1/8 new Acro and IAA dx for Marvin

Kwyn

Kwyn

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@Wendy&Neko

Received Marvin’s results today and he has both Acro and IAA. Since I can’t afford surgery or radiation at the moment we will start with Cabergoline. I have a 5 day trip at the end of the month so we will start when I get back. I don’t want to add another med for either my husband or a pet sitter since they won’t be able to test as often as I do.
For now should I keep increasing his dose by 0.5 units every 3 days?
Since we are going to do Cabergoline should I also talk to my vet about adding Humulin R to our regime or is that for if he only had IAA?

Thank You so much for all your help!
 

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Sorry to hear the results. :bighug::bighug:. But it did look like something was causing insulin resistance in Marvin and now you have answers. One thing someone told me when I got the diagnosis - Marvin is still the same sweet kitty he was before the diagnosis, he doesn't know there is anything different. But you do, and now you can do something about it.

We've had some caregivers quite happy with the results from Cabergoline. Side note, the first kitty here to try Cabergoline was a kitty named Marvin, and he went off of insulin very quickly. Not many cats do, but it is good to be cautious to start it when you can be home to monitor. For the cats who react well, some react within the first couple weeks, some take longer. I've seen quite the variation. Many people get it compounded (bacon marshmallow flavour is a favourite!) and just mix it in with food. Which would make it easy for others to give too.

For dosing, as long as he's seeing numbers just above 200 on a dose, increase by 0.5 units every 3 days. If he gets over 10 units, move that to 1 unit at a time. Smaller increases are needed if he's seeing some green on a dose.

R is a useful tool for both acro and IAA, but also an advanced tool. We also use it for kitties seeing ketones. But we suggest that someone use R only with an experienced R helper the first few times you use it. There is a lot to learn about using R, and most important, a lot to learn about when not to use R. We think of R as giving the Lantus an assist, a slightly lower number to work with. We don't use it to shoot down high numbers, as that can just set off a round of bouncing. Not all higher dose cats need R. I don't think you want to be using R if you are also giving Cabergoline.
 
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Hi Kwyn. I am really sorry that Marvin is an acro kitty. I felt very sad when Darcy had his diagnosis. You have the added challenge of IAA. I am glad you will be starting Cabergoline for the Acromegaly. It really helped my boy get into better numbers. I had no problem giving it to him in a syringe, but he was a very easygoing cat who never gave me any trouble. If you get a strong concentration of the Cabergoline then the volume of liquid won’t be that much. I certainly will be rooting for Marvin to do really well!
 
Thank you Wendy!

While not the answers I wanted I am confident with the info and help you have provided me and the reading I have done in the forum, I am well equipped to handle this curve ball :) It is also nice to have a supportive vet that is doing his research as well and taking in the info I provide him.
Thank you again for all your help, I so appreciate it!
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Hi Kwyn. I am really sorry that Marvin is an acro kitty. I felt very sad when Darcy had his diagnosis. You have the added challenge of IAA. I am glad you will be starting Cabergoline for the Acromegaly. It really helped my boy get into better numbers. I had no problem giving it to him in a syringe, but he was a very easygoing cat who never gave me any trouble. If you get a strong concentration of the Cabergoline then the volume of liquid won’t be that much. I certainly will be rooting for Marvin to do really well!
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Hi Suzanne,

Thank you! Not the results I was hoping for but here we are :) I think we will be just fine with all the help from the wonderful people in the forum and a supportive vet who listens to me. Thankfully Marvin is a very chill cat and it helps that he is chicken treat motivated so he doesn’t give me any trouble testing or medicating.
 
Kwyn said:
View attachment 72239 @Wendy&Neko

Received Marvin’s results today and he has both Acro and IAA. Since I can’t afford surgery or radiation at the moment we will start with Cabergoline. I have a 5 day trip at the end of the month so we will start when I get back. I don’t want to add another med for either my husband or a pet sitter since they won’t be able to test as often as I do.
For now should I keep increasing his dose by 0.5 units every 3 days?
Since we are going to do Cabergoline should I also talk to my vet about adding Humulin R to our regime or is that for if he only had IAA?

