Question human meter/relion prime first reading

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Chris S, Mar 4, 2020.

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  1. Chris S

    Chris S Member

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    Feb 24, 2020
    Hi

    so we got our Walmart reader today. The good news is for the vet IF they really wont work w me w the human meter, I have the AT for them on the occasion needed.
    Anyways....

    here’s my today:
    At this am at amps: 447 for Harley

    2.5 u lantus
    +4 on human meter -161

    Winston
    At amps 209
    1u lantus

    +4 on human meter -222

    so..... how close are the human readings to the “cat calibrated” ones? Did Harley really finally get close to almost a normal reading ? It’s in the blue that is...

    Winston still in the yellow on both sheets.
    I’ve updated my sig to be human meter only now since that will be what we use majority of the time

    just looking to understand. Thanks!
     
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  2. Chris S

    Chris S Member

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    I did a quick check against the at and it was 214. Prob the lowest I’ve seen in a long time and that’s still yellow on AT Just want to get used to what I’m looking at ;) tks
     
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2020
  3. Juls and Billy

    Juls and Billy Member

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    Look at that beautiful blue number for Harley! Way to go girl!

    The numbers for the human meter are different, but I think what you are seeing here is Harley's body getting used to the insulin and responding. A few more days of tests and information will give us a clearer picture. If you are curious about whether a reading is accurate, test with the pet meter at the same time, just to see the difference. Yes, the numbers will be different, but not crazy different.

    A reminder for when the the time comes- if either cat's mid-cycle test drops below 90 on a human meter, reduce dose by .25. And we'll keep an eye on Winston and see if and when he needs to go up to 1.25.

    You are doing an awesome job taking care of Winston and Harley. Keep it up!
     
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  4. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    How to explain this. There is no direct comparison between the human meters and a pet specific meter. The blood glucose readings get closer together between the 2 types of meters as the BG levels go lower. Too high is too high. Too low is too low, 50 on human meter and 68 on a pet meter, and some serious action needs to happen to stave off a hypo. That's it in a nutshell.

    1 cat at a time I think.

    Harley first, but only because you mentioned him first in your post. Don't know who is actually the "boss" in your home. Just that it's not you, but either Harley or Winston. ;)

    Harley.
    Yes, Harley did get closer to a more "normal" cat blood glucose reading with that blue number. More "normal" for a cat is BG of <100. So Harley still has a ways to go. Plus, the mid-cycle numbers are the first to come down. The pre-shot tests are the last to come down. It's usually the PM pre-shot that is the last to reduce to a more normal range, with the AM pre-shot reducing first. That happens with MOST cats, because they are more active at night, using more energy, using up more glucose. So AMPS lower because of that increased activity so less "sugar" in their blood.

    Winston.
    Yellows might mean that Winston could use a bit more insulin. But you don't really have a lot of test numbers with the human meter yet. And the way you have the SS setup and linked, you have lost the other tab to the old Alphatrak SS. So no way for us to see past history.

    Guessing you are using SLGS for now, since you are a bit newer to all this. But you have no prior data of any kind on the only SS link we can see. Bit of a catch 22 situation. Would have been much easier if you had simply kept the same spreadsheet. You could have added a line for the other meter, if you are doing side by side testing of the human and pet meters. See Wink's 2012-2013 SS for an example.

    Not sure if you are using TR (Tight Regulation) or SLGS (Start Low, Go Slow) dosing protocol. You could shorten the link to the SS's and put the dosing protocol in your signature. Plus, you could have the dosing protocol listed on the SS.

    Do you know how to shorten the SS link without losing it entirely? Go to your signature and copy the SS link first. Then enter a shorter name for the SS like Winston's SS, then highlight that shortened name with your cursor, then click on the little editing icon that looks like a piece of chain, then paste the link you copied earlier in the box that opens, click on "insert" to save. Save changes to your "Signature". You're done.

    I bet Harley and Winston chase each other all around the place when you are sleeping. Thunder paws at 4 am.
     
