Pumpkin AMPS 383 8uAM 8uPM

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Pumpkin's Mom

Member Since 2016
Vet just upped to 8am/8pm. Why can't I get him regulated? He is almost to starting numbers. It seems like he did better on less. However, he is much happier now, more active, more awake. If I didn't know he was diabetic I would say this is a normal happy cat.
So frustrated.
 
Here is your last post here: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/2-24-amps-306-8uam-7upm.173735/#post-1905834
We include those links so people can see what was previously said.

First of all, some cats need more insulin than others. I believe you have seen the discussion on high dose conditions. If Pumpkin has a high dose condition it will take more insulin to get regulated. However, and this is a big one, you have to safely increase the dose so you know that the large dose is needed. Below 10'units, we only increase by 0.5 units at a time. Do you have syringes with 1/2 unit markings? Second we increase Lantus (and Levemir) based on how low it is taking kitty. You need to get some midncycle tests so we can see how a dose is working and whether there are some lows in there. It's entirely possible to see a red preshot, hit a below 50'green(human meter) and zoom back up to pink again by the next preshot. I know that because my girl did that a lot when I was first trying to get her regulated. If I wasn't getting mid cycle tests I would think she needed more insulin when in fact she was overdosed and needed less.

And please try to get some night time tests in. Many cats, including mine, would go a lot lower at night and bounce during the day, again looking like she needed more insulin but in fact needing less. Always at a minimum get a preshot test a night, so you know it's safe to give insulin. A before bed test is good information to see if kitty is going low at night. To be honest, with the amount of data on your spreadsheet and the too large size increases, I don't know if your cat is under dosed or overdosed.

If Pumpkin is happier now and more awake, that is a great sign. Hang in there, regulation is a process. You will get here.:bighug:
 
It's entirely possible to see a red preshot, hit a below 50'green(human meter) and zoom back up to pink again by the next preshot. I know that because my girl did that a lot when I was first trying to get her regulated
This happens all the time with my kitty Ozzy. He's very bouncy.

When we first started on the insulin, Ozzy would nadir (have his lowest reading in the cycle) around +4 to +6, now he tends to nadir later around +8. As mentioned above, if possible with your schedule, you should try to test some more so you have a better idea how your kitty is doing on insulin. We have a difficult almost non-existent ability to monitor during the am cycles while we are away at work, but we always get a couple tests in during the evening cycles (and one last one before bed) as well as monitor more on our days off so we can get a better idea of how Ozzy is doing with his current dose. We also always get a preshot test. We have gone up and down and up and down and up and down on the dose several times now. It's been several months now (since Nov 30th) and Ozzy is still not regulated. It really is a 'process' as they say.

Do you test your kitty every day? I see a lot of missed calendar days on your SS. If you have tested more and just did not input the numbers on your SS, you should update it so others more experienced can take a look and give you advice. If you have not been testing more, if I were you, I would honestly be very nervous in continuing to increase your kitty's dose without more information on how he is doing on the dose you are already giving. Insulin is a powerful hormone and lantus is a depot insulin (time released/cumulative effect).

Glad to hear that Pumpkin is starting to feel better. That's a great difference to note and we all hope he continues to get better and you get this insulin dose down! There are lots of helpful people here that can give you great advice. Good luck!:bighug::bighug:
 
Here is your last post here: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/2-24-amps-306-8uam-7upm.173735/#post-1905834
We include those links so people can see what was previously said.

First of all, some cats need more insulin than others. I believe you have seen the discussion on high dose conditions. If Pumpkin has a high dose condition it will take more insulin to get regulated. However, and this is a big one, you have to safely increase the dose so you know that the large dose is needed. Below 10'units, we only increase by 0.5 units at a time. Do you have syringes with 1/2 unit markings? Second we increase Lantus (and Levemir) based on how low it is taking kitty. You need to get some midncycle tests so we can see how a dose is working and whether there are some lows in there. It's entirely possible to see a red preshot, hit a below 50'green(human meter) and zoom back up to pink again by the next preshot. I know that because my girl did that a lot when I was first trying to get her regulated. If I wasn't getting mid cycle tests I would think she needed more insulin when in fact she was overdosed and needed less.

And please try to get some night time tests in. Many cats, including mine, would go a lot lower at night and bounce during the day, again looking like she needed more insulin but in fact needing less. Always at a minimum get a preshot test a night, so you know it's safe to give insulin. A before bed test is good information to see if kitty is going low at night. To be honest, with the amount of data on your spreadsheet and the too large size increases, I don't know if your cat is under dosed or overdosed.

If Pumpkin is happier now and more awake, that is a great sign. Hang in there, regulation is a process. You will get here.:bighug:

My vet has me test him every other morning a few days after a dosage change and text him the numbers. We usually add a +6 or +7 but the vet said he uptakes based on activity. He is a lot more active now so maybe that is why he seems high. He sleeps a lot less too.
 
This happens all the time with my kitty Ozzy. He's very bouncy.

When we first started on the insulin, Ozzy would nadir (have his lowest reading in the cycle) around +4 to +6, now he tends to nadir later around +8. As mentioned above, if possible with your schedule, you should try to test some more so you have a better idea how your kitty is doing on insulin. We have a difficult almost non-existent ability to monitor during the am cycles while we are away at work, but we always get a couple tests in during the evening cycles (and one last one before bed) as well as monitor more on our days off so we can get a better idea of how Ozzy is doing with his current dose. We also always get a preshot test. We have gone up and down and up and down and up and down on the dose several times now. It's been several months now (since Nov 30th) and Ozzy is still not regulated. It really is a 'process' as they say.

Do you test your kitty every day? I see a lot of missed calendar days on your SS. If you have tested more and just did not input the numbers on your SS, you should update it so others more experienced can take a look and give you advice. If you have not been testing more, if I were you, I would honestly be very nervous in continuing to increase your kitty's dose without more information on how he is doing on the dose you are already giving. Insulin is a powerful hormone and lantus is a depot insulin (time released/cumulative effect).

Glad to hear that Pumpkin is starting to feel better. That's a great difference to note and we all hope he continues to get better and you get this insulin dose down! There are lots of helpful people here that can give you great advice. Good luck!:bighug::bighug:

I have put in all the tests. I am following what my vet says. I do appreciate all the encouragement on here as well. :)
 
Your vet is probably not used to looking at a cat's blood sugar based on spreadsheets are we do here. But to his credit, he probably has few clients who home test. I know for my cat, and many others I've seen on here, the 1 unit increases and periodic tests would have been dangerous and led to hypo.
 
Your vet is probably not used to looking at a cat's blood sugar based on spreadsheets are we do here. But to his credit, he probably has few clients who home test. I know for my cat, and many others I've seen on here, the 1 unit increases and periodic tests would have been dangerous and led to hypo.

He is very well versed in diabetic cats. That is why we went to him. He has been great. We use the pen for now and he generally will add 1 to am or pm (so .5) . His dose is high so adding 1 isn't that much of a difference. The vet wants to see him at 230-240 pre-shot.
 
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