Thank You so much for all your help!
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Sorry for the diagnosis acro result but it's also a relief. You know what you are dealing with. Both Eddie and Blue were acro kitties. While Blue was never on Cabergoline, Eddie was and Eddie was also about 76% IAA and I have to say that while he was on it, I was encouraged by the effect it had on his insulin requirements. Unfortunately, Eddie's acromegaly got the better of him but I will never regret using Cabergoline. I do think it made a difference.
Wishing you and Marvin the best. :bighug::bighug::):cat:
 
Jodey&Eddie&Blue said:
Sorry for the diagnosis acro result but it's also a relief. You know what you are dealing with. Both Eddie and Blue were acro kitties. While Blue was never on Cabergoline, Eddie was and Eddie was also about 76% IAA and I have to say that while he was on it, I was encouraged by the effect it had on his insulin requirements. Unfortunately, Eddie's acromegaly got the better of him but I will never regret using Cabergoline. I do think it made a difference.
Wishing you and Marvin the best. :bighug::bighug::):cat:
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Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I am sorry you had 2 Acro kitties. It is encouraging to hear that some have had positive results with Cabergoline.
 
Just peaking in and saw a fabulous cycle the PM of the 23rd. Now I'm curious how he's doing this week.
 
Hi!

Thanks for checking in!!

I was out of town from the 26th to the 31st and husband unfortunately was not able to do any BG testing. More so out of his own fear and not that Marvin is difficult to test. For that reason I kept him at 11 units instead of increasing his dose. So 11 units was probably held for too long. Last night and today we have been in the yellows and blues. I increased him to 12 units today so we will see how that goes. I will be getting with my vet this week to get a Cabergoline prescription filled. I am excited to see if it will work for him.
 
Good luck with the cabergoline. You will have to be extra cautious once you've started it. I suggest a guideline of reductions if he goes under 70 instead of 50. It gives you a little margin of error. For those kitties for whom cabergoline works, it can work really fast!
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Good luck with the cabergoline. You will have to be extra cautious once you've started it. I suggest a guideline of reductions if he goes under 70 instead of 50. It gives you a little margin of error. For those kitties for whom cabergoline works, it can work really fast!
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Thank you!
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Good luck with the cabergoline. You will have to be extra cautious once you've started it. I suggest a guideline of reductions if he goes under 70 instead of 50. It gives you a little margin of error. For those kitties for whom cabergoline works, it can work really fast!
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Hi Wendy,

Just waiting for the pharmacy to compound the Cabergoline. We have now had several cycles in greens and blues with him dropping below 50 in today's AM cycle. I was told because he is a long term diabetic that I was to reduce his dose if he drops below 40 one time or if he has 3 cycles with a drop below 50. I shot 12.5 units this morning with a BG of 52 at shot time so I am comfortable shooting low numbers but I am not sure what to do when starting the new meds if we are already having numbers under your suggested reduction number of 70. I realize that there is still the question of whether the new med will work or not but just trying to get my ducks in a row before we start. Also how much of a reduction should I do if we fall below 70 once started?

Thank you so much for all your help!
 
Ignore the comment on long term diabetic. You are dealing with acro and IAA, which means more caution until he proves otherwise. Neko always held her reductions. Regular long term diabetics are less likely to, so the rule is harder for them.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Ignore the comment on long term diabetic. You are dealing with acro and IAA, which means more caution until he proves otherwise. Neko always held her reductions. Regular long term diabetics are less likely to, so the rule is harder for them.
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Exactly what I was thinking. I saw the lime and was concerned that there was no reduction and wanted to advise caution- and even more so now that Cabergoline has been started! Oh, but I realize I said this over on Kwyn’s new thread about starting Cabergoline (about being cautious, and inquiring about no reduction after the lime green).
 
Hi Suzanne,

We just dropped below 70 at +9.5. I feel like a 10% reduction is a big drop after only one dose of a med we don't even know if it will work. What do you think?

Thanks!
 
Regardless of whether it’s because of the Cabergoline or just the insulin, he has earned the reduction and we must keep him safe. We can always go back up if the numbers warrant, okay?
 
Remember, he already missed a reduction before when he went into lime green, and he has been doing okay, but, missed reductions can catch up on you when bounces clear and Cabergoline does its work (we hope.)
 
I know it’s exciting to see those greens. I feel the same way about it. He actually had some green on 11 units before and then there was a gap where you were not able to test so we don’t know a lot. I feel like he has a good chance of getting good numbers on 11 units.
 
I was just checking in on Marvin this afternoon and …. Whoo hoo! So much green! And another reduction earned today, I see.

I am really glad you took the reduction to 11. Now it’s down to 10 units this evening. Congratulations!
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
I was just checking in on Marvin this afternoon and …. Whoo hoo! So much green! And another reduction earned today, I see.

I am really glad you took the reduction to 11. Now it’s down to 10 units this evening. Congratulations!
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Thank you for checking on us! I am cautiously optimistic but...Yay!! :D
 
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