Need advice for today's Lantus dose please - I made a mistake

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Sarah Mc

Sarah Mc

Member Since 2017
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/shattered-lantus-need-dosing-advice-for-tonight.171643/

Hello,

I was posting in the Feline Health forum and was asked to create a thread here in the Lantus forum as well.

-My cat, Samba, was diagnosed with FD on 12/31/16 after a BG reading of 460 at the vet's office and immediately started on 3 units of Novolin N BID for three days, followed by 2 units of Novolin N BID until 1/7/17. His diet was also switched from Iams Adult dry food to Royal Canin Glycobalance dry food, per the vet.
-On 1/7/17, we returned to the vet, and his BG was higher at 472. He was immediately switched to 2 units of Lantus BID which he got every day until this evening (will explain in a sec).
-On 1/14/17, we returned to the vet, and his BG was 426. I was advised to switch him to a wet food diet and keep him on the same dose of insulin (2 units of Lantus BID) and also advised to order an Alphatrak, which I did.
-Over the last week, I've gradually reduced Samba's dry food intake and increased his wet food intake, and he will be fully transitioned to the wet food effective tomorrow (he only had about 15 pieces of kibble today). His Alphatrak arrived in the mail tonight. I thought we were on a good track until I dropped his Lantus vial at his PM dose tonight (prior to him receiving it), and it shattered everywhere.
-I then came on here and posted the following thread in the Feline Health forum: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/shattered-lantus-need-dosing-advice-for-tonight.171643/
-After receiving guidance there, I home tested for the first time using the Alphatrak, and his BG was 509 at 11:17 PM. He then received one unit of Novolin N at 11:50 PM because this was all that I had on hand, and there are no Walmart Pharmacies open past 9 PM in Maryland. I was advised to skip his AM dose tomorrow since I will need to leave for work by 8 AM, and it will be too soon to administer another dose before I leave.

I plan to pick up more Lantus after work, as well as the Relion meter because it's more affordable. How would you advise that I proceed with dosing tomorrow night?

I'm so sorry for my carelessness. It has been a trying night, and Samba is very mad at me.

Thank you for your help.

-Sarah
 
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Can you test during the day? If you work full time, there's lots of great tips on how best to deal with it in THIS THREAD

Although it says it's for Tight Regulation, the tips are good for everyone!!

How much does Samba weigh?

Do you have any test results from the vet other than the ones you posted? Has your vet run any curves?
 
Here's something I wrote up for others that needed help with testing...maybe it'll help you too!

It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you. Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!

It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well.

When you're first starting, it's also important to use a lower gauge lancet, like 25-28 gauge. Most of the "lancet devices" come with 33 gauge lancets and they are just too tiny to start with. The bigger lancets (that are lower numbers) make a bigger "hole". As you poke more and more, the ears will grow new capillaries and will be easier and easier to get blood from...we call it "learning to bleed"

Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!
 
Hi Sarah and welcome to L & L land. You are in the right place now for sure. First I want you to know you are not the first person to drop a vile nor will you be the last. :bighug:

Your right about the Relion meter being cheaper for sure and for most of us more accurate. Many of our Vets do not understand this protocol but all of them have watched many of our kitties go off insulin and become food controlled. I have two food controlled and one on his way. That being said I arrived here a few years back on Hunilin N and with an alpha track not knowing any better.

My first thoughts are about the food. Kibble almost killed one of my kitties and I could never get him below 500. If you check Scooters link below my name you can see what happened when I took him off kibble. He went from very high to having to be rescued in the 30's almost immediately. You will not hurt Samba (love that name) by not giving him insulin in the morning. After work go to Walmart and get you new relion things. Monitor, strips, lancets (thick) and the lantus. While you are there stock up on friskies or fancy feast classic pate foods. Also for caution get two cans of gravy food to have on hand to help him if he goes low one night. Once you have those things you will have what you need to help Samba. Also what will really help us all is if you have a Spread Sheet like we all have. My best advice is to ask @Marje and Gracie for help with a SS because that is the only way I know how to make one. :cat: Thank you Marje! Tonight just hug Samba and go to sleep and don't worry about numbers until you have what you need. Glad you found us!

