Updated Signature Chart-

Leigh B said:
376 at 5 1/2 hours post dose. His mood is still good...
REALLY hoping to get his BG stable, so that, HOPEFULLY this Zobaline will kick in. Hope to see my boy walk normally one day...fingers crossed...
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Keep up the methodical dose increases. You'll get there. :) You could bump him up to 3 u on Tuesday AM. Tomorrow PM would be OK too.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
Keep up the methodical dose increases. You'll get there. :) You could bump him up to 3 u on Tuesday AM. Tomorrow PM would be OK too.
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He was at 297 at 9 1/2 hours post dose. At 161 PM Pre-dose. 3 hours later at 124. Late night of baking cakes...going to bed...will update in the morning, but will not make any changes with these numbers...not without getting your advice! Thanks for your time, attention, and compassion....sometimes I feel nuts! o_O:nailbiting:
 
Leigh B said:
He was at 297 at 9 1/2 hours post dose. At 161 PM Pre-dose. 3 hours later at 124. Late night of baking cakes...going to bed...will update in the morning, but will not make any changes with these numbers...not without getting your advice! Thanks for your time, attention, and compassion....sometimes I feel nuts! o_O:nailbiting:
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You're getting to a breakthrough point I think. Let's see where he is this AM. I understand why you dropped the dose last night. Looks like he was "clearing the bounce" in FDMB jargon. They can bobble up and down a bit as you approach the good dose range.

How long has he been on Zobaline now? It can take a long time for neuropathy to improve but getting better BG regulation is very important along with B12.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
You're getting to a breakthrough point I think. Let's see where he is this AM. I understand why you dropped the dose last night. Looks like he was "clearing the bounce" in FDMB jargon. They can bobble up and down a bit as you approach the good dose range.

How long has he been on Zobaline now? It can take a long time for neuropathy to improve but getting better BG regulation is very important along with B12.
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Hey there! He's MUCH better again this morning. His AMPD was 194! I did 2.5 with his breakfast. Is that too much?
He's walking better this morning, too. Hoping the Zobaline is kicking in with the better BG.

I hope I did not mess up by giving him 2.5 this morning. When do I need to back off of a dose? If his pre-dose number is in a certain range, do I need to decrease it or skip it? Sorry for all of the questions. I am not used to working with the lower numbers!!:)
 
Leigh B said:
Hey there! He's MUCH better again this morning. His AMPD was 194! I did 2.5 with his breakfast. Is that too much?
He's walking better this morning, too. Hoping the Zobaline is kicking in with the better BG.

I hope I did not mess up by giving him 2.5 this morning. When do I need to back off of a dose? If his pre-dose number is in a certain range, do I need to decrease it or skip it? Sorry for all of the questions. I am not used to working with the lower numbers!!:)
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I think 2.5 u was fine. I'm so glad he's doing better! The PSs are mainly to know if a planned dose is safe to give. At the start people might have 200 (or close to that) as the "no shot" number - usually a bit higher on the AT meter. As the data base builds and you try a full dose on lower PSs you learn where the boundaries are. It's the lows near middle cycle that are used to make dose effectiveness assessments.

If a PS is at or near your current "no shot" boundary you can:
  1. skip the shot (least desirable)
  2. don't feed, wait about 30 minutes, retest and if BG is rising give the full dose
  3. give a reduced dose - how much to reduce is a guessing game.
 
Thanks! I'll let you know what his mid-cycle number is...Planning to try to go home to test him at about 5-5.5 hour post dose time...
 
Kris & Teasel said:
At the start people might have 200 (or close to that) as the "no shot" number - usually a bit higher on the AT meter.
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My vet told me (in the beginning) to not give a shot under 250. That's why I was a little worried I'd overdone it this morning.
I'll see where he is in an hour or 2. I guess if he's too low, I'll feed him.
 
Leigh B said:
My vet told me (in the beginning) to not give a shot under 250. That's why I was a little worried I'd overdone it this morning.
I'll see where he is in an hour or 2. I guess if he's too low, I'll feed him.
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That's likely because you're using an AT meter that reads higher than the human meters most of us use. We'd probably recommend 250 as well to someone just starting out. Eventually, though, you have to push that envelope to avoid too many "no shots".
 
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Kris & Teasel said:
That's likely because you're uysing an AT meter that reads higher than the human meters most of us use. We'd probably recommend 250 as well to someone just starting out. Eventually, though, you have to push that envelope to avoid too many "no shots".
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We're at 211 at 5 hours post-dose! Hope this means we're finding his sweet spot! Will do another check before PM dose. I'll keep updating~
Thanks for all of the help!!!
 
He's staying relatively flat - 194 and 211 are within meter variance of each other. Still, very nice progress. I think he'd be able to tolerate 2.75 u but we'll see what his PMPS is. I might not be around though. I'm in EST zone and it seems you're not (?).
 
