8/20 6:30am First time injecting while in the 200's

Moorelife01

Moorelife01

Member
8/20
Good Morning
This is my first time maintaining "protocol" while Solomon is in the 200's. Normally I will skip the injection if he is 190-220, so this will be a first. Yes I did move his shot up an hr from 7:30 to 6:30 central yesterday to watch home before leaving for work for at least 2 hours.

I leave for work in 2 hrs and will come home at noon-1 to make sure he is not too low.

Yes, I would much rather be at home to watch him today 😺🥹☺️
Here is a screenshot of his libre after 2.25 last night
Edit to add - I need a camera and monitor I can see when I'm at work so I can watch while away. I think that means another mobile - not sure. Haven't worked that out yet.
Have a great day everyone 🫶🏽
 

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Moorelife01 said:
Yes I did move his shot up an hr from 7:30 to 6:30 central yesterday to watch home before leaving for work for at least 2 hours.
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This is good! You can get a +2 test before you leave home and you can get an indication of how the cycle is going to go. If the +2 is quite a bit lower than the AMPS, you know it will be a lower cycle. It’s good you can check up on him mid-day. I am very happy about that!
 
Why is there no Libre data on the spreadsheet from 8/21 during the a.m. cycle? Was there a problem with the Libre?
 
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With the Libre estimated data that you plugged in (thank you!) we can see it would have been okay to give the full dose. Although it looks like he has been in a bounce today from the lower numbers of last night so I understand your giving 2 units. Was the +6 number am actual Libre scan from when you were at home to check up on him?
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
With the Libre estimated data that you plugged in (thank you!) we can see it would have been okay to give the full dose. Although it looks like he has been in a bounce today from the lower numbers of last night so I understand your giving 2 units. Was the +6 number am actual Libre scan from when you were at home to check up on him?
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Suzanne & Darcy said:
Thank you for the replies. You must be tired from a long workday.
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Thank you so much for the feedback. I really am exhausted. I will put hourly data in tomorrow when I'm home all day. For context, 3 weeks ago Solomon worked up to was on 3, 3.5 to 4 units on Prozinc with little response for weeks. Then there was a hypo event day he dropped to 70 and we dialed back immediately to 2-2.25 units twice a day.

So this concludes the 3rd week on the lower dose. It's just in the past week he has ever spent hours in the "normal" range since his diagnosis in April.

On vetsulin he got all the way up to 5 units which is why to switch was made.
He was on Vetsulin about a month. So now just working to give him more consistent hours in the normal range. 🥰
 
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It’s very nice to see him getting closer to normal numbers. Normal blood glucose numbers for a cat are between 50 and 120 on a human meter. 70 is not a hypo number. — not even on a Libre sensor - even if it was accurate in the ower numbers which they are not an accurate representation of a cat’s blood sugar in the lower numbers. A handheld human glucometer would have read higher. But anyway you should check lower numbers (under 80 at least) with a meter of some sort. If using an Alpha Trak meter then there’s no need to use high carb food to bring numbers up unless that AT meter shows a number below 68. On a human meter like the ReliOn meters, it would be a number below 50. I like the data that Libres provide, but I do not like how they unnecessarily frighten caregivers with sometimes alarmingly low numbers that, when checked with a handheld meter, are higher numbers. Still, I completely understand how really nerve racking it can be when seeing green numbers in the beginning. I remember it well. Later I was addicted to green numbers for my cat and it’s all I wanted to see. It’s also harder on those who have to be away for long hours. It’s a marathon and not a sprint so Solomon. will get regulated in time.
 
Moorelife01 said:
My phone is at work and I have to be within 33 feet but when I get home it will give me the data from when I was gone. That was yesterday
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You are correct that your phone that reads Solomon’s Libre must be within 33 feet of him.
It seems you’re using your personal phone to read the sensor.
A better way to proceed in the future would be to get a phone that you would leave at home and use that to scan Solomon’s sensor and through the Libre linkup app, have that phone transmit the data to your personal phone so that you can always know what he is reading 24 hours a day.
You could get an inexpensive phone that is compatible with the Libre 3 sensor. Perhaps you have an older phone which is no longer needed or you know someone who has one they do not need and would give to you.
If not, you can go on the Abbott website, and there is a compatibility list of phones which will work).
(I bought an older phone on eBay that I just leave it home with Ivy )
You do not need a data plan for the phone you leave at home so there is no additional expense.
You only need to connect it to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi but you did not need data.

