Very conflicted

[Vtambo & Rex]

i know I have been posting a lot and asking a lot of questions lately, mostly about testing, so sorry if it is too much. I am just so conflicted about the whole testing thing. I understand why it should be done, but my conflict is the fact that it really seems to stress Rex. And me. Or maybe me, then Rex. I don't know, but this AM when I tested him it took me a few pokes again and he got irritated and clawed at me and ran out of the room. This time he didn't come back for a few hours and wasn't laying outside the door. When he finally did come back he had the deer in the headlights look in his eyes and it seemed like every time I even made a move he was nervous and ready to run again. I just feel like if he is so stressed like that all the time how is he going to get better?

I realize I haven't been very consistent with the testing but filled out the spreadsheet today with what I have. Most of the numbers are in the 300s, two in the 400s and one in the 200s. The day he was diagnosed his number in the office was 372. So after all this time on insulin his numbers have really not changed at all, but the vet says he is doing fine based on a fructosamine test. I have been jumping through hoops trying to find low carb food that he will eat but have not had a whole lot of success. He was on Wellness his whole life- which is actually also pretty low carb, so kind of wonder where did the diabetes come from anyway. The one thing that has changed is that he would vomit pretty often when on the Wellness (I always thought and heard it was probably hair balls since he has long hair), but since he has been off the Wellness he really hasn't vomited. I just have to wonder if something in the food had been irritating his digestive system for so long that is what caused it? Also, his symptoms started after he had a dental. Could the meds they give to put him under have caused it? He had a blood test around a year ago that showed pancreatic numbers elevated but at the time the vet said if he was not symptomatic it was probably because he wasn't fasting at the time of the test. His glucose numbers were normal at the time. I guess bottom line is that I am wondering if the diabetes is a symptom of something else?or ?

Sorry if I am rambling. I guess I just need to talk about this. This has definitely been a really stressful week and I am feeling kinda overwhelmed.

 

[Yong & Maury GA]

I tend to believe if you're stressed out then kitty will act out accordingly, a lot of the time. Have you been trying any of the desensitization with him? Also, hate to say it but the Fructosamine tests are not the best indicator his diabetes is under control because it is an average of like 2-3 weeks including high and low numbers. After his dental, was he given steroids? There is such a thing as steroid induced diabetes. It's also possible something in the Wellness irritated his "innards" and caused inflammation. We can't dwell on the cause and "what if scenarios", just look forward and keep trying your best for him now .

Rambling is allowed

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

Stress is contagious, or maybe we got blessed with two patient cats. This worked for us quite easily with two cats. In short; get a routine going, good lighting, no distractions, maybe get Rex up on a table on a towel so he doesn't feel you above and threatening him. Lay everything out so he doesn't sense a surprise, talk to him, and the instant you're done quietly take everything away and let him leave on his own. Seems impossible now but I've been doing this for years and I'm just getting ready now. Noah sees me pull out his supplies and in a minute I'll thump his basket and he'll go right in. He does have thin, sensitive ears but he always gets a little head rub later and maybe a warm water paper towel ear rub. His brother Nigel was an Angel, should have videoed that. Sorry, can't resist...

 

[Sharon14]

Ramble away, sometimes talking about it helps to get the stress out! The desensitizing we keep talking about is not just for Rex, but to help desensitize you too. They definitely can sense your nerves and frustrations. Relax. Maybe do a few relaxation exercises before you take him to the test spot. Then, when you take him there, just give him a treat, and do this over and over. Sing or just tell him how much you love him. You want to test, it's important, but it's ok not to get one today or even tomorrow. Try to remember that and just breathe, it's going to work out.

 

[Vtambo & Rex]

I tend to believe if you're stressed out then kitty will act out accordingly, a lot of the time. Have you been trying any of the desensitization with him? Also, hate to say it but the Fructosamine tests are not the best indicator his diabetes is under control because it is an average of like 2-3 weeks including high and low numbers. After his dental, was he given steroids? There is such a thing as steroid induced diabetes. It's also possible something in the Wellness irritated his "innards" and caused inflammation. We can't dwell on the cause and "what if scenarios", just look forward and keep trying your best for him now .

Rambling is allowed

I have been trying to mess with his ears, just petting, rubbing, etc. he just gets annoyed. What else should I be doing?

I agree with the fructosamine tests. Our vet situation is weird right now. The vet we have always seen and for the most part like has gone down to part time and not even regular hours so feel like I can't really count on her. Since she has gone down to part time I feel like I am not sure how committed she is. Her specialty is rehab mostly of dogs, however she owns cats. They always stick me with another vet, who I have requested not to see, but in our regular vets absence seems they always do anyway. Anyway she is not at all supportive of home testing and in fact even told me she would not take into consideration home testing results in her treatment and relies solely on fructosamine tests and that I should buy a baby scale and watch his weight.

I don't think he was given steroids but can't say that for sure.

I know you are right about what's done is done. I guess that's just my nature. I am like the toddler who always asks why. If indeed the food caused inflammation, perhaps with time that can be repaired. I still have to wonder though why the insulin doesn't seem to be doing really anything.

