Sam - Month 5

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Well at least Sam had a really good treat! I love to see how calm you are about all this!! :)
 
You guys! Look at that pre-shot! I've seen some of your kitties that will occasionally give you a strangely low pre-shot, but Sam doesn't do that. Sam is consistent like a Swiss clock! :woot:;)

I just got a 58, so I tested again and got a 60. Very strange wavy cycle today that is making me wish I had grabbed a test later in the cycle. But he was rising, or at least I thought he was rising, so I stopped the curve I had been planning for today. And then, bless his heart, he gives me a lower-than-ever PMPS.

Yesterday afternoon and this afternoon, I tried waking him up and giving him a +9 snack like @Bobbie And Bubba had mentioned. I don't know if it's that, or the change in test strips, or a combination of the two, but either way, I'm rather pleased with my little sugar kitty tonight! I think I might try setting the timed feeder tonight to see if the sound of it opening will get him to eat during at the middle-of-the-night +9 as well. Can't hurt to try, right?
 
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Djamila said:
You guys! Look at that pre-shot! I've seen some of your kitties that will occasionally give you a strangely low pre-shot, but Sam doesn't do that. Sam is consistent like a Swiss clock! :woot:;)

I just got a 58, so I tested again and got a 60. Very strange wavy cycle today that is making me wish I had grabbed a test later in the cycle. But he was rising, or at least I thought he was rising, so I stopped the curve I had been planning for today. And then, bless his heart, he gives me a lower-than-ever PMPS.

Yesterday afternoon and this afternoon, I tried waking him up and giving him a +9 snack like @Bobbie And Bubba had mentioned. I don't know if it's that, or the change in test strips, or a combination of the two, but either way, I'm rather pleased with my little sugar kitty tonight! I think I might try setting the timed feeder tonight to see if the sound of it opening will get him to eat during at the middle-of-the-night +9 as well. Can't hurt to try, right?
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Lovely number, Djamila! :)
 
I want to like that post several times!!! What a BEAUTIFUL preshot! Definitely try the timed feeder...worst that happens is he doesn't eat it (and let's face it...how often do our kitties refuse food?).
 
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Clapping :D
 
Woot woot! This is very exciting Djamilia and if he keeps this up, he could very well be ready to go OTJ
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I do believe that the +9 snack is the ticket. It really does work when they start getting into the micro doses like Sam is on. It makes their pancreas throw insulin to help break down the food resulting in a lower AMBG number.

Remember me telling you about Beth73 who bought the Lantus to make the switch and her Elmo went OTJ before she started?
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Djamila said:
Sigh. He did get up and eat when the feeder opened, but it didn't work this morning. It looks like he's feeling a little blue today :confused:. Baby steps, right?
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With meter variance it's a green ;) I got into the habit of before shutting the feeder lid to press down onto the tray to make sure it was completely seated or it would not open. He is still looking really good. :bighug:
 
You know how Sam is though...he needs time to settle in to a new thing before it really starts to take more permanent effect. :)
 
Rachel said:
You know how Sam is though...he needs time to settle in to a new thing before it really starts to take more permanent effect. :)
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He's been "settled in" to the 0.4u dose (or around there) since April 24th. How much time does he need?!?!? ;):p:rolleyes::smuggrin:

Bobbie And Bubba said:
With meter variance it's a green ;) I got into the habit of before shutting the feeder lid to press down onto the tray to make sure it was completely seated or it would not open. He is still looking really good. :bighug:
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Oh, the feeder worked, and he ate. It's just that eating didn't give a better AMPS. So it's the impact that didn't work. Sorry I didn't explain that very well the first time!

I was also hoping that having a +9 snack during the night would keep him from waking me up at 4am (Nope. Still woke me up). I already get up at 4:30 to test/feed/shoot. I don't really want to get up even earlier than that!!! Especially since today was the last day of school! So basically it didn't work at all for the morning cycle. But it DID work again for the PMPS, so I'm going to keep the feeder going and try it again tonight. As Rachel said, sometimes Sam just likes to take his own sweet time to adjust to something new. :):cat:

Does anyone have any thoughts about the AM dose? Should I lower it a bit to aim for two shootable numbers? Or just keep going the way we are right now? 0.3 doesn't seem like too much during the AM cycle, and 0.2 seemed like not quite enough, but the last three PM cycles have been NS's, so wondering if I should lower anyway?
 
Djamila said:
He's been "settled in" to the 0.4u dose (or around there) since April 24th. How much time does he need?!?!? ;):p:rolleyes::smuggrin:
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LOL I was thinking the feeding routine...he needs to be settled into that!

