11/4 Biscuit AMPS 286 +4 102 +6 78 +7 104 +8.5 228 +11 350 PMPS 353

[ShannonandBiscuit]

Yesterday

Are you testing frequently for ketones?

How is Biscuits appetite?

It looks as if it could be an active cycle tonight so I would get a few tests in and reevaluate tomorrow.

Definitely staying at this dose for now. Unfortunately was so exhausted I slept through my wake up alarm at +4. My husband did the +6 he does every night before he goes to bed and thankfully he did. It was 56. So he gave him HC and went to bed. (We’ve since discussed the protocol on this and that he shouldn’t have gone to bed. Or at least woken me. I’m the designated cat doctor )

He was 286 this am but then dropped almost 200 pts in 4 hours for a +4 102. So staying at this dose for now.

His appetite is good, now, but last night he didn’t finish his dinner at 8 like normal and it freaked me out. He’s a voracious eater not a grazer.

I test for ketones when I can. Any day I catch him at the box. Unfortunately it was 2 days ago that I was able to get a test. Hence adding to my concern, but this morning I was able to get a new test and it was negative. I’ve been reviewing blood ketone meters and I’m going to get one this paycheck for those “emergency” times when I just can’t sit and wait.

Everything seems great today so we’ll see

One final question, what is the definition of an “active cycle”?

Thanks for all the help

 

[Gill & George]

Glad Ketones are negative.
Looks like the HC snack shortened the duration, hence the yellow this morning, and when the new shot kicked in the drop to 102. This morning looks active too

One final question, what is the definition of an “active cycle”?

An active cycle is one where we see the numbers drop to a nadir and then come up, as opposed to a bounce cycle where they stay high and flat and no clear curve.

Here's something from the Basics sticky

Example of an ACTIVE, but NOT necessarily typical Lantus/Basaglar cycle:
NOTE: Until kitty is pretty well regulated, the description below is NOT not what you'd consider a "typical" Lantus/Basaglar cycle. It takes time and patience for kitty to achieve a "typical" cycle! The example below is what you're working towards (a nice shallow curve). A relatively flat cycle is the ultimate goal.

+0 - PreShot number.
+1 - Usually higher than PreShot number because of the last shot wearing off. May see a food spike in this number.
+2 - Often similar to the PreShot number. Onset begins around +2 for most cats. You'll probably see an active cycle if the +2 is the same/similar OR lower than the preshot number. Continue testing!
+3 - Often lower than the PreShot number.
+4 - Lower.
+5 - Lower.
+6 - Nadir/Peak (the lowest number of cycle. NOTE: ECID. Not every cat has a mid-cycle nadir. Adjust the hours on this example to fit your cat.)
+7 - Surf (hang around the nadir number).
+8 - Slight rise.
+9 - Slight rise.
+10 - Rising.
+11 - Rising (one of the quirks of Lantus/Basaglar/Levemir: some cat's blood glucose numbers dip around +10 or +11... not to be confused with nadir).
+12 - PreShot number.



How does that Help us?
So the above is what we are working to, but initially until the cat is well regulated we don't always see that, but we can use the above to try and 'predict' where the cycle is heading. So if +2 is quite a bit lower than PS, like it was last night for biscuit it is often an indicator of the cycle being quite active, and we would expect to see a significant amount of downward movement.

Same is true of the +1 if there is no food bump or if numbers are dropping at +1 that is an indicator the cycle is on the downward trend.

At the other end of the scale, the +10 +11 and +12 should be on the rise in comparison to the earlier cycle, if we find they are dropping this can give us the heads up to perhaps a bounce breaking or we are getting a bit more duration and may even get some overlap with the next dose.

 

[Gill & George]

Are you about to grab a +5?
I'm thinking she will be heading to green, hopefully not to fast, but I've learnt not to trust our kitties.

 

[ShannonandBiscuit]

Are you about to grab a +5?
I'm thinking she will be heading to green, hopefully not to fast, but I've learnt not to trust our kitties.

Had to leave to pick up my daughter from school but I did do a +6 when I got home and yup, he went green. Will test again at +7 just to see if we’re still going down or up or same.

 

[Gill & George]

Sometimes a little LC (teaspoon or two) when they hit green can encourage them to surf.

 

[ShannonandBiscuit]

Sometimes a little LC (teaspoon or two) when they hit green can encourage them to surf.

?? Wouldn’t it cause a good spike? Or no because of the small amount? But how would that keep them
In green?

 

[Gill & George]

Not necessarily.

If they are trending down due to increased insulin action, or because a bounce is clearing it can just put the breaks on and balance them out so the surf, we hope to encourage them to surf as long as possible.
The reason we see a food bump at +1, is that usually by then the insulin from the previous cycle has worn off, but the new shot hasn't taken effect. So the food bumps the BG up.

We don't want to let them drop uncontrolled ideally we want them to spend as much time in the normal range as possible. This promotes healing of the beta cells, and as they get used to the greens they eventually stop bouncing.
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