? No BG monitor: what now?

PatinToronto

PatinToronto

Member Since 2021
Hi. Today is the 8th day of SLGS. Binnie's AMPS are consistently blue (that in itself is new). I think it's time to go down to 4.5. Am I right? I tried to get a +5 yesterday, but many stabs and no blood and I gave up. I'll try again today.
 
You would go down in dosing only if his BG falls below 90 (5.5). Otherwise you would hold the dose 7 days and then run a curve to evaluate whether to increase or hold the dose.
This is his 7th day on the dose.
 
I was doing a U+4 when the FreeStyle Lite suddenly wouldn't read and gave me an Er4 message. I tried new strips, new battery etc and finally called Customer Care at Abbott. They're sending out a new one, by UPS, but they say 3-5 days. I don't know what to do. Do I hold the course (he's been on the same dose for a week), hold insulin altogether as I am unable to monitor his BGs or do I give some but a reduced dose? He was blue X2 this AM.
 
Can you run out to the pharmacy and pick up another? I always keep a back up, just in case, so even if you get a new one now, and the other arrives, then at least you are covered in the future if one fails again.
 
I can after 6 (working at home today) but I'm reluctant to buy one at $45 when there's a free one on its way. If it's really UPS I expect it tmw.
 
You could try and test yourself with the faulty meter, see if you get a reading on yourself? I use the FSL and sometimes not enough blood or wonky strips happen and it errors out, so maybe you had a couple bad strips and not enough blood? His cycle is actually looking good today, he came down pretty quickly to +2 so even without a meter, please give him some of his regular food.
 
No the monitor just refuses to read at all. Same error message whether there is a test strip in it or not. (I think when there isn't enough blood, it's a different error code?).
Christie & Maverick said:
so even without a meter, please give him some of his regular food.
Click to expand...
He ate early AM at same time as his shot; do you mean feed now again?
 
Yes, most of us find feeding small snacks through the cycle help, it looks like he's having an active cycle, so feeding some fresh carbs when their numbers are coming down helps to flatten their BG levels out.
 
No. No control sol'n although the customer service rep said she would send that too with the new monitor.

Yes, I still have my manual and Er4 means either a) test strip problem - no I tried 6 including opening a new vial- or b) meter error. That's when you're supposed to do the control test, but even if I had the solution I can't see how as the device beeps and shows Er4 even before any strip is inserted.

Hi Kawarthas, thanks for weighing in. No, I don't have a single diabetic in my life. I have about 4 hours before Binnie is due for his PM dose, and I literally don't know what to do.
 
I have bought Ketostix but have not managed to test him yet as I have 2 other cats, and I haven't quite figured out how.

Yes, Abbott says 3-5 days for delivery of a new monitor, but they also say UPS which should be overnight.
 
I'd call around or check websites, to see if there are pharmacies that give you a free monitor when purchasing test strips. That's how I got my first meter for free.

If you really can't get a replacement meter until then, I'd treat this as a "petsitter dose" and reduce a bit until you get the new meter.
 
OK. I can try again, but when I got the monitor initially, I tried that. I was told I had to email the company directly to request a free monitor. I literally sent 5 emails, but even now I still haven't received a response. I'll try all the local pharmacies again to see if anything has changed.
 
I wondered about the free monitor if you buy test strips, but ideally you want to stick with the FSL since that's what you already have test strips for. Which is why I go back to my original comment of just buying a second FSL and having it as back up in the future. Strips cost ~$80 so it's not worth buying them for a different meter, when you can as you say buy a new FSL for $45. Some pharmacies have published deals in flyers, depending on the brand of meter, where you can get it for free if you by the strips, but I haven't seen those deals for FSL in a long while.

The other option as Wendy mentioned is to treat this like a vacation dose, maybe go down to 4u and wait until the meter arrives. If it were my own cat, and knowing his patterns, I might not suggest such a drop, but I don't know your cat, feeding patterns, and you have limited data which is where I am being more conservative in dropping down the dose.
 
I got mine at London Drugs (am west coast) but I don't think they are east of Manitoba. Just google free blood glucose meter canada and follow the links. They will email you the coupon.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
I got mine at London Drugs (am west coast) but I don't think they are east of Manitoba. Just google free blood glucose meter canada and follow the links. They will email you the coupon.
Click to expand...
Ok just got one. @Wendy&Neko, no luck w Big National Chain, but success with small local independent pharmacy. Reading yellow (284) on PMPS so gave him his usual dose. I'm at home again tmw, so will try again for a glucose curve.
You're right @Christie & Maverick - it will be useful to have a second for back up so that this never ever happens again.
Thanks to all for advice and support.
 
Hello fellow GTA person! If you ever find yourself in a bind like this again, drop me a DM.I could have helped you out. I just don't check the board much at the moment. I'll send you a DM.
 
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