05 Mar: Teasel (AT): AM 194 | +6 67 | +7 148 |+8 139 | PM 54

Status
Not open for further replies.
Left early this AM to attend to horse and came back at +6 to a lime green 67! :eek: Fed 1/4 can Friskies HC for lunch. He seems absolutely fine. o_O
 
Good catch and congrats on the reduction. Hopefully he'll hold it this time around. It's common to go up and down in dose. Surf safely now Teasel
 
Doodles & Karen said:
Good catch and congrats on the reduction. Hopefully he'll hold it this time around. It's common to go up and down in dose. Surf safely now Teasel
Click to expand...
I assume you mean that I need to drop him from 3 u to 2.75 u Karen. Funny - I wasn't even thinking in those TR terms because my Lantus brain is still developing. I was just looking at that number and thinking, here we go again with Mr. Unpredictable! o_O
 
Good catch today!:D

Kris & Teasel said:
I assume you mean that I need to drop him from 3 u to 2.75 u Karen. Funny - I wasn't even thinking in those TR terms because my Lantus brain is still developing.
Click to expand...
Actually, you don't have to drop the dose. For longer term diabetics (diabetic a year or longer), we suggest moving to three drops under 50 (on the human meter) or one time under 40 (human meter). So if you want, you could move to that method and call this drop number one. The method of holding for multiple drops seems to work well for those who don't hold reductions well too.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Good catch today!:D


Actually, you don't have to drop the dose. For longer term diabetics (diabetic a year or longer), we suggest moving to three drops under 50 (on the human meter) or one time under 40 (human meter). So if you want, you could move to that method and call this drop number one. The method of holding for multiple drops seems to work well for those who don't hold reductions well too.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Wendy. So that's three drops under 68 on the AT or one drop under, say, 58 (approx.). I'll give it some thought. He's been at 3 u for 11 days and today was the first lime green.
 
The goal is to try to get them to see more green. Neko loved bouncing too, and I had to maximize her green time to try to ease the bounces. I didn't personally go to the three times under rule, because of her acro tumour and other things going on, and she was pretty good at holding reductions. I did try two times under for a bit and that seemed to help.
 
Beautiful progress Teasel. I'm sure you're making mommy happy with all the blue and green, but no need for the light green! Or course he would feel fine and mommy is the one worrying ;)
 
Kris & Teasel said:
I assume you mean that I need to drop him from 3 u to 2.75 u Karen. Funny - I wasn't even thinking in those TR terms because my Lantus brain is still developing. I was just looking at that number and thinking, here we go again with Mr. Unpredictable! o_O
Click to expand...
Wendy posted my "next " thought;). I type to fast before completing a full thought sometimes
 
Kris, it's so exciting to watch how well Teasel is adjusting to lantus! Those blues and greens look so pretty on Teasel and probably make you so happy to see that something is finally starting to work better for him. I'm so happy for you!!!! :cat::cat::cat::p:p:D:joyful::smuggrin:

Just curious, but I thought lime green was under 50?? Is my SS off??

Wendy&Neko said:
Actually, you don't have to drop the dose. For longer term diabetics (diabetic a year or longer), we suggest moving to three drops under 50 (on the human meter) or one time under 40 (human meter). So if you want, you could move to that method and call this drop number one. The method of holding for multiple drops seems to work well for those who don't hold reductions well too.
Click to expand...
Wendy, I really appreciate you posting this. My kitty is not a long term diabetic (or is he? we don't really know how long he has been diabetic for), but I have thought about not necessarily taking him down to the next lower dose next time he drops, especially since it's pretty rare that he goes below 50. We are just trying so hard to get him to green on a consistent basis (hasn't happened yet honestly) and last few times he dropped from .75U to .5U he's had to go back up (he's wobbled a few times between these doses). I was thinking the same thing about keeping him at the current dose unless he starts to drop more frequently. I am not sure changing the dose for a one time low occurrence is always the best thing. We have tended to be more conservative on TR because of our inability to monitor during the day, but I am starting to think sometimes we are too conservative.

What are the chances if your kitty goes below 50 while on insulin and having food left out (even LC) that he will actually go hypo? Only one time when my kitty dropped below 50 did he show any signs of slight or moderate hypo symptoms (crying, walking around confused) and honestly (shhh..don't tell hubby) I think Hubby's scared freaked out energy during that time (this was the over the phone call with me getting guidance from my angels here at FDMB while at work and giving Hubby instructions over the phone) and shoving honey on Ozzy's mouth and Ozzy running around in circles with sticky goo on his face (that he didn't like) kind of made matters worse for Ozzy in the moment. I wonder if he would have had any of those signs if Hubby had been a little calmer. Hubby couldn't help it- he was worried and scared and had never dealt with a low numbers situation by himself and I was not there physically to help. We have all panicked on our first few low numbers situations. The only other symptoms Ozzy has shown when he went low was just acting hungry and wanting to eat more.

