Bella’s new BG part 1

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Bellasmom

Bellasmom

Member Since 2018
starting lantus tomorrow, so excited to maybe get all this fixed for him,maybe get out of the blacks and reds trying, always trying, thanks to all who is helping me and being patient with all my questions, another journey begins tomorrow, hope to get out of reds and blacks
 
Kris & Teasel said:
I'll be following closely! :) Good idea to introduce yourself on the L forum today.
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My husband was reading on the lantus pen and it says not to mix with other insulin’s, he was wondering how long the Novolin N would be in his system, meaning is it ok to change to lantus in the morning, he doesn’t want anything to happen he said
 
Bellasmom said:
My husband was reading on the lantus pen and it says not to mix with other insulin’s, he was wondering how long the Novolin N would be in his system, meaning is it ok to change to lantus in the morning, he doesn’t want anything to happen he said
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The Novolin will be gone by morning. You can start Lantus then. If you've read the Lantus info sheets you've seen that it works quite differently. There's always a bit of Lantus in the kitty's system because of that depot. That's why the dosing rules are so different.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
The Novolin will be gone by morning. You can start Lantus then. If you've read the Lantus info sheets you've seen that it works quite differently. There's always a bit of Lantus in the kitty's system because of that depot. That's why the dosing rules are so different.
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Right I saw that, hubby was just concerned and wanted to make sure Novolin would be gone
 
Kris & Teasel said:
The Novolin will be gone by morning. You can start Lantus then. If you've read the Lantus info sheets you've seen that it works quite differently. There's always a bit of Lantus in the kitty's system because of that depot. That's why the dosing rules are so different.
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So if I’m thinking right, it’s take BG, feed and then shot, I’ve read it but now can’t find where it says it omg, guess I’m nervous
 
Bellasmom said:
So if I’m thinking right, it’s take BG, feed and then shot, I’ve read it but now can’t find where it says it omg, guess I’m nervous
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Same sequence for any insulin:
  • pre shot BG test (no food at least 2 hours before)
  • feed
  • give Lantus.
You can give Lantus either as he's eating or right after. It's slower in onset than Novolin so you don't need to wait a little before shooting. I know how nerve wracking this is but you'll be fine and Bella will be fine. :) Plan to get a +2 test and go from there.
 
Bellasmom said:
So if I’m thinking right, it’s take BG, feed and then shot, I’ve read it but now can’t find where it says it omg, guess I’m nervous
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Found it, but it says all within 5 to 10min of preshot test, bella isn’t done eating in 10 min, I can shoot whiles he’s still eating?
 
Bellasmom said:
Found it, but it says all within 5 to 10min of preshot test, bella isn’t done eating in 10 min, I can shoot whiles he’s still eating?
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You can stretch out that time to at least double with no negative effect. Yes, you can inject while he's eating.
 
Good morning all, this is an exciting day, 1 dose of lantus was given this am:) so we are gonna test quite often today and hope for the best, his BG was a little lower this am not sure if it has to do with me using human meter or not
 
Bellasmom said:
Amps 378, +2 412....why going up?
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Those two numbers are essentially the same. Meters are allowed to have up to 20% variance.

Lantus will behave differently. It’s slower and gentler in onset, the depot has to build over a couple of cycles and you’ve lowered the dose. You might not see much happening today. Think of it as getting a “Lantus baseline” on your SS.

If Bella is eating any dry food (Dr. Elsey’s?) you’ll have to follow SLGS. That means up to a week at a dose. Have those SLGS guidelines close at hand.

It’ll be fine ... :)
 
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An increase after eating is normal. The action of Lantus is very different than Novolin so you're going to have to reset your expectations ... basically redefine "normal."

Also, make a point to sit on your hands these first few days and don't panic if (when) you see different numbers than you're used to. It typically takes a while for the depot to fill and the full effect of the Lantus to be seen. In other words, the BG numbers you collect these first few cycles probably won't represent what will be typical of the dose in the future.
 
He is all ready to go to vet lol
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Well went to vet and he is absolutely on board with me loves when clients want to be hands on, they did a fructosamine test on him and it was 296 so normal, he was very impressed with spreadsheets and just asked I email him a copy 1x a month and gave me cell phone number if I had any questions, will work with me financially, he was awesome, said lantus was great for kitty cats, did say get another pen when I could to have a back in just in case
 
That is great news. I'm very happy you and Bella found a great vet! Be patient with the Lantus. Granted I started on Lantus but it took almost 2 months for Diamond to start getting numbers I was happy with. Today we earned a reduction! Had a hypo scare and I'm still on alert but, so happy he is finally in the green!
 
krazy4kritters said:
That is great news. I'm very happy you and Bella found a great vet! Be patient with the Lantus. Granted I started on Lantus but it took almost 2 months for Diamond to start getting numbers I was happy with. Today we earned a reduction! Had a hypo scare and I'm still on alert but, so happy he is finally in the green!
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That is awesome, makes you feel so much better when we don’t have crazy high or crazy low numbers, yes I was thrilled with vet
 
This is fantastic news!!!! :):cool::joyful::D:smuggrin::woot: I'm SO glad you went ahead with a switch and found a vet that will work with you on all levels. Wow! Between the switch to Lantus and this new vet experience you've really turned a page with Bella.

Great idea to have a spare pen on hand.
 
