I wasn’t able to post last night and don’t like to play Monday morning QB but I would like to post some thoughts for the next time around as there will be one.
On this forum, we suggest even new members shoot a number above 150 so you could have easily shot, fed, tested last evening (if you had had enough test strips), guided the numbers if you needed to do so. You can’t really judge whether he’s dropping or not if the last test you had was at +3.5. When we try to determine if we are shooting a dropping number, we usually have a mid cycle number and a +10 or +11.
There is a difference between a dropping number and a second dip. Lantus is known for giving a second dip at the end of the cycle which means the kitty nadirs, comes up a bit, and then dips again at the end of the cycle but the second dip is not usually lower than the nadir. Contrast this to a dropping number which is when numbers drop throughout the cycle so that the lowest number is at the next preshot.
For new members, it’s safe to shoot a second dip provided you are able to test and have all the supplies you need. (BTW, most of us keep a good stack of test strips in stock; I never had less than 300 at any given time). New members should use the guide that if they have never shot below 150 before, they should stall without feeding, and post for assistance. If they have data and have shot below 150 before, then they can use their best judgement on shooting a second dip depending on the lowest number they’ve shot above 50 (human meter) or 68 (pet meter). For example, if a new member has shot a 100 before but never shot any green numbers, they might still want to stall without feeding and post for help.
Insofar as shooting a dropping number, members with data and an understanding of their cat’s onset, nadir, duration, can shoot dropping numbers above 50 (human meter) or 68 (pet meter) to take advantage of carryover and overlap. They absolutely must be prepared to test early so they will need supplies and be available and able to test and feed. Quite often, members will stall and stall and numbers will continue to drop. If the first number is safe to shoot and they have data, supplies, etc., it’s best to shoot and feed the kitty so numbers will rise before the next onset.
It’s extremely important that you fill in the SS. No one can give you solid suggestions without seeing the data. While it’s not a requirement for you to complete it, I would be concerned about any member giving advice that can’t see what’s going on with Nemo. For me, without a SS with data filled in, I won’t give dosing advice as safety is my number one priority and I won’t risk the safety of another member’s cat by guessing at what I think a dose should be.