You would scan the sensor with the new phone you leave at home and that is then how it transmits the data and you would receive it on your phone.

I hope this makes sense and if you have any questions, please let me know 😻
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Good morning Solomon’s Mom (I don’t know your name 🙂) I was just thinking about you. I hope you don’t have to work today or tomorrow!
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Saturday- 8/23 :

Good Morning!!
Thank you !☺️
No work today or tomorrow. Lots of time to spend with "the kids"

Moved from 2.25 to 2.5 @6:30am this morning as Solomon was 350 to 350 plus after his 6:30pm 2.25units all last night.

It's +4 and he's at 215 (with a 15 min libre lag).

Edit :: let's call me Lin. I'll add it to the bio :)
 
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Staci & Ivy said:
You are correct that your phone that reads Solomon’s Libre must be within 33 feet of him.
It seems you’re using your personal phone to read the sensor.
A better way to proceed in the future would be to get a phone that you would leave at home and use that to scan Solomon’s sensor and through the Libre linkup app, have that phone transmit the data to your personal phone so that you can always know what he is reading 24 hours a day.
You could get an inexpensive phone that is compatible with the Libre 3 sensor. Perhaps you have an older phone which is no longer needed or you know someone who has one they do not need and would give to you.
If not, you can go on the Abbott website, and there is a compatibility list of phones which will work).
(I bought an older phone on eBay that I just leave it home with Ivy )
You do not need a data plan for the phone you leave at home so there is no additional expense.
You only need to connect it to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi but you did not need data.

You would scan the sensor with the new phone you leave at home and that is then how it transmits the data and you would receive it on your phone.

I hope this makes sense and if you have any questions, please let me know 😻
Click to expand...
8/23 - Good morning!
Yes -- you are correct !!
I just don't know how. lol
I need to figure out how to "activate " another phone and transmit. I'll Google it. Sad - I know.
Do I add another phone to my plan ? Or if I upgrade just leave the old one at home ?
 
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Suzanne & Darcy said:
It’s very nice to see him getting closer to normal numbers. Normal blood glucose numbers for a cat are between 50 and 120 on a human meter. 70 is not a hypo number. — not even on a Libre sensor - even if it was accurate in the ower numbers which they are not an accurate representation of a cat’s blood sugar in the lower numbers. A handheld human glucometer would have read higher. But anyway you should check lower numbers (under 80 at least) with a meter of some sort. If using an Alpha Trak meter then there’s no need to use high carb food to bring numbers up unless that AT meter shows a number below 68. On a human meter like the ReliOn meters, it would be a number below 50. I like the data that Libres provide, but I do not like how they unnecessarily frighten caregivers with sometimes alarmingly low numbers that, when checked with a handheld meter, are higher numbers. Still, I completely understand how really nerve racking it can be when seeing green numbers in the beginning. I remember it well. Later I was addicted to green numbers for my cat and it’s all I wanted to see. It’s also harder on those who have to be away for long hours. It’s a marathon and not a sprint so Solomon. will get regulated in time.
Click to expand...
I see. I didn't know that !

Yes at Libre 70, he got some syrup - licked from my fingers because I didn't know. I tried the Alpha poke and nope. He bit me... bat fangs.

So with libre - the goal for a kitty is what again ?

TIA
 
Moorelife01 said:
8/23 - Good morning!
Yes -- you are correct !!
I just don't know how. lol
I need to figure out how to "activate " another phone and transmit. I'll Google it. Sad - I know.
Do I add another phone to my plan ? Or if I upgrade just leave the old one at home ?
Click to expand...
No, you do not need to change your phone plan. You do not need any plans, or Service for The new phone. It will just work on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

The Wi-Fi just transmits the BG data up to the cloud via the Libre link up app and sends it to the Libre link up app on your phone.
(So you will not incur any additional costs on your current phone plan).