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  5. Chris S

    Chris S Member

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    Thank you! I’ll find the links to the old sheets since I kept them ;)

    and with 9 cats it’s hard to say whose chasing who lol :).

    thank you for the info in generally what we should see numbers wise. I really have had no idea what to look for so thst helps give me an idea that we are making some progress. Even if slow.
    Harley went undiagnosed for months so I am hoping that it’s just a stubborn internal kitty that is slowly making progress. I don’t want to think of 3u lantus... (or 2.75 for that matter).... I hope she’s making real progrsss. I feel like I am seeing changes in her a little and she is gaining a little weight finally. Just hope we stay in the right track for them both. Regulation times two has been a worry spot for me. But we are doing what we can :)

    this is harley pet meter sheet-there wasn’t much there since we just started testing/just started this whole thing
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fuNE92L9wjCFpCmoPUh0j88dacccVWsXjhQnsyjN8R8

    this is winstons

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13jkhM9C9PIcrPyLDFKAnQWh8L_oKSvMV_ZM4HL7TPww
     
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  6. Chris S

    Chris S Member

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    Also we are trying for SLGS since it’s all new
     
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  7. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    9!!!!! :woot:
    Didn't realize Harley and Winston had so many roomies.
     
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  8. Juls and Billy

    Juls and Billy Member

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    Hey Chris! One of the things I did to get used to it all, and what the numbers look like, was to look at as many different spreadsheets as I could. Both kitties that are still diabetic, and kitties like my Billy that are in remission. It really helps you get a feeling for what the numbers look like, and what you are aiming for.
     
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  9. Chris S

    Chris S Member

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    Feb 24, 2020
    We are making progress -slow and steady. And question on lantus dosing.

    First blue for Harley -yesterday at +4 amps. Still a ways to go but ... first time we got far away from the 400s!! ❤️❤️☑️
    Winston this am-120 amps!
    Harley this am 198 amps!

    I gave both their usual dose since neither in the green (Harley 2.5 lantus, Winston 1 lantus)

    Question-what is the general rule for lantus and am/pm ps readings? When is generally the time to increase or decrease by .25 if needed? I was searching but get too many results to clearly understand. I had it open here but lost that link. Can someone post here? just want to be prepared as we move along hopefully continuing in the positive! :)

    Thank you!!

    I fixed their ss so that both AT info is at the top in grey to highlight it’s from a diff meter. Next I’ll fix my ss link :).
     
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  10. Chris S

    Chris S Member

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    Feb 24, 2020
    I should comment I do see above during the mid cycle if we see decreases below 90 to move down .25; I was asking more regarding the pre shot numbers if there is any general rule for those. Thanks!
     
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  11. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    Generally, when using SLGS with Lantus, you would not shoot if below 150 IF YOU DON'T have enough data to know how your cat reacts.

    Hope you are home today, to monitor Winston. He could drop pretty low from that 120 at pre-shot.

    Link to the Lantus Protocol document for you. It's over in the
    Lantus / Basaglar (glargine) and Levemir (detemir) forum, for future reference. It's a "Sticky" or pinned post, which can be found at the top of the forum.
    Sticky Dosing Methods: Start Low, Go Slow (SLGS) & Tight Regulation (TR)
     
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  12. Chris S

    Chris S Member

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    Thank you! And my husband is home all day today to monitor.
     
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  13. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    Test at +2 is a very good idea.
     
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  14. Chris S

    Chris S Member

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    He’s holding at the same number -seems unphased so far. :)
     
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  15. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    Don't see any BG test numbers on the SS for today.

    Trying to remember what it means when the +2 is about the same as the pre-shot.
    Found it. Sorry it took me so long. Helping others.
    The +2 was like an "early warning" for most cats!
    If the +2 is about the same as the PS, it's usually a pretty normal cycle...gradually down to nadir and then gradually back up again
    If the +2 is higher than the PS, that usually signals a bounce, and those are the cycles when you can usually take a pokey break.
    If the +2 is lower than the PS, that's your "Early warning" that kitty might be going much lower later in the cycle so it's important to plan on getting another test or two (or 6) in.
     
  16. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    Today is the 5th. That 120 on the SS is in the row for 3/4/2020
     
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  17. Chris S

    Chris S Member

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    Feb 24, 2020
    Thanks! Fixed it
     
  18. Deb & Wink

    Deb & Wink Well-Known Member

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    So the +2 is a very worthwhile test number to get, every cycle if you can.
    It can point in the direction of how active or quiet the cycle is likely to be.
    A good rule of thumb is:
    +2 same as pre-shot, normal cycle. Down to nadir and back up again.
    +2 higher than pre-shot, signals a bounce and a slight break from monitoring is in order
    +2 lower than pre-shot, signals that BG's may go much lower during the cycle. So monitor more.

    Not a hard a fast rule, but in general these +2's are indicative of where the cycle is headed. Up, down, straight.

    Remember to take meter variance into account when calculating the numbers. That is, if the 2 numbers are within 20% of each other, they are basically the same number.
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2020
    Reason for edit: spelling
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  19. Chris S

    Chris S Member

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    Thanks. Sound advice on the +2. :)
     
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