12/11 Cleo AMPS 238 +4 164 +8 161 PMPS 180 +3 125 +6 125 +8 55 +10 47 +11 70

Cleo has been see-sawing between 2.25-1.75 units for about 4 months.
She doesn't hold reductions well, so she's on 3 drops under 50 or 1 drop under 40. That seems to really have helped a lot in keeping her in better numbers.

In reading and re-reading the Lantus stickies and various condos I'm wondering if she falls into the description of needing to fatten/skinny a dose.
Excerpts From the sticky Dosing Methods (bold and italic emphasis added by me and not the authors of this sticky):
  • If Kitty drops below 40 (long term diabetic) or 50 (newly diagnosed diabetic) reduce the dose by 0.25 unit. If kitty has a history of not holding reductions well or if reductions are close together... sneak the dose down by shaving the dose rather than reducing by a full quarter unit.
  • Oftentimes the dose will require "fine tuning" by adding some "fat" (more) or "skinny-ing up" (less) insulin to the dose. However, we strongly suggest caregivers do not skinny kitty's dose after a drop into the 20s or 30s. Instead, take the full reduction.
:cat: and I welcome any and all thoughts and comments and suggestions.
 
I love that you are so in tune with Cleo’s patterns, and having done your homework, are trusting your instincts. Not that I’m any kind of an expert, but it sounds very sensible to me.:bighug:
 
Angela & Cleo said:
Cleo has been see-sawing between 2.25-1.75 units for about 4 months.
She doesn't hold reductions well, so she's on 3 drops under 50 or 1 drop under 40. That seems to really have helped a lot in keeping her in better numbers.

In reading and re-reading the Lantus stickies and various condos I'm wondering if she falls into the description of needing to fatten/skinny a dose.
Excerpts From the sticky Dosing Methods (bold and italic emphasis added by me and not the authors of this sticky):
  • If Kitty drops below 40 (long term diabetic) or 50 (newly diagnosed diabetic) reduce the dose by 0.25 unit. If kitty has a history of not holding reductions well or if reductions are close together... sneak the dose down by shaving the dose rather than reducing by a full quarter unit.
  • Oftentimes the dose will require "fine tuning" by adding some "fat" (more) or "skinny-ing up" (less) insulin to the dose. However, we strongly suggest caregivers do not skinny kitty's dose after a drop into the 20s or 30s. Instead, take the full reduction.
:cat: and I welcome any and all thoughts and comments and suggestions.
Click to expand...
That makes a whole lot of sense to me!
 
Angela & Cleo said:
In reading and re-reading the Lantus stickies and various condos I'm wondering if she falls into the description of needing to fatten/skinny a dose.
Excerpts From the sticky Dosing Methods
Click to expand...
It's been a while since I read that sicky in detail. Not surprised that you have! :-) It doesn't say anything about the 3 drops rule that is mentioned in the Earning Reductions sticky for cats that don't hold reductions. To my mind, it would be either the 3 drops rule or shaving the dose (taking a skinny reduction) for cats going between doses, but I could be wrong.

Tagging members with more experience
@tiffmaxee
@Bron and Sheba (GA)
@Wendy&Neko
@Marje and Gracie
@Sienne and Gabby (GA)
 
Angela & Cleo said:
Cleo has been see-sawing between 2.25-1.75 units for about 4 months.
She doesn't hold reductions well, so she's on 3 drops under 50 or 1 drop under 40. That seems to really have helped a lot in keeping her in better numbers.

In reading and re-reading the Lantus stickies and various condos I'm wondering if she falls into the description of needing to fatten/skinny a dose.
Excerpts From the sticky Dosing Methods (bold and italic emphasis added by me and not the authors of this sticky):
  • If Kitty drops below 40 (long term diabetic) or 50 (newly diagnosed diabetic) reduce the dose by 0.25 unit. If kitty has a history of not holding reductions well or if reductions are close together... sneak the dose down by shaving the dose rather than reducing by a full quarter unit.
  • Oftentimes the dose will require "fine tuning" by adding some "fat" (more) or "skinny-ing up" (less) insulin to the dose. However, we strongly suggest caregivers do not skinny kitty's dose after a drop into the 20s or 30s. Instead, take the full reduction.
:cat: and I welcome any and all thoughts and comments and suggestions.
Click to expand...
IMHO, I would not be using a drop below 40 for a newly diagnosed kitty. Yes, she’s almost been diabetic a year but I’d stick with three drops between 40 and 50 as your reduction strategy. We don’t really mix and match reduction methods. Here is a post on Reductions which might help a bit.

When I look at her SS, I see her dropping into reduction territory when you haven’t caught the drop. For example, on 12/10, she was dropping at +3.75 but you waited until +6.5 to test again. You can prevent drops into the reduction zones by testing and feeding sooner rather than later. Another example, 11/24 and on 12/7 she was clearing a bounce. I’m not criticizing since I don’t know your schedule but could be a reason why she’s earning reductions and failing them. Having said that, if you aren’t able to do that, you’ll have to reduce for safety and just continue to go back and forth until she holds a reduction. It’s actually very common that this happens.

One of our most experienced members who was also a Moderator at one time taught me that it’s generally better to stick with the 0.25u increases and reductions (unless the BG is high and flat in the case of increases) and only use the skinny/fat technique when kitty is really low in dose and looking like it might go OTJ.

I would suggest you try to catch those drops and feed her LC to hold her a little flatter and continue to use three drops between 40 and 50 as a reduction strategy. Once she’s been diabetic a year, go with one drop below 40.

Please let me know if you have questions.
 
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Angela & Cleo said:
Your explanation makes perfect sense, and was not taken as criticism at all.
I recently took on a new client for work so I've not been able to test as often as I should/like. I'll ramp up the testing and re-read the feeding the curve sticky :). Thank you ALL for your replies :bighug:
Click to expand...
You’re very welcome. Pls let me know if you have other questions but best to PM me & then I can respond in your condo. I’m not on every day & don’t always get the alerts.

If you will PM me, I can shorten the link to your SS and change it to the better one that ensures no scammers can access it.
 
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