You have Chris helping you now and she has helped many of us help our kitties . So glad you are still awake @Chris & China. :)
 
Chris & China said:
Can you test during the day? If you work full time, there's lots of great tips on how best to deal with it in THIS THREAD

Although it says it's for Tight Regulation, the tips are good for everyone!!

How much does Samba weigh?

Do you have any test results from the vet other than the ones you posted? Has your vet run any curves?
Click to expand...

Thank you! I actually had to start a 2nd job so spending 12 hours away from home is typical for me unfortunately. I have been dosing at 8am right before I leave for work & 8pm. He weighs 10lb 15oz and was previously 14lb. I only have what I posted, but they said blood work & urinalysis looked as it should for a cat with diabetes (i.e., no other issues). No curves yet. My vet advised to order the alphatrak and she'd show me how to use it at next appt on 1/28 and then I could do a curve from home. I broke it out early tonight after what happened.
 
You might want to really read over that sticky on TR on a full time job then!!

Since you're unable to test during the day, you might want to start with the Start Low, Go Slow method of dosing, although if you can get at least Pre-shot tests and a "before bed" test on the PM cycle, you could still consider doing Tight Regulation

The starting dose will depend on which dosing method you choose.....If you do SLGS, you'd start on .5 unit as long as he's eating ONLY low carb canned food or 1U if there's still dry high carb food in the diet

On TR, the dose is based on how much they weigh
 
My internet keeps going out so I'm going to stop fighting with it for tonight

I've asked a few others to stop in with some advice if they can, but for now, since you can't start the lantus until tomorrow night, we have some time to get back to you with more help
 
Hi Sarah.

Welcome to Lantus & Levimir Land, the nicest place you never wanted to be.

I'm so sorry about the dropped Lantus. Not only is it frustrating and a mess to clean up, but that stuff is expensive!!! You might ask your vet if he/she would give you a prescription for the Lantus Solostar pens. They come 5 per pack and the reason they are better is that there is less insulin in each cartridge, so you are more likely to use it all before it goes bad. Keep it refrigerated, just like with the vial, and you use a syringe to draw the insulin out of it, not the needle that comes with it. If your vet is really cooperative, there is a pharmacy in Canada that will ship them to you in the US and the cost is much less. Some vets won't write a script for that, but if yours will, it will save you $$$. Chris can give you the URL for that.

BTW, make sure you get the syringes with 1/2 unit markings, if you haven't already.

One more tip about testing: get some Neosporin ointment with pain relief and rub it on Samba's ears every night before you go to bed. Wipe it off in the morning before you test, and it will cause the blood to bead up easier. It will also help Samba's ears heal faster and you won't feel so bad about poking him.

I'm glad you're getting human meter. TR and SLGS are written based on readings taken with a human meter, and while some people here use the AT and are happy with it, most find it easier and less expensive to use a human meter. There is a difference in the readings from the AT which increases as the BGs get higher, but the important thing is to be consistent about which meter you are using.

If you haven't already, read all the stickies at the top of the L&L page. It's overwhelming, I know, but don't worry. We've all been where you are. Ask LOTS of questions. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask. We love to help!

Here is a link to the instructions for setting up your spreadsheet. Not only will it allow us to help you more easily, it will really help you keep track of what's going on with Samba's BGs. If you have any problems setting it up, Marje is the one that can set you straight.

Lastly, here is a dictionary of the slang terms we use a lot around here. It will help you figure out what the heck we're talking about!
 
Thank you for all of that extremely helpful advice... IF my vet will write the script for Lantus solostar, and IF Marks Marine will ship it to me, would it be ok to keep Samba on the Novolin until it arrives or is that a terrible idea? I am only thinking in terms of cost because $$ is beyond tight. I had already resigned to spending another $288 on a Lantus vial at Walmart after work tonight, so if that's what I need to do, I will do it. Thanks!!
 
