? advice; struggling with testing, food allergies, sudden development of hyperestesia "twitchy/rolling

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Heather & Hwy 99

Heather & Hwy 99

Member Since 2020
hi again, hopefully my anxious rambling will make sense to some of you...checking in again for advice after a stressful few days and sudden development of feline hyperesthesia (HE) we went to the urgent care 5 days ago after I thought a bee must have flown in the house and bit him based on his twitching skin, screaming, hiding under bed...but after hours of observation, allergy injection etc. he came home and proceeded to have another HE episode and basically its like his rear end has got a mind of its own and its scaring him immensely so I am having a very hard time getting him to come out from under bed, let alone test him so that is currently very sporadic and basically when I can get him...the last month has had soooooooo many changes (from vetsulin, to lantus then mostly skipping doses based on good numbers, changing from dry w/d to mostly fancy feast pate which helped numbers immensely but seems to have triggers food allergies) but this sudden development of HE has sent us both over the edge honestly, he has never been scared/stressed until recently but between these episodes and my constant testing he is now hiding most of the time and his association with me is bad...testing has NOT gotten easier at all, and the last several days his one and only favorite treat that made it manageable he is now refusing because I was sneaking Gabapentin in it (trying to calm his nerves/twitching down) I suspect either the Lantus (he was very sensitive to the injections versus not at all with vetsulin) OR the constant poking of ears triggered something in his nervous system OR new food this month causing possible allergies (vomiting, wheezing and sudden development of HE) so I am risking another change and starting to transition him to a raw limited ingredient duck food hoping to calm atleast some of these stressors....I know that so many changes are not ideal or helpful to get to the root cause but that is just what the circumstances have required, I am extremely grateful that his numbers have been getting so much better than I suspected he is or is nearing remission/honeymoon yet his AND my quality of life is still greatly affected and all day every day revolves around his hiding/episodes/testing/pilling/food/vomiting/attempting to distract and redirect...so Im here half venting but also half hoping for anyone else who might have insight/experience with similar situations or advice on continuing to skip doses/testing OR sudden development of hyperestesia and/possible food allergies...
ALSO, I have terrible "bad mommy" guilt for not being able to get as much bg readings but his numbers have been good enough I havent needed to give Lantus for 6 days now but I know it was advised to shoot if he was between 150-200 and given the current circumstances I dont think I could give him a shot-he is literally afraid of me ): I was able to get him earlier today and we had the highest reading in a week (196) and 114 about 4 hours later, I have to emphasize that I cannot get any regular readings because of his hiding/stress level so basically it is whenever I see an opportunity that he is hungry enough otherwise the stress of attempting exacerbates these episodes... I was still learning about how food/medications affection bg when we made these new and latest changes so I am not sure if raw food or gabapentin factor into that...
Do you think its reasonable to get a once or twice a day random BG reading given the circumstances? I just dont know what to do...(PS no ketones and I am still using alpha trak 2 because the relion kept giving me error messages and I couldnt trust it),any advice or input is appreciated!! thanks!

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/help-again-dosing-advice-and-new-condition.230937/
 
Boy you really have your hands full! Sigh I have no experience with these conditions. I sure hope someone else here does.
I had a hell of a time testing Trouble. It took two of us and even then it was a stressful "scene" MANY days I could only get two tests in and that only because hubby came home to help. Trouble a usually kick back cat turned into terror. We DID manage however to get him OTJ but that was mainly because of a food change. We removed the dry.
Sending positives for strength and persistence. Hang on for more replies!
j.
 
jt and trouble (GA) said:
Boy you really have your hands full! Sigh I have no experience with these conditions. I sure hope someone else here does.
I had a hell of a time testing Trouble. It took two of us and even then it was a stressful "scene" MANY days I could only get two tests in and that only because hubby came home to help. Trouble a usually kick back cat turned into terror. We DID manage however to get him OTJ but that was mainly because of a food change. We removed the dry.
Sending positives for strength and persistence. Hang on for more replies!
j.
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thank you so much for your kindess! its crazy because his diabetes was improving so much I couldnt imagine that we would be worse off than when we started...you all are a godsend though!!!:bighug:
 
I have no personal experience with HE. From the quick read through I did on the Cornell vet site there are a number of drugs and behavioural changes to try.

I take gabapentin myself for nerve problems and have not noticed anything untoward.

Was Hwy99 given steroids before the diabetes diagnosis? I ask because you have been seeing some nice numbers though they are starting to creep up. I'll leave it to other, more experienced, members to give dosing advice. There are doses lower than 0.25.

Have you tried the freeze dried treats as a reward for testing? Only one ingredient – the meat itself.

Sorry I can not be of more help. I hope you find the cause and the solution soon.
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
I have no personal experience with HE. From the quick read through I did on the Cornell vet site there are a number of drugs and behavioural changes to try.

I take gabapentin myself for nerve problems and have not noticed anything untoward.

Was Hwy99 given steroids before the diabetes diagnosis? I ask because you have been seeing some nice numbers though they are starting to creep up. I'll leave it to other, more experienced, members to give dosing advice. There are doses lower than 0.25.

Have you tried the freeze dried treats as a reward for testing? Only one ingredient – the meat itself.

