? 05/16 Teja PMPS +400 +8 375, +9 325, +10 294, +11 252

Malia

Malia

Member
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/teja-amps-400-1-310-1-5-290.289995/#post-3179405

Hello Eveyrone, we are getting close to Teja's next dose and she is trending downward. So it looks like her low points are at the end of a cycle. I haven't seen her do this before, so this is unnerving. I am going to be shooting low for this AM and I am nervous.

I did skip the PM shot on 05/14 and she has been high since then. She is just now coming down at the end of a cycle, lol. It is dropping pretty fast for her and I can tell it is making her uncomfortable. I am going to slow the drop with a bit of higher carb food prior to her AM shot.

I don't have experience with these later drops in the cycle and I am nervous. Should I reduce the dose for the AM shot? Should I wait to see if her numbers come up? I don't think they will for a few hours. Should I give her the full 2 units?

I have updated the comments section with the adjustments to her steroid dose, which is low dose prior to us tapering it off next week. I believe that the reduction in steroids has caused a less need for insulin.

Please let me know of any advise that you may have with this second time noticed later drops in a cycle.

Thank you so much!
 
Why did you give only 2U yesterday morning 2.25U last night? You don't want to keep changing doses based on preshots. She earned a reduction from 3U to 2.75U and you want to hold that dose for a week unless she earns another reduction by dropping below 90.

In bounce clearing cycles, nadirs can be later. Some cats keep dropping all the way till the end of the cycle and sometimes all the way till +13. It is scary to shoot lower preshots, but if you can monitor, you want to start shooting low.
 
Bandit's Mom said:
Why did you give only 2U yesterday morning 2.25U last night? You don't want to keep changing doses based on preshots. She earned a reduction from 3U to 2.75U and you want to hold that dose for a week unless she earns another reduction by dropping below 90.

In bounce clearing cycles, nadirs can be later. Some cats keep dropping all the way till the end of the cycle and sometimes all the way till +13. It is scary to shoot lower preshots, but if you can monitor, you want to start shooting low.
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Hi Bhooma, the reason the dose was lowered is because her steroid has been significantly reduced. We don't have a baseline for this new normal, since the steroid reduction was just done over the weekend. Teja's vet wanted to reduce the amount of insulin she is getting and to hold it for a while to see how she does and to manage drops to lower numbers with Karo if need be. That scared the tar out of me.

Last night's dose increase was on me. I don't have needles with half unit markings. I am having a difficult time finding the syringes u-100 with 1/2 inch needles that have half unit measurements.

I am about to do her insulin. Wish us luck, here we go! Thank you for answering my question Bhooma!
 
Malia said:
Teja's vet wanted to reduce the amount of insulin she is getting and to hold it for a while to see how she does and to manage drops to lower numbers with Karo if need be.
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What dose does the vet want you to keep Teja at?

Malia said:
Last night's dose increase was on me. I don't have needles with half unit markings. I am having a difficult time finding the syringes u-100 with 1/2 inch needles that have half unit measurements.
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Are you in the US? Why 1/2 inch needles?

Malia said:
I am about to do her insulin. Wish us luck, here we go!
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Good luck! :-)
 
Bandit's Mom said:
What dose does the vet want you to keep Teja at?


Are you in the US? Why 1/2 inch needles?


Good luck! :)
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She wants us to stay at 2 units for now. She initially wanted her at 2.5 units but that changed today.

I am in the US and the 1/2 inch needles are what the vet said to get. I have not been able to find the u-100s with the half inch (12.7mm I think) needles and half units anywhere. I have found 8mm length needles with half unit markings, but the vet said she wasn't sure that was long enough to get through Teja's skin. So right now I am eyeballing my doses with full units.

Thank you for the luck! She had a bit of higher carb food before her shot. So we will see what happens today. I'm scared and also hopeful that we might finally get her on the road to management.
 
Walmart has the syringes you need with half unit markings and if you do not live close to one you can buy on line. I used to buy all my supplies on line as not close to a Walmart. I even bought test strips on eBay auctions.
 
tiffmaxee said:
Walmart has the syringes you need with half unit markings and if you do not live close to one you can buy on line. I used to buy all my supplies on line as not close to a Walmart. I even bought test strips on eBay auctions.
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I have been looking everywhere, including Walmart online. I cannot find them. 12.7mm needles with half unit markings are unicorns. The only u-100s I can find have 8mm needles with half units. :(
 
Bandit's Mom said:
Why does your vet think that 8mm needles are not good enough? o_O
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That's a great question. All she said is that she wasn't sure the needle would get passed her skin and to where we wanted to deposit the insulin. I imagine she may have thought it was the short needle (6mm). I can find 8mm with half units, but not 12.7mm. She said I could try it (8mm) and see. Do people here's the 8mm? If so, then I would feel confident to use them too.
 
Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to ask a question regarding what to expect. So here we are, getting a bit lower throughout the day. She is still trending lower, but I think that is because her steroid is wearing off, and her next steroid dose in coming up at the top of the hour. Right now, she is super tired. Not really lethargic, but crashed out. She actually had a moment where she tried to vomit, but nothing came out. Then she ate a good deal of food for one of her many meals throughout the day. Is it normal for a cat to be super sleepy when in these numbers for one of her first real times? As she is getting used to insulin and lower numbers, could this make her act differently? Like more sleepy? Or wanting to eat less, but still eating? Or maybe feeling a bit nauseous?

We have an vet tech appointment on Monday and we are going to get some blood work done to check in on her many conditions.
 
Yes, a cat that is used to high numbers will initially feel lethargic and little out of sorts in lower numbers. It's like going from being caffeinated all the time to not having coffee in you. Once they get used to lower numbers, they will love them and feel much better in them. You will also see less hunger, thirst and urination in lower numbers (as compared to previously in higher numbers).
 
Bandit's Mom said:
Yes, a cat that is used to high numbers will initially feel lethargic and little out of sorts in lower numbers. It's like going from being caffeinated all the time to not having coffee in you. Once they get used to lower numbers, they will love them and feel much better in them. You will also see less hunger, thirst and urination in lower numbers (as compared to previously in higher numbers).
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Whew! Thank you for confirming Bhooma! I was worried, but yup! She's been super lethargic today, but not in a sick way, just like super relaxed. I will say this, she is s stress eater and drinker. So when she feels odd, like her glucose drops, she goes and drinks more water or she wants to eat. She has been like that all her life. Annoy her too much and she would go chew on dry food (which she no longer eats) or drinks water. So today, with the fluctuations that she has had, she definitely was drinking a bit of water.

I can't wait to see her feeling better.

Should she bounce back up today after this lower day today?

Thank you for helping me today in this first real day of better numbers. I didn't feel so alone. Thank you to everyone who chimed in to answer my questions and help me through this. I am starting to feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel. ❤️

I know it's a marathon, lol, more like an ultramarathon, but I feel like we've gotten off the starting line finally. I couldn't have done this without this group. Thank you.
 
Malia said:
Should she bounce back up today after this lower day today?
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Yes, she will probably bounce from the lows of today, but it's good to see her clearing bounces quickly. She's giving you blues every other day - even after that skipped shot.

Malia said:
I know it's a marathon, lol, more like an ultramarathon, but I feel like we've gotten off the starting line finally. I couldn't have done this without this group. Thank you.
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:bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Bandit's Mom said:
Yes, she will probably bounce from the lows of today, but it's good to see her clearing bounces quickly. She's giving you blues every other day - even after that skipped shot.


:bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Yea, I see her numbers going up now. It makes me sad. And she's clearing the bounces quickly? Well then, we will take this bounce as a win.

I guess the next step is to see how long this bounce lasts. I'll be checking her through the night. I'd say all in all, today was a good day and we will take it as a win. The first step in the right direction. I am so grateful for you Bhooma! Thank you!
 
Malia said:
I'll be checking her through the night.
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You don't have to. See how she is at +2 or +3 and if she is flat or higher, you can take a break from monitoring and catch up on sleep. It is important that caregivers also take some time off from their sugarcats and bounce cycles are just the time to do so. You cannot sustain the same level of effort during this marathon. You have to pace yourself!
 
Bandit's Mom said:
You don't have to. See how she is at +2 or +3 and if she is flat or higher, you can take a break from monitoring and catch up on sleep. It is important that caregivers also take some time off from their sugarcats and bounce cycles are just the time to do so. You cannot sustain the same level of effort during this marathon. You have to pace yourself!
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Lol! Yes, okay. I will just check +2 and +3 and get some rest. I am tired and could do with the rest. Thank you for the suggestions. ❤️
 
Bandit's Mom said:
I see she is 400+ at +2. Definitely a bounce. Enjoy the night off and fill up that sleep tank. She will give you enough sleepless nights as she starts seeing better numbers! :)
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Oh boy, really??? More sleepless nights??? Oh this looooooong marathon... Okay,.sleep is calling me... thank you so much!
 
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