Chris & China said:
You might want to really read over that sticky on TR on a full time job then!!

Since you're unable to test during the day, you might want to start with the Start Low, Go Slow method of dosing, although if you can get at least Pre-shot tests and a "before bed" test on the PM cycle, you could still consider doing Tight Regulation

The starting dose will depend on which dosing method you choose.....If you do SLGS, you'd start on .5 unit as long as he's eating ONLY low carb canned food or 1U if there's still dry high carb food in the diet

On TR, the dose is based on how much they weigh
Click to expand...

He is only eating wet FF classics, effective today. This is after a steady decline in dry food over the last week. I will post a preshot # tonight, but it sounds like my PM dose for him tonight will be .5 units, correct? I am thinking I should probably start with SLGS and attempt to transition to TR if I can do it that way, but I will read up more today.
 
Sarah Mc said:
would it be ok to keep Samba on the Novolin until it arrives or is that a terrible idea?
Click to expand...

I don't think that's a terrible idea at all.....ANY insulin is better than no insulin and if money is tight, I don't see any reason why you can't wait until you can get the lantus from Marks....Usually takes less than 7 days from the date you order to the day it arrives. The only problem would be the weather....if it's predicted to be too cold during shipping, they may not want to ship it immediately .....but you can always call them and ask!! They are really great at Mark and will do all they can to help!

You also don't necessarily need a script for the pens.....if you get one for the vial, you can just call Marks and ask for the pens instead....they are allowed to swap like that in Canada

Here's the information about Marks

I would make sure you go ahead and start testing every day....before every shot and any other time you can grab a test to start to get some idea of how Samba is doing
 
Sarah Mc said:
Can I stay in this Lantus forum for this next few days that he is on the Novolin or do I need to move again?
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I'm so glad you came here and got excellent advice from the Lantus pros, Sarah. :) I don't see why you need to leave this forum while you wait for a new vial of Lantus. You could also post on the main health forum if you like until you've got Samba back on Lantus.

You'll notice that the recommended starting dose for Lantus as per these experienced folks' input is much lower than what you were giving Samba. If you use the guidance available here, you'll probably restart the Lantus at 0.5 u twice a day if there's no dry food in Samba's diet. I recommended 1 u of Novolin last night because that is likely a safe dose until you gather BG data. I stand by that recommendation for tonight and going ahead until you get more Lantus. The main thing right now is to start your systematic testing routine.
 
Just a side note on the marks marine. My vet wrote a script for the pens, I took a pic of it with my phone and emailed it to Marks and that satisfied their requirements for having a script. Shhh, I then used that paper script to get one pen from walmart to start him on the insulin until the shipment from Mark's came in. I've done 3 or 4 orders with Marks and all made it fine and they are a PLEASURE to work with, not to mention about 1/3 the cost of any local pharmacy even after shipping and exchange rate stuff.

Sorry about dropping the vial, that had to be super frustrating.
 
Chris & China said:
I don't think that's a terrible idea at all.....ANY insulin is better than no insulin and if money is tight, I don't see any reason why you can't wait until you can get the lantus from Marks....Usually takes less than 7 days from the date you order to the day it arrives. The only problem would be the weather....if it's predicted to be too cold during shipping, they may not want to ship it immediately .....but you can always call them and ask!! They are really great at Mark and will do all they can to help!

You also don't necessarily need a script for the pens.....if you get one for the vial, you can just call Marks and ask for the pens instead....they are allowed to swap like that in Canada

Here's the information about Marks

I would make sure you go ahead and start testing every day....before every shot and any other time you can grab a test to start to get some idea of how Samba is doing
Click to expand...

I ordered the 5-pack of Lantus solostar pens from Marks. Thank you!!!
 
Samba's BG with Relion was 318 at 8:30pM prior to eating dinner. It took me 45 minutes to get it. He is smart and doesn't like it and scratches me up. I am about to give him one unit of Novolin N. His BG last night with the Alphatrak was 509. This is the lowest I've ever seen for him. You guys were right about switching to wet food.
 
