10/23 Luci AMPS 234 *Pics of our food/hypo kit*, PMPS 263

Sue and Luci

Sue and Luci

Member Since 2017
Yesterday - Thank you everyone for your comments about Luci's gotcha day :)

Look like there's been lots of excitement on the board for @Krystina & Nelli and @Joanne&TinySole overnight! Those cats are figuring out what's to be done to get to remission! Although it's hard work staying up all night and steering those kitties safely - that's the dance isn't it? I've added pics of my hypo 'kit' for you guys as as suggestion of things to keep on hand for those PJ parties when the stores aren't open or it's just too late to go out!

I'd like to ask Luci to watch out for those guys but she's too lazy or tired or something...she's just not catching on. Her days are spent hanging out in the trees (yellow)....and her nights she tentatively visits the beach (Blue)...but not interested in getting near the lagoon these days....I guess I need to seriously consider an increase back to 1.25...:blackeye:

With this girl it's feast or famine - high or low...what's it gonna be today Luci?

Happy Tuesday to everyone here in L&L land. May your day be peaceful. Sending vines to those in need.:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:

For @Krystina & Nelli and @Joanne&TinySole - A few pics of my hypo 'kit' (loose term because it's a lot bigger than a kit). I also keep extra test strips - 300 - whenever a box is used, it is replaced; a back up meter (how many times has it conked out midstream!) Calipers, rice filled socks (Luci's preferred ear holder method); extra syringes, extra lancets (same as test strips) Don't want to run out at an inopportune time!
 

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Mandy & Rex said:
Fantastic pictures! You are certainly well-prepared with your deep diving girl! I did wonder... that dark Karo syrup has quite a bit gone.. was that all for Luci?? :confused:

I do think you need to increase back to 1.25u.
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I'm a Southern girl - that dark Karo syrup was used for baking a pecan pie (I say pee-can)....Luci only gets a drop when she gets it...I have plenty of baking supplies on hand - light and dark karo - that bottle just happens to be the handiest :)

I agree an increase is in order for Ms. Luci.
 
WOW! Love all your supplies ,so organized ! I mark the % of carbs on the cans & toss them in a bin in the pantry.
I need to get everything grouped together better like you. It would make things easier :woot:

Luci's bg still looks pretty good to me. Ravan was doing good for a few days now he's in a Bounce :( At least it's Pink & not in red & black ( I hope :nailbiting: )

Hope your day goes Smoooothly :p
 
Sue

I’ve been out of town a while and just got back so please forgive me if someone has discussed this with you but have you considered changing the insulin for Luci?

Typically, we would suggest an insulin change if you aren’t seeing better progress after 6 mos - a year. IMHO, Levemir is really an excellent insulin and although my Gracie didn’t quit bouncing totally, she did so much better on Levemir.

Initially, it feels like you are starting over as you have to relearn cycles but, in reality, you are still dealing with FD and you are so much more experienced now that you’ll figure it out quickly. Things to consider about Levemir in determining if it might be a good change:

  • Onset is typically around +4 instead of +2; I consider this to be a great bonus of Lev because you can shoot lower numbers and know you’ve got four hours for the number to come up before onset.
  • Nadir is typically +8 to +12.
  • Levemir can potentially give longer duration which can allow you to take better advantage of overlap and carryover.
  • Levemir doesn’t sting at higher doses (Lantus actually stung Gracie even at 1u).
  • Levemir would be started at 70% of the current lantus dose but we can fast track it up if she doesn’t drop lower the first few cycles. Some cats have dropped low the first couple of cycles of Lev after the switch but some, like my Gracie, did nothing so I increased her dose after 2 cycles and then did another increase after four cycles. We play it by ear and you might have to go higher than the lantus dose but that’s ok.
  • Feeding schedules “might” have to be changed. On Lantus, I fed at AMPS, +1, +2, +3 but on Lev, I fed at AMPS +2, +3, +6, +7 during the day and a little different at night so I could sleep when I could. I just want to emphasize “might” because it might not.
Would you like to think about it and see how it might work with your schedule?
 
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Marje and Gracie said:
Let us know if you want to consider it. I’m sure those pens will sell really fast to anyone on the board or in the Supply Closet.
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Shipping on dry ice is a problem...it's just not practical. I'm not able to take that hit financially and highly doubt someone is going to give me $200 for these pens... :( We'll just have to figure it out as we go or until she uses up these pens....which might be a long time considering what a small dose she's on.

I don't know how to answer multiple comments in a single message but she doesn't have a feeding schedule...

The Lantus doesn't appear to sting -she doesn't react when I give her a shot. I thought for a while way back when that she seemed to flinch or grunt...but recently (like in the last few months) makes not a sound and doesn't move...

Sounds like Lev has a number of obstacles for me - 4+ rise would be one ... :(
 
I see that @Olive & Paula and @JoyBee&Ravan are both using Levimer - how are their cats doing on Lev? Anyone else on Levimer that's having a better result?