I guess I may have to go back in to the vet and talk about either upping the dose or changing it altogether. Not sure.

 

[Vtambo & Rex]

I tend to believe if you're stressed out then kitty will act out accordingly, a lot of the time. Have you been trying any of the desensitization with him? Also, hate to say it but the Fructosamine tests are not the best indicator his diabetes is under control because it is an average of like 2-3 weeks including high and low numbers. After his dental, was he given steroids? There is such a thing as steroid induced diabetes. It's also possible something in the Wellness irritated his "innards" and caused inflammation. We can't dwell on the cause and "what if scenarios", just look forward and keep trying your best for him now .

Rambling is allowed

Oh ya, and thanks for the advice and encouragement.

 

[Vtambo & Rex]

Stress is contagious, or maybe we got blessed with two patient cats. This worked for us quite easily with two cats. In short; get a routine going, good lighting, no distractions, maybe get Rex up on a table on a towel so he doesn't feel you above and threatening him. Lay everything out so he doesn't sense a surprise, talk to him, and the instant you're done quietly take everything away and let him leave on his own. Seems impossible now but I've been doing this for years and I'm just getting ready now. Noah sees me pull out his supplies and in a minute I'll thump his basket and he'll go right in. He does have thin, sensitive ears but he always gets a little head rub later and maybe a warm water paper towel ear rub. His brother Nigel was an Angel, should have videoed that. Sorry, can't resist...

He's beautiful.

 

[Vtambo & Rex]

Ramble away, sometimes talking about it helps to get the stress out! The desensitizing we keep talking about is not just for Rex, but to help desensitize you too. They definitely can sense your nerves and frustrations. Relax. Maybe do a few relaxation exercises before you take him to the test spot. Then, when you take him there, just give him a treat, and do this over and over. Sing or just tell him how much you love him. You want to test, it's important, but it's ok not to get one today or even tomorrow. Try to remember that and just breathe, it's going to work out.

Thank you.

 

[Lillie]

It is stressful and overwhelming no doubt about it. If you've had a cat with diabetes for a long time and have been testing for a long time I'm sure it becomes routine and not so stressful. I didn't like the fact that my cat would run from me and give me those big eyes like "What, you're getting that darn meter out again! I'm goin under the bed now." Some are lucky enough to have their cats not mind it right from the beginning. Others (like me) had to work hard to try and relax and keep the kitty relaxed too. The funny part of it is that when my kitty was recently hospitalized they checked his BG every few hours even though his has not needed any insulin for about 10 days now and they all said -"Oh, he's so good for us, and it's so easy to test him." What?? Whose cat was that? They never even made a red mark or any bruising. I figure it takes a lot of practice. The techs did give me a tip though to always shoot at an angle.

 

[Yong & Maury GA]

she is not at all supportive of home testing and in fact even told me she would not take into consideration home testing results in her treatment

I would hope any decent Vet would know BG levels are influenced by stress and the numbers are home are going to be more accurate. Someone even brought up the example of us; At the doctor's office our blood pressure is probably higher than if we took it at home . I know mine is! lol.

Sharon has given some nice tips for both of you and I called on two fellow Prozinc buddies recently for someone else's kitty needing desensitizing. Which I will do again for you @Caitlin M @Djamila

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

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!

 

[Djamila]

Yes to everything Chris and Sharon said. That first step is so important. Going through that routine many times each day - without even trying to poke at first - is so important when you have a difficult kitty, or when the idea of testing is stressing you out too. When Sam was first diagnosed a few years ago, he would barely let me touch him ever. The process of testing him several times each day has actually made him trust me more. I know that seems weird, and I know he doesn't exactly like that I stab his ear and give him shots, but now he purrs and asks for attention at other times, and he comes to the testing place as soon as I open the "testing box" where I keep the supplies (and treats). It's been a process, and it's been difficult at times, but it's essential to keeping him safe....and maybe even getting his pancreas to heal.

You said that messing with his ears is just annoying him. Yup. That's why the treat is so important. You might also start the warming part of the process. Sam loves having the warm rice thing rubbed on his head and chin, and then I was able to start rubbing it on his ears, and then finally holding it on his ears. I think the warmth is part of what won him over to the whole process. And the treats. Did I mention the treats? I'm starting to think I could teach him to do just about anything if I used enough treats. Hold/rub his ear, give a treat. Hold is ear again, give another treat. Hold it for as long as he'll let you, give another treat. Rinse and repeat. A lot of times.

And keep posting, venting, asking questions - that's why we all hang out here. And even people who have been here for awhile still post to ask for consultations and advice and empathy. This is a tough thing to manage, but it's infinitely better when we all help each other.

 

[Wesley and Spicoli]

I know how you feel. We really just started testing religiously about a week ago. He was already used to his shot by that time because we had developed a routine. Routine is important.
Home testing is a must. Shooting blind is dangerous and can be deadly. Also, it'll save you some money and give you more true readings if you do it at home rather than taking the cat to the vet. They want you to pay them. It is a business after all. No human would give themselves insulin without checking first, right? Your furbaby is no different.

