? Newbie with some Qs: Jibaro

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Martha K

Martha K

Member Since 2017
Hi, Jibaro is on Lantus and I'm just trying to get a handle on the SLGS method. I started home testing right away when he was diagnosed, but at the time I didn't understand how to use the data, or how important it is to keep getting the data, so my SS has some holes, as well as some dose changes that might look odd.
My Qs:
1. Is the idea, basically, to see a sea of yellows and blues and a couple greens? Or is it a different goal for every cat?
2. This is driving me crazy: Why, after hovering in the yellows and blues, will he suddenly throw, like, a 392 in the morning? Does it mean he ate something I don't know about, or his Lantus is expiring, or I did the injection wrong -- or is this just something inexplicable but normal?
Thanks very much for any insight. I love that this community exists and am SO grateful for any of your time and help.
 
Welcome! This is a great community of people who will definitely help you. If you put the question mark on your thread title, that will get more eyes on your thread and hopefully someone will be able to answer your questions. Just click the thread tools link on the top right of the page and use the drop down menu to select the question mark.
 
Chubba said:
Welcome! This is a great community of people who will definitely help you. If you put the question mark on your thread title, that will get more eyes on your thread and hopefully someone will be able to answer your questions. Just click the thread tools link on the top right of the page and use the drop down menu to select the question mark.
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Thank you! Your Gizmo is beautiful.
 
Martha K said:
Thank you! Your Gizmo is beautiful.
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Thank you. I didn't look that close at your pic. Jibaro and Gizmo could be twins! He is adorable as well.

I am not an expert by no means, but I just glanced at your spreadsheet. Since you are seeing some greens every now and then, I would guess that those higher numbers are bounces. When a kitty hits a low number or a number that is lower than he/she is used to, a bounce to higher numbers will often happen. This is perfectly normal as it is the kitty's way to keep safe when dropping into lower numbers. Bounces will get shorter and not so high as the kitty's body gets used to the lower numbers. Bounces can last up to 6 cycles.

I follow tight regulation, so my testing schedule is different from yours, but I would suggest trying to get a test in the middle of the cycle some days. My worry is that Jibaro might be bouncing on your curve days and you aren't really seeing how low each dose is taking him. Maybe get a +5 one day, +6 another day, and a +7 a different day. Just to fill in some of the blank spots on the spreadsheet and to give you a better idea of what is happening.

I hope someone with more experience stops by soon to help.
 
Chubba said:
Thank you. I didn't look that close at your pic. Jibaro and Gizmo could be twins! He is adorable as well.

I am not an expert by no means, but I just glanced at your spreadsheet. Since you are seeing some greens every now and then, I would guess that those higher numbers are bounces. When a kitty hits a low number or a number that is lower than he/she is used to, a bounce to higher numbers will often happen. This is perfectly normal as it is the kitty's way to keep safe when dropping into lower numbers. Bounces will get shorter and not so high as the kitty's body gets used to the lower numbers. Bounces can last up to 6 cycles.

I follow tight regulation, so my testing schedule is different from yours, but I would suggest trying to get a test in the middle of the cycle some days. My worry is that Jibaro might be bouncing on your curve days and you aren't really seeing how low each dose is taking him. Maybe get a +5 one day, +6 another day, and a +7 a different day. Just to fill in some of the blank spots on the spreadsheet and to give you a better idea of what is happening.

I hope someone with more experience stops by soon to help.
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Thank you, that's very helpful! I'll try to get some mid-cycle numbers during the week.
 
