New to this forum and new to cat diabetes

Status
Not open for further replies.
Becki and sox said:
Do you think I should try a different make machine as both the freestyle freedom lite and the freestyle lite both read the same so both are on the lower end?
Click to expand...

Becki, all meters have their own idiosyncracies. They are not meant to be 100% accurate/precise. They give you a reasonably accurate picture of BG at a moment in time. If you try another meter that reads higher at low range BG numbers it could potentially read a bit lower at higher range numbers than the Freestyle meters. It's all relative. The Freestyle meters have been highly rated by Consumer reports over the last few years.

I used the AT2, the Freestyle Lite and Freestyle Freedom Lite meters. The Freestyle meters do read a bit lower than others at low ranges but as Eliz said, I preferred having a meter that read a bit lower than one that reads high because I wanted to be alerted to take action a bit early rather than when it had already become a critical issue.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
The Freestyle meters have been highly rated by Consumer reports over the last few years.
Click to expand...

The 2 meters I have are around 6 years old. They should still be ok shouldnt they.

Like I say I've tested all the other cats too and average the 2.7 mark mark so if when I start treating sox with insulin I'll know that that is the number I'm heading to as all my other cats are at that range. That should be ok shouldnt it?
 
Your meters should be fine and yes your ultimate goal would be have Sox BG in somewhat the same range. Bear in mind though, every cat as in every human, is different so while your other cats "normal" seems to be around 2.7, Sox might be more balanced at a slightly lower or higher "normal". BG is constantly changing so your goal is to get Sox into normal range without the need for insulin rather than to have him mirror your other cats.

If you did want to upgrade your meters, ABBOTT often offers free meters with purchase of strips or if your meters were registered with ABBOTT, they might give you a free upgrade.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
If you did want to upgrade your meters, ABBOTT often offers free meters with purchase of strips or if your meters were registered with ABBOTT, they might give you a free upgrade.
Click to expand...

I'll have a look on their web site at that then.
We no longer have any one in the family with diabetes we kept the meters when my nan passed so probably wouldn't get them changed and I'm not sure if she ever registered them.
 
Well if you go for a new free meter, you'll just have to complete the coupon as if it were for human use. They might get suspicious if you put SOX on there as the user name! :woot:
 
I just went to a pharmacy and asked for strips with a free meter, and they filled out the coupon. Not surenif it is different outside Canada. I also used a different pharmacy than my own so that it didn't go onto my health plan.

With my Freestyle Lite, my first reading was on my nosy civvie, and was 2.7 also.
 
HERE is the link for the ABBOTT UK site. I don't see any coupon offer there now and I don't know if they do the same free offers in the UK that they do here in Canada. You could check with your local pharmacy as they'd know if there are free meter/upgrade offers there. The offers generally rotate between their meter offerings so an offer for a meter may be on the website for a few months and then be replaced with an offer for another meter but eventually the offer usually starts again.
Your current meters seem to be working fine so if you do get the free meter offers, you could just wait for the next offer to upgrade.
 
Yeah definitely thank you always worth knowing as mine were hand me downs.

And definitely knowing some one else got a reading of 2.7 on a normal cat on a freestyle meter is good just confirms my meter :)
 
Just don't panic if you should test your civvies one day and get a lower BG. I've had 2.1, 2.3 and 2.4 on occasion on my Freestyle since stopping insulin with my girl although her more frequent range is low 3's. A cat that is not on insulin is not going to go hypo unless there is another medical condition at play.:)
 
Great thank you.

So if once sox is on insulin and he was to go below 2.7 would you worry with him then because of him been on the insulin?
 
With a cat on insulin, your goal is to get them into "normal" range numbers. Because you are giving insulin, and the cat's ability to regulate their glucose is impaired, you start with a low dose, gradually increase it and test as you go along to see how each dose is working. In the beginning you aim for better numbers but not anything as low as 2.7. At 2.7 with a cat on insulin, we would be taking action to bring their BG up a little because when you are giving insulin, the BG could continue to drop more to dangerously low levels and you don't want the cat dropping any lower than 2.7.