You can only link up one phone to a sensor.
So if your current sensor (which is working right now) is linked up to your personal phone, you will have to wait until your next sensor needs to be activated.
And if you have a new phone ready to go at that point, you can scan the new sensor with your new phone, which will stay at home with Solomon.

So once you get a new phone, you will put the Libre link up app on both of your phones and you will connect your account. You will have a to send an invitation from Solomon’s phone to you to be able to follow his data via Libre link up account.
(There is information on how to do this on the Abbott website).
And technically, you could call Abbott and ask questions about how to link your phone to the phone that stays with Solomon, but you Never would tell them it’s for a cat.
You tell them it’s for your child (which, as we know, is true) 😘
Or for a family member that you are following.
 
Moorelife01 said:
I see. I didn't know that !

Yes at Libre 70, he got some syrup - licked from my fingers because I didn't know. I tried the Alpha poke and nope. He bit me... bat fangs.

So with libre - the goal for a kitty is what again ?

TIA
Click to expand...
Hi Lin!
I love seeing a blue on his spreadsheet.

With the Libre, we don’t have a whole separate set of numbers. The protocols were developed using human meters. Many members check Libre Lo readings with a human (or even an Alpha Trak although that really is now comparing apples to oranges.) If you can’t test him because he bites you then…. We will have to make decisions about reductions based on the Libre lows, which may not be all that low. If we reduce an hos overall picture is much higher then we will know that reduction did not help him. Maybe with a lot of treats he will eventually allow you to test his ear or his paw pad.

Look at these screenshots I took of another cat’s spreadsheet. His name is Buster and he is also on ProZinc. He wears a Libre and his mama uses an Alpha Trak meter to check his lows (although as you can see she pretty much ignores the 40s these days since she knows they’re not genuine.). She tries to get a test if it says LO, although it’s a two person job and sometimes assistance isn’t available. Look at the difference between the Libre and AT that I have circled.
1755968427471.jpeg
 
We do want to see blue and green numbers on his spreadsheet. And we would not want him to go below 68 on the Alpha Trak. I would say if you absolutely can’t get a test that we should reduce his dose if Libre says LO. Are you aware that sometimes the libre sensor will give you some wacky readings when it is first applied and when it is about to fail, as well as if the cat is lying on it?
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
We do want to see blue and green numbers on his spreadsheet. And we would not want him to go below 68 on the Alpha Trak. I would say if you absolutely can’t get a test that we should reduce his dose if Libre says LO. Are you aware that sometimes the libre sensor will give you some wacky readings when it is first applied and when it is about to fail, as well as if the cat is lying on it?
Click to expand...
As a long time Libre user, I tend to start paying very close attention when Ivy drops to the 50s and even more to the 40s. Most likely she will then go to LO (that’s where I test her).
However, every cat and sensor seems different and the handheld meter are as well.
Personally, I don’t tend to find newly activated sensors read incorrectly or at the end of their life cycle.
All that said, if numbers look suspicious and you are able to test to confirm, that’s always best.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
We do want to see blue and green numbers on his spreadsheet. And we would not want him to go below 68 on the Alpha Trak. I would say if you absolutely can’t get a test that we should reduce his dose if Libre says LO. Are you aware that sometimes the libre sensor will give you some wacky readings when it is first applied and when it is about to fail, as well as if the cat is lying on it?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if this question is for me but Solomon's Libre reads HI no matter what the first 24-36 hrs even if he tests 196 alpha track at the vet when we applied it- and I'm always surprised. This particular vet said Libre will always read higher than actual from an alpha track. Alpha reads blood, libre reads fluids. She said that Libre will go Low as a warning ⚠️ more than an actual LOW.
 
Moorelife01 said:
I'm not sure if this question is for me but Solomon's Libre reads HI no matter what the first 24-36 hrs even if he tests 196 alpha track at the vet when we applied it- and I'm always surprised. This particular vet said Libre will always read higher than actual from an alpha track. Alpha reads blood, libre reads fluids. She said that Libre will go Low as a warning ⚠️ more than an actual LOW.
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Yes. That question is for you because this is your thread.