Kris, I'm curious to see what your next steps are and wishing you lots of luck and good vines coming your way!! Keep surfing little Teasel!!! :)
 
Ozzy Pawzbourne said:
Kris, it's so exciting to watch how well Teasel is adjusting to lantus! Those blues and greens look so pretty on Teasel and probably make you so happy to see that something is finally starting to work better for him. I'm so happy for you!!!! :cat::cat::cat::p:p:D:joyful::smuggrin:

Just curious, but I thought lime green was under 50?? Is my SS off??


Wendy, I really appreciate you posting this. My kitty is not a long term diabetic (or is he? we don't really know how long he has been diabetic for), but I have thought about not necessarily taking him down to the next lower dose next time he drops, especially since it's pretty rare that he goes below 50. We are just trying so hard to get him to green on a consistent basis (hasn't happened yet honestly) and last few times he dropped from .75U to .5U he's had to go back up (he's wobbled a few times between these doses). I was thinking the same thing about keeping him at the current dose unless he starts to drop more frequently. I am not sure changing the dose for a one time low occurrence is always the best thing. We have tended to be more conservative on TR because of our inability to monitor during the day, but I am starting to think sometimes we are too conservative.

What are the chances if your kitty goes below 50 while on insulin and having food left out (even LC) that he will actually go hypo? Only one time when my kitty dropped below 50 did he show any signs of slight or moderate hypo symptoms (crying, walking around confused) and honestly (shhh..don't tell hubby) I think Hubby's scared freaked out energy during that time (this was the over the phone call with me getting guidance from my angels here at FDMB while at work and giving Hubby instructions over the phone) and shoving honey on Ozzy's mouth and Ozzy running around in circles with sticky goo on his face (that he didn't like) kind of made matters worse for Ozzy in the moment. I wonder if he would have had any of those signs if Hubby had been a little calmer. Hubby couldn't help it- he was worried and scared and had never dealt with a low numbers situation by himself and I was not there physically to help. We have all panicked on our first few low numbers situations. The only other symptoms Ozzy has shown when he went low was just acting hungry and wanting to eat more.

Kris, I'm curious to see what your next steps are and wishing you lots of luck and good vines coming your way!! Keep surfing little Teasel!!! :)
Click to expand...
I'm leaning toward trying for more green at this 3 u dose for Teasel. It's always a crap shoot with him because I have to try to see through his haze of unpredictability to "sense" what dose is good. I think I agree with you about Ozzy being freaked by human nerves combined with honey stuck to him. That alone is disturbing to the fastidious creature that is a cat. :blackeye:

I kept calm today when i saw his lime green at +6. He was acting fine so I just opened some HC food and gave him his lunch - no drama. I'm always vigilant but try to avoid drama because it doesn't help me.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
I'm leaning toward trying for more green at this 3 u dose for Teasel. It's always a crap shoot with him because I have to try to see through his haze of unpredictability to "sense" what dose is good. I think I agree with you about Ozzy being freaked by human nerves combined with honey stuck to him. That alone is disturbing to the fastidious creature that is a cat. :blackeye:

I kept calm today when i saw his lime green at +6. He was acting fine so I just opened some HC food and gave him his lunch - no drama. I'm always vigilant but try to avoid drama because it doesn't help me.
Click to expand...
Yes, the unpredictability is the worst part. I feel the same way with Ozzy. All the bouncing really complicates things too. We have been trying to hold doses a little longer now to go through these phases below before we know if the dose is good or needs to be adjusted:

1) Fill the depot with the new dose -3 days/6 cycles,
2) Allow for bouncing to clear if a low number is detected - 3 days/ 6 cycles (Ozzy bounces regularly when he sees a lower number),
3) Then allow a few more cycles after the bounce clears to see if the dose is ok or needs to be adjusted.

These 3 phases take about a week worth of time. I have been adopting this approach above since we can't monitor when we are at work and if we just come home to or wake up to high preshot numbers and only go off this data and the few spot checks at night, we might be misinterpreting some higher numbers as just high numbers vs because he is bouncing. I am not sure if my 3 phase approach is the best way to do things, especially since others like you have time to monitor more during the day, but this is what we are doing for now. I'm sure things will switch up again later on. The week to hold a dose thing is also what is recommended by our vet who prescribes lantus. I guess maybe we are not doing TR anymore?? I don't know!!!

