behaving in odd ways, so if they do you should test the blood (and urine if possible) and seek advice straight away if you are worried.

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

I should explain my situation a bit better .. you know that I suffer with anxiety and depressiion .... it was after a breakdown (my second major one) about four years ago and I was referred to a Psychiatrist to try to prescirbe a drug that might help me ...

Hi Looby,
I really do sympathise.
As you've seen from Mogs' (Critter Mom's) posts you're not alone in having to deal with emotional/mental health issues. I think there are probably a number of others on the forum who also face similar challenges. So, people really do understand.

I had my first major episode of depression as an adolescent, and was on Librium by the age of 14 (and was expelled from school at 15 (that was the end of my education...))
Thereafter, I've had recurrent/intermittent bouts of depression/anxiety over the years. I've seen psychiatrists, psychologists, etc, etc, etc, and must have had almost every therapy going.
I had a major wobble about 10 years ago when I was dx with heart disease (90% blocked artery). I subsequently became agoraphobic and was also dx with PTSD (due, it was thought, to some very difficult and scary episodes with breathing (although I disputed the diagnosis, ha-ha!))
I hardly left the house for several years. I still have problems travelling far from home, going into crowded places, and answering the phone and the door (unless I know in advance that someone is going to phone or call round). My life as I knew it pretty much disintegrated, and I had to rebuild. I am still rebuilding....
But I am doing OK now. In my case I think mindfulness and meditation practice turned my life around.

....It may well be possible for me to come and see you with a view to helping you learn to hometest. But I don't know how useful that will be: That will depend on whether Smiffy is OK with strangers....

Eliz

 

[Diana&Tom]

I understand ..... but Smiffy is on m/d that is only 14.5% carbohydrate ....... so in the end it is best to home test and adjust the insulin level ourselves depending on the readings - is that what everybody does? Or take the reading chart to the Vet and they decided what dose to give? Do you adjust the insulin does yourself with Tom?

Looby, you would only really adjust the insulin dose yourself when you're further down the line with all this... Some people dose on what they call a sliding scale dependent on the blood glucose reading at a given point, but that takes some experience. For now it's best to stick to what the vet says, and if anything err on the side of caution until you ate testing regularly and can be confident that you are giving an accurate dose. It does become easier, but it's one step at a time.

Diana

 

[Alexi]

I understand ..... but Smiffy is on m/d that is only 14.5% carbohydrate ....... so in the end it is best to home test and adjust the insulin level ourselves depending on the readings - is that what everybody does? Or take the reading chart to the Vet and they decided what dose to give? Do you adjust the insulin does yourself with Tom?

Hi Looby
I know a lot about diabetes and if it was me needing the insulin I would be confident about making dose adjustments myself based on my sugars but I wouldn't risk it for Cappuccino unless and until I knew a lot more about how her body handles the insulin and what her sugars are doing over a period of time. I am doing her first ever home curve today and I have been quite surprised at how much her sugars have changed over the course of the day. She is running high at the moment but is not unwell, she has made great progress in the 10 days since she started insulin, so I am happy to keep testing and leave her running high until I have had a chance to talk to the vet this week about her doses and get a lot more readings over time. It is better to drop the blood sugar slowly and carefully rather than risk a hypo which can be scary and risky for the cat. I also work so have to leave her alone in the house for most of the day and my vet said better to let her run a little high than to risk a hypo. Think of it as a marathon rather than a sprint! There is so much to learn at this stage and it is important you have a vet you have confidence in. Don't try to change too much all at the same time, take things slowly and learn how to test her sugars at home, this is the key to keeping Smiffy safe.

 

[Critter Mom]

I want to give you the biggest, most reassuring hug I can muster right now, Looby.

You have so much love in your heart and, even though you might not realise it, you are extraordinarily courageous. I am very sorry to hear how spectacularly mental health services have failed you. (They're really carp down here, too.)


Mogs
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[Critter Mom]

PS: I can understand perfectly how daunting a prospect learning to home test might be for you right now. Because the vets Saoirse was registered with at time of diagnosis were utterly hostile to my wish to home test her I had to dose her blind for the first few weeks of her treatment. It was a living nightmare because she was extremely lethargic at times and I was petrified she might have a hypo and I would not be able to tell the difference. Thankfully the vets we moved to were much more progressive WRT home testing and they gave me my first tutorial. (I got much better tips here, BTW! )

From I started to home test I felt much more in control of my anxiety; I finally knew Saoirse was either in OK numbers or whether she needed more carbs to see her safely through the cycle - no ifs, buts, or maybes. The dreadful feelings of being utterly overwhelmed and also terrified of overdosing Saoirse (my greatest fear) went away very quickly when I finally knew with a large degree of certainty that I would be able to keep my girl safe on insulin, and also that I might be able to make her feel better by getting more of a handle on her insulin needs.

We'll do all we can face-to-face (thanks, Eliz!) or online - whichever works best for you - to get you to the stage where you, too, will be able to monitor Smiffy. I can't put into words how much peace of mind comes with learning to home test; it has preserved what precious little sanity I have left. I think once you learn, it will make you feel an awful lot better about things.