I think Luci might be in that club. I'm not optimistic at this time. If someone had said to me 6 months ago to give Lev a try I could have asked the vet for another prescription. So since I have a prescription for Lantus and $200 worth of pens currently; no prescription for Lev...another reason not to be optimistic about a switch. Perhaps other Lev users will be able to show the improvements they've had using it?
 
Sue and Luci said:
Shipping on dry ice is a problem...it's just not practical. I'm not able to take that hit financially and highly doubt someone is going to give me $200 for these pens... :( We'll just have to figure it out as we go or until she uses up these pens....which might be a long time considering what a small dose she's on.
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I understand but I shipped all of Gracie’s pens out and didn’t send them in dry ice. They made it fine and were very useful to the person I sent them to. I put one ice pack in with a freezer type bag. it wasn’t costly. I think $200 for all the pens you have is pretty reasonable considering the cost of insulin. Having said that, I support whatever is best for you and Luci.

Sue and Luci said:
Sounds like Lev has a number of obstacles for me - 4+ rise would be one
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Perhaps I’m misunderstanding but +4 is onset not rise.

Sue and Luci said:
Perhaps other Lev users will be able to show the improvements they've had using it?
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It’s ECID. I’m sure Olive is on it because of the acro; high doses of lantus really sting so every acro cat I can think of is on levemir.

Take a look at these SSs after the switch to Levemir:
Cobb’s SS (click on 7/1/14 tab for the switch)
Gracie’s SS I switched her in Sep, 2011 and it took a few months for her to improve but if you look at 2011 and 2012 SSs, you’ll see a big change.

There are others that improved but I can’t access all of their SSs as their links no longer work.
 
Marje and Gracie said:
I understand but I shipped all of Gracie’s pens out and didn’t send them in dry ice. They made it fine and were very useful to the person I sent them to. I put one ice pack in with a freezer type bag. it wasn’t costly. I think $200 for all the pens you have is pretty reasonable considering the cost of insulin. Having said that, I support whatever is best for you and Luci.


Perhaps I’m misunderstanding but +4 is onset not rise.


It’s ECID. I’m sure Olive is on it because of the acro; high doses of lantus really sting so every acro cat I can think of is on levemir.

Take a look at these SSs after the switch to Levemir:
Cobb’s SS (click on 7/1/14 tab for the switch)
Gracie’s SS I switched her in Sep, 2011 and it took a few months for her to improve but if you look at 2011 and 2012 SSs, you’ll see a big change.

There are others that improved but I can’t access all of their SSs as their links no longer work.
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Maybe I'm tired...but those SS's look a lot like Luci's - some greens, blues, yellows, pinks...generally the same as what Luci's SS looks like...one would need to be a statistical analyst to run all those numbers through a program to see if there was an average actual improvement...I'm sorry if I'm sounding negative about switching..but from what I've seen of the Lev users here I haven't been able to see much of an improvement...and none have made it to remission...are there any who've made it off the juice using Lev?
 
Sue and Luci said:
Maybe I'm tired...but those SS's look a lot like Luci's - some greens, blues, yellows, pinks...generally the same as what Luci's SS looks like...one would need to be a statistical analyst to run all those numbers through a program to see if there was an average actual improvement...I'm sorry if I'm sounding negative about switching..but from what I've seen of the Lev users here I haven't been able to see much of an improvement...and none have made it to remission...are there any who've made it off the juice using Lev?
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It’s important to look back to see how they did on Lantus. I know Gracie absolutely did better on Lev although she still bounced. I saw her generally coming down from a lot of pinks and yellows to mostly blues and greens with yellows mixed in for bouncing. She occasionally had pink but a whole lot less.

Oh gosh....lots of cats have gone into remission on Levemir! It has the same remission rate as lantus. My question would be whether there is better regulation or not? When I look at these SSs, I absolutely see better regulation. Too many members fail to realize that you aren’t getting to remission if regulation doesn’t come first. Focus on regulation. If remission happens, it’s a bonus.

Alex’s SS
 
Marje and Gracie said:
It’s important to look back to see how they did on Lantus. I know Gracie absolutely did better on Lev although she still bounced. I saw her generally coming down from a lot of pinks and yellows to mostly blues and greens with yellows mixed in for bouncing. She occasionally had pink but a whole lot less.

Oh gosh....lots of cats have gone into remission on Levemir! It has the same remission rate as lantus. My question would be whether there is better regulation or not? When I look at these SSs, I absolutely see better regulation. Too many members fail to realize that you aren’t getting to remission if regulation doesn’t come first. Focus on regulation. If remission happens, it’s a bonus.