This is a marathon not a sprint, so it takes time to get a cat regulated. What range of BG you ultimately aim for also depends on what type of insulin you are using, how long kitty has been diabetic, your ability to monitor and how much data you have to know how your kitty reacts to the insulin you are giving. It's about keeping kitty safe while learning how they react and then dosing accordingly. We can help you with all of this. :)
 
Hi Becki...I'm from the US and I save a lot by not getting stuff from my vet....for me it made a huge difference just changing vets. I happened to move right when Lilly was diagnosed earlier this year and had to get a new vet. What an eye opener that was. Went from paying $60 to $70 per visit (without any additional tests...I almost never left that office paying less than $150 after tests) to $20 an office visit and only $10 for the bg tests they do in office. HUGE difference and my new vet is a cat internist who specializes in diabetic cats. So much better care, much less costs. I also did a lot of reading about those "prescription" foods. From what I read, the ONLY thing that makes them "prescription" is the fact that the manufacturer has an agreement with the veterinarians to only sell to them so you have to have a "prescription" to get it....thus driving up the cost. And, like others have said, I found much better / lower carb food online for Lilly. Now that I test Lilly myself, I only bring her to the vet if she is having a problem or for her annual checkup. My vet is cool about that....as long as I'm monitoring. I order her needles online and use ebay for the test strips. I was overwhelmed at first too. It gets easier and Lilly is very healthy now.
 
Thanks guys it's is abit overwhelming with everything to learn but I'm sure I will get there.
It's new territory and a learning curve you guys have all been there done that and are so knowledgeable... But we all start some where.

Does insulin always get given with food?
 
Becki and sox said:
Does insulin always get given with food?
Click to expand...
The general sequence is;
1. TEST. To see if the cat's blood glucose is high enough for that dose of insulin.
2. FEED. To make sure the kitty has food on board for when the insulin kicks in.
3. GIVE SHOT.

Many people give the shot while their cat is eating, and the cats often don't even notice if they've got their face in a plateful of food.

There are a couple of situations in which it can be helpful to wait a little while after feeding before giving the shot.
Cats on a fast-acting insulin (Caninsulin or Novolin) can benefit from this. But it wouldn't normally be necessary with Prozinc.
And those with kitties that are inclined to puke sometimes after eating may want to wait to ensure that the kitty keeps the food down.

Becki and sox said:
It's new territory and a learning curve you guys have all been there done that and are so knowledgeable... But we all start some where.
Click to expand...
There are people on the forum at all stages, from complete newcomers who've arrived here just today to people who've been here for many years. But everyone was a newcomer once. And everyone knows and understands what it's like to be new to diabetes.
You really will be just fine, Becki. In just a little while your confidence will grow immensely. Really. ;)

Eliz
 
I'm sure it will all click into place as I get more experienced in it.... Just like anything it takes time.

Been as though Sox has dropped down to 10.5 and 12.4 and some points is there a number that I'm looking for if when I test him for insulin that if I get on meter I would not administer insulin?
 
In the beginning, when you don't have any data, we usually suggest no insulin if fasting BG pre-shot is about 11 or less on a human meter. Once you get some data and know how much the insulin is reducing BG during the cycles, then the no shot number can be re-evaluated and gradually decreased if safe to do so. The first step in this dance is to get to know how Sox reacts to insulin.
 
First insulin shot given today. The vet has recommended 1.5 shots 2x a day and to give it a week and then do my curve.
Sox was such a good boy letting me learn on him he was very well behaved.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20181110_100250.jpg
    IMG_20181110_100250.jpg
    34.4 KB · Views: 129
Becki and sox said:
First insulin shot given today. The vet has recommended 1.5 shots 2x a day and to give it a week and then do my curve.
Sox was such a good boy letting me learn on him he was very well behaved.
Click to expand...
Oh, bless him. He looks like a real sweetie... :bighug:

Becki, did you manage to get a blood glucose test before going to the vet (or at the vet) prior to giving the insulin?
And are you home and able to get any other tests today?

Eliz
 
Elizabeth and Bertie said:
Becki, did you manage to get a blood glucose test before going to the vet (or at the vet) prior to giving the insulin?
And are you home and able to get any other tests today?
Click to expand...