Mogs


ETA: The home testing really helped me to get better treatment for Saoirse and as she started feeling better that made me feel a lot better about things, too.

.

 

[Alexi]

I can echo what Mogs has said about the anxiety, I've been really scared about what I might find when I get home from work and whether I would ever be able to get a blood sample to test. So far, just a hungry cat, and after a bit of experimenting, getting the technique and testing site right to get a reading. I feel so much better about this already because I feel a bit more in control. If I know what Cappuchino's sugars are then I know what to do. I am so glad I found this site because all the help and support is really making me feel a lot better about this diagnosis already.

 

[Marlena]

Dear Girls!
I can't tell you how much it all resonates with me!
Shall we now start a new support group for people with emotional/mental issues along side FDMB? I'm joining now as depression and GAD (generalised anxiety disorder) makes it so much difficult to deal with FD, I find it so difficult to cope with everything in my life right now, I'm on a brink of loosing my job as I can't cope with it and of course I have more anxiety because I have to find some sort of income but I completely lost my drive and confidence and also feel very bad physically.
And Alexi- you don't qualify (I hope ha ha ha). Having anxiety due to acute stress is normal and mentally healthy or emotionally stable person is able to deal with everyday stress, different story with people with mental issues. The concept of depression was still alien to me some time ago but now I can really understand what it's like!
My advice to Looby @Looby is to try what you can (small steps) but don't push yourself too much and always choose easier and less complicated option and tasks which are easier to achieve as you might get some results and this, in itself would make you feel better. So make some decisions:
1. trust your vet and go with the vet's plan of treatment OR
2. follow advice on FDMB.
The meter I recommend is pet glucometer AlphaTrak which is excellent but pricey (test strips are £1 each so a box of 50 is about £50) - this option is worth thinking about when you have good insurance policy for your cat or if your finances allow you to spend that much (you might need 3 boxes per month!) OR
AccuChek Aviva Nano which is very good , very easy to use and test strips are much cheeper. If you wish I can contact the company and ask them to send you the meter free of charge - how about that?
And another one is One Touch - very good as well.
I have a few new meters at home so if you wish I can send you one.
Looby, it is very important that you get somebody (your husband, mother, a friend or neighbour) to help you with your cat if she tolerates other people as, in your condition you really need somebody to give you a hand when you struggle with testing and injections. Is it feasible?
Whenever you are able to, please try going through this site to familiarise yourself with it as it will make a difference to how you feel giving you that knowledge you need, regardless what your decision will be (1 or 2 above) but, above all send us questions and inform us about your struggles, we are here for you.
I, personally haven't experienced anything like this group before!
Sending you prayers and hugs,
Marlena

 

[Diana&Tom]

Brilliant post, Marlena!

Diana

 

[Marlena]

Hi Looby,
I'm sorry I've given you wrong information regarding AccuChek meter - they can not send it (they send a free testing solution but it is something we can talk about later). The meter can be purchased from a pharmacy, I will check the price later on and give you that information in the evening.
Marlena

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Looby, this would be because wet food is lower in carbs than dry, so if a cat is fed dry food it would most likely need more insulin than if it's on wet. If you change to wet whilst on an insulin dose prescribed while a cat has been fed a dry diet, this could confuse the issue because less insulin may be needed. What we're aiming for is the optimum/perfect dose of insulin, not too much and not too little! Mogs and Eliz are better at explaining this than I am.

Diana

I understand now!!!! Thanks

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Hi Looby,
I really do sympathise.
As you've seen from Mogs' (Critter Mom's) posts you're not alone in having to deal with emotional/mental health issues. I think there are probably a number of others on the forum who also face similar challenges. So, people really do understand.

I had my first major episode of depression as an adolescent, and was on Librium by the age of 14 (and was expelled from school at 15 (that was the end of my education...))
Thereafter, I've had recurrent/intermittent bouts of depression/anxiety over the years. I've seen psychiatrists, psychologists, etc, etc, etc, and must have had almost every therapy going.
I had a major wobble about 10 years ago when I was dx with heart disease (90% blocked artery). I subsequently became agoraphobic and was also dx with PTSD (due, it was thought, to some very difficult and scary episodes with breathing (although I disputed the diagnosis, ha-ha!))
I hardly left the house for several years. I still have problems travelling far from home, going into crowded places, and answering the phone and the door (unless I know in advance that someone is going to phone or call round). My life as I knew it pretty much disintegrated, and I had to rebuild. I am still rebuilding....
But I am doing OK now. In my case I think mindfulness and meditation practice turned my life around.

....It may well be possible for me to come and see you with a view to helping you learn to hometest. But I don't know how useful that will be: That will depend on whether Smiffy is OK with strangers....

