? 9/15 Chispa, 360 AMPS, 382 +2.5, 301 +4.5; 309 PMPS, 147 +2.75, 103 + 3.5, 82 +4.5, 85 + 5.5

Karen and Chispa (GA)

Karen and Chispa (GA)

Very Active Member
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...7-4-5-111-6-436-pmps-225-2-5-185-3-25.293931/

Good morning, and happy Monday to all!

So it seems as though Chispa is able to get to some nice green numbers at a dose of 2 units, but it makes me nervous because she ends up there in spite of the HC I'm giving her to slow things down. It seems like I should be able to reduce the dose to 1.75 -- as I did on Saturday, due to a schedule conflict (call it a mini vacation dose) -- and arrive at the same numbers by feeding only LC. But instead, she shot up to the moon in a blaze of magenta! And stayed there!! :eek:

My question is, is it better to stick with the higher dose, even though I'm forced to feed lots of HC to offset it -- OR, should I reduce the dose and feed only LC and wait to see if she comes down?

@Wendy&Neko
@Bron and Sheba (GA)

Thanks! :cat::)
 
Karen and Chispa said:
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...7-4-5-111-6-436-pmps-225-2-5-185-3-25.293931/

Good morning, and happy Monday to all!

So it seems as though Chispa is able to get to some nice green numbers at a dose of 2 units, but it makes me nervous because she ends up there in spite of the HC I'm giving her to slow things down. It seems like I should be able to reduce the dose to 1.75 -- as I did on Saturday, due to a schedule conflict (call it a mini vacation dose) -- and arrive at the same numbers by feeding only LC. But instead, she shot up to the moon in a blaze of magenta! And stayed there!! :eek:

My question is, is it better to stick with the higher dose, even though I'm forced to feed lots of HC to offset it -- OR, should I reduce the dose and feed only LC and wait to see if she comes down?

@Wendy&Neko
@Bron and Sheba (GA)

Thanks! :cat::)
Click to expand...
Great question, Karen!! Following for more information. Wishing you and Chispa safe surfing. Hugs to you and sweet Chispa :bighug::cat::bighug:
 
The aim is to get Crispa into normal numbers, ie 50-120. The more times she gets into normal numbers, the quicker her body will get used to them and realise they are the normal numbers and the higher numbers are not the normal numbers. Until that happens she can bounce and I think that may be what you are seeing with the latest pink BGs.
How big are the drops when you just feed normal low carb? Is the big drop at +1 or +2 or +3?
Do you work from home and are able to monitor most days?
She is on quite a few medications which doesn’t make it any easier.
You say you are nervous about her dropping into green numbers, but remember when you are testing, you are in control.
 
Hello Karen. It looks like for now she needs the higher dose, maybe you could try to feed her only LC and see what happens, of course when you are home and able to test often!
Have a good day :bighug:
 
Like Bron said, you want her to get used to green again. That doesn't mean HC all the time to prevent going low as that can also cause problems with an overfull depot. See what MC does first to slow her down.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
The aim is to get Crispa into normal numbers, ie 50-120. The more times she gets into normal numbers, the quicker her body will get used to them and realise they are the normal numbers and the higher numbers are not the normal numbers. Until that happens she can bounce and I think that may be what you are seeing with the latest pink BGs.
Click to expand...
That makes sense -- thank you.
I should also say that I misspoke about HC -- it's actually 13%, which would be MC. She loves it, and it does a great job of bringing her up when she goes too low.
How big are the drops when you just feed normal low carb? Is the big drop at +1 or +2 or +3?
Click to expand...
I never test at +1 and rarely at +2 -- maybe I need to start doing that. Often she will drop by 100 points or more by +2.5. On 9/11, when she had a very high start, she dropped 200 points from PMPS to +2.5. Yikes!
Do you work from home and are able to monitor most days?
Click to expand...
Yes, luckily. :cat:
 
Angela & Cleo said:
Do you know how carb sensitive she is? Personally, I avoid feeding MC/HC unless under 50, ability to monitor and/or where the drop is in the cycle.
Click to expand...
Sometimes the 13% BFF (my go-to) brings her up pretty quickly with just a teaspoon or two, but there have been times when she needed a whole pouch to stop meowing. Part of the problem is her food sensitivities -- there just aren't that many options that she can tolerate to experiment with.
 