Alex’s SS
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Levimer - vial - near me - quote - nearly $300.... ouch!
KROGER PHARMACY
20730 Pontiac Trl
South Lyon, MI 48178(248)486-9182
9am to 9pm

$297.85
 
Sue and Luci said:
Levimer - vial - near me - quote - nearly $300.... ouch!
KROGER PHARMACY
20730 Pontiac Trl
South Lyon, MI 48178(248)486-9182
9am to 9pm

$297.85
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it’s not cheap but it’s cheaper than Lantus. If you got your lantus from Mark’s, they also sell levemir.

I want to be sure you understand I’m not trying to push you towards using Levemir. I just want you to have all the information.
 
Sue, I can say pee-can too although I am displaced up in Yankee territory.

Nice hypo kit.

About shipping Lantus:
Yes, you do not need to put the LANTUS on dry ice. Just bubble pack it and send Priority to get there in 2 days. Freezing is a problem for Lantus, so you'd want to get it to some one before their temps are below freezing.

Lev is for sale in the supply closet by Alan Hamman. I have bought Lantus from him in the past multiple times and he is very nice to deal with. Unfortunately for me, he is having trouble getting Lantus right now so I had to order for the first time from Mark's Marine Pharmacy ( also very nice to deal with but twice what I paid with Alan)

You would have no trouble getting rid of the Lantus in the supply closet.

JMHO
 
Hey Luci, I switched to Levemir for a few reasons. Ravan used to shudder ( his skin would quiver )when I gave him a shot. After a while he started jumping like it hurt.
I read about Levemir & it doesn't sting like Lantus ( lantus is acidic that's why it stings) The next reason I was hoping he wouldn't bounce so much. In the beginning I was shocked how good his bg was . (check out his SS when I switched)
He eventually did start to bounce but it's not as bad as it was on Lantus.He seems to be bouncing in lower #'s Not as many Black & Red. And the bounces don't last as long.
The last reason is cost ( a Biggy for me) He's using less insulin ! Over all I'm very glad I switched to Levemir :)
 
Just want to make a few comments of my experience with Levemir.
Initially Sheba went into remission on Lantus after a couple of months and was in remission for almost three years.
When she fell out of remission I used Lantus for more than a year. I swapped to Levemir because Lantus just didn't seem to be doing much for Sheba.
It was the best thing I did. She seemed happier on the Levemir and I found the later onset of the insulin was a real plus, because I could shoot low preshots knowing I had 3 hours before the insulin would start dropping the BSL. The nadir was later and the duration was also better. The later nadir suited my lifestyle.
She was a real diver and bouncer but I think she did it less on the levemir.
Of course your choice of insulin is up to you......But I wouldn't close my eyes totally to the Levemir.
 
Ok, here's a question: Has anyone gone from Lev to Lantus? If we try Lev can we go back to Lantus? My pens are good until 2020.
 
Sue and Luci said:
Has anyone gone from Lev to Lantus?
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I've seen in happen a couple of times. Gurkan did it with Raffy when his local pharmacy (in Istanbul) temporarily ran out of Lev. He switched back when the Lev came in. Raffy is high dose. I remember one other, but can't remember the reasoning.

I also liked the later onset. If Neko wasn't eating at shot time, I had about 5 hours to get food in her. Which was great when her many ailments were making her picky. And knowing that she was going up for 5 hours after her shot, I could test, feed, shoot and go out to dinner or a movie in the PM. Her nadir was also often at shot time. I was almost always home and awake for that. :cool: Her nadir was variable, +9 to +12 being most common. I got up at PM+9 4 days a week for rowing, so it totally fit my schedule. Most important, she was flatter and more predictable. I got MORE sleep at night. I didn't need to test as much because she didn't drop as fast. My between test sleeps were longer than on Lantus.

Other conversions,
  • Neko - September 10, 2013. Her SS got less pink and one month later she really learned how to work the Lev. She was a lower dose kitty at the time.
  • Osha - converted 6/23/2017 She also got a lot flatter.
Phoebe and Amethyst have also switched if you want to look at their SS, but both have high dose conditions.
 
I switched to lev because lantus was like giving water. Did not know about the acro when I switched. Olive got 8 units of lantus and it just started bothering her when I gave it. And was becoming aggressive. On lantus Olive was pink and red the whole time.

On lev (started 3/25) Olive started popping yellows and blues in a few weeks. Olive is a bouncy kitty. Her numbers did come down though. The greens just don't have duration with her. With Olive she doesn't have late nadirs. Just today her nadir was +5. We did go past the dose of lantus she was on before she got a reduction. If she stayed on lantus her probably dose would have gone much higher.

Olive definitely is better on lev. I got my box from Alan. Some vials from DCIN when they offered some for a donation. Someone sent me 2 pens (don't know who it was). Since she was going up in dose I would get it when I saw it offered since her vet at that time was against it. Some came with cold packs some didn't. It is made for humans to carry it on their person. So as long as you get it by priority 2 day mail it will be ok Marks used cold packs). If you do decide to use it, get it now while temps are good.
 
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