Sorry I can not be of more help. I hope you find the cause and the solution soon.
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thank you, no not given steroids prior but vet did advise to try steroids for the HE (which just further confirmed my lack of faith/trust in his knowledge and experience) from my own research I requested gabapentin and it seems to take a little of the edge off BUT its almost impossible to get in him now-he previously was obsessed with the squeeze cheez (awful I know but low carb and bought me time to test him) but after I mixed that with gabapentin he wont eat it and clawed me to pieces when I tried pilling him, so much like testing him I am having to weigh the cost/benefit to both of us as it is currently all consuming and breaking my heart...I used to use the freeze dried chicken but he was vomiting within hours afterwards and since I started using fancy feast around same time so I started suspecting food allergies (most likely chicken or beef) between vomiting/wheezing and now this HE I am really hopeful it is food allergies because I just spent 2 weeks salary ordering raw duck and lamb diet!! Its super stressful because the symptoms and varying degree of HE can vary so drastically, so can the treatment, and so can the root issue so I am having to put his body thru more stress of more diet changes in HOPES of resolving this newest issue! Hard to believe this cat used to eat anything he could get his hands on including bugs and now I am breaking the bank on organic pasture raised duck for him, what we do for love :cat:
 
I have no experience with HE, I'm sorry-- that sounds just awful! Poor little guy.

I do think that the food change is worth a shot. As always when changing foods, you want to do it carefully. Hopefully he likes it and the change doesn't cause any digestive upset, sigh (the last thing you want to add to the list!).

In terms of FD, he did pop that one high-ish number the other day, but otherwise he's been really good. Given everything else going on, I think I'd back off on the BG testing (other than trying to get an occasional ketone test in) for a while, and just concentrate on the HE. It seems like the HE is his major quality of life issue right now, and testing for BG is just adding to the stress. With his numbers where they are right now, it's not really critical that you test. If his numbers do drift up and he has to go back on insulin later, so be it, but right now concentrate on the HE. As long as ketones don't develop and you don't start noticing clinical diabetes signs (drinking, peeing, weight loss, etc.).

Poor little guy! I hope the diet change works and gets him feeling better soon. What a nightmare!
 
Nan & Amber (GA) said:
I have no experience with HE, I'm sorry-- that sounds just awful! Poor little guy.

I do think that the food change is worth a shot. As always when changing foods, you want to do it carefully. Hopefully he likes it and the change doesn't cause any digestive upset, sigh (the last thing you want to add to the list!).

In terms of FD, he did pop that one high-ish number the other day, but otherwise he's been really good. Given everything else going on, I think I'd back off on the BG testing (other than trying to get an occasional ketone test in) for a while, and just concentrate on the HE. It seems like the HE is his major quality of life issue right now, and testing for BG is just adding to the stress. With his numbers where they are right now, it's not really critical that you test. If his numbers do drift up and he has to go back on insulin later, so be it, but right now concentrate on the HE. As long as ketones don't develop and you don't start noticing clinical diabetes signs (drinking, peeing, weight loss, etc.).

Poor little guy! I hope the diet change works and gets him feeling better soon. What a nightmare!
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thank you!!!! I didnt realize how much I wanted/needed to hear exactly that until the tears of relief just started pouring out me just now:bighug: I think Ive been so consumed by guilt/fear of not testing one day that I didnt even think about the two months he was actually symptomatic and I DIDNT KNOW to test and he survived! That makes alot of sense, thank you thank you thank you!!
 
Thank heavens! I knew one of these good people would have great advice for you thank you Miss @Nan & Amber (GA) :bighug:

Also know that gabapentin tastes very bitter. Trying to mix it with food is not likely to work. Are you giving the liquid form? I buy human gabapentin capsules at my human pharmacy then split the 100mg into 2 empty gel caps so I have 50mg in each one. I put it in a pill pocket and Minnie will eat it that way. Do you think Hwy would eat a pill pocket?
 
Heather & Hwy 99 said:
thank you!!!! I didnt realize how much I wanted/needed to hear exactly that until the tears of relief just started pouring out me just now:bighug: I think Ive been so consumed by guilt/fear of not testing one day that I didnt even think about the two months he was actually symptomatic and I DIDNT KNOW to test and he survived! That makes alot of sense, thank you thank you thank you!!
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Can I just say what a Great Mom you are ! I have heard of cats having allergies to chicken which I have to admit surprise me . I think the diet change it worth a try . I have read about duck , rabbit, even deer meat but never tried them but I sure would if it would help .i just really wanted to tell you you have come a long way and I think you are doing a Great job Heather
 
I’m really not sure what to advise. Maybe test once a day or every couple days. If it’s stress related it might be worth trying feliway plug-ins. the food change is also worth a try... or even a novel protein food like rabbit.
 
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Aleluia Grugru & Minnie said:
Thank heavens! I knew one of these good people would have great advice for you thank you Miss @Nan & Amber (GA) :bighug:

Also know that gabapentin tastes very bitter. Trying to mix it with food is not likely to work. Are you giving the liquid form? I buy human gabapentin capsules at my human pharmacy then split the 100mg into 2 empty gel caps so I have 50mg in each one. I put it in a pill pocket and Minnie will eat it that way. Do you think Hwy would eat a pill pocket?
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Yes, I can always count on you guys thank goodness! I do have the human capsules that I divide in half - zero success using pill pockets, so I tried mixing it up in the squeeze cheese and scraping on roof of mouth , I didn't realize it was so bitter and now basically ruined the one thing that allowed me to get his ear pokes, he now sees the squeeze cheese and runs where he used to follow me when he saw the can...lesson learned!
 
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