Regarding feeding the curve- how does Teasel respond to food? Does he pick his numbers up quick when you feed him, or is he a slow responder? If he responds quick, maybe a LC snack is better so you don't food spike him too much and he can stay in better greens and blues longer. I always ran for the HC right off the bat when Ozzy started dropping low, and have learned to go for the LC first. You can also make a mix of LC and MC or LC and HC if you want to add just a few more carbs in there without blowing up his numbers. We will go straight to MC or HC if he drops low in the beginning of the cycle (+2/+3). Just a thought.... We have even been guilty of grabbing the kibble. Tsk Tsk... :)
 
Ozzy Pawzbourne said:
Yes, the unpredictability is the worst part. I feel the same way with Ozzy. All the bouncing really complicates things too. We have been trying to hold doses a little longer now to go through these phases below before we know if the dose is good or needs to be adjusted:

1) Fill the depot with the new dose -3 days/6 cycles,
2) Allow for bouncing to clear if a low number is detected - 3 days/ 6 cycles (Ozzy bounces regularly when he sees a lower number),
3) Then allow a few more cycles after the bounce clears to see if the dose is ok or needs to be adjusted.

These 3 phases take about a week worth of time. I have been adopting this approach above since we can't monitor when we are at work and if we just come home to or wake up to high preshot numbers and only go off this data and the few spot checks at night, we might be misinterpreting some higher numbers as just high numbers vs because he is bouncing. I am not sure if my 3 phase approach is the best way to do things, especially since others like you have time to monitor more during the day, but this is what we are doing for now. I'm sure things will switch up again later on. The week to hold a dose thing is also what is recommended by our vet who prescribes lantus. I guess maybe we are not doing TR anymore?? I don't know!!!

Regarding feeding the curve- how does Teasel respond to food? Does he pick his numbers up quick when you feed him, or is he a slow responder? If he responds quick, maybe a LC snack is better so you don't food spike him and he can stay in better greens and blues longer. I always ran for the HC right off the bat when Ozzy started dropping low, and have learned to go for the LC first. You can also make a mix of LC and MC or LC and HC if you want to add just a few more carbs in there without blowing up his numbers. Just a thought.... We have even been guilty of grabbing the kibble. Tsk Tsk... :)
Click to expand...
I know that I'll have to follow an adapted version of TR with Teasel because he's so tricky. I've called it Teasel Rules elsewhere. That can mean holding a dose longer so bounces clear and I can get a better idea of a dose's effectiveness. I also know that I can't increase a dose just because I've seen only blue as lows for several cycles because he can throw me a lime green or safe green willy nilly. I think I have to do what works for him.

Re food: His HC lunch spiked him quickly today and I'll check again soon but I wouldn't call him an extremely carb sensitive cat over all. Yes, next time, I'll try LC or mix some food to make MC. All experimentation and learning for next time ... :)
 
Kris & Teasel said:
I've called it Teasel Rules elsewhere
Click to expand...
Haha! I LOVE this!! :woot::woot:
Kris & Teasel said:
I think I have to do what works for him.
Click to expand...
Yep, exactly!!!

Kris & Teasel said:
All experimentation and learning for next time ... :)
Click to expand...
Oh man, isn't this true! Sometimes just when I think we are getting the hang of things, I realize we don't know anything and are constantly just trying to figure it out.

You and Teasel are doing so well on lantus so you are definitely doing something right. Hope your little buddy keeps surfing well for you. Hugs and scritches to him!!!:bighug:
 
Ozzy Pawzbourne said:
Haha! I LOVE this!! :woot::woot:

Yep, exactly!!!


Oh man, isn't this true! Sometimes just when I think we are getting the hang of things, I realize we don't know anything and are constantly just trying to figure it out.

You and Teasel are doing so well on lantus so you are definitely doing something right. Hope your little buddy keeps surfing well for you. Hugs and scritches to him!!!:bighug:
Click to expand...
Yep! I'm pleased with how he's doing. He feels better too because the amplitude of his BG swings is reduced and he also surfs occasionally in comfortable blues.
 
Holy moly!!!! :nailbiting::eek: PMPS is 54. Last test was at +8 and he was up nicely from the HC food but that wore off. I got busy with other things and here we are.

Fed HC for supper. There will be NO shot tonight and I'll start him up tomorrow AM at 2.75 u.
 
ETA, if it's less than 20 minutes since he ate, you could retest and not have food influence.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
ETA, if it's less than 20 minutes since he ate, you could retest and not have food influence.
Click to expand...
I just retested and he's at 151 but that's 25+ minutes after eating half a can of HC Friskies. His BG responded similarly this afternoon when I gave him an HC lunch after seeing his BG of 67. I can only assume that his current 151 is from the HC food.
 
Here's the plan:
  • no insulin tonight. I know it'll drain the depot but c'est la vie ... so does a fur shot.
  • start up tomorrow AM at 2.75 u and work with that for a while. It can always go up again later.
 
Congrats on the reducie!!!! Ya Kris and Teasel! And, NO pokies (or less anyhow) tonight is the cherry on top!!

What is a 54 alpha track on human meter? Is that in the 40s?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top