3/18/21 - Squeaky! AMPS = 258 +6=323 PMPS = 391 Increase dose next time?

Glad Squeaky is feeling better.

Remember, now that you all are back on TR, you need 4 tests a day to keep Squeaky safe - AMPS, PMPS, and then one more during each cycle :bighug:
 
JaxBenji said:
Glad Squeaky is feeling better.

Remember, now that you all are back on TR, you need 4 tests a day to keep Squeaky safe - AMPS, PMPS, and then one more during each cycle :bighug:
Click to expand...

Thanks for checking in, Suzanne. Yes I know. The vet agreed, though, that I could sometimes give Squeaky a break. Because, he is so upset about all the needles. If his numbers are low-ish, yes I will test. Because there is danger there. However..... If his numbers are high, and I have every reason to believe he will not dip quickly, I will cautiously skip sometimes. Because, he really needs a break sometimes. Thank you so much.

Like today, he's in the 200s at pre-shot. Good day to test mid-cycle. Yesterday, 400s at pre-shot. Very unlikely he would be at 50 in 6 hours. So I skipped.
 
Jan D & Squeaky said:
Yesterday, 400s at pre-shot. Very unlikely he would be at 50 in 6 hours.
Click to expand...
This just simply isn't true. Look on Squeaky's (yes your squeaky :cat:) SS - particularly November and December 2020 - he has gone from 400s to greens in one cycle and was often going from 300s at preshots to greens. Just something to think about...

And Oliver is a kitty right now that goes from black to green in a cycle - here's his SS - just look at even yesterday as an example - he had a colorful day - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...mWq-niJyfTd030_bh2xLOMA0GAk3GgwWzjpzk/pubhtml

I hope you will get mid-cycle tests so you know how low he goes and can then dose accordingly and get him back to better numbers quickly.

Hope you have a wonderful day :bighug:
 
JaxBenji said:
This just simply isn't true. Look on Squeaky's (yes your squeaky :cat:) SS - particularly November and December 2020 - he has gone from 400s to greens in one cycle and was often going from 300s at preshots to greens. Just something to think about...

And Oliver is a kitty right now that goes from black to green in a cycle - here's his SS - just look at even yesterday as an example - he had a colorful day - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...mWq-niJyfTd030_bh2xLOMA0GAk3GgwWzjpzk/pubhtml

I hope you will get mid-cycle tests so you know how low he goes and can then dose accordingly and get him back to better numbers quickly.

Hope you have a wonderful day :bighug:
Click to expand...

How then, am I supposed to give this little guy a break? And how am I supposed to ever get any sleep? The diabetes will kill both of us due to depression.
 
Jan D & Squeaky said:
How then, am I supposed to give this little guy a break? And how am I supposed to ever get any sleep? The diabetes will kill both of us due to depression.
Click to expand...
Hang in there :bighug: It could perhaps be viewing the BG test as an itty bitty blip in the day. It doesn't hurt them and yet could help Squeaky feel better. I was always advised to get the AMPS + PMPS and then a +2 or +3 then plan around that - by planning this would mean either feeding higher carb food or planning to take an extra test.

And I think others may have communicated this before but the +2/+3 every cycle is important because:
  • If the +2 is about the same as the Pre-shot, usually they're going to have a fairly "normal" cycle...slowly dropping to nadir and then slowly heading back up until the next PS
  • If it's higher than the PS, that can indicate the beginning of a bounce and those are the cycles where you can usually get by without testing as much
  • If the +2 is lower than the PS, that's your "early warning"....those are the cycles where it's important to try to get more tests in...but if you can't, you might want to leave some higher carb food down for him
Have you seen this link on TR and a full time job? Perhaps there are some ideas you can pull from there too - https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...ion-possible-with-a-full-time-job-yes.129378/

Hope that helps :bighug:
 
I'm glad Squeaky seems to be feeling better.

Jan D & Squeaky said:
How then, am I supposed to give this little guy a break? And how am I supposed to ever get any sleep?
Click to expand...
You learn how Squeaky responds to Lantus, see if you can see patterns in his cycles and use that data to know when to test. Learn what time of the cycle he's mostly likely to go low, and test then. Today is the 6th cycle after his increase, the depot should be full. He'll show you some action today, if he didn't last night.

I see three cycles in a row now with no tests mid cycle. If you can't commit to a second test each cycle, then maybe TR is not what works for you and Squeaky. Safety is our biggest concern. TR is a more aggressive protocol, but with that comes the need to test more to keep your kitty safe.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
I'm glad Squeaky seems to be feeling better.


You learn how Squeaky responds to Lantus, see if you can see patterns in his cycles and use that data to know when to test. Learn what time of the cycle he's mostly likely to go low, and test then. Today is the 6th cycle after his increase, the depot should be full. He'll show you some action today, if he didn't last night.