Yeah I got a test at 9 when he ate before his injection at half 9.
I do need to bring his feeding times back to around 7ish for Monday due to work. The vet nurse said just do it half an hour earlier each feed to bring it back to the right time.
Yeah I'm in now all day. She did say I didn't need to test now to give his ears a rest but to be fair I'd rather do some tests for my own piece of mind before I give his next shot tonight.
 
That is a good number Becki but what was the reading you took at 9am?

Has anyone mentioned to you that we have a wonderful spreadsheet we use here to track the readings we take. It is stored on google docs and we put a link in our signatures so that anyone here can click on the link and see the readings. The sheet automatically colour codes the readings so it's easy to see the pattern of the readings you are getting which really helps when making dosing decisions. The instructions for setting up the spreadsheet are HERE and
THIS DOC explains how to use the spreadsheet. You need to use the World sheet for human meters if you are using the Freestyle meter. :)
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
what was the reading you took at 9am?
Click to expand...
Sorry I forgot to add that on. It was 15.3 at 9am this morning.
Yeah I saw the spread sheets I've tried to do one but not sure if it's because I'm trying to do it on my phone that it's not working properly. (No access to laptop/desktop) :(
I'll give it another go though
 
Last edited:
Sox is having a good cycle. Can you get another reading around +6 so we can see whether Sox goes any lower?

As for the spreadsheet, do you have Google Drive and Google sheet apps installed on your phone? You will need both along with a google account. Let's see if we can get you sorted. :D
 
Yes I can do that so test him around half 3. That's then 6 hours post insulin.
The vet nurse said I didn't need to be testing him really but personally I think it's better to know how he's reacting to it than just keep injecting him.

Think I might have done it... Let's see if it's on my signature of this post lol
 
Last edited:
I see the link but when I click it, it tells me I need permission. Looks like your share settings need to be changed. You need to set it so that anyone with a link can view it.

As for testing, it is really important to know how the insulin is working and the only way to do that is to make sure you get pre-shot tests to ensure it's safe to give insulin and then to test mid cycle to see how well the dose of insulin is working. Dosing is based on those 2 pieces of information. If you are working during the week and can't get mid cycle tests, then you test when you can in the evenings. And we also suggest getting a before bed test just so you know Sox will be safe overnight and if he is dropping , you can leave extra food for him so you can get some shuteye.
 
I think I've changed it... Does the link work now.

The vets just said to give the injections and not worry about the testing but then like you say how do you know he's not too low or anything before a shot. They said to give these shots untill I can do my curve next sunday. Due to work.
 
Yeah! You are up and running! Great job! :joyful:

Curves are fine but they only tell you what's going on for one cycle one day. Every day is not the same with our furry diabetics so getting mid cycle tests when you are able to do so, is much more informative. They also give you a "video" of Sox progress over time rather than snapshots. Curves add to the daily data rather than replace it. Some folks who work do their shots early enough that they can grab a test before running out the door to work. Others grab a test when they get home and some can only test in the evenings and weekends. Any data is helpful.

I'll check back in to see what Sox is up to at +6 in about half hour or so. We don't deal with actual times around here because of all the different time zones. I'm in Canada so 5 hours behind you. ;)
 
6 hours post insulin 4.4

I'm thinking the numbers will start to creep back up again now seen as we're half way through the 12 hours?

But if however hes still low when next jab is due do I still give him the jab or am I best not to cause would I risk making him dip too low then?
 
Becki, ProZinc usually peaks in it's action between +4 and +7 hours post shot so Sox may drop a bit more yet. I'd highly suggest you test him again in a half hour. He is safe right now but you don't want him going below 2.7. This is a prime example of why we recommend mid cycle testing especially when you first start insulin. The 1.5u dose is a bit higher than we would usually suggest for starting and for tonight ,depending on what Sox does today, you may want to back up to 1u (assuming your syringes only have full unit markings).
How are you feeding Sox? Meals only at shot times or do you give him some snacks in between?
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
How are you feeding Sox? Meals only at shot times or do you give him some snacks in between?
Click to expand...
He gets fed 2 meals a day breakfast and dinner. He's had a few chunks of chicken as a treat today just after his last BG check.
I'll test him again in another half an hour.
Should i get some thing in for if he drops too low or could I give him some crunchies or something.... Again I did ask the vets if I needed anything in but she said not at this stage
 
Corn syrup or honey would be good to have on hand along with some extra test strips, and some medium and high carb wet food. Crunchies (I presume thats is dry cat food?) are OK but they take longer to get processed than wet food so while helpful if BG drops too low, not the best of options except in a pinch. HERE is some reading about being prepared to deal with low BG situations.
I get the impression your vet didn't think Sox would be working the insulin so well. He's safe but he is dropping to low numbers for the first day on insulin.
 