Kris & Teasel said:
I'm back. Post his PMPS when you get it.
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283. You think I'm safe with 2.75? My concern is that I did 2.75 AM yesterday, and 2.5 PM. This am, I did 2.5, and may need 2.75 PM. is this erratic? He's still seeming better, and even tried to jump up on the couch (his leg strength needs to catch up to his will :blackeye:, but we're getting closer) Feeding him his Zobaline and dinner now...will check back to get your thoughts on dose before his shot....
 
I think you're safe with 2.75 u. Your goal is dark green at nadir so you have to take a chance sometime. Get a +2 this evening to see where he's headed.
 
Excellent! I'm glad you tried 2.75 u again. It can be nail biting time when they start having better numbers but you'll get there. Happy New Year! :smuggrin: Keep up the dose increases as needed and the Zobaline and Murphy will be a new kitty. Some of them are much more susceptible to neuropathy as BG increases than others. @Djamila's kitty, Sam, is one of them.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
:D:D:D!! I would have tried 2.75 u but your kitty, your call.
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I am aware that I should know this, but I have yet to get this close....Do I need to try to get/stay in the blue range or green? I know that non-diabetic cats stay in the green, but I thought it could be dangerous to try to get the diabetic ones there, in case they have a dip? I am so glad to be seeing yellow and blue, and will continue to adjust his dose, but wondering what the "ultimate" number? I'm planning to go 2.75 tonight, depending on the +6 number today. Again, wondering how low to aim on the BG number.
 
Leigh B said:
I am aware that I should know this, but I have yet to get this close....Do I need to try to get/stay in the blue range or green? I know that non-diabetic cats stay in the green, but I thought it could be dangerous to try to get the diabetic ones there, in case they have a dip? I am so glad to be seeing yellow and blue, and will continue to adjust his dose, but wondering what the "ultimate" number? I'm planning to go 2.75 tonight, depending on the +6 number today. Again, wondering how low to aim on the BG number.
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The goal is to have nadirs consistently in the high dark greens or low blues over time. The PSs can be variably high and tend to come down over time if the middle cycle numbers stay in that good range. It's not true for all kitties - like mine! :confused: Focus on the middle cycle numbers to assess the dose. Use the PSs only to know if a planned dose is safe to give and work at shooting a full dose on lower PSs as confidence and data build up.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
The goal is to have nadirs consistently in the high dark greens or low blues over time. The PSs can be variably high and tend to come down over time if the middle cycle numbers stay in that good range. It's not true for all kitties - like mine! :confused: Focus on the middle cycle numbers to assess the dose. Use the PSs only to know if a planned dose is safe to give and work at shooting a full dose on lower PSs as confidence and data build up.
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I did 2.5 this morning, and he's at 112 PMPD. Going to do 2.5 again, to be safe....I'll check back in tomorrow!! :-)
 
Leigh B said:
I did 2.5 this morning, and he's at 112 PMPD. Going to do 2.5 again, to be safe....I'll check back in tomorrow!! :)
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That's a lower PS than you've dosed on previously. I'd stall without feeding for about 30 minutes and retest. If he's rising, try 2.5 u. If not you could stall another 30 minutes and retest. If you can't stall, I'd lower the dose to no more than 2.25 u or even 2 u.
 
Leigh B said:
:nailbiting:Just gave him 2.5. I'll test him again in a few hours. Wish I'd seen your post. I'll watch him closely.
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That +2 is a good predictor quite often. Over time you’ll get more comfortable making dosing decisions as well as giving a full dose on lower PSs. :)
 
Kris & Teasel said:
That +2 is a good predictor quite often. Over time you’ll get more comfortable making dosing decisions as well as giving a full dose on lower PSs. :)
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143 at 2+
He had a big dinner, so maybe that is a factor?? I expected it to be lower. We're watching football, and I'll do one more before bed if I'm up much longer.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
You can get one more if time permits. He’ll likely be OK.
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My husband and I are going out of town tomorrow afternoon, and will not be back until late Tuesday, the 8th. My mom is going to house sit and take care of our animals. I feel 100% comfortable with her tending to Murphy with his shots and routine. I'd like to get your thoughts on dosing. Do you think it is safe to have her just do 2.5 doses twice a day? I feel like it gets complicated trying to have someone else do the glucose testing. I was planning to show her how to do it, in the event he starts acting differently, but it took me a while to get comfortable doing it myself. I am going to be talking with her each day to check on him, so I can walk her through it if it gets to that point, but I feel like it takes time and practice to get used to doing it, etc.
I thought I'd ask your advice, based on his chart over the last few days. I have a few 2.75 doses sprinkled in, but the other day he was in low numbers with just 2.5. I don't want to risk a higher dose without BG testing.
I am going to test him as usual tomorrow, but will not be home to dose and test him PM.
I know that, ultimately, it is best to test him several times a day each day. However, I'm already struggling with the balance of taking care of Murphy and continuing life as usual. I do not want to stop doing things that are important to me and my family- I know there's a healthy balance. Murphy needs me and he needs extra TLC, and I am blessed to have people who will help me take care of him.
Thank you~
 