I see three cycles in a row now with no tests mid cycle. If you can't commit to a second test each cycle, then maybe TR is not what works for you and Squeaky. Safety is our biggest concern. TR is a more aggressive protocol, but with that comes the need to test more to keep your kitty safe.
Click to expand...
JaxBenji said:
Hang in there :bighug: It could perhaps be viewing the BG test as an itty bitty blip in the day. It doesn't hurt them and yet could help Squeaky feel better. I was always advised to get the AMPS + PMPS and then a +2 or +3 then plan around that - by planning this would mean either feeding higher carb food or planning to take an extra test.

And I think others may have communicated this before but the +2/+3 every cycle is important because:
  • If the +2 is about the same as the Pre-shot, usually they're going to have a fairly "normal" cycle...slowly dropping to nadir and then slowly heading back up until the next PS
  • If it's higher than the PS, that can indicate the beginning of a bounce and those are the cycles where you can usually get by without testing as much
  • If the +2 is lower than the PS, that's your "early warning"....those are the cycles where it's important to try to get more tests in...but if you can't, you might want to leave some higher carb food down for him
Have you seen this link on TR and a full time job? Perhaps there are some ideas you can pull from there too - https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...ion-possible-with-a-full-time-job-yes.129378/

Hope that helps :bighug:
Click to expand...
carfurby said:
I'm glad Squeaky is doing better today and being playful.
Click to expand...

Thanks everybody, I'll reply to your messages tomorrow, I have a headache.

Isn't it time for an increase? Wendy, may just do TR until he's lower, then switch back to GLGS. Thanks. Increase now?

Oh, dear. He is hiding behind the closet door now. I am so confused. Should I give him fluids?
Y'all say the tests don't hurt him. But they do. Even I do everything I can.
Oh dear.
 
Last edited:
Wendy&Neko said:
You can't do TR unless you do the testing required to go with it. With the testing you got done today, looks like he is bouncing from where ever he got to last night.
Click to expand...

Okay, that is helpful to know. We both needed a break so that is why I didn't test. Heather is coming over on Sunday and we're going to discuss everything. There are some gaps in my understanding and I hope she can help me clear them up.

Also, what you guys tell me is opposite what the vet tells me. Of course.

I gave Squeaky some baby food and he came out of hiding. Go figure. Okay, it's about time to test for mid-cycle.

Thanks so much and have a good night.
 
Your vet is probably not familiar with the dosing methods used here. Testing pre-shots only can be fine for people who are only increasing when their vet says, which is often only once or twice a month. TR, increases can happen once or twice a week, so you need to be testing enough to be sure those increases are safe without your cat going too low midcycle.

Suggestion: are you able to weight Squeaky regularly? That can be another source of data to give you a clue about whether his insulin dose is too high or too low (eg, if his PS numbers are regularly high with no midcycle readings but his weight is stable OR increasing, be suspicious the PS numbers are bounces and his dose may be too high).
 
THH & Snowcrash (GA) said:
Your vet is probably not familiar with the dosing methods used here. Testing pre-shots only can be fine for people who are only increasing when their vet says, which is often only once or twice a month. TR, increases can happen once or twice a week, so you need to be testing enough to be sure those increases are safe without your cat going too low midcycle.

Suggestion: are you able to weight Squeaky regularly? That can be another source of data to give you a clue about whether his insulin dose is too high or too low (eg, if his PS numbers are regularly high with no midcycle readings but his weight is stable OR increasing, be suspicious the PS numbers are bounces and his dose may be too high).
Click to expand...

Thank you, THH.

Yes I weigh Squeaky regularly. He is 13.2 lbs. Down from 13.3 lbs a couple of months ago. Okay your comment adds another variable. You think the dose is too high? I've been concerned that he's not getting enough insulin and that is why his numbers are high. Now I understand less than I did before LOL.

This morning I'm thinking, maybe someone could help me design a modified GLGS.
 
Jan D & Squeaky said:
Thank you, THH.

Yes I weigh Squeaky regularly. He is 13.2 lbs. Down from 13.3 lbs a couple of months ago. Okay your comment adds another variable. You think the dose is too high? I've been concerned that he's not getting enough insulin and that is why his numbers are high. Now I understand less than I did before LOL.

This morning I'm thinking, maybe someone could help me design a modified GLGS.
Click to expand...

For weights to be meaningful for this purpose, you'd need to be weighing him at least twice a week, the same time of day each time. It would be another piece of data to help give you an idea of what could be happening midcycle and how urgently it is to get more tests midcycle.

For example:
  • AMPS & PMPS are mid100s, but weight loss is happening--check midcycle bgs to see if he's going up instead of down in the cycle.
  • AMPS & PMPS are over 300, but he's gaining weight--check midcycle bgs to see if he's dropping too low and bouncing high.
If AMPS & PMPS are high 100s/low 200s and his weight is stable, you may be able to slack on midcycle tests.

Obviously testing as often as possible is best, so you can understand exactly how the insulin is affecting Squeaky. But I'm just giving you another piece of data to use to help fill in that puzzle, for when midcycle testing isn't working.

I'm not going to guess whether his current dose is too high or not; others on here have a lot more experience reading spreadsheets than I do...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top