Input/Advice needed: Newbie plan

[Gingembre1]

Hi All!

First of all, I want to say how much I already love this forum. Everyone has already been so welcoming, given me great advice, and alleviated a lot of my fears.

After doing lots of reading on the forum (with lots more left to do), I have started to plan out my approach, and would love to get feedback on what I've come up with so far. I'll be picking up my first vial of insulin today (Lantus), and I'm hoping I'll be able to start testing and shots this week, assuming I can get into my vet's office.

• Selecting a glucose monitor:
  • NovaMax: I like that it requires only 0.3 microliters, and it looks like the strips are affordable if you buy them on ebay. There's also a generic available through stripsupply.com.
  • Contour: I don't like that this require 0.5 microliters, but the meter has good reviews, and it looks like strips are decently affordable on ebay
  • Glucocard01: I like the 0.3 microliters, but strips are a little pricey. But it seems like this is a popular option on here
  • AccuCheck Guide: I don't like the 0.6 microliters required, but it seems like AccuCheck is popular. Also, through SugrBundle.com you can pay $39.99/month and get unlimited strips delivered on a recurring basis.
  • TrueMetrix: I don't like the 0.5 microliters required, but it has good reviews by consumer reports, and stripsupply.com has the strips for $0.20/each.
  • OnCall Express: Uses 0.4 microliters, strips available via diahealth.com for $0.17/each
  • Dario: Uses 0.3 microliters, strips are available via subscription for $0.25/each
  • Any others I should consider? Someone has very kindly sent me their AlphaTrack2 as well, so I could always do all my testing using that. I'm just really concerned about the cost of the strips, as well as the fact that the protocols on this forum are based on using human glucometers.
• Glucose monitoring plan:
  • Do my daily monitoring using the human glucometer, and the AlphaTrack for the glucose curves. My vet uses the AlphaTrack, and that's what they want me to use. Does it make sense to do that?
  • How often am I supposed to test? I've been reading through the protocols, and I don't think I can manage Tight Regulation with my schedule. Is the 2 hour fast before testing supposed to be before every test? Just the first one in the morning? Or can I do it before his evening meal? And then just try to get in other tests whenever I can throughout the day?
  • When do I do the first glucose curve? And then how often should I repeat a glucose curve?
• Insulin doses
  • I've already switched my cat to high protein, low carb canned wet food, and he seems to be doing a little better with just that change. My vet had said I should start with 1 unit, 2x per day of Lantus. But reading through the various guidance on here, I feel like it makes more sense to start with 0.5 units twice a day and gradually bump up from there if needed?
  • Timing: I'm trying to figure out what will work best with my work schedule, and that I can be as consistent as possible with. If I do a shot at 7AM, and a shot at 7PM, does that seem like it will work? How long after I test can I feed?
• Feeding
  • To try and be as consistent as I can, and do smaller feedings throughout the day, I bought the PetSure Automatic pet feeder with 5 feeding slots. How would you space the feedings? I'm planning on using this to get in a middle of the night feeding. I was thinking I could do the first feeding in the morning myself, and then the rest of this feedings would be using the automatic feeder throughout the day.
  • I do have a dog, but he generally isn't too interested in seafood canned food for the cat, and my cat is also the biggest chowhound I've ever seen. I can't imagine he'll let the dog anywhere near his food. But how strict should I be about making sure the cat and only the cat ever has access to the food?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm sure some of this is answered in all of the excellent materials available on this forum. But I'm in information overload, and have gotten to the point where I can't remember where I read what, and what to dig into next.

Thank you!!

Ginger

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

That was well done, looks like you've gotten past the panicked/cry yourself to sleep at night phase.
I would stick with one meter, you'll have a more consistent baseline and numbers mean everything at the start. I've always used the Aviva Accu-chek because when I bought it the amount of blood needed was far less than any other meter but that was years ago. They come with a good manual, have a great memory function and include a smaller travel meter.
Don't be sorry for all the questions, that's why we're here.

 

[Veronica & Babu-chiri]

Selecting a glucose monitor:

I would choose one that needs the smallest amount of blood possible and that you can have easy access to the test strips ( I for example use one that the pharmacy that is two blocks away from my house has)

Do my daily monitoring using the human glucometer, and the AlphaTrack for the glucose curves. My vet uses the AlphaTrack, and that's what they want me to use. Does it make sense to do that?

I would stick to one monitor only and if necessary because of your vet then do the curves on both you want to have the curves on the same one you use every day

How often am I supposed to test? I've been reading through the protocols, and I don't think I can manage Tight Regulation with my schedule. Is the 2 hour fast before testing supposed to be before every test? Just the first one in the morning? Or can I do it before his evening meal? And then just try to get in other tests whenever I can throughout the day?

The two hour fast is only for the pre shoot tests both in the morning and at night and that is so that the result you get is not food influenced and you are shure is safe to give insulin, the rest of the day he can eat as usual and you can get the tests whenever you can

When do I do the first glucose curve? And then how often should I repeat a glucose curve?

You will do your first curve after the 7 day starting period and since you will be doing SLGL protocol you need to do a curve once a week

• I've already switched my cat to high protein, low carb canned wet food, and he seems to be doing a little better with just that change. My vet had said I should start with 1 unit, 2x per day of Lantus. But reading through the various guidance on here, I feel like it makes more sense to start with 0.5 units twice a day and gradually bump up from there if needed?

• Timing: I'm trying to figure out what will work best with my work schedule, and that I can be as consistent as possible with. If I do a shot at 7AM, and a shot at 7PM, does that seem like it will work? How long after I test can I feed?

Since you are already on low carb wet food and if you feel more confortable I think your plan on starting with 0.5 units twice a day sounds good.
Regarding the schedule as long as you think you can keep it consistent any 12 hour schedule is fine, usually we test, feed shoot practically at the same time if test result is ok to shoot you do not need to wait after the test to feed actually some people even find it easier to shoot while the cat is eating.

• To try and be as consistent as I can, and do smaller feedings throughout the day, I bought the PetSure Automatic pet feeder with 5 feeding slots. How would you space the feedings? I'm planning on using this to get in a middle of the night feeding. I was thinking I could do the first feeding in the morning myself, and then the rest of this feedings would be using the automatic feeder throughout the day.

• I do have a dog, but he generally isn't too interested in seafood canned food for the cat, and my cat is also the biggest chowhound I've ever seen. I can't imagine he'll let the dog anywhere near his food. But how strict should I be about making sure the cat and only the cat ever has access to the food?

The automatic feeder is a very good idea I use one myself and it works well during the day when I'm out, to be honest not so much at night because Babu is very spoiled and if I'm home he wants me to give him his food

There's not a real problem with your dog if he smuggles a bite once in a while of the cat food as long as he usually gets his dog food and the cat gets he's