Help For Molly #9

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Lucky Molly finding the peeps who would take her in and love the daylights out of her! She may have started out on a hard path but she lucked out with "parents" who are obviously dedicated to her wellbeing. She certainly sounds like a very happy camper.

I get it Adrienne. Both Kris and I marvel about how you folks who are not home during the day manage. It's definitely a different situation when you can monitor as intensely as you want/need to. But life goes on and despite having the freedom to change my plans at will most of the time, there were times when I skipped shots, gave big chicken doses or did extended cycles to get back on schedule. The trick is to find that middle line where kitty is safe and healthy and their humans are not stressed to the max worrying about them. Any time you are not comfortable with a suggestion made by me or Kris, we are both OK with that. Molly needs you, so your wellbeing counts just as much as hers. Please always keep that in mind because it is not our intention to push you into doing anything you are not comfortable with. Molly is doing great but we want you doing great too.
 
No, Your're not pushing me at all. If it wasn't for you and Kris I would've been lost. Molly wouldn't be where she is at right now. Just days where I get frustrated like today. Little disappointing where I can't be home this year to see the family. But Molly needs me. It's a life changing experience that's for sure. I appreciate all the advice that you and Kris give me. DH is happy that I have you and Kris to help me, ( us).
 
Hi Adrienne,

I'm here catching up on your thread. I've been off the forum for several days because my sister, brother and I have been doing a lot of stuff for my 93 year old mom who still lives on her own. It was a lot for all of us to handle ...

Re camping with Molly: I have no experience but you might want to start training her on a good body harness/leash. https://www.amazon.ca/Harness-Adjustable-Harnesses-Reflective-Comfort/dp/B07P6KTYQK/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=cat harness and leash&qid=1555591294&s=gateway&sr=8-5
How about riding in the car? Is she OK with that? If you have the $$ one of these might be nice to have:
https://www.amazon.ca/Portable-Large-Tents-Enclosures-Outside/dp/B07G5BRGWT/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=foldable cat enclosure&qid=1555591123&s=gateway&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.ca/ZuHucpts-Outdoor-Portable-Foldable-Enclosure/dp/B0791JMZ8N/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=foldable cat enclosure&qid=1555591123&s=gateway&sr=8-4
 
Hi Kris,
No worries I figured you were busy with family. I have a 97 year old grandmother. She still lives in her house, with my aunt.

I love the tent and the harness be perfect for Molly. I’ll buy it and get her use to it. I think she’ll really like the tent. No, she really dislikes going in the truck! Thank you for finding this for me :).

My vet replied to my email about Molly’s spreadsheet. I’ll post see what you and Linda think!
 
it sounds like your diabetic is having a good clinical response and the blood values are often quite good in your spread sheet.

Fructosamine does give us clues about how well regulated the patient is without the stress of a blood glucose curve. A normal fructosamine value indicates that the previous couple of weeks have been good control of the diabetes. We often do this periodically for some of the stressed out cats instead of trying to curve in hospital.

If you are having good success with a curve at home this does still add a lot of information. I encourage you to still periodically do this as well. If Molly is doing well these could be stretched into 2 or even 4 week intevals.
 
Your vet sounds very pragmatic and reasonable, not insisting on anything but explaining their thought process. I like that.....your vet is a keeper.

It's really your call whether you do a fructosamine or a curve. You've heard my thoughts on the fructosamine and while a curve shows you what's happening on curve day, the results on a curve depend on whether it's done when Molly is having great numbers or bouncing. I still maintain the overall picture is far more telling. Molly is in a very good place BG wise and your vet has acknowledged that. The question is whether you want to push her a bit to see if she can get over that last hurdle.
 
I don’t know what to do about the fructosamine test. If she’s doing good why bother? He is a good vet. He has helped me a lot with Molly.
I do want to push her to get over the last hurdle. How do I do that? @MrWorfMen's Mom
 
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I see Molly did another bounce but she's coming back down now. Straight flat yellow cycles often predict the bounce is going to break leading to a more active cycle (lower numbers) so while Molly is running a bit higher right now, it's still really helpful/important to get those mid cycle tests whenever you can and try to always get a before bed test (+2 is fine or +3 a bit better) and definitely when she may have been in yellows all day today. The more data you have the easier it is to figure out what she is up to and how to proceed especially when she keeps changing the steps to her dance.
As far as the fructosamine test is concerned, if the vet pushes for it, there's no harm doing it (except to your wallet). It's your decision but I wouldn't alienate a vet you like if he is pushes for it or insists. :)
 
I’ll do a +3 tonight. Will test her more during the day tomorrow. Was gone most of the day today. I’ll probably take her for the test. But she gets stressed going there. So not sure what to do.
 