Hmmm...the dose is a tough one! 0.2 didn't seem like enough like you said...I really don't know WHAT to suggest. Maybe do a fat 0.2 in an attempt to get 2 shootable preshots? I'm not even sure if you can pull up a fat 0.2, but worth a shot maybe? (pun intended).
 
I drew up the 0.3 and then let out a drop. so we can call that a 0.2f, I think. Or a 0.3s. Or maybe a 0.25? :cool:

I kind of don't want two shootable numbers. I love NS cycles! But if I was shooting a higher dose and was 0.3 different between AM and PM I would try to balance it, so it seems like the right thing to do. We'll see how it works...
 
We had another NS (Hooray!) this evening, and an interesting end-of-cycle tonight. I fed him at +9, and didn't bother picking up the leftover food because I figured he had just eaten and wouldn't be hungry anyway, and Atticus likes to eat late in the cycle when I can let him. Well, Sam snuck into the kitchen at +10.5 and started chowing down. I got up to make sure it was Atticus I was hearing and saw that Sam had eating a TON of food and was looking at me with pleading eyes. I figured the damage was done, so I gave him a bit more and figured he'd just have a high number and need a shot tonight which wouldn't be the end of the world. But at +12, his number had actually gone down into NS territory.

Did y'all catch that? He ate a full meal and his BG went down. :D:D:D

I'm trying not to get too excited. Really I am. I'm trying so hard to keep a level head here.

It's not working very well.

:cat:
 
Djamila said:
We had another NS (Hooray!) this evening, and an interesting end-of-cycle tonight. I fed him at +9, and didn't bother picking up the leftover food because I figured he had just eaten and wouldn't be hungry anyway, and Atticus likes to eat late in the cycle when I can let him. Well, Sam snuck into the kitchen at +10.5 and started chowing down. I got up to make sure it was Atticus I was hearing and saw that Sam had eating a TON of food and was looking at me with pleading eyes. I figured the damage was done, so I gave him a bit more and figured he'd just have a high number and need a shot tonight which wouldn't be the end of the world. But at +12, his number had actually gone down into NS territory.

Did y'all catch that? He ate a full meal and his BG went down. :D:D:D

I'm trying not to get too excited. Really I am. I'm trying so hard to keep a level head here.

It's not working very well.

:cat:
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Pancreas is working!!! :D
 
Alas, we are back to blue tonight. Now I'm re-thinking that idea about lowering the dose a bit to get two shootable numbers. It's way more fun to skip a shot!
 
Oh dear...I just realized that the last time I gave him 0.2 in a PM cycle he hit lime green. Looks like I should have done 0.1 instead. Would have been nice if I'd noticed that an hour ago! Hopefully he'll stay in the dark greens tonight!
 
Djamila said:
Oh dear...I just realized that the last time I gave him 0.2 in a PM cycle he hit lime green. Looks like I should have done 0.1 instead. Would have been nice if I'd noticed that an hour ago! Hopefully he'll stay in the dark greens tonight!
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:eek:!
 
Sam isn't feeling well. :( Last night about an hour after I went to sleep he started crying. I woke up and tested him and he was fine, but kept crying. He would eat and drink, but then go back to crying. The only thing that made him stop was if I picked him up and held him and walked around. He pooped and peed yesterday and peed during the night, so all functions seem to be working, but something was definitely not right in his little world. This morning he seems calmer, but still staying close. Whenever my wild little kitty wants to be close, it's a sign he isn't feeling well. I have no idea what's wrong though since all of the P's are fine at this point. Hopefully it's just a mood and nothing to worry about, but we both got a somewhat sleepless night.

He does get occasional IBS, but gets a pre/probiotic every day that keeps it pretty well under control. I'm hoping it's just that and he had an upset tummy that will settle itself soon.
 
Djamila said:
Sam isn't feeling well. :( Last night about an hour after I went to sleep he started crying. I woke up and tested him and he was fine, but kept crying. He would eat and drink, but then go back to crying. The only thing that made him stop was if I picked him up and held him and walked around. He pooped and peed yesterday and peed during the night, so all functions seem to be working, but something was definitely not right in his little world. This morning he seems calmer, but still staying close. Whenever my wild little kitty wants to be close, it's a sign he isn't feeling well. I have no idea what's wrong though since all of the P's are fine at this point. Hopefully it's just a mood and nothing to worry about, but we both got a somewhat sleepless night.

