1/30 Big Kitty AMPS 524 3.5U

Mom of Big Kitty

Mom of Big Kitty

Member Since 2021
We switched Big Kitty to Lantus 6-days ago after being on Novalin N 5U BID without any luck in stabilizing numbers daily. The vet suggested starting Lantus at 3U BID and do a curve this weekend which I plan on doing tomorrow. I will spot check today and update as I go. Lantus has gotten him out of the 600 range but he seems to be stuck in the low 500's all week. Lantus definitely is the better choice because it seems to stabilize his numbers much better than the short acting Novalin. I increased the Lantus to 3.5U the evening dose on 3rd day but I don't see any change in numbers. After I complete his curve tomorrow I plan on increasing to 4U but don't know if I am doing the right thing here. Can somebody answer these questions?

1. How long does it take for Lantus to bring down high numbers? I know, ECID! Looking for an average.
2. How would I know if it's not working at all? Seems like he's stuck in this low 500 range. Yes, I am sure that I am injecting the insulin appropriately.
3. What is the best way to feed to optimize insulin therapy to help numbers come down? Since dx he eats only low carb wet food, 5% max carbs, Weruva, Nulo, Tiki Cat. 2-3 Friskies Party Mix Natural Yums treats when giving injection to distract. (HC but minimal given) We feed about 3-4 5.5oz cans of wet food daily and primarily feed around AM&PM injection time but leave out during day/night for both cats to graze. Big Kitty lost about 5-lbs in a short time due to the diabetes and he is always hungry. He isn't drinking as much water as a few weeks ago and the amount of urine in his litter box has improved.

Big Kitty is a happy boy and seems to be a little more playful some days chasing after his toys and brother (our other cat). I really hate to see him in the black numbers constantly and I am hoping there is an end to it in sight.
 
Hello again. Here’s your previous post I believe. We link them for continuity.

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/need-to-switch-insulin-fast.241843/#post-2725196

You dropped the dose a lot lower when you started lantus than what you had been giving so you likely will need to increase before seeing results. Lantus is dosed based upon nadir so you will need to get some mid cycle tests to see how low it’s taking your cat. I would start to get a test at +4-7 and very each day to catch the nadir. I also would increase to 4.0 units but see what others say.

You might want to save the hc treats for when he goes low and get some 100% protein freeze dried treats for after testing.
 
Hi! Welcome :bighug::bighug::bighug: Big Kitty sure is lucky to have you looking out for him.

I'm not sure about your questions so will leave those to the more experienced folks but was going to mention the treats - I've heard of a few bites of kibble or high carb treats doing no favors for other kitty's numbers; it was recommended to me to use freeze dried treats or even just plain baked chicken - I buy the PureBites brand (there are many others) and I buy the dog bag - they are just bigger treats than the cat bag and cost less :p - I just break off a bit when I need one for Jax. Here's the link to the ones I get from Chewy (though you can get them many places).
 
Mom of Big Kitty said:
1. How long does it take for Lantus to bring down high numbers? I know, ECID! Looking for an average.
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Sorry, there really isn't an average. The answer is "it depends". It depends on how much insulin the cat ultimately needs to get them regulated. It depends on which dosing method you want to use because the size of increases and timing between increases is different between TR and SLGS. It depends on where you started on a good dose. You started too low, I agree with Elise and would jump to 4 units. Then pick a dosing method and follow it.
Mom of Big Kitty said:
2. How would I know if it's not working at all?
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As Elise said, we need some mid cycle tests to see how low the dose is taking him. We base dosing decisions on nadirs or those low point you see.
Mom of Big Kitty said:
3. What is the best way to feed to optimize insulin therapy to help numbers come down?
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This will be a work in progress, as you learn who Big Kitty uses the Lantus. Start with a good portion at preshot time, then maybe the rest a couple meals before nadir. A meal just before onset can help kitties that like to drop fast. So your homework when starting a new insulin is trying to spot those onset and nadir times. And definitely replace those HC treats.
 
So after yesterday's curve it looks like we're getting into the pink (300's). :p It's a relief to see he came out of the red and black for the day and I have increased him to 4 units for his PM shot last night. I didn't get any reading throughout the night but his AMPS was 415. Again, better than the 500's which he's been averaging daily.

I will get some mid-day readings today while I am home to see how he does. I would love to get more readings throughout the week but I work a full-time job so I can only get AM & PM most of the week. I do see that those numbers don't give me an accurate picture of what the Lantus is actually doing for him though so I'll try to get home for lunch during the week to do some checks. I agree that we started too low but I wanted to go with what my vet suggested and increase as we go. I'll have to read up more on the difference between TR and SLGS. For Big Kitty, I thought SLGS was the best approach because we're not sure what dose works for him just yet. I assume we'll be somewhere between 4.5-5.5 units before we find his optimal daily dosage.

Thank you for all the suggestions for the best treats to give him. I'll shop some better options for him so he can still have that something special for being such a good boy throughout this process and always.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Do you go to bed right after the PMPS shot? If not, getting even a +2 or +3 every night will go a long way to figuring out how the dose is doing.
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I am going to try to get some tonight and throughout other nights. Today his numbers were if as I never gave him insulin. I am pretty sure I got his shot in correctly this morning but he slowly went up all day and ended at 509. Yesterday he was in the 300's all day and there was no difference from yesterday to today except for a 0.5 unit increase in Lantus which you would think would have decreased him. :confused: One day at a time.
 
Or he went lower last night than he was used to, and is bouncing today. Some cats will bounce at seeing yellows if they aren't used to them, so it doesn't have to be super low to cause a bounce.

ETA: There is a phenomenon we call New Dose Wonkiness, which is a couple cycles of higher numbers right after increasing. Probably due to the depot rebalancing.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Or he went lower last night than he was used to, and is bouncing today. Some cats will bounce at seeing yellows if they aren't used to them, so it doesn't have to be super low to cause a bounce.

ETA: There is a phenomenon we call New Dose Wonkiness, which is a couple cycles of higher numbers right after increasing. Probably due to the depot rebalancing.
Click to expand...
Some kind of wonkiness is going on! I was so thrilled to see his AMPS at 317 today and had my husband check him while I was at work mid-day. He was at 444 by noon then I just checked at 5pm and he was at 532. I figured a bounce is happening because I am sure I am getting his injections in correctly. Could something else be going on that I am not thinking of? This is so upsetting!
 
If I was a betting person, I would guess he went lower last night - when you didn't test, and now he's bouncing again.

A favour to ask. Tomorrow, or when you next post, could you start a new thread here with a link to this post for continuity. Due to the number of kitties on here, we ask that people do one new post per day.
POSTING GUIDELINES PLEASE READ
 
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