Eliz

Oh Elizabeth - it would seem that we have more in common than I thought - how wonderful in a way that we should have come together .... I am at a real last ditched attempt to get better now so I am working really hard at it ... I have even developed a fear of the shower for some reason and have just had the CPN around to just be there whilst I do it ..... there are other fears that I can't mention her but they have developed as a result of an operation that I had a couple of years ago ... what is PTSD?!!! I hate these labels ... apparently according to the MHS I have a 'histrionic personality disorder' which I translate as my playful personality - always life and soul of the party and entertaining and throwing parties and inventing games and trying to make everybody laugh and always looking after other people the latter being to my detriment as far as my family are concerened ....

Anyhow .. Smiffy is keeping on my toes at the moment ...she has forgiven me for the jab this morning but she is soooo clever ... you saw my post on Facebook - I put the food down now and despite the fact she is hungry as I am only feeding twice a day, she just looks at it and then at me and I have to do something else but as soon as I move she is off ... the first needle went in so easily - I hardly noticed it penetrating and she hardly noticed it either .... now it feels as if I am penetrating her skin .....

I am sorry to hear your story but as the Actress who plays the landlady of the Rovers said a few weeks ago on Loose Women, it is often the bright and creative and caring people that have these problems and in my case it is in the family on my mother's side .... This last setback as I am supposed to call it has been the worst and I am so cross with myself now for going onto the drugs that I am now trying to get rid of ...... my husband is at his wits end with me but he saw a bit of the old Looby when we went to see the Diabetes Nurse at the Vets last week as I was really assertive and asked lots of questions and he was really proud of me ...

I am gradually getting things lodged into my head about Smiffy .... I have made notes on the diary that I am going to take to the Vet on Wednesday so I am well equipped now ....

I think I need to see what Smiffy's progress has been when he tests her and talk to him about home testing and see what he says ..... I may have to stick to what we have started now for a bit to see if she improves as I don't want to start introducing wet food at this stage until I can home test and until I know how to adjust the insulin ....... does that sound like a plan .. she is probably only just getting used to the regime that she is on so maybe I should give it another week or too but still let him know that I have every intention of testing at home ultimately ...

It would marvellous if you were able to drive this far to see us ... actually Smiffy is very good at sussing people out and is very friendly ... loves her Daddy but is not keen on other men but usually goes up to women that are cat lovers ...

I am exhausted from this morning so I am going to have a rest now ......

It is strange that some of the posts here for me are alerted to me on my e-mail account and some of them not so from now on I will check this site for alerts ...

Thinking about you - very impressed with the way you have survived and are making such amazing progress with your life - full of admiration xxxx

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Oh Elizabeth - it would seem that we have more in common than I thought - how wonderful in a way that we should have come together .... I am at a real last ditched attempt to get better now so I am working really hard at it ... I have even developed a fear of the shower for some reason and have just had the CPN around to just be there whilst I do it ..... there are other fears that I can't mention her but they have developed as a result of an operation that I had a couple of years ago ... what is PTSD?!!! I hate these labels ... apparently according to the MHS I have a 'histrionic personality disorder' which I translate as my playful personality - always life and soul of the party and entertaining and throwing parties and inventing games and trying to make everybody laugh and always looking after other people the latter being to my detriment as far as my family are concerened ....

Anyhow .. Smiffy is keeping on my toes at the moment ...she has forgiven me for the jab this morning but she is soooo clever ... you saw my post on Facebook - I put the food down now and despite the fact she is hungry as I am only feeding twice a day, she just looks at it and then at me and I have to do something else but as soon as I move she is off ... the first needle went in so easily - I hardly noticed it penetrating and she hardly noticed it either .... now it feels as if I am penetrating her skin .....

I am sorry to hear your story but as the Actress who plays the landlady of the Rovers said a few weeks ago on Loose Women, it is often the bright and creative and caring people that have these problems and in my case it is in the family on my mother's side .... This last setback as I am supposed to call it has been the worst and I am so cross with myself now for going onto the drugs that I am now trying to get rid of ...... my husband is at his wits end with me but he saw a bit of the old Looby when we went to see the Diabetes Nurse at the Vets last week as I was really assertive and asked lots of questions and he was really proud of me ...

I am gradually getting things lodged into my head about Smiffy .... I have made notes on the diary that I am going to take to the Vet on Wednesday so I am well equipped now ....

I think I need to see what Smiffy's progress has been when he tests her and talk to him about home testing and see what he says ..... I may have to stick to what we have started now for a bit to see if she improves as I don't want to start introducing wet food at this stage until I can home test and until I know how to adjust the insulin ....... does that sound like a plan .. she is probably only just getting used to the regime that she is on so maybe I should give it another week or too but still let him know that I have every intention of testing at home ultimately ...

It would marvellous if you were able to drive this far to see us ... actually Smiffy is very good at sussing people out and is very friendly ... loves her Daddy but is not keen on other men but usually goes up to women that are cat lovers ...

I am exhausted from this morning so I am going to have a rest now ......

It is strange that some of the posts here for me are alerted to me on my e-mail account and some of them not so from now on I will check this site for alerts ...

Thinking about you - very impressed with the way you have survived and are making such amazing progress with your life - full of admiration xxxx

Hi Looby,
I really do sympathise.
As you've seen from Mogs' (Critter Mom's) posts you're not alone in having to deal with emotional/mental health issues. I think there are probably a number of others on the forum who also face similar challenges. So, people really do understand.

