06/20 Shmee AMPS 335, +2 196, big mistake - insulin empty, fasting for vet so gave him HC food

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Amanda & Shmee

Amanda & Shmee

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Previous condo

I was thinking I would have had another month of insulin but now that Shmee's doses are higher I did not realize it would run out so fast :( I am beyond mad at myself. I could only get 4.25U out of the bottle this morning. This was a very expensive mistake. I just called the vet the other day to have my prescription ready by my visit tomorrow so I can give it to Marks Marine. Now I have to spend the $300 to get it at Walmart today. Not to mention my poor Shmee... How bad is this going to be for his numbers? I wish we could just do the bloodwork today instead of tomorrow since he got such a low shot... I think I am going to take the opportunity and call my vet to see if there were any cancellations today so I can just fast him after +5 and get him in today. Thank god for DH.... I could not call off work so he did. He is going to pickup the prescription from the vet and take it to Walmart to get it filled for me (or actually since they already have the script I wonder if I could just call to refill it, I am going to call at 9 to see if she put refills on it) so we should hopefully have it for PMPS.
 
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Amanda & Shmee said:
Previous condo

I was thinking I would have had another month of insulin but now that Shmee's doses are higher I did not realize it would run out so fast :( I am beyond mad at myself. I could only get 4.25U out of the bottle this morning. This was a very expensive mistake. I just called the vet the other day to have my prescription ready by my visit tomorrow so I can give it to Marks Marine. Now I have to spend the $300 to get it at Walmart today. Not to mention my poor Shmee... How bad is this going to be for his numbers? I wish we could just do the bloodwork today instead of tomorrow since he got such a low shot... I think I am going to take the opportunity and call my vet to see if there were any cancellations today so I can just fast him after +5 and get him in today. Thank god for DH.... I could not call off work so he did. He is going to pickup the prescription from the vet and take it to Walmart to get it filled for me so we should hopefully have it for PMPS.
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Have you ever considered driving to Canada to get your insulin? I've done some research and it's around $65-70 without a prescription. I understand as long as it's constantly kept refrigerated it has quite a long shelf life - might be worth the trip since you're giving a good-sized dose twice a day - I understand that's not going to help today - but for future reference. Something to think about.
 
Is there another clinic that could fill the script? A local emergency clinic maybe?
Just as a point of interest are you always able to get right to the bottom of a vial? Caninsulin seems to lose it's effect for me over time, my fridge currently has 3 half empty vials.
 
Shawna & Davidson said:
Sorry to hear about this........I'n Canadian and at Costco the Lantus 5 pk pens is $102.......about USD$70
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That’s a bargain!!! It is my understanding that test strips and syringes are more expensive in Canada. I will send you syringes and test strips if you send me 5 pens for half the price that I pay Marks Marine Pharmacy to send me....
I’m half joking!
 
I have made that mistake before, luckily I had one more refill on a Lantus pen that I could use. He doesn’t do nearly as well on Lantus but it was a decent bandaid.
It’ll be ok. It’s an (expensive) bump in the road, but you’ll have a nice stock of Levemir.
 
Sue and Luci said:
Have you ever considered driving to Canada to get your insulin? I've done some research and it's around $65-70 without a prescription. I understand as long as it's constantly kept refrigerated it has quite a long shelf life - might be worth the trip since you're giving a good-sized dose twice a day - I understand that's not going to help today - but for future reference. Something to think about.
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Oh wow really!! I had no idea! I will definitely research and consider this. Thank you so much for the tip, especially since I am in Cleveland, it might be doable.

Shawna & Davidson said:
Sorry to hear about this........I'n Canadian and at Costco the Lantus 5 pk pens is $102.......about USD$70
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Ok I need to move to Canada.... (not just for Lantus with the state of the good ol US of A but we wont get into that!)
I am not sure what the difference is between pens and the vial, I would have to research that. Like Sue said, I should definitely consider driving up there!

Noah & me (GA) said:
Is there another clinic that could fill the script? A local emergency clinic maybe?
Just as a point of interest are you always able to get right to the bottom of a vial? Caninsulin seems to lose it's effect for me over time, my fridge currently has 3 half empty vials.
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Walmart should be able to get it filled today if I remember correctly (hopefully?!) so I should have his full dose by PMPS.
And yes I got to the very bottom of the vial, didn't even realize it was going so fast since I am up to 7units :(
 
My vet has an opening for 4:40pm today. I was going to fast him tomorrow and possibly give a half dose anyway. Is it safe to just fast him today??