You can start tonight or tomorrow provided her pre-shot BG is high enough. My preference was to do increases on a day cycle but if you don't mind getting up to test her tonight, you could start then. I'd get a +3 and maybe a +6 on the first cycle of the 0.10 dose.
 
I take it you have fed her this morning now. If so, then I think I'd drop back to the drop dose for today. The reason being that flat yellow cycle yesterday makes me wonder if she might possibly drop lower today and you won't be home to monitor more closely than one mid cycle at lunch. If you haven't fed Molly, stall (no food) and retest her to see if BG is rising on its own.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
I take it you have fed her this morning now. If so, then I think I'd drop back to the drop dose for today. The reason being that flat yellow cycle yesterday makes me wonder if she might possibly drop lower today and you won't be home to monitor more closely than one mid cycle at lunch. If you haven't fed Molly, stall (no food) and retest her to see if BG is rising on its own.
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I gave her .10 and she has eaten. But I will be home at lunch to test.
 
I'm sure she will be Ok just leave the food out in case she needs it. You can add a tsp of the SO to her LC food if you are worried.
Next time she drops to blue at pre-shot after yellow the night before, use the stall to see if she is rising on her own. That makes it easier to make dosing decisions.
 
Molly will be OK. It's stressful learning to make these "finer point" dosing decisions. Your spreadsheet data along with a few key guidelines (eg. watch for a possible drop after a run of flat yellow, etc.) are where to seek guidance if we don't happen to answer right away. :)
 
Sorry Adrienne. I was out this afternoon. I assume you fed her and I see you retested her. Great job Adrienne. Now we know Molly does follow that pattern of going lower following a stint of pretty flat yellows. She isn't as fast at doing it as some (maybe most) but she does it. It will be interesting to see what he BG is at pre-shot tonight. She technically earned the reduction to a drop again today but let's see what she does tonight.
 
She sleeps til I get home for lunch. She finished the little bit of food. I left out for her and I tested her where she was at 2.8. I then gave her more FF. Waited for 20 min and retested and gave her more FF. I was going to give her SO food. But I don't want her getting to high BG. She was playing when I left so I'm hoping she'll be fine. I just don't understand every time I increase to .10 she does these. Decrease to a drop ans her numbers go up. I can't win!
 
I'm sorry I wasn't around last evening, Adrienne. You made a good choice in reducing to a drop. Linda is correct - all you can do is follow Molly's lead. I know that with Teasel the increase in dose will sometimes "shock" him into a bigger drop and then he gradually climbs a little higher. It's easier for me though - I can monitor after those drops. He can also run a little higher on a dose and then decide to drop lower after several days. Not saying Molly is like this but I know too well how unpredictable a kitty's responses can be. "Go with the flow" is an important thing to remember. :)
 
Sorry Adrienne I wasn't around last night either but you made the right decision dropping the dose back again. Molly is just taking a while to get used to those lower numbers and unfortunately there is no magic bullet. Some kitties are just bouncier than others so just take it day by day.
 
You're getting the hang of this, Adrienne. Don't worry about the higher numbers. Try more tests on the weekend and maybe be a bit braver with dosing to see how she responds.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
You're getting the hang of this, Adrienne. Don't worry about the higher numbers. Try more tests on the weekend and maybe be a bit braver with dosing to see how she responds.
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Thanks, I’m not sure really what I’m doing. I look at the spreadsheet but last time. I did that she dropped low. Because she was a flat yellow.
 
I think it's best to play this reading by reading right now. We don't want Molly going too low and once again she is running in flat yellow which again could lead to lower readings. Let's see what her BG is tonight. I'll check in just before 6pm (9pm my time).
 
It's a toss up tonight. If you give the drop dose, I think Molly will just surf along as she's been doing. If you give her the 0.10u dose, she may drop down and you may need to monitor her/steer her for a bit. It's your call.
 
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