I had my first major episode of depression as an adolescent, and was on Librium by the age of 14 (and was expelled from school at 15 (that was the end of my education...))
Thereafter, I've had recurrent/intermittent bouts of depression/anxiety over the years. I've seen psychiatrists, psychologists, etc, etc, etc, and must have had almost every therapy going.
I had a major wobble about 10 years ago when I was dx with heart disease (90% blocked artery). I subsequently became agoraphobic and was also dx with PTSD (due, it was thought, to some very difficult and scary episodes with breathing (although I disputed the diagnosis, ha-ha!))
I hardly left the house for several years. I still have problems travelling far from home, going into crowded places, and answering the phone and the door (unless I know in advance that someone is going to phone or call round). My life as I knew it pretty much disintegrated, and I had to rebuild. I am still rebuilding....
But I am doing OK now. In my case I think mindfulness and meditation practice turned my life around.

....It may well be possible for me to come and see you with a view to helping you learn to hometest. But I don't know how useful that will be: That will depend on whether Smiffy is OK with strangers....

Eliz

I will see how we get on with the Vet and then let you know if we could meet up or if it would be later and I will let you know what the Vet has to say ... the Diabetes Nurse was a bit like a strict Matron who would not take kindly to anything remotely like a criticism so I will have to be very diplomatic with her ..

 

[jayla-n-Drevon]

Looks like your in good hands--just want to say welcome and it get easier!

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Hi Looby,
I really do sympathise.
As you've seen from Mogs' (Critter Mom's) posts you're not alone in having to deal with emotional/mental health issues. I think there are probably a number of others on the forum who also face similar challenges. So, people really do understand.

I had my first major episode of depression as an adolescent, and was on Librium by the age of 14 (and was expelled from school at 15 (that was the end of my education...))
Thereafter, I've had recurrent/intermittent bouts of depression/anxiety over the years. I've seen psychiatrists, psychologists, etc, etc, etc, and must have had almost every therapy going.
I had a major wobble about 10 years ago when I was dx with heart disease (90% blocked artery). I subsequently became agoraphobic and was also dx with PTSD (due, it was thought, to some very difficult and scary episodes with breathing (although I disputed the diagnosis, ha-ha!))
I hardly left the house for several years. I still have problems travelling far from home, going into crowded places, and answering the phone and the door (unless I know in advance that someone is going to phone or call round). My life as I knew it pretty much disintegrated, and I had to rebuild. I am still rebuilding....
But I am doing OK now. In my case I think mindfulness and meditation practice turned my life around.

....It may well be possible for me to come and see you with a view to helping you learn to hometest. But I don't know how useful that will be: That will depend on whether Smiffy is OK with strangers....

Eliz

I really don't understand this site yet ... can't work out how to start a new conversation .... go to your little box and clicke on start conversation and get the box with a limited number of characters .. type something in an it tells me not valid or words to that effect ......

Wanted to ask you again probably for the best meter that is simple to use for Smiffy's home testing .... I have the One Touch Ultra 2 in my mind is that right? Is it a human one? I think I saw somewhere that you said that Petplan would probably cover me for another one that begins with A? Do you know if that one is easy to use ... has to be quick and easy ie quick pen prick in the ear, tab and tab into the meter? xxxxx

 

[Diana&Tom]

Hi Looby
I actually started another thread for you a couple of days ago asking UKers to post their recommendations for meters - if you go to the top of the page and click on 'forums' and then 'Feline Health the main forum' you'll see the thread, a few lines down, with your name in it. I thought it might be easier for you to see all that particular information in one place rather than wading through all the information on this one thread.

On that note, it's often a good idea, after your initial intro etc, to begin a new thread with a specific heading for a specific topic. Then people can see immediately what you need help with and you will probably get a quicker response than if a new question us buried at tne end of this thread.

In answer to another recent question - PTSD is, I believe, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It can manifest itself in a number of ways after many kinds of traumatic/stressful experiences, physical and emotional, and as such is a useful tag for health professionals to cover a wide range of conditions. I'm no mental health expert but it does seem to make sense.

Diana

 

[Erica & Carter]

Just wanted to chime in and share as well since we're all being open and honest about some mental struggles...

I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and also suffer from Dermatillomania. Dermatillomania is a disorder where you constantly pick your skin to relieve anxiety, ironically, my OCD flares up that disorder and then vise-versus and it's a vicious cycle.

