Ha! This was me last year too! It took me 2 months after diagnosis to get started. I was scared to death (mostly of hypos & still am) & thought maybe a change to a low carb diet alone would cure her, BUT I started low on the SLGS method & have still never gotten her so low that I'm having a panic attack. I'm still no expert by far, but at least my vet says she's regulated and she's had no symptoms since before starting insulin (Glargine). The sooner you start, the better for your cat. I'm still mad at myself for not starting sooner because now it's second nature & I'm so fast at it: could almost do it with my eyes closed. Your cat will feel so much better. Just set an alarm so you won't forget & put all the supplies together. Ppl on this forum encouraged me to get started. I've also been struggling financially & found that using Glargine (or brand name: Lantus) saved her life because I've had the same $56 vial for a year now & otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford her insulin. Also the ReliOn (at Walmart) meters, strips, lancets, & syringes are all reasonably priced & saved her too. There is a program on here, DCIN, that assists financially with supplies too if you're low income. Good luck & you have nothing to lose, but everything to gain for your furbaby's life.
Don't be mad at yourself! I had trouble with that, too. (Heck, sometimes when I check my own blood sugar, I don't get any blood either and have to prick a second time...and I've been diabetic for over a decade.) But it got better. I used two tips that I picked up here: microwaving a sock full of dry rice to use as a heating pack to gently warm up the ear, and putting a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the spot you'll be pricking so that the blood will bead up when it comes out instead of spreading through the fur. My girlie absolutely hates having her ears touched, so that aspect of it never got better in the relatively short time I was having to test her, but getting blood out did get easier.
Yes that is where I was poking but I will try the rice thing. Maybe I should just go ahead and skip testing since I know he has been high everytime he has been checked? And he has never been given insulin, it is his first time. The vet had me practice shooting him with saline and it seemed a whole lot easier than testing to me.Don't be mad at yourself! I had trouble with that, too. (Heck, sometimes when I check my own blood sugar, I don't get any blood either and have to prick a second time...and I've been diabetic for over a decade.) But it got better. I used two tips that I picked up here: microwaving a sock full of dry rice to use as a heating pack to gently warm up the ear, and putting a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the spot you'll be pricking so that the blood will bead up when it comes out instead of spreading through the fur. My girlie absolutely hates having her ears touched, so that aspect of it never got better in the relatively short time I was having to test her, but getting blood out did get easier.
I remember reading that most cats tolerate ear pricking really well because they don't have a ton of nerve endings in that spot (not like your fingertips if you were to prick yourself), so be patient with yourself. You likely aren't hurting him. Is this roughly where you're poking?
Yes, I have some honey, thank you
I've been using 30g, I also have a few 28g.
I will tell you what I've been doing since day 1 & never had a partner to help in testing either: using a lancing device (like ReliOn at Walmart) with ReliOn lancets ( I use 30 gauge: anything smaller didn't get me enough blood) because try as I might & no matter how many seasoned folks told me I didn't need one: I could not bring myself, nor was I any good at pricking my own baby's ear. Now I can't imagine it any other way. It is easy, fast, as well as time & stress-saving and after a bit of repetition: I got the blood on the 1st or 2nd try, up until now as well. It's still not always your fault though: Sometimes the ear will be too cold or you haven't applied the cloth ball long enough (I use a wash cloth piece wrapped around rice grains tied w/a rubberband & heat it up for 16 seconds in my 1000w microwave). I test it on my wrist 1st & my cat also will let me know if it's too hot by moving her head away from it, then I'll pull it away a few secs then put it back & she lets me, unless it's still too hot so I'll wait a bit to put it back on her. You dont have to hold it too long, somewhere around 15-20 seconds. Set the lancing device, put a cotton ball behind the ear flap you're pricking so you don't prick yourself & push the button. It pricks so fast, my cat doesn't even react like she knows what happened and I don't have to feel like I'm abusing her by making several failed attempts at jabbing her. I also hold the device against the ear for a split second afterwards which seems to facilitate getting blood out. Make sure the strip is in the meter & the display is on/requesting blood and within arms reach. Bring meter up to the ear to touch the blood drop as fast as you can before it runs or streaks by head movement, etc. (although sometimes still possible to test streaks, sometimes it will read Error on meter & you must retest). If its not enough blood, gently press around the drop to try to get more out If you use ReliOn meter (idk about others): just touch the TIP of strip to the blood but it must be enough so that the little square above it will fill up/turn red on its own, which isn't much, don't worry, if not: the meter will get an Error reading. Make sure their food is ready for immediately after this & a q-tip with whatever wound healing agent you're using to swipe the ear prick (I use coconut oil that many recommended on here plus I decided to also use an antimicrobial wound spray w/aloe vera for cats, I use NutriVet brand). The ear usually stops bleeding but if not, I hold it for a few secs with a cotton ball. And Voila, that's the hardest part. The insulin giving is a cinch.
Can't make that a habit though or it could be fatal. Gotta know where his #s are at in the future before shooting insulin.... it's that potent.