Sarah Mc said:
Samba's BG with Relion was 318 at 8:30pM prior to eating dinner. It took me 45 minutes to get it. He is smart and doesn't like it and scratches me up. I am about to give him one unit of Novolin N. His BG last night with the Alphatrak was 509. This is the lowest I've ever seen for him. You guys were right about switching to wet food.
Click to expand...
I'm glad you went with the decreased Novolin dose now that he's on wet food. :)
 
saltycat said:
Just a side note on the marks marine. My vet wrote a script for the pens, I took a pic of it with my phone and emailed it to Marks and that satisfied their requirements for having a script. Shhh, I then used that paper script to get one pen from walmart to start him on the insulin until the shipment from Mark's came in. I've done 3 or 4 orders with Marks and all made it fine and they are a PLEASURE to work with, not to mention about 1/3 the cost of any local pharmacy even after shipping and exchange rate stuff.

Sorry about dropping the vial, that had to be super frustrating.
Click to expand...

Thank you... I'll keep this in mind if I'm ever in a pinch. And thanks for your empathy re: the vial. It really sucked. Fortunately, I feel like we're back on the good track :)
 
Sarah Mc said:
Thank you... I'll keep this in mind if I'm ever in a pinch. And thanks for your empathy re: the vial. It really sucked. Fortunately, I feel like we're back on the good track :)
Click to expand...

And yes! The Marks pharmacist was super nice! Glad you've had a good experience, and it's a relief to hear that I might have some portion of his treatment plan figured out :)
 
Hello and Welcome Sarah and Samba,

good job getting started with the ss and getting those tests in. I'm glad you've been able to speak to Mark's and that they have been so helpful. So sorry about the dropped vial:bighug::bighug::bighug:
Kris & Teasel said:
ou'll notice that the recommended starting dose for Lantus as per these experienced folks' input is much lower than what you were giving Samba. If you use the guidance available here, you'll probably restart the Lantus at 0.5 u twice a day if there's no dry food in Samba's diet. I recommended 1 u of Novolin last night because that is likely a safe dose until you gather BG data. I stand by that recommendation for tonight and going ahead until you get more Lantus. The main thing right now is to start your systematic testing routine.
Click to expand...

As you are going to be on novolin for a little while before you get your lantus, and as long as you are testing and gathering some data midcycle, so you can see how low he is going with the 1u dose of novolin, you can take that data into account when you come to make the swap, you wouldn't necessarily have to 'restart' with 0.5u.

Also as you have been able to transition him to wet you have a choice of the two dosing protocols, might be an idea to read up on those and have a think which of those is a good fit for you, the starting doses (if he hadn't been on insulin previously) would be dependent on which protocol you decided to follow.
On SLGS the starting dose would indeed be 0.5u
Starting Dose:From SLGS
  • 1u BID if kitty is not on a wet/canned low carb diet
  • 0.5u BID if kitty has been switched to a wet/canned low carb diet
  • If the cat was previously on another insulin, the starting dose should be increased or decreased by taking prior data into consideration
  • Generally, shots are to be given 12 hours apart.
but, on TR the starting dose would be worked out based on kitties weight
STARTING DOSE:From TR protocol
The weight based formula for determining a starting dose of Lantus or Levemir when following the Tight Regulation Protocol:
  • the formula is 0.25 unit per kg of the cat's ideal weight
  • if kitty is underweight, the formula frequently used is 0.25 unit per kg of kitty's actual weight (eg for
  • my kitty this was a starting dose of 1.5u)
  • if the cat was previously on another insulin, the starting dose should be increased or decreased by taking prior data into consideration
Once you get the lantus be sure to post up before you make the swap so you can get some help with that.

keep up the good work.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:

here are the links to the stickies that explain both dosing methods

TR (tight regulation)
SLGS (Start low go slow)
 
Gill & George said:
Hello and Welcome Sarah and Samba,

good job getting started with the ss and getting those tests in. I'm glad you've been able to speak to Mark's and that they have been so helpful. So sorry about the dropped vial:bighug::bighug::bighug:


As you are going to be on novolin for a little while before you get your lantus, and as long as you are testing and gathering some data midcycle, so you can see how low he is going with the 1u dose of novolin, you can take that data into account when you come to make the swap, you wouldn't necessarily have to 'restart' with 0.5u.