Hi great explanations by Chubba! The reason the mid cycle tests Chubba is recommending are really helpful is because working these protocols, the dose changes are linked not to the morning and afternoon preshot test results but to how Low in the cycle is that dose taking the blood sugar levels. Once I got that piece, other pieces of it started to click for me. ( but I also have to confess that I was an admitted test-a-holic with Gussie). The more data in your spreadsheet the easier it is to see patterns..
Hope it's a great day in Jibaro's world today!:bighug:
 
One other add, Lantus is a Depot insulin and rather than a drug that is in, affects the body system and is out, lantus is a hormone, and a Depot one at that. When you give the shot, some of that shot goes to work, and some goes into the Depot or storage vault in Jibaro's body. So the reason the protocols look at a particular number of Cycles is to allow for the depot or stored insulin to fill or drain.
I would guess Jivaro is bouncing a bit. From peeking at your SS It looks like Jibaro's numbers drop at about +7 hours after his shots. If possible as Chubba recommended some tests in that time frame will really help.
There are some great stickies, links at the top of the board with yellow flags that can help explain some of these concepts..
If you aren't getting some responses when you need them you can bump to the top of the thread of posts. Just write "bump" or any other comment in the text box here and you will move to the front of the line. It is not rude to bump yourself up!
And if you need help right away change your thread title to include Help needed now or something that catches folks eye as they scan thru.

And most of all Welcome!
 
Gussie's mom said:
One other add, Lantus is a Depot insulin and rather than a drug that is in, affects the body system and is out, lantus is a hormone, and a Depot one at that. When you give the shot, some of that shot goes to work, and some goes into the Depot or storage vault in Jibaro's body. So the reason the protocols look at a particular number of Cycles is to allow for the depot or stored insulin to fill or drain.
I would guess Jivaro is bouncing a bit. From peeking at your SS It looks like Jibaro's numbers drop at about +7 hours after his shots. If possible as Chubba recommended some tests in that time frame will really help.
There are some great stickies, links at the top of the board with yellow flags that can help explain some of these concepts..
If you aren't getting some responses when you need them you can bump to the top of the thread of posts. Just write "bump" or any other comment in the text box here and you will move to the front of the line. It is not rude to bump yourself up!
And if you need help right away change your thread title to include Help needed now or something that catches folks eye as they scan thru.

And most of all Welcome!
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Thanks so much for the explanations. I'll start getting those midcycle numbers. And I'll read through the stickies.
 
Hello and welcome.

Good to hear you started home testing right away. Very smart! Those tests somewhere in the middle of the cycle are what we use to figure out how to change the dose. If you are following SLGS, you want hose nadirs or low'points to fall between 90 and 150. As kitties get used to lower, but normal numbers, those high numbers will come down too and you will end up with fairly flat cycles.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Hello and welcome.

Good to hear you started home testing right away. Very smart! Those tests somewhere in the middle of the cycle are what we use to figure out how to change the dose. If you are following SLGS, you want hose nadirs or low'points to fall between 90 and 150. As kitties get used to lower, but normal numbers, those high numbers will come down too and you will end up with fairly flat cycles.
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Thank you!!
 
Welcome, Jibaro is very cute, little kitty (well mine used to be 25lbs, so anything under 10lbs is tiny for me). The numbers you have at the moment do look like a bounce to me, he probably went down low on the 7th during the night. It the PM +2 is not when you go to bed, I would also suggest that you get a before bed test. That will help to see if he is heading down during the night. A lot if not most cats have lower numbers during the PM cycle. Taking the before bed test can give you a hint if you may need to set the alarm for a test later if trending to a low number that you want to know about such as if he earns a reduction during the night, or a potential very low number that you may need to monitor and manage.

Great job starting testing immediately, wish we all did that when our kitties were dx :)
 
Marvin's Mom - Nat said:
Welcome, Jibaro is very cute, little kitty (well mine used to be 25lbs, so anything under 10lbs is tiny for me). The numbers you have at the moment do look like a bounce to me, he probably went down low on the 7th during the night. It the PM +2 is not when you go to bed, I would also suggest that you get a before bed test. That will help to see if he is heading down during the night. A lot if not most cats have lower numbers during the PM cycle. Taking the before bed test can give you a hint if you may need to set the alarm for a test later if trending to a low number that you want to know about such as if he earns a reduction during the night, or a potential very low number that you may need to monitor and manage.

Great job starting testing immediately, wish we all did that when our kitties were dx :)
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Thanks. I'll definitely get a +2 and +4 tonight and maybe set the alarm for more.

Marvin is a cutie. Congrats on the OTJ.
 
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