I think it's about balancing what you're afraid of and what you want ultimately for little Susie. You say you're not shooting for remission, but it sounds like that's because you're afraid. The fear is real. Not going to discount that at all. There was a lively discussion a few weeks back in the Think Tank forum about how low is too low, and that was around the issue of having to "earn" reductions (dropping below 50) before taking them in TR. That 50 reduction point makes a lot of people really uncomfortable and worried for their kitties, especially when they are climbing down fast from the dosing ladder. There is a concern that if you took a dose down before the cat "earns" it, then it will be frowned upon here. That is simply not true.
You hold the syringe. Always. If you're following TR and Susie hits 59 and you're like, no way, not doing that again
, you can always reduce. It might mean however that you have to take her back up again if she starts seeing higher numbers (the dreaded failed reduction), but that is always something that is within your power to do.
ETA: Cherryl and Mouzer are a great recent reference point for what I'm talking about. Thankfully it worked out really well for them, but it doesn't always, so you have to know what you are doing and why.
I felt fortunate that it did work for Mouzer.
When I gave Mouzer an 0.75 reduction, we had already been exhausted with coming down from 2.0 to 1.25. I was getting no sleep. My hand hurt so bad with an issue, I could not lift my coffee pot and I was struggling to do the work I have to do for so many animals, which requires use of hands and feet.
I was dragging my right leg because my foot suffers plantar fasciitis and I was in such great pain, just from all of the walking, dragging my leg, dealing with Mouzer. I was worn out and broken. I had to do something because if I go down, so does every animal in my care go down.
So, we went from the 1.25 down to 0.25 with in mind that, at this point, I'd rather have to go up .25 at a time, than to continue on as it was going with the fight and my body breaking down, as Mouzer kept rushing down the ladder faster than we were going, And in the midst of all that was going on, I had the TR 30 Protocol thrown at me - Like, we dont care that you are falling apart, we dont care about you, just keep it up for the sake of the TR 30 Protocol, do or die.
If that is 'modifying TR', then so be it - If you think about it, Mouzer is the one who modified it lol I just went along for the ride.
I let my body get in dreadful shape, just keeping Mouzer above the 40's. The Care Giver had to take care of self, so that the Care Giver could continue providing the care. And I am not even going to apologize for that I had to take care of me. To hades with that TR 30 Protocol and letting the Care Giver break down, all for the sake of the 'Protocol'. That is total bull malarkey.
We stuck to the 'TR Protocol' based on the 'Particular Cat'. Keeping the cat safe and the Care Giver well, both have to be taken into consideration.
All I can advise anyone to do is to learn all you can and get to know your cat and how it reacts to food, honey and insulin, so that you can make wise decisions on your own, because it is not your job to please anyone else. It is up to you to keep BOTH your cat and you safe and well, no matter the 'protocol'.
. Perhaps instead let's say having to reduce repeatedly because the cat is under your threshold number 
I swear these cats are worse than newborns, even my 3 month old lets me get 8 hrs of sleep!
He is so cool! He is my 70's cat