Also as you have been able to transition him to wet you have a choice of the two dosing protocols, might be an idea to read up on those and have a think which of those is a good fit for you, the starting doses (if he hadn't been on insulin previously) would be dependent on which protocol you decided to follow.
On SLGS the starting dose would indeed be 0.5u
Starting Dose:From SLGS
  • 1u BID if kitty is not on a wet/canned low carb diet
  • 0.5u BID if kitty has been switched to a wet/canned low carb diet
  • If the cat was previously on another insulin, the starting dose should be increased or decreased by taking prior data into consideration
  • Generally, shots are to be given 12 hours apart.
but, on TR the starting dose would be worked out based on kitties weight
STARTING DOSE:From TR protocol
The weight based formula for determining a starting dose of Lantus or Levemir when following the Tight Regulation Protocol:
  • the formula is 0.25 unit per kg of the cat's ideal weight
  • if kitty is underweight, the formula frequently used is 0.25 unit per kg of kitty's actual weight (eg for
  • my kitty this was a starting dose of 1.5u)
  • if the cat was previously on another insulin, the starting dose should be increased or decreased by taking prior data into consideration
Once you get the lantus be sure to post up before you make the swap so you can get some help with that.

keep up the good work.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:

here are the links to the stickies that explain both dosing methods

TR (tight regulation)
SLGS (Start low go slow)
Click to expand...

I had skimmed both methods, but I am going to read them today. In the meantime, what times for mid cycle tests would be most helpful for you all to see? +3 or 4 and +6? He's been kind of difficult about it. Each time I test it takes anywhere from 15-45 minutes, which sounds absurd. Anyway, the more times per day I try to do, the harder it is obviously, so I'd like to aim for doing the most important ones. Thank you!
 
3 and 6 would be good, and grab a before bed test in the pm cycle, many kitties go lower at night.

If you have any questions about the two methods, fire away, there's no such thing as a stupid question.
:)
 
Gill & George said:
3 and 6 would be good, and grab a before bed test in the pm cycle, many kitties go lower at night.

If you have any questions about the two methods, fire away, there's no such thing as a stupid question.
:)
Click to expand...

Right now, I am aiming to shoot at 8am & 8pm every day. The reason is I have to leave for work between 8 & 8:15 every morning, and 7:30pm is the earliest I can ever get home on week days. That means no + anything for the morning cycle. I can do a +3 every night no problem since I usually aim to go to bed by midnight, but I would have to set my alarm for 2am to do a +6 (which is fine if that's what I have to do). All that being said, would it be safe for Samba & I to do TR given how much time I am away from home each day? Curves wouldn't be a problem on the weekends. It's just M-F that is rough, and I work an hour away from home, so there's no way that I could run home to check on him.
 
Sarah Mc said:
@Kris & Teasel, PMPS is 370. Continue with 1 unit of Novolin?
Click to expand...
Yes. Can you get a test in at +3? I notice that you don't have a preshot BG number for yesterday in the AM. Did you forget to enter it? Any idea when the Lantus will arrive? If it's delayed, I'll probably suggest a little Novolin dose increase tomorrow.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
Yes. Can you get a test in at +3? I notice that you don't have a preshot BG number for yesterday in the AM. Did you forget to enter it? Any idea when the Lantus will arrive? If it's delayed, I'll probably suggest a little Novolin dose increase tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'll test at +3 tonight. I did not get an AMPS yesterday; I'm sorry. I gave up after 30 minutes of trying because I was late for an appointment, but we are getting better at it like we have with the shots. I am supposed to receive an email by tomorrow with tracking info for the Lantus, so I will post when I know the ETA, but my guess is by Friday. Thank you for all your help.
 
