4/26 Ducia AMPS 241, +3 187, +4.5 110, +6 68, +8 66

[Tanya and Ducia]

Good morning everyone,

Last post

I am so confused about Ducia's readings for the PM cycle! Can you please help me understanding it?

She started at 110 and was 210 (!) at +5 which was 4 hours after 2 tsp of 0% meal. Between the pre-shot meal and +5 she had only 5 tsp mostly 0% food.

Last AM cycle 4/25 by that time she had 9 tsp of the same and was at 105. Almost twice as much food and twice as lower BG (?!) If I fed her only 5 tsp last AM she would be below Lime Green by AMPS +5.

I got it - the metabolism is slower in humans at night and must be so in some cats. But 210 - 4 hours after small size meal? I am really lost here...

It is so very odd - to me, anyway- that the same cat was fed the same zero carbs food and received the same amount of insulin had very different BG results and with such difference in metabolism dynamics.

Have you ever seen anything like that?
Maybe it is symptomatic of some hidden condition I am not aware of? Do you have any thoughts on that?

I already was wondering once about her slow-process nightly pattern on the 4/23 PM cycle, but it was slow and gradual descent to nadir with much more food eaten in the process.It is in the SS.

I will rethink how to feed her better at night but would really like to hear that today's BG 210 @+5 isn't something unhealthy or a warning sign.

Wishing all happy and healthy day!


PS. That 210 @+5 - it's not like clearing the bounce in reverse, is it? I hope not.

 

[rhiannon and shadow (GA)]

I'll try. It's basically another bounce....
the 210 is 9 hours after an 89. Her body is still not used to the greens but if you notice, it wasn't that high a bounce.
Try to look at the big picture..... there IS improvement.

the food can be used to slow down drops... but just because you give zero %, doesn't necessarily mean you can force the numbers to be lower.
You can only really manipulate the numbers with food to go up, not down. And...... each cat is different.

I don't see any thing that indicates another condition.
The best way to find that one out is imaging like an ultrasound.


Her chart looks normal to me.....
and I see progress, just not as fast as you are wishing for.

 

[Tanya and Ducia]

Thank you!

just because you give zero %, doesn't necessarily mean you can force the numbers to be lower.

I understand that. But, seemingly, after so very little eaten and the insulin is at the same dose she should be lower than 210. Unless, of course, as you said, it is a bounce . I am glad it's not Pink.

You can only really manipulate the numbers with food to go up, not down.

That's why I fed her with 4% at PMPS - the pre-shot was lower and I was anticipating a drop around +3. Oops.
Thanks for the input!

 

[Kris & Teasel]

I agree that she's progressing well. Yes, she's bouncy and that can make you think that there's something else going on but I'd want to see other signs in addition to BG. If there aren't any, don't worry. The only way I can judge Teasel's progress is to stand back and look at the colour distribution on his SS. If I looked at individual numbers I'd go crazy. I think that's the way to do it with bouncy cats.

 

[Kris & Teasel]

Thank you!

I understand that. But, seemingly, after so very little eaten and the insulin is at the same dose she should be lower than 210. Unless, of course, as you said, it is a bounce . I am glad it's not Pink.

That's why I fed her with 4% at PMPS - the pre-shot was lower and I was anticipating a drop around +3. Oops.
Thanks for the input!

Here's something else that helps me: I follow my routine in feeding Teasel - same foods, same amounts, same timing - and only intervene if he's going too low. The rest of the time I stay "hands off" in trying to direct his BG trajectory with feeding certain % carbs at specific times to ward off a bounce. It would be too hard on me and he's going to bounce anyway if that's what his body wants to do.

You've been through so much with Ducia, Tanya, and have had to watch her really closely over time. You did an amazing job getting her through DKA, hypos, feeding tube, etc. Now I think you need to practice being a little bit more relaxed with her. What do you think?

 

[Mandy & Rex (GA)]

I agree about keeping same foods, same amounts, and same timing. Then there's not so many variables at play.

 

[Tanya and Ducia]

Now I think you need to practice being a little bit more relaxed with her. What do you think?

I think these are the wise words, I can tell when I hear it.
Thank you! The relaxing approach is safe/proper when accompanied by knowledge and/or competence. As of yet I feel neither. But the day will come; it's been only 2 months since her Dx and the Hypo although it feels like forever.

 

[Kris & Teasel]

I think these are the wise words, I can tell when I hear it.
Thank you! The relaxing approach is safe/proper when accompanied by knowledge and/or competence. As of yet I feel neither. But the day will come; it's been only 2 months since her Dx and the Hypo although it feels like forever.

You might not feel it, Tanya, but you have a lot of knowledge and are very competent.

 

[Kris & Teasel]

To add to what I've said: it's not how long you've been treating a kitty for FD but how many stressful situations you've gone through and learned from that builds knowledge. If everything is easy you learn nothing.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Hey Tanya, you got some great advice and reassurance from everyone above.

the food can be used to slow down drops... but just because you give zero %, doesn't necessarily mean you can force the numbers to be lower.
You can only really manipulate the numbers with food to go up, not down. And...... each cat is different

And to answer your question of how can one day be the same food , same dose and different responses: because of a few variables. 1) could be because she is bouncing which appears to be the case today 2). insulin can be absorbed differently from one shot to the next and 3). because insulin is a hormone and not a medicine can have a different reaction from shot to shot.

Sometimes this dance feels like the cha -cha dance, right? Two steps forward, one step back. All in all Ducia is doing fabulous! Think of how far she has come with DKA, hospitalization, feeding tube and severe hypo event with seizures. And look at SS with lots of greens and blue and just a few pinks , unlike it before with reds........and she is on a lower dose than she was on before.

I am going to let you borrow my patience pants, as they are a little snug on me anyway.

 

[Tanya and Ducia]

LOL