8-27 Gizmo AMPS=355; PMPS=114; +1=156; +2=155; +3=186 High Dose Testing Done Today :)

[Chubba (GA)]

Condo - http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...75-5-74-6-77-7-75-9-78-pmps-120-3-239.183001/

PMPS = 120
+3 = 239

AMPS = 355

And we have diarrhea in the litter box again. They still seem to like the soulistic chicken, so I am going to continue feeding and hope Gizmo adjusts (unless of course he gets much worse). Of course this happens after I just ordered more online last night.

Calling in about 30 minutes to see if we can get an appt today. Fingers and paws crossed that we can and that it is a positive and productive experience.

Sorry to just get to you on the Thyroid tests....I've been dealing with a family emergency.

Thanks for loading the labs on the SS. For a normal fT4 test where the tT4 is in the gray area, I'd just keep an eye on the labs. I'd probably have them done again in no longer than 6 months, unless he has symptoms, and I'd think about having a full Feline Thyroid panel done at Hemopet.com. If you can't do that, I'd do a T3 suppression.

Thank you for getting back to me. We will definitely keep on top of the thyroid testing (as much as we can - our hands are tied as to what our vets are willing to do). I'm sorry to hear about your family emergency. I hope that things are as ok as they can be while dealing with an emergency. Keeping your family in my thoughts and sending .

 

[Alicia & Maggie (GA)]

I hope Gizmo's stomach issues clear up soon. Good luck at the vet.

 

[Chubba (GA)]

I hope Gizmo's stomach issues clear up soon. Good luck at the vet.

Thanks. I was able to get an appt this morning. Third times a charm, right?

 

[Chubba (GA)]

WE GOT THE HIGH DOSE TESTS DONE TODAY!!!!

And we have found a new vet. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. Last night we ended up making an emergency trip to petco to exchange the calming spray I had purchased (it was lavender scented) for comfort zone with feliway. Wow ... that stuff is amazing. After tensing up and resisting just cause he saw the carrier, Gizmo took a sniff and WILLINGLY went into his carrier. He did so well on the 35-40 minute trip to the vet. He also was very calm at the vets. He even left the vet tech hold and pet him the entire visit while I talked with the doctor.

Such a positive place ... he mentioned that since he was drawing blood he could recheck his levels but wasn't sure this was necessary with bloodwork just a few weeks ago. I gave him permission to go ahead if he thought it was best. He really checked him over and decided that at this time more bloodwork wasn't needed. He said he could feel his kidneys and that they didn't feel enlarged. His teeth look great, but he does have one that is chipped (no other vet noticed this? ). We will continue to watch the thyroid but he sees no reason to put him on hyperT meds (we asked him to look over his previous labs just to make sure). They are willing to accept my readings instead of glucose curves at the vet or the fructosamine test. Said there is no reason to run those tests when I already have all that data. After I brought up the high dose testing, he said well he is a big cat and I never thought of that. Let's do it! I can't say enough good things about this place. And to top it all off, they didn't charge me any extra for the tests, just msu prices and an overnight shipping charge (total visit was just over $200). I should have results by Friday. I feel like I'm dreaming.

The one negative ... he thinks he might be on to much insulin and wants me to try a few days at 7 units to see what happens. I'm really nervous about this, but am willing to try. We can always bump him right back up. I'm thinking of it like a vacation dose. He said if I see it isn't working, don't hesitate to let them know and take him back up.

 

[Christie & Maverick]

Wow, I'm really thrilled at all the great news, sounds like exactly what you needed! Must have been like a breath of fresh air to have that kind of experience, after all you and Gizmo have had to deal with.

 

[Doodles & Karen]

Glad you got the tests done! Glad they didn't charge you extra...mine didn't either. I would not bring his dose back down to 7u. Although with you using AT meter it's hard to say where the green numbers would be if using a human meter which is what the protocol was written with. No vets I know of are comfortable with green numbers which is why he's likely saying to reduce the dose. They think 200 is a good nadir. From experience I pretty much let them know I didn't need their help with dosing advise and when asked my response was "he's doing good".

 

[Beenie (GA)]

Great news!! So glad you found this vet. Sounds like a keeper
I've got to try Feliaway spray next time I take Beenie to the vet. I took her in such a rush on Saturday I forgot to try it. She had another accident literally a minute before we got home At least the clean up wasn't nearly as bad as last time. Sounds like it worked well for Gizmo!!

If your vet sends out the samples today you should definitely have the Acro results by Friday afternoon. IAA appears to take longer to get results. I'm still waiting and they're hoping to get that test back sometime this week.

 

[Alicia & Maggie (GA)]

That's wonderful!! Such a relief to find a good vet. That is remarkable how the Feliway calmed Gizmo down. It never seems to do much when I use it.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Wow, this vet sounds like a keeper!!! Did you ask him if he's seen other high dose kitties? And I'm glad the Feliway worked so well for you. It's a bit ECID, so good it helped Gizmo.