Sarah Mc said:
Hello,

I was posting in the Feline Health forum and was asked to create a thread here in the Lantus forum as well.

-My cat, Samba, was diagnosed with FD on 12/31/16 after a BG reading of 460 at the vet's office and immediately started on 3 units of Novolin N BID for three days, followed by 2 units of Novolin N BID until 1/7/17. His diet was also switched from Iams Adult dry food to Royal Canin Glycobalance dry food, per the vet.
-On 1/7/17, we returned to the vet, and his BG was higher at 472. He was immediately switched to 2 units of Lantus BID which he got every day until this evening (will explain in a sec).
-On 1/14/17, we returned to the vet, and his BG was 426. I was advised to switch him to a wet food diet and keep him on the same dose of insulin (2 units of Lantus BID) and also advised to order an Alphatrak, which I did.
-Over the last week, I've gradually reduced Samba's dry food intake and increased his wet food intake, and he will be fully transitioned to the wet food effective tomorrow (he only had about 15 pieces of kibble today). His Alphatrak arrived in the mail tonight. I thought we were on a good track until I dropped his Lantus vial at his PM dose tonight (prior to him receiving it), and it shattered everywhere.
-I then came on here and posted the following thread in the Feline Health forum: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/shattered-lantus-need-dosing-advice-for-tonight.171643/
-After receiving guidance there, I home tested for the first time using the Alphatrak, and his BG was 509 at 11:17 PM. He then received one unit of Novolin N at 11:50 PM because this was all that I had on hand, and there are no Walmart Pharmacies open past 9 PM in Maryland. I was advised to skip his AM dose tomorrow since I will need to leave for work by 8 AM, and it will be too soon to administer another dose before I leave.

I plan to pick up more Lantus after work, as well as the Relion meter because it's more affordable. How would you advise that I proceed with dosing tomorrow night?

I'm so sorry for my carelessness. It has been a trying night, and Samba is very mad at me.

Thank you for your help

-Sarah
Click to expand...

Hi Sarah, I saw your post and feel your anxiety. I volunteer for a group in MN. I took on a diabetic foster cat, who crashed the first night I had her. The vet isn't experienced it seems with diabetic cats ( I have no experience)and it has been frustrating, stressful and poor Ezzie is a trooper. I am also trying to figure out how to use this site have never done this before. I feel stupid, worried or scared frequently throughout the day. Hang in there and contact me any time for morale support . This is hard ..... Kathi
 
Sarah Mc said:
Yes, I'll test at +3 tonight. I did not get an AMPS yesterday; I'm sorry. I gave up after 30 minutes of trying because I was late for an appointment, but we are getting better at it like we have with the shots. I am supposed to receive an email by tomorrow with tracking info for the Lantus, so I will post when I know the ETA, but my guess is by Friday. Thank you for all your help.
Click to expand...
Novolin is a U100 insulin, isn't it? Do your U100 syringes have half unit marks on them? If so, can you eyeball 1.25 u for tonight? I think the dose can come up a bit seeing as you still have a few days before you get your Lantus.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
Novolin is a U100 insulin, isn't it? Do your U100 syringes have half unit marks on them? If so, can you eyeball 1.25 u for tonight? I think the dose can come up a bit seeing as you still have a few days before you get your Lantus.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I gave him 1.25 u with the u100 syringe. PMPS was 389 :( the Lantus apparently left the pharmacy today.
 
Kath4158 said:
Hi Sarah, I saw your post and feel your anxiety. I volunteer for a group in MN. I took on a diabetic foster cat, who crashed the first night I had her. The vet isn't experienced it seems with diabetic cats ( I have no experience)and it has been frustrating, stressful and poor Ezzie is a trooper. I am also trying to figure out how to use this site have never done this before. I feel stupid, worried or scared frequently throughout the day. Hang in there and contact me any time for morale support . This is hard ..... Kathi
Click to expand...

