9/7 oregano. +1 86, +2 89.

wade

wade

Member
Hi everyone, oregano stayed high for a day and change after the faulty sensor episode. Then today she started coming down even though she’d earned a reduction two days ago down to 2.5. She was just over 200 today at pm shot time so I shot (2.25, since she’d earned another reduction today). And she’s going straight down now. I just tested again and it’s 75. Hard to know if I have another bad sensor (we had never had a bad sensor before in almost a year, so two in a row would be a surprise but I guess it could happen.)

Would advice be to take her in so they can check the blood for glucose levels? I have ordered that kit so I can do that at home in the future but it does not arrive till the 8th.

Thank you all in advance.

Oregano and Wade.
 
wade said:
Hi everyone, oregano stayed high for a day and change after the faulty sensor episode. Then today she started coming down even though she’d earned a reduction two days ago down to 2.5. She was just over 200 today at pm shot time so I shot (2.25, since she’d earned another reduction today). And she’s going straight down now. I just tested again and it’s 75. Hard to know if I have another bad sensor (we had never had a bad sensor before in almost a year, so two in a row would be a surprise but I guess it could happen.)

Would advice be to take her in so they can check the blood for glucose levels? I have ordered that kit so I can do that at home in the future but it does not arrive till the 8th.

Thank you all in advance.

Oregano and Wade.
Click to expand...
Hi Wade, if I had to guess I’d think it’s the sensor being influenced by tht fluids you are giving.
Can you go to a Walmart and get a Relion meter and some strips to test her yourself?
(It’s always good to have a back up meter and strips anyway).
💝💝
 
Hi Staci, thank you for the reply. I can get to the Walmart this am and get the relion and the strips, and will do that this am. But oregano gets the sub-cue fluids on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays so yesterday was not a fluid day. Though she did get fluids Saturday so maybe it just took until yesterday to start really affecting the sensor. Will get the relion today and confirm. That’s an ear-pricking method I assume?
 
Got the relion and am learning how to use it now. Tested it on myself and I have 120 BG levels. It’s easy on the finger but not sure where in the ear for the kitty to do it so going to find a YouTube video. Thank you for the suggestion re relion kit. Hopefully this will provide some clarity as to what’s going on with these libre sensors.
 
ok, update here: oregano’s sensor read 137 and when I used the relion blood drop test, it was showing 339. Did the tests back to back so assuming the relion is the accurate one there is definitely something going on with the libre. Likely the sub-cue fluids she gets thrice weekly as was suggested earlier on this forum. So I’m probably going to migrate her to just the blood test several times a day and move away from the libre.
 
Mary & Jude said:
Hi Wade! YouTube is a great resource, but we also have oodles of information here on the forum. Start here. Also, most all of us home test, so we can give you guidance if you need it.
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Hi Mary, thank you for the link. I’m wondering given the libre issues we are having (possibly due to the sub cue fluids which I can’t stop because it’s been so helpful for her kidneys per the vet) if it might be better for me to just switch to using the relion and doing it 5-7x per day. Do any of the folks on this forum do that to your knowledge? A libre sensor giving artificially low values is doing more harm than good and causing unnecessary spikes, reductions in insulin, etc.
 
wade said:
Hi Mary, thank you for the link. I’m wondering given the libre issues we are having (possibly due to the sub cue fluids which I can’t stop because it’s been so helpful for her kidneys per the vet) if it might be better for me to just switch to using the relion and doing it 5-7x per day. Do any of the folks on this forum do that to your knowledge? A libre sensor giving artificially low values is doing more harm than good and causing unnecessary spikes, reductions in insulin, etc.
Click to expand...
Wade, Many of us, myself included, use a monitor and hand test (I have never used a Libre). Depending on how Jude's bg is registering, I often test at least six times a day. A lot of your ability to hand test, of course, depends on Oregano's demeanor and willingness to be tested. Most of the people who use Libres do so because their cats won't allow hand testing. But, yes, this is completely doable if you are willing to learn and Oregano will tolerate testing.

I suggest that you watch the videos on testing, and give it a try. You'll want to create a testing environment that is comfortable for Oregano--the very best LC treats should be on the agenda. You'll want to warm her ear with something--many of us use rice socks (I use rice baby mittens) that we pop into the microwave for about 10-15 seconds. This stimulates blood flow. I have everything lined up, so that the process goes quickly: monitor, test strip, cotton pad to go behind the ear so that you don't poke yourself, lancet, TREATS. Give lots of love and pets to her. Look at the location where you should be poking--it's the edge of the ear.