If you're stressed - your cat knows it and will respond accordingly.
Whenever I find myself feeling stressed either with shots or testing, I just stop. Stop and pet my sweet boy, talk a little to him and it seems to calm us both. Try to associate the meter and shots with food and treats and extra petties. Cats don't have that many nerve endings in their ears, so you REALLY aren't hurting him. I've gone all the way through his ear 2 times so far and he hardly seemed to notice.

After the first few days of testing you'll really get the hang of it, and so will your kitty.

 

[Vtambo & Rex]

my thinking at this point is that I would like to regroup and maybe pick this up again on Monday. this has been one heck of a week for both of us and I/we need a break. I just don't want to feel the stress for a bit. I have been thinking as well that since all of Rex's tests so far have been well into the 300 range (except for one that was 203 and a few that were over 400) I don't feel like there is imminent danger if I do not test but still give him his shots. he is only getting 1 unit of lantus twice a day. I kind of feel like I am wasting strips with continued testing because his numbers have literally not changed from when he was originally diagnosed in the vet's office. his number there was 372. granted I have not been religious about the testing, but I am almost out of strips, so have done it at least that many times. maybe once I can convince the vet to up the dose or change to another insulin or figure something else out on my own (i.e. supplements or herbals stuff) I will feel there is more of a need for the multiple times a day testing. the other reasoning behind my wanting to take a break is that I feel like I just need to rethink the whole thing as far as where I do the testing, what treats I use, possibly even the meter I use, etc. I have been doing the testing in my home office which is where Rex and I spend most of our weekdays. I have it all set up for him in there with places for him to lay/sleep, a windowsill for him to watch out the window - complete with a stick on the window bird feeder so he can watch the birds, some of his toys, scratching boxes, catnip, etc, and I notice he is beginning to spend less time in there with me, particularly after I have done a test. this morning I went in there to get it set up for testing and as soon as I brought him in there he got agitated, started to struggle with me and wanted out, wouldn't even look at the treats I had provided. I didn't see him for hours, until I found him hiding/sleeping in my husband's soccer bag in the laundry room. frankly, I miss him being in my office with me. so I am thinking I might like to find another place to do the testing that isn't his "main" hang out. I also figure I can use the time to really get into the "desensitizing" thing and maybe just start over. I am also thinking I might want to use a different meter since the AlthaTRAK 2 strips are so expensive. I am hesitant because I do like the fact that this one is calibrated specifically for animals, but I am calculating close to $100+ a month just for testing. that seems ridiculous to me. I just saw on Walmart's website that the Relion meter is only like $10 and 100 strips is $17. that seems MUCH more reasonable, so might consider that, but first I would like to poke around on this site a bit to see what people say about the Relion meter and how to compare the numbers with the AlpahTRAK. I guess the whole process just needs a revamp from start to finish. I did buy some ketone strips so plan to start using those which I am hoping will be easier than this whole blood testing thing.

 

[Vtambo & Rex]

and thank you all again for all your help, encouragement, and advice! never thought I would see myself participating in a support group such as this, but sure glad I decided to do it! hopefully at some point I can help someone else.

 

[Kris & Teasel]

and thank you all again for all your help, encouragement, and advice! never thought I would see myself participating in a support group such as this, but sure glad I decided to do it! hopefully at some point I can help someone else.

You'll get used to the testing after you've given yourself time to desensitize your kitty and figured out where and how it works best for you. Treating FD is a daunting task that requires us to do things we don't like doing but it's necessary to get Rex feeling well. I was resistant to joining an online group too but now I can't imagine not being here. I know I'm not alone and that's so helpful.

You don't need to be experienced to help others. Greeting newcomers or sharing your struggles when someone else posts about theirs is something you can do anytime.

 

[Yong & Maury GA]

I think finding a new test spot that isn't / wasn't his favourite place to hang out is a good idea . A lot of us prefer the ReliOn Confirm or Micro, think the meter is like $15. The $10 is the ReliOn Prime, which takes a bigger sample. Also, there is no direct comparison for AlphaTrak 2 numbers to ReliOn numbers. Only that at higher numbers the difference is greater and at lower numbers tends to be less difference.

I'm very glad I found this group too . But I also am the type to avoid human doctors and Vet's as much as I can. Never found one I could really trust or felt mine or fur baby's health was in their best interest.

 

[Vtambo & Rex]

I think finding a new test spot that isn't / wasn't his favourite place to hang out is a good idea . A lot of us prefer the ReliOn Confirm or Micro, think the meter is like $15. The $10 is the ReliOn Prime, which takes a bigger sample. Also, there is no direct comparison for AlphaTrak 2 numbers to ReliOn numbers. Only that at higher numbers the difference is greater and at lower numbers tends to be less difference.

I'm very glad I found this group too . But I also am the type to avoid human doctors and Vet's as much as I can. Never found one I could really trust or felt mine or fur baby's health was in their best interest.

Definitely on the same page with ya there....

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

my thinking at this point is that I would like to regroup and maybe pick this up again on Monday.

There's always someone here, so many time zones. Call us and someone will be here.