Okie dokie will have to pop to shop and get some honey or a tub of glucose. I've heard people mention food in gravy.

7 hours post injection 3.5

I'm thinking he might not need 1.5u :eek:
 
Ok Becki. Sox is still safe but you need to give him something to eat to make sure he doesn't drop any lower. Give him a tsp or 2 of his usual food and test him again about 20-30 minutes after he finishes.
I agree the 1.5u is probably too much insulin. We'll see what he does today and then decide the best option for tonight. :)
 
Brought some carby foods just incase.
Fed him his normal food about 10 mins ago so I'll test him in half hour
 

Attachments

  • 15418697178588539874475827477913.jpg
    15418697178588539874475827477913.jpg
    44.9 KB · Views: 121
Wonderful! When they get to a level that is close to that low of 2.7, giving them a bit of their usual diet will usually get them up a wee bit and stop the drop but you can't put your guard down totally so yes I would test again in an hour just to be safe. Right now, we don't know exactly how Sox is going to react so an extra bit of caution is needed. I'll check back in an hour. Good job testing and keeping Sox safe. You're off to a great start and what a beautiful cycle Sox had although I'm still not convinced the dose doesn't need to come down a bit at least just till you get a bit more info on his reactions.
 
Becki and sox said:
Fed 2 spoons of his normal food BG back up to 5.0
Should I test him again in a hour or maybe 2?
Click to expand...
Hi Becki, it looks like he is past the peak of the cycle. 'If' you can get a test in an hour that would still be good (really just for information), but you should be able to relax after that (watch a bit of 'Strictly' maybe, haha!)...
It 'may' be that Sox's blood glucose rises quickly ('bounces') in response to the blood glucose being lower than he's become accustomed to. If that happens don't let that bother you, it will settle down again. It will be interesting to see what his blood glucose is when his next shot is due.
You are really doing SO well.
(And you've had fab advice from MrWorfmen's Mom.)

Eliz
 
9 hours post insulin 6.6

Should I just wait for the next test now at half 8. He's due his food and shot at 9. It will be 11 and half hours since 1st injection but need to bring the time back down for feeding at half 7 on Monday when I'm back at work.

Any ideas on what I should do about tonight's insulin shot?
 
Sox is looking terrific. Looks like he's on his way back up now and there could still be some food influence too so I think you are safe to hold off testing again until 8:15pm, food and shot 8:45pm. I'm saying 8:15 because you can start backing your time up by 15 minutes per shot tonight and then 8am Sunday etc. which should have you back at half 7 by Monday morning.
Do your syringes have half unit markings on them? Just thinking about tonight's plan.
 
Last edited:
The way Sox responded today I am reluctant to suggest backing up even a full half hour on this night cycle but you should be able to move ahead the full half hour on Sunday AM as long as you will be around to keep an eye on him. You have a little flexibility with ProZinc but I'd rather see what he does tonight before making any bigger time change than 15 minutes. I am thinking 1u would be a better dose for tonight but that is going to depend on his pre-shot BG. We now know how much he dropped today on 1.5u but as Eliz mentioned he may also bounce to higher numbers as a result. If I have my times straight, it's just after 7pm there and you'll be wanting to shoot at 9:15pm tonight. If you can test and feed Sox between 8:45 and 9pm and post pre-shot reading, I'll check in and we can make a final decision about dose.

@Elizabeth and Bertie I'm thinking 1u tonight depending of course on pre-shot. Your thoughts? :bighug: (Waving back!)
 
Yeah it's 7.10 here now.
Yeah that's fine I'll test him and then feed him at 8.45 and post his BG.
You always test before feeding don't you.
 
Just tested and BG is 9.1 and fed his night feed just too.

Do I need to test again before giving the shot? And is there a certain amount of time I have to wait after giving him the shot before going to bed as of course I won't be able to test him through the night?
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top