My Brutis has been diagnosed with Diabetes

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Rainbowgrrrl21

Rainbowgrrrl21

Member Since 2021
Hello there everyone!
My name is Rainbow

(yes my actual real legal name!! .. i legally changed it to celebrate a divorce years ago! )

Anyways.. im so sad... i have another diabetic kitty .. finances grew very slim after my marriage ended and i went from feeding my furry friends an high quality raw diet.. to crappy cheap kibble and now my dear Big Boy Brutis... he is only about 9 (he is a rescue so not fully certain on age).. has diabetes.

he was a totally outdoor boy on my little acreage.. so i didnt notice his weight and behaviour changes right away

So i have taken him to my vet.. got bloodwork.. he is healthy other than the diabetes.

i have started him on Lantus.. 2 weeks ago and im just so flustered .. im not finding his bloodsugars to be consistant at all...

i use the one touch Ultra 2 meter... his numbers are in mmol/L

he is reading around 18.. 19 .. morning and night... this morning he was at 25 ...

im giving him as instructed by my vet 2 units 2x a day ..we started with .5 units.. it was doing nothing... .. so im up to 2 units twice a day. i have read if i overshoot and give to much it can cause some sort of weird effect where the bloodsugars go even higher.. like a rebound effect?... has anyone experenced this?

( im just so anxious because i just lost my sweet old boy Murray last year... his diabetes was so out of control.. 3 different vets could not figure out why he was all over the place ...his blood sugars would be fine for 6 months and then BAM he would just mid day crash so low out of nowhere.. i nursed him back from the edge of death a few times... but this last spring.. he got very ill with ..nobody knows what and passed away i went into so much debt over 4 years trying everything to save him )

sorry for such a long introduction to me and my story

im just trying to get it all in here so i can find the help and support i so badly need. im just mentally exhausted from whats going on in the world... i work long hours (buy i bring Brutis to work now ❤❤ so he can get his shots on time) and my brain is on snooze it feels like

I hope so much you all can help me find a good balance for my sweet boy Brutis!!

i test him EVERY time before giving insulin. and feed him his raw meal mixed with a bit of friskies every time before insulin. i cannot afford raw for all my fur kids.. but i know the protien is so much what he needs right now ❤

thank you for listening
Warmly,
Rainbow
 
Hi Rainbow and Brutis and welcome to the forum.
We can certainly help you.
It’s great you are home testing the blood glucose....and using a human meter. And Lantus is a very good insulin for cats.
Do you think you could set up a spreadsheet and add a few weeks BG data into it so we could have a look at it to figure out what is happening? If you have any trouble setting the SS up someone will help you with it.

Are you giving snacks during the cycles as well as before the shots? We recommend you give a couple of snacks around +2 or 3 and + 5 or 6 each cycle.

Here is a link to useful information for new.members.
Make sure you have a hypo kit set up in case of low numbers.
Click on this linkhttps://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-how-you-can-help-us-help-you.216696/
 
Bron's given you some great info, so I won't repeat what's in her post or the link she provided. Just wanted to say hello, welcome, and :bighug: :bighug: :bighug:!

Also, to answer this question:

Rainbowgrrrl21 said:
im giving him as instructed by my vet 2 units 2x a day ..we started with .5 units.. it was doing nothing... .. so im up to 2 units twice a day. i have read if i overshoot and give to much it can cause some sort of weird effect where the bloodsugars go even higher.. like a rebound effect?... has anyone experenced this?
Click to expand...

Yes, this is a very common pattern. Around here, we call it "bouncing" and it really does play havoc with figuring out the right dose! That's why we're so data-focused and it will really help us to see all the data you have on his BG in the spreadsheet form. The numbers you're describing (18-25) are pretty high, but we just can't tell if they're high because the 2U is not enough (possible, some cats just need more insulin) or if he's going low when you're not catching it and spending the rest of the time bouncing (also possible, and really common).

I hope we can help you get Brutis' diabetes under control so that at least that will be a little less stressful. You've made a fantastic start already with a good insulin and testing regularly, he's lucky to have such a dedicated caregiver in his corner!
 
thank you for your reply Bron and Sheba

i did not know i could give snacks!!

do you mean at 2pm ... and 5pm?

