Question: help, please... to inject or not?

hummys

hummys

Member Since 2019
Puss’ numbers have been going down over the past few days. This evening is lowest they’ve been since his diagnosis - 141. We’re prepared for numbers at 150 and above, but not sure what to with this one... should we give him 0.5 or skip the dose? Any advice would be appeciated.
 
Can you get any mid-cycle tests? Not sure how low he's going so it's difficult to tell how low this dose is taking him. 150 is a safe dose to shoot, but you'll need to get tests regularly tonight to see how low he's going.
 
hummys said:
Our vet said that if his number went below 200, we should cut back to .5.
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Ah, I see... yes, vets say that - although I'm not sure why. Your lowest number for shooting safely would be based on your meter and your protocol. There's no mention of your protocol in your signature..

If you're not sure yet, here's the stickie on how to determine which you're following and what your lowest safe number is to shoot. http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...-low-go-slow-slgs-tight-regulation-tr.210110/
 
hummys said:
Our vet said that if his number went below 200, we should cut back to .5.
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Your vet is wrong (but we hear that a lot around here)….Lantus craves consistency and works best when given at the same dose both AM and PM.

Older insulins were based more on the Pre-shot test, but Lantus dosing is based on how LOW it takes them so it's important to get tests in between the shots... 5 to 7 hours after the AM shot (if possible)

You're also not testing on the PM cycle. Most cats go lower at night, so it's very important to get at least a "before bed" test on the PM cycle to make sure they'll be safe while you're sleeping. Also, without tests on the PM cycle, you're only getting half the picture of what's going on with your cat.

If Puss was my cat, I'd hold the 1U dose, get mid-cycle tests and PM tests and see how it's going in 3 days (unless he drops too low...either below 90 (for SLGS) or below 68 (for Tight Regulation)
 
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The first few times you get a Pre-shot under 150, we'll suggest you stall, don't feed and post for help. Test again in 20-30 minutes to see if the number goes up without the influence of food.

Make sure when you post that you make sure your subject line says something like "STALLING...NEED HELP!" to get someone's attention.

We have a tradition here....if someone encourages you to shoot a lower number, they will stay and watch for updates until you're sure that everything will be OK. They'll be here to help if he starts to drop too low. Once someone agrees to watch you, they'll stay as long as necessary (or find someone else with experience to take over).
 
I agree with Chris that giving one dose consistently and getting mid cycle and PM tests would be the best way to move forward. Since you have not had a PM pre-shot test that low yet and our kitties often go lower overnight than they do during the day, I'd be inclined to skip tonight until you determine how low any given dose is taking your kitty.
 
Thank you so much. One month in and even after reading all of the sticky notes and other posts it’s still like another language. It’s difficult to get a mid-morning number since we both work, but we’ll get a before bed one tonight.
 
hummys said:
Thank you so much. One month in and even after reading all of the sticky notes and other posts it’s still like another language. It’s difficult to get a mid-morning number since we both work, but we’ll get a before bed one tonight.
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Please start a new condo tomorrow morning and set it up like this:

9/4 Puss AMPS ###

Let us know how she's doing.

I'm just adding this now, because I'm signing off for the night - I'm a early riser...so I'm early to bed.

Have a good evening :) Looking forward to seeing how Puss does tonight - try to get several tests if you can. It'll be helpful.
 
Do what you can to get spot checks. If you can test before you leave for work or as soon as you get home (providing it's not on top of your pre-shot test). Test more on the weekends or holidays. Definitely get tests during the PM cycle.

I rely on a spreadsheet to answer the questions that a caregiver poses. Without data, my hands are tied since Lantus dosing is based on the nadir.
 
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