Mikanmama said:
THE dilemma.
That's a hard one.
I tend to keep MC 12-14% around in case she's trending lower and I have to go to work.
But lately, it doesn't happen very often :rolleyes:
How about experimenting higher LCs, like 10%ish?
Click to expand...
My options are limited, thanks to her food allerigies, but I could approximate 10% by mixing BFF 13% with her regular food (Instinct rabbit, 2%) ...
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Like Bron said, you want her to get used to green again. That doesn't mean HC all the time to prevent going low as that can also cause problems with an overfull depot. See what MC does first to slow her down.
Click to expand...
Good suggestion. I might need to slow her down early on and should probably start setting those 1- and 2-hour timers again.
 
I would get a +1 and a+2 for a few days to see when the drop starts. 100 points by 2.5 is ok. You just might need to feed some low carb at +1 and/or +2. You don’t want to stop a drop or reverse it because we need her to get used to greens. If the drop is much more than 50 points an hour I would try low carb first as the idea is just to slow it not stop it.
Sheba’s biggest drops used to be early in the cycles and then it usually slowed down. As long as the drop is not causing a bounce or dropping too low I would not feed anything but low carb. Does that make sense?
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
I would get a +1 and a+2 for a few days to see when the drop starts. 100 points by 2.5 is ok. You just might need to feed some low carb at +1 and/or +2. You don’t want to stop a drop or reverse it because we need her to get used to greens. If the drop is much more than 50 points an hour I would try low carb first as the idea is just to slow it not stop it.
Sheba’s biggest drops used to be early in the cycles and then it usually slowed down. As long as the drop is not causing a bounce or dropping too low I would not feed anything but low carb. Does that make sense?
Click to expand...
Thanks so much, Bron. It does make sense. She's had some pretty spectacular bounces lately, caused more by quick drops than by low numbers, and that's what I've been trying to prevent. Part of the problem is that her weight has been on a slow decline since the first of the year, so I've been making sure that there's food in her dish at all times. She's been on chlorambucil for about four months now, and the vomiting has all but stopped, but she hasn't picked up any weight. She doesn't clean her plate at every meal like she used to. She's almost 18 and walks very slowly (despite Cosequin and Solensia), and I think she only gets up to eat when actually hungry or when she smells something really good -- like the 13% BFF I've been using to slow or reverse the drops. I won't do that anymore, but I have been thinking I might need to mix the 13% with her regular 2% to get her to eat more. If I did a 1:2 ratio, that would be about 5%, still within LC territory.

I'll also test at +1 +2 to see if I can figure out when the drop starts. And let her earn a reduction with LC, if that's the case.
:):cat:
 
Hi Karin :)
I'm happy you got good advice here and that you're getting supportive guidance on managing Chispa's BG and carbs.
I find it's a good information to have to test sometimes at +1 and +2. I find with Fistuk that even though I know his cycles quite well and he's quite steady, things do change from time to time and it gives me a good sense of his overall cycle.
You're doing a great job taking care of Chispa.
Sending you a big hug :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Fistuk & Shelly said:
Hi Karin :)
I'm happy you got good advice here and that you're getting supportive guidance on managing Chispa's BG and carbs.
I find it's a good information to have to test sometimes at +1 and +2. I find with Fistuk that even though I know his cycles quite well and he's quite steady, things do change from time to time and it gives me a good sense of his overall cycle.
You're doing a great job taking care of Chispa.
Sending you a big hug :bighug::bighug::bighug:
Click to expand...
Thanks, Shelly! We're hoping to wean her off of prednisolone in the next two weeks, and that could make a difference in her BG numbers too. So many moving parts ... I do think +1 +2 tests will be useful.
Hugs to you and kisses on the forehead to sweet Fistuk! :bighug::cat::bighug:
 
Hi Karen nice numbers so far today ( 9-19)
I see in your remarks section on the SS that the Solencia seems to be working, I'm so happy about that. I see you are going to call the vet today , let us know what the vet says. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
I'm sure she loved sunning herself in front of the screen door , give her kisses for me
@Karen and Chispa
 
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