As you can see from the two screenshots I posted and circled the difference between the Libre (much lower than the Alpha Trak) your vet is incorrect/misinformed about the differences between the Libre and any handheld meter. I could screenshot many other members spreadsheets and show the same, but it’s a waste of time and I think you can see already that the Libre gives much lower numbers in the low range.
 
Moorelife01 said:
Moved from 2.25 to 2.5 @6:30am this morning as Solomon was 350 to 350 plus after his 6:30pm 2.25units all last night.
Click to expand...
Why did you increase his dose this morning? He was only on the 2.25 dose for three days and he had been in a bounce with that sustained period of high numbers. With the Start Low Go Slow (SLGS) dosing method we don’t increase doses that quickly. They are usually held 7 days and then an assessment is made as to a dose increase. ProZinc works best when the doses are consistent and we don’t adjust doses upward based on preshot numbers. We look at nadirs over the 7 days that the dose is held. The exception to this is if you have a preshot test that is a lot lower than past preshot numbers— in that case a temporary reduction in dose may need to be taken just for that cycle.

Occasionally, we will “fast track” a cat for a few cycles if the nadirs are quiet high and the cat has a history of DKA or has high ketones. Do you use the urine strips (Keto Stix) to test Solomon for ketones?
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Yes. That question is for you because this is your thread.

As you can see from the two screenshots I posted and circled the difference between the Libre (much lower than the Alpha Trak) your vet is incorrect/misinformed about the differences between the Libre and any handheld meter. I could screenshot many other members spreadsheets and show the same, but it’s a waste of time and I think you can see already that the Libre gives much lower numbers in the low range.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks. I didn't understand the pics.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Why did you increase his dose this morning? He was only on the 2.25 dose for three days and he had been in a bounce with that sustained period of high numbers. With the Start Low Go Slow (SLGS) dosing method we don’t increase doses that quickly. They are usually held 7 days and then an assessment is made as to a dose increase. ProZinc works best when the doses are consistent and we don’t adjust doses upward based on preshot numbers. We look at nadirs over the 7 days that the dose is held. The exception to this is if you have a preshot test that is a lot lower than past preshot numbers— in that case a temporary reduction in dose may need to be taken just for that cycle.

Occasionally, we will “fast track” a cat for a few cycles if the nadirs are quiet high and the cat has a history of DKA or has high ketones. Do you use the urine strips (Keto Stix) to test Solomon for ketones?
Click to expand...
No. I don't test Solli for ketones.

Edit to add :
I'm sure your experience is correct but a lot of what you're saying is way over my head. I'm sure I'll get there eventually.
 
Staci & Ivy said:
No, you do not need to change your phone plan. You do not need any plans, or Service for The new phone. It will just work on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

The Wi-Fi just transmits the BG data up to the cloud via the Libre link up app and sends it to the Libre link up app on your phone.
(So you will not incur any additional costs on your current phone plan).

You can only link up one phone to a sensor.
So if your current sensor (which is working right now) is linked up to your personal phone, you will have to wait until your next sensor needs to be activated.
And if you have a new phone ready to go at that point, you can scan the new sensor with your new phone, which will stay at home with Solomon.

So once you get a new phone, you will put the Libre link up app on both of your phones and you will connect your account. You will have a to send an invitation from Solomon’s phone to you to be able to follow his data via Libre link up account.
(There is information on how to do this on the Abbott website).
And technically, you could call Abbott and ask questions about how to link your phone to the phone that stays with Solomon, but you Never would tell them it’s for a cat.
You tell them it’s for your child (which, as we know, is true) 😘
Or for a family member that you are following.
Click to expand...
Got it. Thanks. I will give Abott a call for assistance or a techy friend.
 
Moorelife01 said:
No. I don't test Solli for ketones.

Edit to add :
I'm sure your experience is correct but a lot of what you're saying is way over my head. I'm sure I'll get there eventually.
Click to expand...
I am sorry it’s confusing. You definitely will understand all this stuff soon. It really is a lot to take in all at once.