My compulsions from my OCD have been worse since Carter's diagnosis, but I'm working through them. For me, my OCD has now been applied to things such as drawing up the syringe, I have to stare at it for a certain amount of seconds or hold the syringe with a particular amount of pressure, sometimes it takes me 15 minutes to feel comfortable enough to shoot because as soon as I do, I'm doubting myself and panic, even though I KNOW it's correct amount. I check the fridge probably upwards of 30 times a day to make sure the insulin is still in there, and if I don't like the way the fridge closes, I have to push on it with a certain pressure for a certain amount of time before I feel comfortable enough to walk away. But I never feel comfortable. I have to check on the test strips probably the same amount of times per day (not opening them) but pressing on the lid until I feel like it's closed. I have to stare at the meter until I go cross-eyed to reassure myself that I am reading the right number. Sometimes I just have to take pictures of everything for proof or I can't reassure myself enough to stop. And that's not solving the problem, but it's putting a band-aid on it. These are only a FEW of my compulsions that I struggle with on a daily basis that are directly related to the diabetic care for Carter, but I'm learning to adapt. Because I have to keep so busy, my anxiety races, but it gives me less time to pick at my skin because I know he relies on me and so do my other animals.

It's starting to feel like more of a routine so I'm hoping eventually the routine becomes just a routine and not a routine full of compulsions.

You aren't alone in feeling over-whemled! I feel like all I think about is Carter and his diabetes but this is just the beginning stages and soon it will all become second nature.

Hang in there!

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Hi Looby
I actually started another thread for you a couple of days ago asking UKers to post their recommendations for meters - if you go to the top of the page and click on 'forums' and then 'Feline Health the main forum' you'll see the thread, a few lines down, with your name in it. I thought it might be easier for you to see all that particular information in one place rather than wading through all the information on this one thread.

On that note, it's often a good idea, after your initial intro etc, to begin a new thread with a specific heading for a specific topic. Then people can see immediately what you need help with and you will probably get a quicker response than if a new question us buried at tne end of this thread.

In answer to another recent question - PTSD is, I believe, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It can manifest itself in a number of ways after many kinds of traumatic/stressful experiences, physical and emotional, and as such is a useful tag for health professionals to cover a wide range of conditions. I'm no mental health expert but it does seem to make sense.

Diana

I found it Diana thank you .... really haven't got the hang of this site yet!!!

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Dear Girls!
I can't tell you how much it all resonates with me!
Shall we now start a new support group for people with emotional/mental issues along side FDMB? I'm joining now as depression and GAD (generalised anxiety disorder) makes it so much difficult to deal with FD, I find it so difficult to cope with everything in my life right now, I'm on a brink of loosing my job as I can't cope with it and of course I have more anxiety because I have to find some sort of income but I completely lost my drive and confidence and also feel very bad physically.
And Alexi- you don't qualify (I hope ha ha ha). Having anxiety due to acute stress is normal and mentally healthy or emotionally stable person is able to deal with everyday stress, different story with people with mental issues. The concept of depression was still alien to me some time ago but now I can really understand what it's like!
My advice to Looby @Looby is to try what you can (small steps) but don't push yourself too much and always choose easier and less complicated option and tasks which are easier to achieve as you might get some results and this, in itself would make you feel better. So make some decisions:
1. trust your vet and go with the vet's plan of treatment OR
2. follow advice on FDMB.
The meter I recommend is pet glucometer AlphaTrak which is excellent but pricey (test strips are £1 each so a box of 50 is about £50) - this option is worth thinking about when you have good insurance policy for your cat or if your finances allow you to spend that much (you might need 3 boxes per month!) OR
AccuChek Aviva Nano which is very good , very easy to use and test strips are much cheeper. If you wish I can contact the company and ask them to send you the meter free of charge - how about that?
And another one is One Touch - very good as well.
I have a few new meters at home so if you wish I can send you one.
Looby, it is very important that you get somebody (your husband, mother, a friend or neighbour) to help you with your cat if she tolerates other people as, in your condition you really need somebody to give you a hand when you struggle with testing and injections. Is it feasible?
Whenever you are able to, please try going through this site to familiarise yourself with it as it will make a difference to how you feel giving you that knowledge you need, regardless what your decision will be (1 or 2 above) but, above all send us questions and inform us about your struggles, we are here for you.
I, personally haven't experienced anything like this group before!
Sending you prayers and hugs,
Marlena

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

I completely missed you post Marlena ... think you are right about starting a sub group in that case .... I haven't got much time now having just discovered this post as I am about to serve up my ready meal but yes it would be wonderful if you could arrange for a meter to be sent to me .... the Accucheck Avviva nano as it sound as if it is really eays to use ... my address is Looby Smith, 10 Rose Hill, Binfield, Bracknell, Berkshire RG42 5LG .... you are a gem!!!!! Or one of the meters you have a home - whichever is the easiest and quickest to sue on Smiffy ......husband not able or willing with the best will in the world ... can't deal with things like this ... no family, no willing neighbours and friends have disappeared because of my problems ............. thank you for being there ... somehow I will let you all know if I can how I get on .... don't know how to send you a message other than to reply to a message ... will you follow me .. might help? xxxxxx hugs to you tooo ...

 

[Alexi]

@Looby I read on another site that the cats protection league has a register of diabetic cat owners who can offer support, there may well be someone local to you. I have copied the information below, we all need someone we can call on who might be willing to help out with our kittys when life happens - as it does. I am slowly getting my usual cat sitters round to the idea that I might need a bit more than just feeding the cats now. I also found out that a neighbour does voluntary work for the cats protection league (she offered to search for one of my cats when he wandered off for a few days but he then turned up wondering what all the fuss was about - and I had leafleted the neighbourhood by then so she got in touch).