Brutis is CRAZY CRAZY hungry and inhales his food.. nothing is ever enough .. hopefully the snacks will help... what is a good snack? so fresh water packed sardines? some boiled chicken maybe?

and i looked at the Spread Sheet instructions... it hurt my brain lol... i dont have a computer or tablet.. only my old phone.. so not sure i can figure out this spread sheet sorry im terrible a tech ANYthing

i do have a hypo kit set up!

thanks again so much for the reply.
 
Nan & Amber (GA) said:
Bron's given you some great info, so I won't repeat what's in her post or the link she provided. Just wanted to say hello, welcome, and :bighug: :bighug: :bighug:!

Also, to answer this question:



Yes, this is a very common pattern. Around here, we call it "bouncing" and it really does play havoc with figuring out the right dose! That's why we're so data-focused and it will really help us to see all the data you have on his BG in the spreadsheet form. The numbers you're describing (18-25) are pretty high, but we just can't tell if they're high because the 2U is not enough (possible, some cats just need more insulin) or if he's going low when you're not catching it and spending the rest of the time bouncing (also possible, and really common).

I hope we can help you get Brutis' diabetes under control so that at least that will be a little less stressful. You've made a fantastic start already with a good insulin and testing regularly, he's lucky to have such a dedicated caregiver in his corner!
Click to expand...


im not sure im replying properly here ... i am not a chat or forum person normally.. as it all confuses my brain

thank you so much for the hello and reply!! it helps so much to not feel all alone!!

i will see if i can borrow my friends tablet to figure out this spread sheet.. in the main time maybe i can just write down what info you all need to see?

is it just bs readings and feedings?

thank you
 
Hi Rainbow (beautiful name!).

I'm going to tag @Bandit's Mom (Bhooma) to ask her to help you get going with a spreadsheet. Once it has been set up it's really easy to use: you just fill in the insulin doses, BG readings and any helpful notes you need (in the Remarks column, e.g. feeding info). The standard spreadsheet is set up to automatically colour code the BG readings for you.


Mogs
.
 
Critter Mom said:
Hi Rainbow (beautiful name!).

I'm going to tag @Bandit's Mom (Bhooma) to ask her to help you get going with a spreadsheet. Once it has been set up it's really easy to use: you just fill in the insulin doses, BG readings and any helpful notes you need (in the Remarks column, e.g. feeding info). The standard spreadsheet is set up to automatically colour code the BG readings for you.


Mogs
.
Click to expand...


thank you so much!!! i have just come of of working weeks straight ..16 hour overnight shifts as a Caregiver ... and with trying to help Brutis as well as care for my 13 other rescue kitties and my 3 rescue chihuahus.. my brain has kind of pooped out on me lol eek.

i know once im shown.. i WILL get the hang of things
 
+2 means 2 hours after the insulin.
+5 means 5 hours after the insulin etc
Until they are regulated cats will often be very hungry as they can’t absorb all the nutrients in the food.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
+2 means 2 hours after the insulin.
+5 means 5 hours after the insulin etc
Until they are regulated cats will often be very hungry as they can’t absorb all the nutrients in the food.
Click to expand...
thank you so much for this info... i was told never to feed between meals.. and it has made me sad to see how hungry Brutis is! i will start giving him snacks!!,

he will be a happy boy ❤ he IS so so hungry
 
Rainbowgrrrl21 said:
thank you so much!!! i have just come of of working weeks straight ..16 hour overnight shifts as a Caregiver ... and with trying to help Brutis as well as care for my 13 other rescue kitties and my 3 rescue chihuahus.. my brain has kind of pooped out on me lol eek.

i know once im shown.. i WILL get the hang of things
Click to expand...
wow-you have your hands full--you are in excellent hands and see sharp as a tack! You will get this in no time:cat:
 
It's not uncommon for unregulated diabetic cats to be hungry all the time. Once his numbers start coming down, he likely won't be as hungry. You can use his appetite to your advantage for testing and giving insulin though. It's great that you are testing and you found the right group to help you with this FD dance!!
 
does anyone have holistic advice on perhaps some digestive enzymes to help digest and pull more nutrients from his food?

and also any sort of pancreas support... bladder support?

i very much prefer to go with herbal /holistic supplimentation when possible.

id love any suggestions.
 
Native remedies makes pancreas booster and glucose ensure...the helped Dre's numbers but more than than he felt noticeable happier-if you want to try it I have some just pm me
 
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