He does get occasional IBS, but gets a pre/probiotic every day that keeps it pretty well under control. I'm hoping it's just that and he had an upset tummy that will settle itself soon.
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Keeping fingers crossed it resolves. :bighug: It's so stressful when these furkids aren't feeling well. Is he prone to furballs? UTI? When Teasel would begin one of his (past) bouts of cystitis, the main sign at onset was more vocalizing and wanting my attention.
 
Thankfully neither. He usually gets a furball about once a year, and he's already had one for this year. ;) He gets diarrhea though, so I'm sort of expecting that to appear sometime today. He usually leaves it right next to the litter box so I don't miss it (icky).

What are the signs of cystitis? Treatment?
 
Djamila said:
Thankfully neither. He usually gets a furball about once a year, and he's already had one for this year. ;) He gets diarrhea though, so I'm sort of expecting that to appear sometime today. He usually leaves it right next to the litter box so I don't miss it (icky).

What are the signs of cystitis? Treatment?
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Cystitis can be sterile or due to UTI. Sterile cystitis is often stress induced (Teasel's case). It shows as yowling in litter box, bum licking, restlessness, peeing outside the box, peeing in small amounts with red blood/clots. In the early days I was given pain meds and antispasmodic meds for Teasel. I learned when to use them and when to "watch and wait". I rarely had to take him to the vet because I knew the signs and that it would play out the same way treated or not. Since he has added water in all his meals and (probably the biggest factor) TONS of attention/TLC from me it's been a non-issue. His sister has the same tendency.
 
I was just googling it :bookworm: and it sounds like increased attention and lower stress are key treatments. I wonder if that's why he was comforted by being cuddled, and then would start crying if I put him down. Sounds like he's feeling a little attention deprived. Funny since he normally shuns attention! What do you think about trying a little Rescue Remedy on him too? I don't know what might be stressing him since nothing is really different right now. It would sure be nice if they could talk!!!
 
Djamila said:
I was just googling it :bookworm: and it sounds like increased attention and lower stress are key treatments. I wonder if that's why he was comforted by being cuddled, and then would start crying if I put him down. Sounds like he's feeling a little attention deprived. Funny since he normally shuns attention! What do you think about trying a little Rescue Remedy on him too? I don't know what might be stressing him since nothing is really different right now. It would sure be nice if they could talk!!!
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Why not try the RR? Maybe he'll hiss at furniture too? ;) Has anything in your routine changed - time away from home? more preoccupied with work projects? moving things around in your apartment? How about a Feliway diffuser setup?
 
I tried Feliway about ten years ago and it made Sam go nuts. Although considering Atty's reaction to the RR, maybe I just didn't wait long enough for the calm part to kick in? :smuggrin:

Summer break started on Tuesday, but I've been gone pretty much the same hours as work since I spent Tuesday with my nephew and Wednesday I was in the mountains hiking. So the cats didn't change routine much. Maybe it weirds them out that I'm relaxed instead of stressed? :nailbiting::rolleyes:

Or maybe I got too excited about those green numbers? :D There's a reason we aren't supposed to talk about those things!!!
 
He still seems a little out of sorts, but there are also still no "symptoms" of anything in particular. He had a quiet day, but now he's being fussy and clingy. He just kicked Atticus out of my lap for no apparent reason, and then sat down and meowed at me. But he didn't want to be picked up or scratched or anything. He just wanted to complain a bit. And make sure he had my whole attention. I'm curious to see how test and dinner go tonight. Thanks for asking!
 
Djamila said:
He still seems a little out of sorts, but there are also still no "symptoms" of anything in particular. He had a quiet day, but now he's being fussy and clingy. He just kicked Atticus out of my lap for no apparent reason, and then sat down and meowed at me. But he didn't want to be picked up or scratched or anything. He just wanted to complain a bit. And make sure he had my whole attention. I'm curious to see how test and dinner go tonight. Thanks for asking!
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Sending positive energy your way. :bighug:
 
Pretty normal numbers for Sam. And he took his test and shot well and cooperated. I have to get on a webinar for work in a few minutes. I think I'll keep my mic on mute in case he decides to serenade again!
 
Djamila said:
But he didn't want to be picked up or scratched or anything. He just wanted to complain a bit. And make sure he had my whole attention.
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I do hope Sam is OK. But this sounds kind of like what Maury does to me! lol. I've started noting it in my SS but still can't figure it out :confused:. When this started (wish I dated dated it now :facepalm:) I used to get up right away. He responds appropriately to the command "show me", as he is a cat it is only when he feels like it :smuggrin: and we'd end up upstairs standing in the living room... staring at each other... o_O. These two probably have a PM with each other on that secret cat board! :D
 
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