If your mom isn't quite up to testing yet, I definitely wouldn't go any more than 2.5. I might even be tempted to lower the dose to 2.25 for the time you're gone...he'd be a bit higher when you come home probably, but then you'd know he was safe. It's definitely up to you though. If you feel that 2.5 will be good, that's fine. Maybe since your mom will be there for a few days, she'll be able to try testing him on occasion so she can get more comfortable with it...I'd encourage her to give it a try when she feels up to it for the next few days so she can learn how to do it more. :)

Yes, testing several times a day is best. BUT we have to take care of ourselves. My SS is several years old, but you'll see that I didn't test constantly. I had to work and I had to work around that. If I was home every day, I might have tested more often, but I wasn't. As you get more data on your SS, you're able to more effectively "predict" what they will do which helps. We have to find a balance between taking care of our babies and ourselves...sure during a hypo or when you get a lower number that you shoot on, you'll want to test often. But other than that, you test when you can...very few of us get a nadir every day. It's just not possible with our lives and that's OKAY. There is a healthy balance, and it's important to find it and stick to it.
 
I agree that 2.5 looks pretty safe right now. I would recommend that you show your mom how to test before you leave. There is nothing like seeing it to help learn. I think it would be much harder to talk her through it if she hasn't seen you do one first. Even if she isn't up for doing the whole testing routine, if she's seen it once at least, she'll be much better prepared in case she does need to do one. And given how Murphy's numbers are trending down lately, before five days are up, he may well be needing a reduction. A test or two may be quite necessary.
 
I agree with Rachel about dosing - either 2.5 u or even 2.25 u for a little extra margin. And I totally understand the need to balance animal care with human care! The amount of testing I do on Teasel has changed as I learn his responses and patterns. Quite often now I ask myself if a test will yield any information that will change my dose and if it won't I often skip the test. I up the frequency if he nosedives or something else crops up but that's it. I feel that I have a balance that's comfortable for me. Other folks aren't comfortable unless they have a ton of data. We're all different. :)
 
Whew!! You guys are so awesome! Thanks for the encouragement and reassurance!! My mom is a nurse, so she'll be fine getting a test here and there. I'll definitely show her how to do it before we leave.
Murph had a 160 this morning, so I feel certain that I'll stick with 2.5, maybe even a little lower. Again, I'll see where he is before we leave today and get a better feel.
I felt sort of like a crazy person for considering ways to cut my CA trip short to come home to take care of him. I love him enough to do it, but I have got to live my life. Thanks for helping me realize that I'm not alone in that! And, not a bad parent o_O;)
I'll keep you posted on the afternoon dose, and be sure to heed your advice. Glad that I am having to consider lowering his dose b/c his numbers are better!! :cat: Again, the neuropathy is another issue. He seems to be a little better with that as his numbers are dropping, so I want to keep it up!!
 
It might be time to start a new thread for Murphy. This one is getting long and you're well on your way to getting him doing better. :) That sure shows on the spreadsheet.
 
Ha! Will do...final post on this one...he was at 116 at 8 hours post-dose before I left. I told mom to do 2.25 tonight, just to be safe. I am going to have her do 2.5 in the morning, though.
I did show her how to test. She was a little nervous, and had to stick him twice (which NO ONE likes to do!), but at least she's done it now.
Just hit the road for vacation....
Thanks again for the help!
 
Just a quick update after vacation- after this, I'll start a new thread if/when needed as I continue to monitor his dosage...
Thank you all for your help!
My mom administered 2.25 twice a day (along with his Zobaline twice a day), and Murphy seems like a new cat! Walking better, too. His first BG since I got back was +6 and at 235, which I wish was lower, but I'm not going to make any changes until I keep testing to see if I need to. His demeanor, appetite, mood, habits, etc are more normal than they've been in months. Hope we've hit some magic #'s! :cat: Thank you all for your help with Murphy and with my mental state ;)o_O:woot:
 
Leigh B said:
Just a quick update after vacation- after this, I'll start a new thread if/when needed as I continue to monitor his dosage...
Thank you all for your help!
My mom administered 2.25 twice a day (along with his Zobaline twice a day), and Murphy seems like a new cat! Walking better, too. His first BG since I got back was +6 and at 235, which I wish was lower, but I'm not going to make any changes until I keep testing to see if I need to. His demeanor, appetite, mood, habits, etc are more normal than they've been in months. Hope we've hit some magic #'s! :cat: Thank you all for your help with Murphy and with my mental state ;)o_O:woot:
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Great report! :smuggrin:
 
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