Bellasmom said:
Lol he sits a in dog car seat in the car and then I get him out and put him in stroller, he DOESNT do carriers stresses him out
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Was wondering. Mine would get loose when opening car doors and trying to get them in stroller. I have detachable 3 in 1 convertible stroller. Wondered how people used the ones like yours.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
This is fantastic news!!!! :):cool::joyful::D:smuggrin::woot: I'm SO glad you went ahead with a switch and found a vet that will work with you on all levels. Wow! Between the switch to Lantus and this new vet experience you've really turned a page with Bella.

Great idea to have a spare pen on hand.
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I know I was so relieved, Bella’s numbers are now in 400s, u think,because of vet visit, he seemed ok there
 
Bellasmom said:
I know I was so relieved, Bella’s numbers are now in 400s, u think,because of vet visit, he seemed ok there
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Kris & Teasel said:
This is fantastic news!!!! :):cool::joyful::D:smuggrin::woot: I'm SO glad you went ahead with a switch and found a vet that will work with you on all levels. Wow! Between the switch to Lantus and this new vet experience you've really turned a page with Bella.

Great idea to have a spare pen on hand.
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Bellasmom said:
I know I was so relieved, Bella’s numbers are now in 400s, u think,because of vet visit, he seemed ok there
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Kris & Teasel said:
This is fantastic news!!!! :):cool::joyful::D:smuggrin::woot: I'm SO glad you went ahead with a switch and found a vet that will work with you on all levels. Wow! Between the switch to Lantus and this new vet experience you've really turned a page with Bella.

Great idea to have a spare pen on hand.
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Keep pm shot at .5?? He’s high now omg
 
I know lol I’m impatient lol want a miracle now, it went down a little at +12, will continue with a +2 and +4 if that is enough for the day
 
Bellasmom said:
I have been wondering all day why with lantus I have to use human meter
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I believe it's because the TR protocol was developed using a human meter. So, I'm assuming when SLGS was developed, the same "tools" we're used. When doses are changed and everything else Lantus, have all been based off of the numbers given on a human meter.
Also, it is was easier for people to help you when you use a human meter. Most of us are used to the numbers and what they mean from a human meter vs pet.
 
Yes, exactly-- there's nothing inherently wrong with using a pet meter and Lantus, it's just that the dosing methods used on this site were developed for human meters, and that's what most people are used to seeing and what most advice is keyed to. Because pet meter numbers "look" higher, it adds an extra risk for a method like TR, which is already pretty aggressive. SLGS works a bit differently, and doesn't tend to encourage shooting and managing low numbers the way TR does, so it's not quite the same problem, but with either, I think you'll get more on-target advice if you use a human meter.
 
I’m so happy & excited for you! A great new vet & great insulin all in one day! You’re going to do fantastic! Bella will be feeling better too.
I love that stroller - he’s such a king! I can’t believe he just sits there! Well.. I’m over joyed! You’re on your way to being more regulated.
 
Sharon14 said:
I know, but if it continues to sting him (let’s hope it doesn’t) then you may want to consider a switch. I don’t mean right now, only if the problem continues.
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Oh ok lol sorry I thought u ment soon, is there a place where u think it might sting less
 
I’ve never used Lantus. I went straight from prozinc to levemir because Colin is a high dose cat and I was told Lantus might sting. Are you using the same size needles?
 
Bellasmom said:
Oh ok lol sorry I thought u ment soon, is there a place where u think it might sting less
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I know you test on his paw pads. I wonder if they're more sensitive to the sting of Lantus than the scruff or sides would be. You might have to experiment with other locations. Slowly ... over time ...lots of treats. ;)
 
Bellasmom said:
I do wanna say yeah I guess it does burn bella cause he swiped at me this last shot, he’s never done that
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Where are you giving the shot? In the scruff?

Once does not constitute a pattern so the insulin might sting, or it might not. Too soon to tell, but it's best in these early days of learning a new insulin to just sit back, take a deep breath, and not write too much into every little detail. Collect your data, note any changes, and see where it all leads. I know it's hard, but try not to make any assumptions just yet. The picture will become more clear soon. And yes, it's very common to want magic to happen overnight. Just remember that with Lantus, you need to be patient and let a little time pass before evaluating the effectiveness of a particular dose. Sit. On. Your. Hands. (I've had to tell myself that exact thing multiple times over the years, because impatience seems to be human nature, especially when we're so desperate to help our kitties.)

As for having to use a human meter with Lantus ... no it's absolutely NOT required. I've been around here for over 13 years and I'm not sure where that came from BUT ... given that most people use human meters due to price considerations and the availability of test strips, I'm guessing that most posters are more familiar with the reference ranges used for human meters and more comfortable giving advice when that's what you're using. I rarely give dosing advice, but when I do, I ALWAYS check what meter the person is using first. It matters. And it matters when helping someone through a hypo as well. I have both human and pet meters and am familiar with the differences, but not everyone is, so recommending that you use a human meter might also be a way of protecting you from questionable advice.

Just my two cents.

Hang in there. You're doing a good job!
 
I give shot in scruff, he didn’t flinch this am, could have been just me and seeing something I wasn’t, yesterday when he swiped at me he may have been just aggravated because of going to vet, getting tested by me every 2hrs, giving him diff. med just to much for him in one day, he didn’t have nails out when he swiped it was more just like leave me alone already
 
Kris & Teasel said:
I know you test on his paw pads. I wonder if they're more sensitive to the sting of Lantus than the scruff or sides would be. You might have to experiment with other locations. Slowly ... over time ...lots of treats. ;)
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I don’t give shot in paw, just test, I give in scruff
 
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