If I do the 4:40pm appointment and fast for 6 hours (for the IAA test, vet wants 12, but everyone here said that is not necessary. I will do 6.) This will be the schedule:
AM Shot time = 6:45am
Feed until 10:30 (about +4)
Fast until vet appointment at 4:40pm
PM shot would be 6:30pm

AMPS 335, +2 196 :(
The only time I would be sad for a big drop.... Ugh!
I just can him a full can of food though so we can try to make this vet appointment happen today.... If he eats 2.5 cans by +4 am I ok to fast him then until the vet appointment? Maybe I can give him some high carb food today to deter him from going too low? I have to give him Gapapetin two hours before, so maybe I can do that with the HC food?​
 
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Oh Amanda, I'm so sorry! I think we have all made some pretty expensive mistakes, and not just in this sugar dance. My FD mistake wasn't quite as bad, but I learned the hard way that I needed to buy my strips in bulk off of eBay and not from Walmart. My more expensive mistake was just last year. I'm a medical laboratory tech and I have to be nationally certified. Really what that means is I have to pay an entity money every 2-3 years for a piece of paper that allows me to continue working. :rolleyes: Unfortunately I realized that I was late in submitting my paperwork (wedding brain). I think I had to pay $150-$200 in late fees, on top of my normal renewal fees. Highway robbery. :mad::mad:

Anywhoo, I'm telling you this so that you hopefully aren't too hard on yourself. The good thing about expensive mistakes is you will never make the same mistake again. I know for a fact I will never be late with my state license or my national certification again. I also have 200-300 test strips on hand at any given time. I'm glad Walmart will be able to get that filled today, so the insulin interruption will be relatively minimal. It does make me think as well. When I first started glargine, I thought it would take me forever to get through the pen, but I find I'm already a bit over halfway through this pen that I started not quite a month ago. Definitely means I need to keep my eye on my stash to make sure I don't run out either. Many hugs to you and Shmee today! :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Just got off the phone with the vet office. She was very set on a 12 hour fast, saying they will not be able to read the results without it, but since so many of you on here said that is not needed I am just going to do 6. Shmee has eaten 1 can of his regular LC food already, and I am going to give him a can of HC food (9:30 now, taking away food by 10:30). I hope this will be safe and I am making the right choice. I am also supposed to give him Gabapetin two hours before, but the vet also said no to the small amount of food with it and said I have to dry pill him. I really do not want to do that since it is a big pill.... should I just give him the food with it and not tell her? So many people on here say they don't even fast at all so I am thinking this would be ok....
 
I wouldn't have fed him the other can..........he won't be that hungry and the longer the fast the better the results, just like with us humans............the pens come in 300ml so the 5 total 1500 ml. The viles if I recall are larger then the pens and the only real difference is that once the vial is open it won't last as long as each pen. Since the pens stay closes until you open them.......price wise it's not a big difference. I buy strips at Walmart USA since they are U$17.58 for 100 and we pay tripple that here....don't ask!
 
Mom2Maverick said:
That’s a bargain!!! It is my understanding that test strips and syringes are more expensive in Canada. I will send you syringes and test strips if you send me 5 pens for half the price that I pay Marks Marine Pharmacy to send me....
I’m half joking!
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HAHA, ...........I'm 10 min. to Buffalo, so go over the border often for dairy items, gas, FD supplies but not for shoes!! LOL.......okay, don't go there. Syringes are cheap $39cad for 100, but meters and test strips are expensive so I get them in the States. We don't need a prescription for needles or insulin here...........
 
Shawna & Davidson said:
I wouldn't have fed him the other can..........he won't be that hungry and the longer the fast the better the results, just like with us humans...........
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Damn. He ate about 3/4 can of his regular LC food and he didn't eat the full can of HC, he ate about half. I took it away at 10am. Which means he will be fasted for about 7 hours before the bloodwork. All the previous responses I have gotten when I asked about fasting for the IAA test was that most people didn't fast at all, and Dr. Janine (@Janine & Floyd) said she fasted Floyd for 6-8 hours before so I hope it will be ok.
 
I am mostly curious about the Gabapetin at 2pm now. Do I have to dry pill him like the vet suggests (I will get oral syringes from Walmart to rinse) or can I give him a little food with it? I will plan on doing the dry pill for now, even though I cannot imagine this since the pill is so big and he hates when I pill him as it is...
 
I just got off the phone with an endocrinologist from MSU. She said 6-8 hour fasting is fine. She also confirmed what I had stated previously, that the vet will be able to tell if there is too much lipemia once the sample is spun down, before sending it in. She said even slight lipemia does not interfere with the test, only moderate to marked lipemia.

I would ask the vet again. Did she call MSU? I can't advocate lying/not telling. Be honest and see if she will work with you.

A small amount of food with a pill should also not interfere with test, but the butter technique followed by a syringe of water to make sure it goes down would work too.
 