Did you talk to this vet about AT vs. human meters? Neko's vet used a human meter in the office, so I know not all of them are wedded to the AT.

I do agree with Karen on the dose. However, if you want to get out of the house for a few days and now worry about Gizmo, you could do a vacation dose. I would be extra vigilent about testing for ketones if you reduce the dose though. Lowering the dose on purpose usually just ends up with high numbers, especially when you've followed the protocol and safely increased him. And if you do lower the dose for a few days, take it right back up to where you are now when you see the reduction has failed.

 

[Chubba (GA)]

Been a crazy day today. Just getting around to updating Gizmo's numbers. Will be back later to read comments.

Lowest preshot ever tonight (not by much) ...

PMPS = 114 (shot 9 units ... couldn't see messing a good thing up)
+1 = 156

 

[Christie & Maverick]

Woweee! Looking good Gizmo , your momma is handling the lowest PS ever much better than I did , hoping it's a nice easy cycle

 

[Chubba (GA)]

Wow, I'm really thrilled at all the great news, sounds like exactly what you needed! Must have been like a breath of fresh air to have that kind of experience, after all you and Gizmo have had to deal with.

When they took him to be tested, I was so happy. I still can't believe it all worked out after everything that has happened in the past few weeks.

I would not bring his dose back down to 7u. Although with you using AT meter it's hard to say where the green numbers would be if using a human meter which is what the protocol was written with. No vets I know of are comfortable with green numbers which is why he's likely saying to reduce the dose. They think 200 is a good nadir.

He wants his preshot and nadir under 200. I feel lowering the dose is a bad idea also, but I can't risk alienating another vet ... especially one who is willing to listen and work with me.

I've got to try Feliaway spray next time I take Beenie to the vet. I took her in such a rush on Saturday I forgot to try it. She had another accident literally a minute before we got home At least the clean up wasn't nearly as bad as last time. Sounds like it worked well for Gizmo!!

He still peed his carrier on the way home, but he was much calmer overall. He typically gets very upset in the carrier (crying and panting - that really worries me). He was very quiet this trip and I only noticed him panting once or twice. Plus he purred inside his carrier instead of shying away when I reached through the gate ... and he purred the entire time at the vets. Maybe he just really liked this vet also. ECID, but this is a game changer for Gizmo.

Wow, this vet sounds like a keeper!!! Did you ask him if he's seen other high dose kitties? Did you talk to this vet about AT vs. human meters?
I do agree with Karen on the dose. However, if you want to get out of the house for a few days and now worry about Gizmo, you could do a vacation dose. I would be extra vigilent about testing for ketones if you reduce the dose though. Lowering the dose on purpose usually just ends up with high numbers, especially when you've followed the protocol and safely increased him. And if you do lower the dose for a few days, take it right back up to where you are now when you see the reduction has failed.

I didn't ask about other high dose kitties. He seemed willing to listen and work with us and I decided that is all that matters. Things were going well and I didn't want to push to much. I will have to clarify the meter next time. I will test daily for keytones, as I also feel his numbers will shoot up. My plan was to take him right back up to 9 units like a failed reduction.

 

[Chubba (GA)]

Woweee! Looking good Gizmo , your momma is handling the lowest PS ever much better than I did , hoping it's a nice easy cycle

Well, that is the good thing about taking a long time to get to good numbers. Gizmo lowest preshots ever just slowly get lower and I have been able to get used to shooting just a slightly lower number each time. The funny story is I did panic when he gave me a 117 one morning. We were camping and had to get packed up to head home that day. I was so nervous ... stalled and he only went up to 126. I figured the bounce was coming, so I shot it. Then a few days later I shot a 116 and later that night Wendy pointed out it was the lowest (I didn't realize, I thought it was the same number). And now the 114. So they are all basically the same number. It's been baby steps with Gizmo (not high numbers one day and very low preshots the next). I probably wouldn't handle that so well. Lol

 

[Bronx's dad (GA)]

New vet sounds so much better than the last one! Gizmo is liking 9u, I don't agree with the 2u drop but I know you are between a rock and a hard place, don't want to upset your new vet but don't want Gizmo to go pink.

 

[Chubba (GA)]

I know you are between a rock and a hard place, don't want to upset your new vet but don't want Gizmo to go pink.

Yep! I keep going back and forth on what to do. I'm trying to convince myself he will ok for a day or two, but I don't want to screw up our progress.

 

[Bronx's dad (GA)]

Yep! I keep going back and forth on what to do. I'm trying to convince myself he will ok for a day or two, but I don't want to screw up our progress.

When I first started doing TR and against what my vet recommended, I made a 2nd SS for her which had some fibs lol.