New Member - Can't get BG regulated - HELP!

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I think the prudent thing to do is assume the 54 was real. The next number could be explained by the carbs and honey, or him starting to bounce from the drop and lows.

If you don't get enough blood, sometimes the meters will give you a wonky reading vs an error. For now, aim for a drop of blood the size of a ball on a ballpoint pen (or the head of a pin). That should be enough.

I agree with Janet, we need to dose somewhere 3U or under. But right now I'm not comfortable recommending that until you can grab a variety of foods so if he drops we can bring him back up. We can always fast track him back up if the lower doses aren't working, but in 0.25-0.5U increments

What is your schedule like? What hours are you home and able to monitor?

If he's yellow this morning, I'd do 1U. Pink or higher, 2U. That way he at least gets some insulin. On a day you have the foods and can monitor all day, I'd like to try 3U.

Blue or lower, skip the shot.
 
Dawn J said:
Ok, I just tested again with the AT and it is at 176. The human meter said 68 (with 2 errors prior to the reading). I did a control test prior to doing his reading with the AT, just to make sure and verified the code was correct for the test strips. I am so confused with these meters. I'll get a new human meter as soon as I get paid, I will try new batteries (again) and try to do a reset on it (it's been sitting for a couple of months since I don't need it anymore for myself). For now, I am going to continue using the AT.

He is eating his dry food, drinking, using the liter box and walking around as normally as he can. I decided to leave the dry food out tonight and start transitioning him tomorrow after my screw up with the injection. I will set my alarm several times throughout the rest of the night to check on him, but for now I have to go to bed. I have to be back at my computer in just a couple of hours for work (Thank goodness I get to work from home)

I plan to pull the food up when I get up in the morning, so I can get a fasting BG on him and post here before I do anything else.

I can't thank everyone enough for the help and guidance. I am so thankful for you guys! Before today, I would have just fed him, given his shot and not thought twice about it, not really knowing that I could have killed him any given night for the last 8 months......
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Don't sweat it! Hes ok, that's what matters. I'd say about 85% of people come here with the exact same story as you - go to vet every 2 weeks, vet increases by a full unit, says oh don't bother changing diet or testing, then at some point something bad happens and that's usually when they end up here...sometimes when it's too late :(

It's fortuitous really that you just so happened to post yesterday and start testing last night! Possibly averted a very serious problem
 
Good Morning!! Tiger did fine the rest of last night, thank goodness. His current BG is 435 via AT. -- I'm waiting for response before I give insulin this morning :) @FrostD recommended above 2U.

I work a full time job, Mon - Fri, at home, so easy to monitor throughout the day. I also work a part time at night and on the weekends. The nights I work the part time job, I'm usually away for 5-6 hours, so no monitoring available.
 
Dawn J said:
Good Morning!! Tiger did fine the rest of last night, thank goodness. His current BG is 435 via AT. -- I'm waiting for response before I give insulin this morning :) @FrostD recommended above 2U.

I work a full time job, Mon - Fri, at home, so easy to monitor throughout the day. I also work a part time at night and on the weekends. The nights I work the part time job, I'm usually away for 5-6 hours, so no monitoring available.
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Morning! I would do 2U and start with a +2. I don't expect anything drastic but need to start getting data about his patterns
 
Ok good. Grab a +5 and +9 if you can. He's going to stay high all day most likely because he's bouncing, but the +5 and +9 will help us pinpoint nadir and if he's coming down at all.

I didn't mention yesterday because of everything - but I suspect your curve days were done on bounce days where he stayed 300/400. Any data is good data, BUT you won't want to base dose decisions on a a single day of data, especially if it's a bounce day.

Over time what you want to do is grab different tests at different times. So one day grab a +2, +6, +10; next day a +1, +5, etc. The +2 is usually indicative of how the cycle will go (big drop, etc) but every cat is different so we have to figure out Tigers pattern.
 
FrostD said:
Ok good. Grab a +5 and +9 if you can. He's going to stay high all day most likely because he's bouncing, but the +5 and +9 will help us pinpoint nadir and if he's coming down at all.

I didn't mention yesterday because of everything - but I suspect your curve days were done on bounce days where he stayed 300/400. Any data is good data, BUT you won't want to base dose decisions on a a single day of data, especially if it's a bounce day.

Over time what you want to do is grab different tests at different times. So one day grab a +2, +6, +10; next day a +1, +5, etc. The +2 is usually indicative of how the cycle will go (big drop, etc) but every cat is different so we have to figure out Tigers pattern.
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I won't be able to get the +9 tonight, but the +5 shouldn't be a problem. The vet wants a 12 hr curve done tomorrow and I will work on getting more data as suggested. I will keep the spreadsheet updated as well.

It will be about 11:30 CST before I get home tonight. What guidelines should I follow for insulin doses?
 
It will depend on how today goes. He may stay high, he may come down into blue, don't know yet. Can you get a test right before you leave the house?

I won't be around at that time, but you can always post and ask for help. This thread is getting a little long so I would start a new one, tag everyone who commented in this thread.

If still pink/red, 2U again. I want to keep that dose until he breaks the bounce or you can stock up on food.

If yellow:
- if he was pink at +5 or your last test, that means he's dropping I to shot time and have to be careful. I would do maybe 0.5U.

- If he was yellow or lower at +5 or last test, it means BG is going up as it should, and I'd do 1U
 
I should note I am being very conservative here. Others may recommend slightly higher doses.

You are doing a curve at home tomorrow right, not going to the vet?

If he doesn't break the bounce, I'd actually wait to curve til Sunday if you can, that would be much more helpful to have data on a non-bounce cycle. You can either tell the vet everything that's happened, or just tell the vet something came up and you're doing it Sunday
 
FrostD said:
I should note I am being very conservative here. Others may recommend slightly higher doses.

You are doing a curve at home tomorrow right, not going to the vet?

If he doesn't break the bounce, I'd actually wait to curve til Sunday if you can, that would be much more helpful to have data on a non-bounce cycle. You can either tell the vet everything that's happened, or just tell the vet something came up and you're doing it Sunday
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yes, the curve is being done at home. I have to try to plan these curves around both of my jobs, but I can do it Monday or Thursday of next week as well. I'm pretty sure the vet won't even remember they told me to do one..:(

2 more questions before I start the new thread ... what is a bounce/bounce cycle? and how do I do a .5 dose on these tiny needles??
 
Dawn J said:
yes, the curve is being done at home. I have to try to plan these curves around both of my jobs, but I can do it Monday or Thursday of next week as well. I'm pretty sure the vet won't even remember they told me to do one..:(

2 more questions before I start the new thread ... what is a bounce/bounce cycle? and how do I do a .5 dose on these tiny needles??
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Bouncing is when they drop lower or faster than they're used to, and their liver dumps sugar into their body in a panic. It's not always predictable, and it's different for every cat. It's usually marked by a very big or fast drop, then BG shooting straight back up and staying up for a few cycles.

Ideally if they are at the right dose that doesn't happen much, but some cats are just bouncy. There are things you can do to help ease it, but that's a conversation for another time lol first we want to get him to a good dose with a nadir around 90.

I assume your syringes don't have half unit markings? We do recommend syringes with half units, but no need to go out and buy some, use up what you have first. If you're not sure, post a picture and we can tell you.

Just eyeball it to the best of your ability. The part of the plunger touching the liquid should be approximately halfway to the 1U line.
 
The needles box says:
U40
1/2 ml
29G x 1/2"

I can eyeball the .5 good enough, I believe.

New thread has also been started and I tagged everyone that has been very helpful so far! Thanks!!
 
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