More info here: Hometesting Links and Tips
 
Also, am I remembering you saying that Oregano is paraplegic? Does she have feeling in her disabled paws? If not, I'm wondering if testing her paws might be a better alternative than the ears?
 
Mary & Jude said:
Also, am I remembering you saying that Oregano is paraplegic? Does she have feeling in her disabled paws? If not, I'm wondering if testing her paws might be a better alternative than the
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Hey Mary, yes ma'am she is a paraplegic. she's extremely docile and sweet and is not above being bribed with a churu, which is good. i tried the ear a couple times got too little blood each prick. so went with the back paw, which has limited feeling in them. She did not even notice the prick and the blood drop was good size and registered nicely. And lots of sweet talk and a churu afterwards to begin to help her associate the churu with the test. we do the same when we give her fluids and she's gotten to where when she sees the churu tube she gets excited now. she is a quick study when it comes to food.

she's easy to test. and consensus seems to be that the relion blood test monitor is going to be much more accurate/reliable than these libres. so i think that is what i will do then. dispense with this libre and it's unreliable data and do the relion.

i do have one follow up for you since you don't have a sensor in Jude--how do you know if he is dropping precipitously between tests? that is my biggest fear and alot of my reliance on (until they proved so unreliable) the libre. it has an alarm that goes off if the BG hits below 90. between my wife and me we have total coverage and someone is always here at the house with oregano, but it is the sleeping hours that has me nervous. I can and will set an alarm to get up at 2 or 3 am to test her, but there will invariably be times when we are both asleep and oregano has no sensor/alarm to alert me if she drops if i go full handheld/relion.

how do you accommodate for that? or am i being overly concerned?

thanks again,

wade
 
wade said:
i do have one follow up for you since you don't have a sensor in Jude--how do you know if he is dropping precipitously between tests? that is my biggest fear and alot of my reliance on (until they proved so unreliable) the libre. it has an alarm that goes off if the BG hits below 90. between my wife and me we have total coverage and someone is always here at the house with oregano, but it is the sleeping hours that has me nervous. I can and will set an alarm to get up at 2 or 3 am to test her, but there will invariably be times when we are both asleep and oregano has no sensor/alarm to alert me if she drops if i go full handheld/relion.

how do you accommodate for that? or am i being overly concerned?
Click to expand...
You are not being overly concerned. You definitely have to exercise a different level of vigilance when hand testing. How do I know if Jude is dropping? As we are prone to say here, every cat is different, but for us, a lot of me knowing what might be happening with Jude comes from gathering a lot of data over time and understanding how he typically handles insulin. When I'm able, I test more at at the beginning of a cycle, which is when Jude's numbers can fluctuate more (as opposed to +6 and beyond). When he has a particularly active cycle, I have to either leave high carb food for him in the a.m., when I go to work or, if it's at night, I stay up and test to ensure he doesn't go too low. I'm fortunate in that Jude is fairly consistent in how he responds to insulin. He's not an incredible bouncer, like some cats. His numbers, now that he's mostly regulated, tend to be fairly steady and flat. That said, I've had some lower numbers that have surprised me. And I'm willing to bet he's had some lower numbers that I never caught. That's the down side of hand testing. But because he's pretty consistent, the hand testing has worked okay for us. I have considered getting a Libre, though, because I work and am away from him in during the day time (a 30 minute ride away from him), and that often worries me.

Some people will use the Libre as their primary device but keep the monitor on hand to do back-up testing when they need to verify a Libre result. Perhaps that might work better for you since you're concerned about her going low when you're asleep. I know you mentioned the possibility that the sub-qs might be having an effect on the sensor, and it would be good to see if you can get that worked out. If you can, it might be a better situation for you and Oregano to keep the Libre and the hand held for back-up testing.
 
wade said:
Hi Staci, thank you for the reply. I can get to the Walmart this am and get the relion and the strips, and will do that this am. But oregano gets the sub-cue fluids on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays so yesterday was not a fluid day. Though she did get fluids Saturday so maybe it just took until yesterday to start really affecting the sensor. Will get the relion today and confirm. That’s an ear-pricking method I assume?
Click to expand...
Hi Wade, I’m sorry I was not on here to reply and so happy Mary did an amazing job answering your questions.
It seems that you had good success today with being able to poke Oregano and figuring out what will be your best course going forward.
It sounds like as Mary suggested leaving the Libre on might not be the worst idea as it would alert you if something seems to be happening like her doing a drastic drop. And of course you would then do a manual test with a handheld meter and then you would know exactly what was going on.