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Janine & Floyd said:
I just got off the phone with an endocrinologist from MSU. She said 6-8 hour fasting is fine. She also confirmed what I had stated previously, that the vet will be able to tell if there is too much lipemia once the sample is spun down, before sending it in. She said even slight lipemia does not interfere with the test, only moderate to marked lipemia.

I would ask the vet again. Did she call MSU? I can't advocate lying/not telling. Be honest and see if she will work with you.

A small amount of food with a pill should also not interfere with test, but the butter technique followed by a syringe of water to make sure it goes down.
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Thank you so much. Yes she did call MSU originally, and she told me that the lab was adamant about the 12 hour fast which is why she really wanted me to fast for 12 hours. So odd. Maybe she talked to a different person there. She gives me the feeling that she is very stuck in her ways, so I think once she gets something in her head it seems very hard to get her to change her mind or even consider another possibility. As for the gabapentin - I will see how I feel later, I am thinking I will try the butter and water rinse just in case, if I am feeling courageous.

You don't think the HC food should affect the blood do you / show more lipemia? I thought of that after the fact... I hope it will be ok.
 
Amanda & Shmee said:
Thank you so much. Yes she did call MSU originally, and she told me that the lab was adamant about the 12 hour fast which is why she really wanted me to fast for 12 hours. So odd. Maybe she talked to a different person there. She gives me the feeling that she is very stuck in her ways, so I think once she gets something in her head it seems very hard to get her to change her mind or even consider another possibility. As for the gabapentin - I will see how I feel later, I am thinking I will try the butter and water rinse just in case, if I am feeling courageous.
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It probably also depends on how you ask the question.

"This test requires a 12 hour fast, correct?"
"Yes"

VS.

"I know that a 12 hour fast is ideal, but my client is reluctant to fast her diabetic cat that long. Can the fasting period be shorter?" "Yes"
 
Big breath Amanda. You got this. :bighug: Of all the test results I have seen for IAA, I have yet to see one that is close to the gray line. They have been either well below the upper end of normal or well into the the positive for IAA range. I wouldn't worry about a shorter fast making that big a difference.

Like Janine I have also phrased it differently- " I will try to fast as long as possible, but is it OK if I give food to keep her safe". Hard for them to,say no to that. ;)

@Shawna & Davidson Funnily enough, been making shoe jokes here too. Especially my crew going across the border tomorrow for the weekend.

Amanda, another difference between a five pack of pens/cartridges and a vial of insulin is the amount of insulin, a five pack contains more.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Big breath Amanda. You got this. :bighug: Of all the test results I have seen for IAA, I have yet to see one that is close to the gray line. They have been either well below the upper end of normal or well into the the positive for IAA range. I wouldn't worry about a shorter fast making that big a difference.
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Thanks Wendy I appreciate it :). After I gave him the HC food I was more worried/curious if the HC food could have an effect on the lipemia status. Hopefully not. The more I thought about it too, and the more I am thinking I am just going to give him a little food with the gabapentin. You saying you have not really seen results close to a gray line makes me feel better too.
 
Just tried to give him the Gabapetin with a tablespoon of food. He wasn't really interested in eating and I have been surprised he hasn't bothered me all day to eat... I am wondering if the HC food made his stomach hurt (it was his first time having it). Hopefully it's just a fluke... He ate about half of it, so he probably won't be as groggy as he should for the vet.. it sounded like a child screaming when they got blood from him last time, and this time they need to get a lot of blood. My poor guy, he is going to be so scared. I keep thinking I am doing this for his own good. I cannot wait until this day is over!
 
Shawna & Davidson said:
HAHA, ...........I'm 10 min. to Buffalo, so go over the border often for dairy items, gas, FD supplies but not for shoes!! LOL.......okay, don't go there. Syringes are cheap $39cad for 100, but meters and test strips are expensive so I get them in the States. We don't need a prescription for needles or insulin here...........
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Almost correct. I am in Canada and meters are FREE with the purchase of strips. You go to any one of the websites - accucheck, Freestyle etc and download your coupon. Same in the US actually. Many don't mnod you can do this. I have had four meters and not paid for any.

Insulin is much cheaper in Canada and we don't need a prescription. However it's much much more expensive for strips at $80 for 100.
 
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Shawna & Davidson said:
I wouldn't have fed him the other can..........he won't be that hungry and the longer the fast the better the results, just like with us humans............the pens come in 300ml so the 5 total 1500 ml. The viles if I recall are larger then the pens and the only real difference is that once the vial is open it won't last as long as each pen. Since the pens stay closes until you open them.......price wise it's not a big difference. I buy strips at Walmart USA since they are U$17.58 for 100 and we pay tripple that here....don't ask!
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The pens come in 3ml not 300. I think you mean 300 units. The vials are 10ml which is 1000 units.
 
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