Looking for advice - Ani's numbers are all over the place

[Meiko]

I'm struggling to figure out what's going on.

Initially I was using an AT2 with matching test strips, but wow, pricey and so when I ran out, I switched to using the FSL strips. But the numbers seemed to be high and stay high. I ended up buying a Reli-On meter from Walmart and doing a comparison. Between the FSL strips and the Reli-On strips, the FSL was running anywhere from 75-150 points higher. I splurged on more AT2 strips, and still found the AT2 meter running 25-75 points higher than the Reli-On. The test solution routinely tested at the higher end with the AT2, regardless of which strips or which code I was using.

I know that part of the reason behind doing the glucose curve is getting a general sense of how Ani's body deals with the insulin, which doesn't require exact numbers, but still, this whole bit left me feeling very uncertain about trusting the AT2 meter and strips.

Now I'm using the Reli-On, and his numbers are still very erratic.

Sometimes his PS numbers are okay, sometimes they're high, sometimes (specifically today) they seem too low. I did a glucose curve this past weekend, and his numbers looked good, but then the next day his AM PS and PM PS were high.

Tonight his PM PS was 65, so I'm skipping his shot and checking back in an hour to see how his glucose is.

Honestly, I'm frustrated and feeling like I'm never going to get the hang of this. Any advice?

 

[Wendy&Neko]

First, hello and welcome. Make sure to read the yellow starred sticky notes st the top of this forum.

Would it be possible for you to add a blank line after you stopped using the AT and switched to a human meter. Then add something like “starting human meter” on that line. I am tagging @Marje and Gracie who can help you with changing the colours for a human meter too.

It is very common for a cat’s numbers to bounce around a lot at first. The New to the Group Sticky Note has a description of bouncing which may help you understand that bouncing. Have you decided which dosing method you would like to use? The testing you have done so far looks like someone using The Start Low Go Slow method. In which case those recent numbers below 90 mean a dose reduction has been earned and your new dose tomorrow would be 1.75 units. Shooting bit less insulin may mean it’s easier to shoot twice a day.

And my most important piece of advice, learning to be patient will really help you. Regulating a cat is a marathon, not a sprint. But we have all been there and can help you and Ani.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

One more thing I meant to add. It is easier on their pancreas if you feed several small meals instead of just the two large ones. Feeding a second meal or two in the first half of the cycle can also help if your cat is one that likes to drop fast.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

I'm struggling to figure out what's going on.

Initially I was using an AT2 with matching test strips, but wow, pricey and so when I ran out, I switched to using the FSL strips. But the numbers seemed to be high and stay high. I ended up buying a Reli-On meter from Walmart and doing a comparison. Between the FSL strips and the Reli-On strips, the FSL was running anywhere from 75-150 points higher. I splurged on more AT2 strips, and still found the AT2 meter running 25-75 points higher than the Reli-On. The test solution routinely tested at the higher end with the AT2, regardless of which strips or which code I was using.

I know that part of the reason behind doing the glucose curve is getting a general sense of how Ani's body deals with the insulin, which doesn't require exact numbers, but still, this whole bit left me feeling very uncertain about trusting the AT2 meter and strips.

Now I'm using the Reli-On, and his numbers are still very erratic.

Sometimes his PS numbers are okay, sometimes they're high, sometimes (specifically today) they seem too low. I did a glucose curve this past weekend, and his numbers looked good, but then the next day his AM PS and PM PS were high.

Tonight his PM PS was 65, so I'm skipping his shot and checking back in an hour to see how his glucose is.

Honestly, I'm frustrated and feeling like I'm never going to get the hang of this. Any advice?

One thing we’ve learned here is that you can not compare AT numbers to human meter numbers. As you’ve seen, there’s a lot of variation. Human meters generally tend to read lower than the AT but both the TR protocol and the SLGS method were both days evidently for use with human meters.

It looks to me like he was likely seeing lower numbers with the AT but you didn’t catch them. There are a lot of data gaps. I’ve seen cats go from 300 to 40 to 300 in one cycle and without the midcycle tests, one would think the cat was just high.

I can fix the SS for you as Wendy suggested if you will send me a private message as I’ll need you to grant me editing rights. To send me a PM, lick on “Marje and Gracie” to the left and “start a conversation”.

Welcome!!!

 

[Meiko]

One thing we’ve learned here is that you can not compare AT numbers to human meter numbers. As you’ve seen, there’s a lot of variation. Human meters generally tend to read lower than the AT but both the TR protocol and the SLGS method were both days evidently for use with human meters.

It looks to me like he was likely seeing lower numbers with the AT but you didn’t catch them. There are a lot of data gaps. I’ve seen cats go from 300 to 40 to 300 in one cycle and without the midcycle tests, one would think the cat was just high.

I am in the process of trying to fill in the gaps. Clearly I have to focus on getting more midcycle numbers.

I can fix the SS for you as Wendy suggested if you will send me a private message as I’ll need you to grant me editing rights. To send me a PM, lick on “Marje and Gracie” to the left and “start a conversation”.

I appreciate the offer, but I decided it would be better to just separate the two sets of data. The numbers I got from the AT2 are fine for looking at general trends, but I don't feel at all confident that they reflect what was going on with his glucose levels.

Welcome!!!

Thank you!

 

[Meiko]

First, hello and welcome. Make sure to read the yellow starred sticky notes st the top of this forum.

Would it be possible for you to add a blank line after you stopped using the AT and switched to a human meter. Then add something like “starting human meter” on that line. I am tagging @Marje and Gracie who can help you with changing the colours for a human meter too.

I went ahead and separated the two sets of data; thanks for pointing @Marje and Gracie towards me.

It is very common for a cat’s numbers to bounce around a lot at first. The New to the Group Sticky Note has a description of bouncing which may help you understand that bouncing. Have you decided which dosing method you would like to use? The testing you have done so far looks like someone using The Start Low Go Slow method. In which case those recent numbers below 90 mean a dose reduction has been earned and your new dose tomorrow would be 1.75 units. Shooting bit less insulin may mean it’s easier to shoot twice a day.

I did read the New to the Group Sticky and did look over the information about bouncing. It's just that to a novice like me, it's hard to tell how much bounce to expect.

I'm working with the SLGS method, but I'm also trying to get a sense of how Ani's responding to the insulin; clearly more data is needed!

Thanks for the information!

 

[Meiko]

One more thing I meant to add. It is easier on their pancreas if you feed several small meals instead of just the two large ones. Feeding a second meal or two in the first half of the cycle can also help if your cat is one that likes to drop fast.

This might be an option if it turns out that Ani is dropping fast. Thanks for pointing this out.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

I appreciate the offer, but I decided it would be better to just separate the two sets of data. The numbers I got from the AT2 are fine for looking at general trends, but I don't feel at all confident that they reflect what was going on with his glucose levels.

We don’t recommend that you do that. The numbers might not mean anything to you but they do to us as we are accustomed to looking at that type of data. We do look at trends and patterns. It’s kind of a pain to go back and forth between the two tabs.

I’m still happy to fix it for you so all of your data is on one tab which would be very helpful to those helping you who know and understand what they are looking at.