Bella’s FD journey part 3
- Thread starter Bellasmom
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Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Don't worry. It'll pass. I see you gave 1.75 u this AM. Gather some data at that dose for a few cycles. Is it this Saturday 10 March that you take Bell to see the new vet or is it next week?
Thanks for starting a new thread.
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
Not this week, next sat. 9amDon't worry. It'll pass. I see you gave 1.75 u this AM. Gather some data at that dose for a few cycles. Is it this Saturday 10 March that you take Bell to see the new vet or is it next week?
Thanks for starting a new thread.
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
That’s a great number! You use a pet meter so it’s right on the edge of being a little too low as a nadir number for Novolin N. I’d go down to 1.5 u tonight. I think his UTI treatment is having a significant impact on his BGs. 
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
I’m using up the last of the pet strips, only 2 left, went and got relion prime last night, will start using tomorrowThat’s a great number! You use a pet meter so it’s right on the edge of being a little too low as a nadir number for Novolin N. I’d go down to 1.5 u tonight. I think his UTI treatment is having a significant impact on his BGs.
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
I'd say below 200 on a human meter ( higher on a pet meter because they read higher). At 200 or slightly above you can give a reduced dose. How much to reduce is guesswork based on recent patterns so we can wait until later to decide that.
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Sorry I’m late seeing this. No insulin again tonight. Why not drop right down to 1 u tomorrow AM to see if that will give you a PMPS high enough to give insulin. This is really exciting but it’s hard to know what to do. 
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
Sounds good, is there a reason why bella might have urinated on bed, someone did my husband said, I’m at work, didn’t know if the lower numbers would cause, again I don’t know who did itSorry I’m late seeing this. No insulin again tonight. Why not drop right down to 1 u tomorrow AM to see if that will give you a PMPS high enough to give insulin. This is really exciting but it’s hard to know what to do.
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
I don't think lower numbers would cause it unless they were hypo low.
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
You'll probably see another very high AMPS tomorrow but I think dropping to 1 u is a good experiment.
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Checking in: did you give 1 u this AM?
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
Yes, I worked till midnight last night and was so tired I forgot my iPad sorry, numbers are in now
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Not bad at all after no insulin last night. I wonder if the new menu he's getting is also helping to lower his BG? Whatever it is - UTI resolving, lower carb food, different dosing, he's doing well.
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
I agree so much better, I feel better now going to work, I don’t worry AS much lolNot bad at all after no insulin last night. I wonder if the new menu he's getting is also helping to lower his BG? Whatever it is - UTI resolving, lower carb food, different dosing, he's doing well.
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Let me know when you switch to a human meter.
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Apparently the Micro or Confirm models take only a tiny drop of blood (learned that on FDMB - Walmart in Canada doesn't carry those). Their strips are almost double the price of the Prime but should be cheaper than a pet meter's.
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Good drop at +2. If possible, something in the +4 to +6 range would be good data.
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
Won’t be able till +8, both of us are working today, I can do more tomorrow during the day
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
Well my husband tried a human meter and it keeps saying e1 and he said he tried 3x, he didn’t want to stick bella anymore, I will try it when I get home and I went ahead and ordered more pet strips ugh lol
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
I finally got one to work and it’s 580 human meter
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Can you describe what the issue is? I'm only familiar with my Freestyle Lite meter and its strips have two tiny little fingerlike projections, one on either side of the strip near the bottom. One of those tiny fingers has to touch the blood drop in order for a reading to happen. I mention this because there might other similar "active" areas on other test strip designs. Have you looked at the instruction book for those meters?
Another issue is the size of blood drop needed to give a reading. Some meters need a sizable drop and that can be a problem.
Third, is it a "time out" issue? I always insert the test strip only partially. Then I poke Teasel's ear and once I have a blood drop I push the strip the rest of the way in and get a reading. Some meters will time out fairly quickly if the strip is already in completely.
Re the 580: take it at face value. You've had blacks before. The 1 u dose might well be too low but you won't know until you can get more mid cycle data. I'd stick with it for now.
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
I finally got relion to work, I ordered 3 bottle of the pet sticks so I would not run out
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Interesting ... that red is still high but no higher than PSs at higher doses. A couple of tests between +4 and +7 today if you can?
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Good drop by +5 but not extreme. More data needed but it seems in line with 1 u being a tiny bit too low. Don't change it yet though.
