? 06/05 Porto AMPS 305; +5=291; +11=271; PMPS 255; +1=174; +3=68; +5=134; +6=178

[Manu & Porto]

28 may 2018

Porto had a big drop tonight so after getting low numbers, we packed and went to the vet. Administered syrup and gave RC gastrointestinal in kibble, just to try to not upset stomach too much with wet food. Once his BG started growing a bit we went home, as he was getting restless and, no surprise, he just had a huge loose stool when arrived home, prob because of the syrup. Im not sure what but I will need something for when he goes low that wont trouble his tummy as much... Maybe liquid glucose? Or water and sugar, no boiling? The issue now is, what to do in the morning... what dose? If we dont dose, it will go high high as it happened before. But after this episode, Im afraid to dose. Anybody has some advice? Thank you so much.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

There are a few options. Any kind of syrup -- corn syrup or maple syrup are fine. Honey is also a good source of carbs. Any high carb (gravy style) cat food is feasible but given Porto's IBD, I'd probably lean toward syrup or honey. You can even use sugar water -- you can always dissolve the sugar in hot or boiling water and make sure you have some that's cooled off in the refrigerator . Kibble will also work although it will take longer to see a response and it will take longer for it to work it's way out of Porto's system.

Can you remind me -- are you using a human meter or one for pets? With a human meter, a 68 isn't dangerously low. If you're using a meter developed for pets, a 68 is low but not scary low. Regardless of the meter, giving Porto some high carb food and then retesting in 15 - 20 min (and repeating the pattern) is something you can do at home so you don't have to face vet bills. See the sticky: Shooting & Handling Low Numbers for instructions. The sticky was developed for the Tight Regulation Protocol but it's also applicable to SLGS.

With SLGS, you give a dose reduction when numbers drop below 90. I can't tell if your dose is 3.75 or 3.5u, though. You would reduce by 0.25u.

 

[Manu & Porto]

Thank you, Sienne for helping us!
What I did when his BG dropped is mix half glass of water with half glass of sugar and boil this until syrup. Then I gave him 2 x 5 ml (2 tb spoons) when his BG reached 57, close to after +3 from the shot and some kibble with higher carb content - just because wet really upsets his stomach. +4 was 107 and by 6+ it was 178 and now, 355 at 9+. He is sleeping quietly now, after vet stress and lots of ear pinching but wont purr when I touch, he seems afraid of me. Is it ok how I administered, how much, and the frequency? It seems to me like a lot of sugar given and his BG grew very slowly in the hours after and now, its high again.. We are using a human meter, updated my sig. Our dose has been 4 UD since 5/24/18 until 5/30/18, the event that seemed to start the change in how Lantus works on him happened 5/27/18, 3 days after uping the dose from 3 ud to 4 ud. Before changing the dose and these three days of 4 UD, his BG levels were high but similar before shot, pm or am. On the 27th he showed low level before pm shot and we just gave him 1.2 ud and +4 hours after, his BG was still the same as before the shot. Started growing fast at 5+. After that we kept with 4 UD for three days until again, before pm shot, his levels went really low. This time, we gave no shot and by next morning his BG was 494. We did one more round of 4 UD and went to 3.75.
It seems to me like the dose is long lasting or something, like it would affect after one cycle, into the second because it seems his BG keeps low even 2-4 hours after shot and next shot the BG is lower than the one before and keeps going lower during two days until we are in the yellow again. Is it normal? It wouldnt be bad staying into the yellows and getting some blues and greens if it werent for those happening right after the shot. Tonight, I decided to give 3.5 (we´ve been on 3.75 for three days only) as I noticed his BG yellow before shot and after, it continued to drop and quickly went into blues and greens +2. That is what make me nervous, the sudden drops right after shot time. Wish it was more balanced and how could I get to that? How could I achieve a more balanced curve, with a nadir closer to 6+ . Im thinking of lowering the dose and go to 3, maybe, again and see how he reacts then, how often can I decrease 0.25?