Thanks, Kathi. How kind of you to take on Ezzie... has it been a bonding experience for you? It seems like you are doing a very good job of caring for her. I was reading your thread. You seem to know a lot already and are clearly very smart and careful. How is she holding up, and is it getting any easier? Thanks for the encouragement.
 
Sarah Mc said:
Thanks, Kathi. How kind of you to take on Ezzie... has it been a bonding experience for you? It seems like you are doing a very good job of caring for her. I was reading your thread. You seem to know a lot already and are clearly very smart and careful. How is she holding up, and is it getting any easier? Thanks for the encouragement.
Click to expand...
Hi Sarah, I think for me learning and having all this help calms my nerves sometimes. But, I find it hard , scary , when I'm trying to decide what to do . These guys are wonderful but I feel legions behind. Since she's a foster, I've know her for a week. I just have thought of you all day and how stressful it's been for you. Last night I couldn't get a blood draw and was to the point of poking my own ear instead of poor Ezzie. Take care, you have a SS, I can't even begin to figure that one out on here. :)
 
Kath4158 said:
Hi Sarah, I think for me learning and having all this help calms my nerves sometimes. But, I find it hard , scary , when I'm trying to decide what to do . These guys are wonderful but I feel legions behind. Since she's a foster, I've know her for a week. I just have thought of you all day and how stressful it's been for you. Last night I couldn't get a blood draw and was to the point of poking my own ear instead of poor Ezzie. Take care, you have a SS, I can't even begin to figure that one out on here. :)
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I can't imagine how hard it must be to do this to a cat you've just met. My Samba & I are so in love with each other, and he still fights me with it. Samba has always taken a long time to warm up to strangers and was found when he was really young (too young to be weaned off of his mother) as part of an abandoned litter on the street. My vet assumes his mother must have died for this to happen because she wouldn't abandon her litter. Anyway, he was bottle fed by a human until he was brought to the humane society. Apparently bottle-raised cats have certain unique qualities (per my vet), one of which being that they become very attached to their owners but possibly abnormally fearful of others. The other night, my dad said, "Sarah, no one else can do that to him but you," and at least for now, he's right. Samba won't let anyone else touch him, so all this responsibility scares me too (not that I have to do it, more like, what if an emergency comes up and I can't be here for him for a period of time?) Obviously a trained vet could handle him, but that would not be affordable... anyway, I feel that Ezzie is blessed to have found you, and this has to get easier with time... I figure I've got many more years to get comfortable with this routine and become a pro at it... so you & Ezzie will soon be doing it in your sleep!

For the spreadsheet, @Marje and Gracie made mine for me. Tagging her for you. Have a good day!!!
 
Sarah Mc said:
I can't imagine how hard it must be to do this to a cat you've just met. My Samba & I are so in love with each other, and he still fights me with it. Samba has always taken a long time to warm up to strangers and was found when he was really young (too young to be weaned off of his mother) as part of an abandoned litter on the street. My vet assumes his mother must have died for this to happen because she wouldn't abandon her litter. Anyway, he was bottle fed by a human until he was brought to the humane society. Apparently bottle-raised cats have certain unique qualities (per my vet), one of which being that they become very attached to their owners but possibly abnormally fearful of others. The other night, my dad said, "Sarah, no one else can do that to him but you," and at least for now, he's right. Samba won't let anyone else touch him, so all this responsibility scares me too (not that I have to do it, more like, what if an emergency comes up and I can't be here for him for a period of time?) Obviously a trained vet could handle him, but that would not be affordable... anyway, I feel that Ezzie is blessed to have found you, and this has to get easier with time... I figure I've got many more years to get comfortable with this routine and become a pro at it... so you & Ezzie will soon be doing it in your sleep!