Cats Protection has compiled a register of people who have this experience and are willing to share their knowledge (non veterinary only) on a voluntary basis. For more information, please contact:

Marilyn Digby-Brown
Diabetic Pet Register
Cats Protection
National Cat Centre
Chelwood Gate
Haywards Heath
Sussex RH17 7TT

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

@Alexi and @Looby,
Re the Cats' Protection Diabetic Pet Register: I've been on it for years and very recently got a message from them saying that they're not going to use it any more. I know that Juliet ( @Dr Schrodinger ) was also on the register, so am guessing she got the same message...? It's a shame they've discontinued it...
.

 

[Alexi]

@Elizabeth and Bertie That is really disappointing, do you know if any of the local groups could help out? I will ask my vet this week if they are aware of any other groups around, they do a lot of work for the animal voluntary groups and may have some information that could be of use.

 

[Critter Mom]

I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and also suffer from Dermatillomania.

Same here. Case in point: when Saoirse was going through the crisis with her eye my skin was in tatters.

For me, my OCD has now been applied to things such as drawing up the syringe ...

My entire day is filled with fears and awful thoughts fuelled by the PTSD (constant feeling of dread, danger, impending doom, perpetually at DEFCON 2 waiting for the next awful thing to happen - all made worse by awful dreams/terrifying nightmares*) and OCD behaviours to offset them: insane level of number/counting rituals, hand washing (to the point where the skin on the back of my hands gets raw and painful, and it splits where it stretches over my knuckles); making sure objects are in the 'right place' (does not equal 'tidy', BTW - I'm scared to move stuff because I have an intense fear of changing things because it might make matters worse or something awful will happen as a consequence); repeating things until they 'feel right'; doing things in a set sequence and repeating the whole if I screw up the sequence (the more fatigued I am the more mistakes I make and the repetition count goes through the roof); plus various contamination issues (complicates care provision no end and I dread visits from tradesmen, boiler engineers, etc., for fear they'll do something which will leave me unable to touch things in the house). All of Saoirse's feeding and treatments are ritualised to the nth degree.


Mogs


*@Looby - I've got shower fear, too. Some of the worst nightmares I've had have connections with water or being trapped somewhere in a nasty, life-threatening predicament - won't go into the nitty-gritty - but they weren't like dreams; the events felt like they were actually happening to me. If something comes on the telly that relates to the content of the dreams I have to do counting rituals and frequently I need to change to another channel.

.

 

[Erica & Carter]

Same here. Case in point: when Saoirse was going through the crisis with her eye my skin was in tatters.


My entire day is filled with fears and awful thoughts fuelled by the PTSD (constant feeling of dread, danger, impending doom, perpetually at DEFCON 2 waiting for the next awful thing to happen - all made worse by awful dreams/terrifying nightmares*) and OCD behaviours to offset them: insane level of number/counting rituals, hand washing (to the point where the skin on the back of my hands gets raw and painful, and it splits where it stretches over my knuckles); making sure objects are in the 'right place' (does not equal 'tidy', BTW - I'm scared to move stuff because I have an intense fear of changing things because it might make matters worse or something awful will happen as a consequence); repeating things until they 'feel right'; doing things in a set sequence and repeating the whole if I screw up the sequence (the more fatigued I am the more mistakes I make and the repetition count goes through the roof); plus various contamination issues (complicates care provision no end and I dread visits from tradesmen, boiler engineers, etc., for fear they'll do something which will leave me unable to touch things in the house). All of Saoirse's feeding and treatments are ritualised to the nth degree.


Mogs

.

I'm glad someone else can relate. People often refer to themelves as "Omg I'm so OCD" or "I only like a certain colour of clothes I'm so OCD" like stupid comments like that infuriate me because it is so much more than that. I've been this way since I was very young, and it's had spurts of less compulsions, or more compulsions, or different compulsions but it never goes away.

I only pick my skin on my feet, and I've done it ever since I was 5 or 6. I'm pretty sure I don't have nerve endings any more because I can pick and pick and peal and it takes a very deep gash to really allow me to feel anything. It's more so the satisfaction of picking and how it decreases my anxiety, because when it hurts I will stop until it heels a bit in that spot, but I'll pick a different spot.

My OCD does not revolve around cleanliness or counting, but my wife who also has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder deals with those types of compulsions. Mine is more related to touch, pressure, sight. I have an extreme fear of driving away and my house catching on fire. I have to unplug all cords in the house constantly because I'm terrified of electrical fire. For a while I refused to cook because I am so terrified of combustion. I still don't pump my own gas. I check locks, doors, lights constantly to make sure they are off. I can't leave my house without starring at my door for 5 minutes to make sure it's closed. I've often left home and had to come back minutes later because I literally think I left the door open. I refuse to use straightening irons, curlers, hair dryers etc when I'm home alone because it causes too much anxiety to not believe I unplugged them. I don't even like to run the AC because I think THAT is going to catch on fire.

