Switching insulin?

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Fluffles

Fluffles

Member Since 2017
Hi everyone, I'm looking for advice. My cat Fluffles was recently diagnosed, and seems to be responding pretty well to lantus as far as bringing his glucose down (spreadsheet in signature). I just recently started home testing. However he does not seem to be feeling well. Before insulin he was voraciously hungry and drinking and peeing a ton but otherwise was behaving close to normal. Started on lantus aprrox 3 weeks ago 1 unit 2/daily. I started to notice his appetite was lower but still eating well and he became markedly lethargic. It seemed to improve both with hours since insulin shot and as the days passed. After a glucose curve (and a negative test for pancreatitis) at the vet, his lantus was increased to 2 units 2/daily one week ago. Since then the cat has become more lethargic, vomitted once a couple of days ago, and doesn't want to eat. He licks his food dry and pulls pieces of it out of the bowl (making a giant mess) but only eats maybe half if I leave it out for him at length (he has always been a cat to everything as soon as I put down). Also today I noticed his head jerking every few minutes or so. I can't figure out if its gagging, acid reflux, or some kind of neurological thing? Has anyone seen this in their cat?

Anyway I spoke to my vet today and she has never heard of a lethargy reaction to insulin so she thinks he may be sensitive to lantus and thinks I should stop administering that and change him to another brand. I really feel worried about my cat and also worried that I can't financially afford this. I don't have to explain how expensive it is change a nearly full bottle of insulin after all the vet appointments. I also am not sure how much experience my vet has with feline diabetes so I wanted to ask the experts :) Thanks so much for your anticipated help
 
It's way too soon to be thinking about changing insulins

At first, most cats feel a little icky.....I mean for months, their body has gotten used to living in "diabetic" numbers.....Now we're forcing the numbers down....that has to make them feel a little "icky" until their body has a chance to get used to being at more normal numbers
 
@Fluffles while I am no expert at all, I've been dealing with FD since last October - I have to wonder why the vet increased his insulin when his numbers although not in normal range, don't appear so high that Fluffles would need an increase..?? Perhaps post on the Lantus forum also. My thinking is that perhaps he's getting too much insulin and MAYBE a slight reduction may help him..?? Again, please post on the Lantus forum as well because there are so many people on that forum that have so much knowledge about Lantus. Have you performed a curve?
 
Yes I did a curve last saturday. When he was first diagnosed by the vet his numbers were around 550. Then brought him back to the vet a curve after 2 weeks of 1 unit 2xs daily and this numbers were in the mid 300's. All the numbers on my spreadsheet were with him on 2 units 2/daily just within the last week. I will also try to post on lantus, thank you!

Would you consider what I was describing as "icky" or is it reason for concern? I am just never sure what to do. At least few times a day I am thinking to myself I should take him to the vet but I'm not completely convinced they know what to do and I will just be shelling out more money for something that may not help and will surely just stress him (and me) more
 
Fluffles said:
Yes I did a curve last saturday. When he was first diagnosed by the vet his numbers were around 550. Then brought him back to the vet a curve after 2 weeks of 1 unit 2xs daily and this numbers were in the mid 300's. All the numbers on my spreadsheet were with him on 2 units 2/daily just within the last week. I will also try to post on lantus, thank you!

Would you consider what I was describing as "icky" or is it reason for concern? I am just never sure what to do. At least few times a day I am thinking to myself I should take him to the vet but I'm not completely convinced they know what to do and I will just be shelling out more money for something that may not help and will surely just stress him (and me) more
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To be honest it’s hard to say whether he’s just feeling icky, or it’s something that will just pass. Cats are so resilient and so good at masking ailment that it’s just hard to tell. I think that you would really know if it was really something serious. As owners and our bond with our pets we just know when something is really not right. I don’t think that switching insulin’s so fast is correct nor raising the amount a full unit sounds right and I tend to believe that some vets just aren’t as well informed about FD. Some are very quick to say “no need to check numbers daily”, “raise by x amount of units”, instead, they should be suggesting taking things slowly etc. and by all means placing an importance on checking numbers before you give insulin. I wish I could really say it’s nothing but I just don’t know. My advice would be to watch him closely and follow your instinct. But when I look at your SS, compared to my own SS, yours really looks like he could be on his way remission at some point. Good luck and I hope he starts feeling better soon!
 
You should get some urine ketone strips and test him at home......it's always a good idea anyway and knowing that he isn't throwing ketones is valuable knowledge ....you can get them anywhere they sell diabetic supplies (WalMart has them for less than $10)

I think what you're seeing so far is pretty normal as far as feeling "icky", but any time a cat is acting sick, it's a really good idea to get a ketone test in

Here are some Urine Testing Tips
 
Hello, Fluffles! I advise you to pay more attention to the health of your pet. I had two cats, both had diabetes. Of course, I am guilty of myself, I blamed for everything, did not control their food, allowed to eat a lot of everything harmful, did not occupy them with physical exercises. And in the end both cats were diagnosed with diabetes. I began to prick them insulin, unfortunately, he caused allergies in both cats, and the doctor said that this will eventually pass. A few weeks later Jessica died, I was very depressed and naturally changed the vet, he advised me to buy quality hypoallergenic insulin on the site http://canadainsulinconnection.com , with a large selection of preparations for animals. I immediately followed all his instructions and a week later Melissa (second cat) began to feel better. In this way, please be more attentive to your pets.
 
Thank you @Samantha34. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your cat, Jessica. I am very sad to hear that she passed on but also glad to hear that you you figured out what was going on in time to save Melissa. I am trying to do the best I can with Fluffles and I am very grateful for this site with so many very caring and knowledgable people. I believe in Fluffles case, the dose was slightly too high and the dose increase was too much and quick and with a reduction he seems to be feeling great and his bg levels have been better. I appreciate your advice, there is so much learn and figure out and I know we are all trying to do the best we can do for our cats. Thank you for sharing your painful experience with me in order to help. I am keeping a close eye on him and that is a great reminder for me not to let things go when you know something is not right. I will look over the website you linked above
 
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