I just wanted to know why you increased his dose this morning since it was too soon.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Why did you increase his dose this morning? He was only on the 2.25 dose for three days and he had been in a bounce with that sustained period of high numbers. With the Start Low Go Slow (SLGS) dosing method we don’t increase doses that quickly. They are usually held 7 days and then an assessment is made as to a dose increase. ProZinc works best when the doses are consistent and we don’t adjust doses upward based on preshot numbers. We look at nadirs over the 7 days that the dose is held. The exception to this is if you have a preshot test that is a lot lower than past preshot numbers— in that case a temporary reduction in dose may need to be taken just for that cycle.

Occasionally, we will “fast track” a cat for a few cycles if the nadirs are quite high and the cat has a history of DKA or has high ketones. Do you use the urine strips (Keto Stix) to test Solomon
Click to expand...

Suzanne & Darcy said:
I am sorry it’s confusing. You definitely will understand all this stuff soon. It really is a lot to take in all at once.

I just wanted to know why you increased his dose this morning since it was too soon.
Click to expand...
Because the vet said the goal was 200 within 5-7 hrs. Solomon was reduced from 3.5-4 to 2 units 3 weeks ago.
We didn't know if 2 units was too low.
She said give it 3 days and adjust.

Obviously varying information ... learning as I go and now multiple sources of information.

Now I feel I did something "wrong."

All I can do is continue to track and take him in for new labs, bp, and ultrasound regularly as I have been. It all takes time and I expect changes along the way.

Solomon only recently started to respond to insulin at all since April 16th.
Edit : by recently I mean the last few weeks.
 
Why are you taking him in for ultrasounds so frequently? Does he have inflammatory bowel disease? Usually even those are only done every 6 months or annually?
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
I understand peace of mind. But I am asking for what medical condition he is receiving ultrasounds? They aren’t just done for no reason. What is the diagnosis that warrants the ultrasound?
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Suspicion of bladder cancer or kidney bleed when the blood persisted in his urine after several rounds of antibiotics.
 
Don’t get me wrong. I understand the need for ultrasound if required. One of my cats is having an abdominal ultrasound on Wednesday. He has inflammatory bowel disease. He’s not doing well recently and his white count is elevated and isn’t going down with antibiotics (his liver enzymes did go down but not the WBC or neutrophils— and he’s also anemic.) Another of my cats jad to have cardiac ultrasounds every six months because she had heart disease. Another cat just had an ultrasound last month to check for lymphoma because she was getting ready to undergo radiation treatments to her head for severe rhinitis. I actually have two cats with IBD as well. So I was just wondering what Solomon’s condition was that needed checking via ultrasound.
 
Moorelife01 said:
Suspicion of bladder cancer or kidney bleed when the blood persisted in his urine after several rounds of antibiotics.
Click to expand...

Suzanne & Darcy said:
Don’t get me wrong. I understand the need for ultrasound if required. One of my cats is having an abdominal ultrasound on Wednesday. He has inflammatory bowel disease. He’s not doing well recently and his white count is elevated and isn’t going down with antibiotics (his liver enzymes did go down but not the WBC or neutrophils— and he’s also anemic.) Another of my cats jad to have cardiac ultrasounds every six months because she had heart disease. Another cat just had an ultrasound last month to check for lymphoma because she was getting ready to undergo radiation treatments to her head for severe rhinitis. I actually have two cats with IBD as well. So I was just wondering what Solomon’s condition was that needed checking via ultrasound.
Click to expand...
To see if diabetes is the only condition or a by product of something more going on.

This is vet 3. The other 2 had different things to say. Now I ask a lot more questions.
 
Moorelife01 said:
That was her feedback but now that libre numbers and alpha numbers are different I have no idea.
Click to expand...
Well, don’t worry too much about that because the differences between the Libre and AT are more important in the low numbers. They read closer together in the higher numbers like 200, but they’re never going to be exactly the same.

A nadir of 200 is higher than I would like to see for Solomon for sure, but getting to better nadirs takes time if you want to be safe.

Goal numbers for an Alpha Trak meter could be for about 85 to 150 ? If you wanted to achieve remission those numbers would be lower, but he is still so early in his journey. No rush.
 
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