Because we both have it, it makes it 10x worse because sometimes we fulfill each others' routines or compulsions so the other one doesn't have to do it. She's on medication, but I'm not. No insurance here.

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Same here. Case in point: when Saoirse was going through the crisis with her eye my skin was in tatters.


My entire day is filled with fears and awful thoughts fuelled by the PTSD (constant feeling of dread, danger, impending doom, perpetually at DEFCON 2 waiting for the next awful thing to happen - all made worse by awful dreams/terrifying nightmares*) and OCD behaviours to offset them: insane level of number/counting rituals, hand washing (to the point where the skin on the back of my hands gets raw and painful, and it splits where it stretches over my knuckles); making sure objects are in the 'right place' (does not equal 'tidy', BTW - I'm scared to move stuff because I have an intense fear of changing things because it might make matters worse or something awful will happen as a consequence); repeating things until they 'feel right'; doing things in a set sequence and repeating the whole if I screw up the sequence (the more fatigued I am the more mistakes I make and the repetition count goes through the roof); plus various contamination issues (complicates care provision no end and I dread visits from tradesmen, boiler engineers, etc., for fear they'll do something which will leave me unable to touch things in the house). All of Saoirse's feeding and treatments are ritualised to the nth degree.


Mogs


*@Looby - I've got shower fear, too. Some of the worst nightmares I've had have connections with water or being trapped somewhere in a nasty, life-threatening predicament - won't go into the nitty-gritty - but they weren't like dreams; the events felt like they were actually happening to me. If something comes on the telly that relates to the content of the dreams I have to do counting rituals and frequently I need to change to another channel.

.

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

I'm glad someone else can relate. People often refer to themelves as "Omg I'm so OCD" or "I only like a certain colour of clothes I'm so OCD" like stupid comments like that infuriate me because it is so much more than that. I've been this way since I was very young, and it's had spurts of less compulsions, or more compulsions, or different compulsions but it never goes away.

I only pick my skin on my feet, and I've done it ever since I was 5 or 6. I'm pretty sure I don't have nerve endings any more because I can pick and pick and peal and it takes a very deep gash to really allow me to feel anything. It's more so the satisfaction of picking and how it decreases my anxiety, because when it hurts I will stop until it heels a bit in that spot, but I'll pick a different spot.

My OCD does not revolve around cleanliness or counting, but my wife who also has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder deals with those types of compulsions. Mine is more related to touch, pressure, sight. I have an extreme fear of driving away and my house catching on fire. I have to unplug all cords in the house constantly because I'm terrified of electrical fire. For a while I refused to cook because I am so terrified of combustion. I still don't pump my own gas. I check locks, doors, lights constantly to make sure they are off. I can't leave my house without starring at my door for 5 minutes to make sure it's closed. I've often left home and had to come back minutes later because I literally think I left the door open. I refuse to use straightening irons, curlers, hair dryers etc when I'm home alone because it causes too much anxiety to not believe I unplugged them. I don't even like to run the AC because I think THAT is going to catch on fire.

Because we both have it, it makes it 10x worse because sometimes we fulfill each others' routines or compulsions so the other one doesn't have to do it. She's on medication, but I'm not. No insurance here.

It's amazing we have all met and all ave problems like this .... I'm on my iPad at mo so can't write much .... What would we do without our wonderful cats?! Although it feels so horrible at the moment as I fear not being able to look after Smiff .... I have been told I have OCD too but a lot has to do with my perfectionist and well organised personality that is now exasipated by my anxiety in order to survive the day ..... Glad I started this by opening up so we can share our stories ....... Hugs Looby

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Same here. Case in point: when Saoirse was going through the crisis with her eye my skin was in tatters.


My entire day is filled with fears and awful thoughts fuelled by the PTSD (constant feeling of dread, danger, impending doom, perpetually at DEFCON 2 waiting for the next awful thing to happen - all made worse by awful dreams/terrifying nightmares*) and OCD behaviours to offset them: insane level of number/counting rituals, hand washing (to the point where the skin on the back of my hands gets raw and painful, and it splits where it stretches over my knuckles); making sure objects are in the 'right place' (does not equal 'tidy', BTW - I'm scared to move stuff because I have an intense fear of changing things because it might make matters worse or something awful will happen as a consequence); repeating things until they 'feel right'; doing things in a set sequence and repeating the whole if I screw up the sequence (the more fatigued I am the more mistakes I make and the repetition count goes through the roof); plus various contamination issues (complicates care provision no end and I dread visits from tradesmen, boiler engineers, etc., for fear they'll do something which will leave me unable to touch things in the house). All of Saoirse's feeding and treatments are ritualised to the nth degree.


Mogs


*@Looby - I've got shower fear, too. Some of the worst nightmares I've had have connections with water or being trapped somewhere in a nasty, life-threatening predicament - won't go into the nitty-gritty - but they weren't like dreams; the events felt like they were actually happening to me. If something comes on the telly that relates to the content of the dreams I have to do counting rituals and frequently I need to change to another channel.

