Sherry, you are on your way to helping Blackie feel much better.
Let's get the housekeeping done so we can see Blackie's info easily whenever you post:
1. Setting up your signature (light grey text under a post). Here's how:
click on your name in the upper right corner of this page
click on "signature" in the menu that drops down
type the following in the box that opens: kitty's name/age/date of diabetes diagnosis/insulin you're using and dosage amount /glucose meter you're using/what (s)he eats/any other meds or health issues (s)he has. You can add your name, and a geographic location (sometimes the country/time zone matters) Be sure to SAVE when you are finished.
2. Another thing that will help us help you when you get started BG testing at home is to set up a spreadsheet like the one we use here. You will see how the trends and patterns emerge, and members can review his/her progress before offering suggestions or advice:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/understanding-the-spreadsheet-grid.156606/
If you have problems or can't set the spreadsheet up, let us know, there are members who can help or set up for you.
Do you still have the Lantus insulin? If you do, I would like to consult the experienced Lantus users to see if you should change back to that insulin. It is a depot insulin, so it takes a little time to build up that depot, so you are not going to see immediate results. But Lantus is very effective for cats.
What dose of Novolin are you using now?
Here are some suggestions that member Chris & China (GA) made for new members about preparing a kitty for testing:
Here's something I wrote up for others for testing...maybe it'll help you too!
It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you.
Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!
You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also,
if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!
It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well
For new kitties, using a heavier gauge lancet is also really helpful. A 25-28 gauge lancet pokes a bigger "hole" than a 31-33 gauge lancet does, so look for "Alternate Site testing" lancets that are usually a lower number
Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!
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It's a process of practice and patience, for both human and kitty. Not many of us were immediately successful, and it takes time.
It's really important to test before every injection, to be sure it's safe to do so, and then at least once during the 12 hour cycle between shots.
I know this is a lot, Sherry, but don't let it stop you. This is a way to learn what to do, and why it's done this way here. All the information you will read here has been compiled over a long time, relying on experience and finding what really works.
, especially considering you'll go through far fewer of them than the BG strips. It all does get easier to manage, I promise!
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