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
I can’t get this human one to work again, I have tried and tried and poor bella is running from me now, so what should I do, the new strips will be here tomorrow or mon
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Is it a ReliOn Micro or Confirm? Those take only a tiny blood drop. What seems to be the problem? Timing out? Not picking up blood? Is there a "trouble shooting" section in the instruction book? Have you tried testing yourself?
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
Looked like I wasn’t using enough blood, I got more blood this time and it worked 109 so I will get more blood till I get my new strips, poor guy, it relion prime
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
OK. Down to 0.5 u tomorrow AM. You want to avoid a no shot if possible. I can't believe how much his dose has been dropping!
The ReliOn Prime takes about double the blood drop size compared to the Micro or Confirm. The strips are very economical though. If you can get enough blood consistently it would be a cheaper meter to use.
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
OK. Down to 0.5 u tomorrow AM. You want to avoid a no shot if possible. I can't believe how much his dose has been dropping!
The ReliOn Prime takes about double the blood drop size compared to the Micro or Confirm. The strips are very economical though. If you can get enough blood consistently it would be a cheaper meter to use.[/QUOTE.
So if it’s like around 1oo, give 1u
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
No, I wouldn't do that with Novolin. A 1 u dose given on a PS around 100 might drop him to 50 or lower. Have a look at the big drops from other high PSs. With Novolin's fast, hard action I wouldn't shoot unless the BG was above 180 at the lowest and then I'd give only a tiny dose. You don't really have data on what happens when he gets insulin on PSs lower than 200 because it's not safe to test that out with this type of insulin. If he was a cat that had very flat responses to this insulin it would be an easier decision but that isn't the case.
I based my suggestion to drop to 0.5 u tomorrow AM on how far down he is at PMPS compared to AMPS. The goal is to find a dose that gives AM/PMPS that's high enough to give insulin, preferably 200 or higher but even 180 if you can test afterward.
I based my suggestion to drop to 0.5 u tomorrow AM on how far down he is at PMPS compared to AMPS. The goal is to find a dose that gives AM/PMPS that's high enough to give insulin, preferably 200 or higher but even 180 if you can test afterward.
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
OK. Down to 0.5 u tomorrow AM. You want to avoid a no shot if possible. I can't believe how much his dose has been dropping!
The ReliOn Prime takes about double the blood drop size compared to the Micro or Confirm. The strips are very economical though. If you can get enough blood consistently it would be a cheaper meter to use.
Why do we want to avoid a no shot if possible, I thought that would just great?
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
It’s because he’s going 12 hours without insulin and rebounding to a high BG by morning. You want to to give 24 hour insulin coverage and that means lowering the dose as much as it takes to make sure you have a high enough PS to give insulin both AM and PM. People who have a kitty heading toward remission will give ever tinier insulin doses to ease the kitty off gradually.
Bella is responding really well to the UTI treatment and the new very low carb food. His insulin dose is dropping steadily and that’s a terrific positive sign. I don’t know yet if he’s going into remission but he certainly needs less insulin. If you can get some mid cycle tests between +4 and +7 that will be very helpful.
If you’re using a human meter now make a note on your SS because it reads lower and I need to know that.
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
As soon as my pet test strips get here I will be continuing to use those, I don’t want to prick Bella that hard to get that much blood, I will switch it for now to human and then continue with pet when I get them, or if there’s an easier way let me know, thanks, Kris
Had to take my little girl Abby to er Friday afternoon, she was having trouble using back legs and just didn’t want to move around much, got her there wrapped in blanket and they brought her back put her on floor and she was fine, omg, they did say pretty sure she has hyperthyroidism so as soon as funds allow I will take her to test t4, she’s been fine since brought her home, crazy, boy they keep us on our toes
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
I have 2 ss in signature now, 1 for human 1 for pet, is that ok
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Perfect!
Kris & Teasel
Member Since 2016
Poor you and poor kitty! Yes, they do keep us on our toes. If it's hyperT I'd start a savings account now if it's at all possible. The best treatment for hyperT if the kitty's health permits is the radioactive iodine (I-131) treatment. It's expensive ($1000+) but it has a 95%+ cure rate. The meds (Felimazole) would have to be given forever and they can have side effects, itchy face being one. The lifetime cost of those meds might well be as much as the I-131 treatment. I know a few people who had their kitty treated this way and it was a success in each case.
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