For the spreadsheet, @Marje and Gracie made mine for me. Tagging her for you. Have a good day!!!
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Sarah Mc said:
I can't imagine how hard it must be to do this to a cat you've just met. My Samba & I are so in love with each other, and he still fights me with it. Samba has always taken a long time to warm up to strangers and was found when he was really young (too young to be weaned off of his mother) as part of an abandoned litter on the street. My vet assumes his mother must have died for this to happen because she wouldn't abandon her litter. Anyway, he was bottle fed by a human until he was brought to the humane society. Apparently bottle-raised cats have certain unique qualities (per my vet), one of which being that they become very attached to their owners but possibly abnormally fearful of others. The other night, my dad said, "Sarah, no one else can do that to him but you," and at least for now, he's right. Samba won't let anyone else touch him, so all this responsibility scares me too (not that I have to do it, more like, what if an emergency comes up and I can't be here for him for a period of time?) Obviously a trained vet could handle him, but that would not be affordable... anyway, I feel that Ezzie is blessed to have found you, and this has to get easier with time... I figure I've got many more years to get comfortable with this routine and become a pro at it... so you & Ezzie will soon be doing it in your sleep!

For the spreadsheet, @Marje and Gracie made mine for me. Tagging her for you. Have a good day!!!
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Samba is so cute. I work the next 2 days and was fretting about that. One local contact ( very experienced with having diabetic cats) who's vet is experienced with diabetic cats said he feels 0.5 dosing to 1 unit should not cause cat to crash, ( unless infection, something else going on). That was helpful, the other was if you can't get a BG, your day is falling apart, hold the insulin. I agree with this, as I'd rather have her run high for a few hours vs. crashing from insulin dropping her blood sugar too low. That actually happened to me the first night she came home 2 weeks ago. Found her in hypoglycemic shock, used honey and rushed her to the vet. She stabilized and came back home with me, but I doNOT want to ever go through that again. I ended up canceling my work schedule that day. I was a wreck! So,it has helped to have these guys for help and support. I also was introduced to Diabetic Cats in Need: DCIN. They can help with: insulin, glucometer, lancets. Very helpful with cost, especially the insulin. Google : diabetic cat in need, look for: Wendy 's email address. She's in WI.
 
@Kris & Teasel, sorry to keep disturbing you. PMPS tonight is 427. It seems like his numbers are slowly rising on the Novolin. He was previously on 2 units of either insulin. Is it right to still only give 1.25 u tonight? The Lantus is in transit without an estimated delivery date yet. I may consider getting a single pen from Walmart tomorrow since I get paid tomorrow if I can work it into my budget. Thought people were saying Marks delivery usually takes a week though, so maybe it will still get here by Friday. Per USPS, the package is still in Vancouver. Thanks!!
 
Sarah Mc said:
@Kris & Teasel, sorry to keep disturbing you. PMPS tonight is 427. It seems like his numbers are slowly rising on the Novolin. He was previously on 2 units of either insulin. Is it right to still only give 1.25 u tonight? The Lantus is in transit without an estimated delivery date yet. I may consider getting a single pen from Walmart tomorrow since I get paid tomorrow if I can work it into my budget. Thought people were saying Marks delivery usually takes a week though, so maybe it will still get here by Friday. Per USPS, the package is still in Vancouver. Thanks!!
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You're not disturbing me at all. By all means give 1.25 u again. I hesitate to recommend 1.5 u at night when it's difficult to test around nadir, especially with an insulin that can cause a faster drop. If it was day time and you were at home, 1.5 u would be a dose to try.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
You're not disturbing me at all. By all means give 1.25 u again. I hesitate to recommend 1.5 u at night when it's difficult to test around nadir, especially with an insulin that can cause a faster drop. If it was day time and you were at home, 1.5 u would be a dose to try.
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Okay. I just feel like I really set him back dropping the Lantus and that he is getting worse, but of course that is my fault. Thanks. I will give 1.25 u
 
Sara, don't know if you saw my response earlier.
I don't know if this would help get the lantus sooner
Contact: Wendy at Diabetic cats in need (DCIN)
Wendy@dcin.info
She may be can get you lantus quickly
They got me the glucometer for Ezzie within 2 days.
Good luck
 
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