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I am on my iPad so can't write much and have my other cat on my lap too - she likes to watch the screen ..... Glad we have all opened up to each other .... these things always seem to happen to intelligent creative and kind people .... l am in therapy now to help me change some of my coping rituals with some success but very slowly .... It is frustrating the hell out of me that I want to do more for Smifffy than I am .... In the old days well only four years ago I would have been all over this like a rash but it's slowly slowly ....... Husband is too sweetish and head already at full capacity to help me with Smiffy despite loving her to bits ..... I am in awe of you strong women which is what you are and am delighted to have met you all ...... Def a sub group here ... Have to go .... Hugs And hugs xx loooooooby

 

[Marlena]

Hi Looby,
I have contacted Roche to ask about the meter (AccuChek) but unfortunately they would not send one saying that you can purchase them at a pharmacy - fair enough.
I will check my supplies later and let you know what meter I can spare but it would be different to AccuCheck but probably equally good.
Off to work now, speak with you later.
Lots of love
Marlena

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

Thanks Marlena - have a good day ...... love Loooooby

 

[Critter Mom]

Morrison's pharmacy do Accu-Chek Aviva meters and strips at reasonable prices. (Strips cheaper than ebay and Amazon recently.)


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[Elizabeth and Bertie]

...And, if you're willing to give testing a go, Looby, I'm happy to send you a One Touch Ultra meter and some test strips to get you started.
However, the OTU needs more blood than the Accu-Chek Aviva does, so you may well find the Accu-Check easier to use. Also, you'll have a meter much faster if you just get one from a pharmacy. Would your husband pick one up for you, Looby...?

As I said previously, it would be really good if you could get a meter and familiarise yourself with how it works. Even if you don't feel able to test Smiffy straight away you will at least have it available to use in an emergency. Having a meter, and understanding how it works, will empower you....
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[Diana&Tom]

I'd add that the thing to do is get a meter, familiarise yourself with how it works - and then practise on yourself for a few days. You'll soon get the knack so when it comes to testing a moving target ;-) you'll be cool, calm and collected!

Edited to add: there are several of these meters for sale on ebay at good prices at the moment too! Just make sure to check the seller's ratings. Most are geuinine, I believe (probably human diabetics selling some of their supplies to make a few bob....)

Diana

 

[Looby & Smiffy]

...And, if you're willing to give testing a go, Looby, I'm happy to send you a One Touch Ultra meter and some test strips to get you started.
However, the OTU needs more blood than the Accu-Chek Aviva does, so you may well find the Accu-Check easier to use. Also, you'll have a meter much faster if you just get one from a pharmacy. Would your husband pick one up for you, Looby...?

As I said previously, it would be really good if you could get a meter and familiarise yourself with how it works. Even if you don't feel able to test Smiffy straight away you will at least have it available to use in an emergency. Having a meter, and understanding how it works, will empower you....
.

I will have to speak to the Vet tomorrow and if I can 't get my husband to get one from the Vet I can order one on Amazon which would not take long to arrive ... having problems doing her shots now ... she is really wary of it now and has developed and Elizabeth and Bertie puts is a food aversion and association between food and something unpleasant .. took me 45 minutes this morning doing the desensasization exercies keep withdrawing the bowl etc and I couldn't get the needle so had to abort and decided it was more important for her to eat all her food than to run away scared of the needle ... stressed ... so how I am going to do a prick on the ear as well I don't know ... our house is so small that a few steps and she is under a chair or on her way out or back up the stairs .....

 

[Critter Mom]

there are several of these meters for sale on ebay at good prices at the moment too! Just make sure to check the seller's ratings.

Check the expiry dates, too.


Mogs
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[Critter Mom]

took me 45 minutes this morning doing the desensasization exercies keep withdrawing the bowl etc and I couldn't get the needle so had to abort and decided it was more important for her to eat all her food than to run away scared of the needle ... stressed ... so how I am going to do a prick on the ear as well I don't know ...

Talk to Smiffy very assertively, even if you have to pretend. It may or may not work but it's worth a try.

For info, once Saoirse found a routine we were both comfy with we found the testing much, much easier than the injections. (Still do to this date.) Handy, considering one needs to test more than inject. Fingers and paws crossed you and Smiffy will find your own sugar dance groove very soon.


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[Looby & Smiffy]

Talk to Smiffy very assertively, even if you have to pretend. It may or may not work but it's worth a try.

For info, once Saoirse found a routine we were both comfy with we found the testing much, much easier than the injections. (Still do to this date.) Handy, considering one needs to test more than inject. Fingers and paws crossed you and Smiffy will find your own sugar dance groove very soon.


Mogs
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I'm getting all sorts of advice from peeps on the Facebook site making me wonder if I have the right Vet or if I am doing the right thing ... I can only introduce one thing at a time with Smiffy AND for me .....

 

[Critter Mom]

If it's overwhelming you, Looby, I suggest you step back from Facebook for now. I can very much relate to needing to do things in a way that is manageable for you! Baby steps.




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