It just seems like the fluids are somehow interfering with the Libre (I have the same fear in case Ivy will need fluids at some point.
It will be a problem for me if the Libre gets messed up due to the fluids, but since I have read that before, that’s what alerted me when you started having some problems lately).

You’re very lucky that Oregano is so relaxed and good natured so that way you can test her manually as much as you would need to. And once you get some practice in and her ears learn to bleed or her paw whatever is easier for you. It shouldn’t be a problem for you to test her.
The only reason I use the Libre is that there’s no way Ivy will tolerate multiple pokes every day due to her temperament 😢

I’m so glad you got the meter and it’s working out. Just make sure you have plenty of test strips in the house at all times, that way you won’t run out in an emergency. 🥰
 
wade said:
Hey Mary, yes ma'am she is a paraplegic. she's extremely docile and sweet and is not above being bribed with a churu, which is good. i tried the ear a couple times got too little blood each prick. so went with the back paw, which has limited feeling in them. She did not even notice the prick and the blood drop was good size and registered nicely. And lots of sweet talk and a churu afterwards to begin to help her associate the churu with the test. we do the same when we give her fluids and she's gotten to where when she sees the churu tube she gets excited now. she is a quick study when it comes to food.

she's easy to test. and consensus seems to be that the relion blood test monitor is going to be much more accurate/reliable than these libres. so i think that is what i will do then. dispense with this libre and it's unreliable data and do the relion.

i do have one follow up for you since you don't have a sensor in Jude--how do you know if he is dropping precipitously between tests? that is my biggest fear and alot of my reliance on (until they proved so unreliable) the libre. it has an alarm that goes off if the BG hits below 90. between my wife and me we have total coverage and someone is always here at the house with oregano, but it is the sleeping hours that has me nervous. I can and will set an alarm to get up at 2 or 3 am to test her, but there will invariably be times when we are both asleep and oregano has no sensor/alarm to alert me if she drops if i go full handheld/relion.

how do you accommodate for that? or am i being overly concerned?

thanks again,

wade
Click to expand...
Yep that is good advice. We are going to put a new sensor on her side and do the fluids as far away from it as possible and use the line as an alarm system for nighttime. I am planning to test her 4-5 times through the day and then twice between bedtime and get up time just to get a sense of how she handles the insulin. I am dubious much of the data from the libre has been accurate at all over these past few weeks since we began the fluids.
 
Staci & Ivy said:
Hi Wade, I’m sorry I was not on here to reply and so happy Mary did an amazing job answering your questions.
It seems that you had good success today with being able to poke Oregano and figuring out what will be your best course going forward.
It sounds like as Mary suggested leaving the Libre on might not be the worst idea as it would alert you if something seems to be happening like her doing a drastic drop. And of course you would then do a manual test with a handheld meter and then you would know exactly what was going on.

It just seems like the fluids are somehow interfering with the Libre (I have the same fear in case Ivy will need fluids at some point.
It will be a problem for me if the Libre gets messed up due to the fluids, but since I have read that before, that’s what alerted me when you started having some problems lately).

You’re very lucky that Oregano is so relaxed and good natured so that way you can test her manually as much as you would need to. And once you get some practice in and her ears learn to bleed or her paw whatever is easier for you. It shouldn’t be a problem for you to test her.
The only reason I use the Libre is that there’s no way Ivy will tolerate multiple pokes every day due to her temperament 😢

I’m so glad you got the meter and it’s working out. Just make sure you have plenty of test strips in the house at all times, that way you won’t run out in an emergency. 🥰
Click to expand...
Yep nil going to mimic that. New sensor, for alarm purposes primarily, and relion for confirmation and primary testing method. She tests great and is all about the Chiro treats so that part is easy thankfully.

Thank you for the feedback and guidance. We appreciate it a great deal.
 
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