? 08.02.22 Chispa, 369 AMPS, 309 +6 (her lowest number yet :)

tiffmaxee said:
You can always give TR a try and I’d not for you switch back.
Click to expand...
@tiffmaxee , I really appreciate your advice re: TR. I get the impression that it's more likely to lead to remission that SLGS ... is that true?

My concern is being able to reliably test her at any given time. After a week of practice, what I've found is that either I get it on the first or second try with relatively little fuss, or I try a bunch of times and absolutely nothing comes out. What happens if I need to test at a certain time in order to know how to proceed, and I can't get that drop of blood? Being able to do a proper glucose curve seems more unlikely by the day. I'm not doing anything differently from one test to the next; it's just that sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. (That's why my spreadsheet is so spotty ... not for lack of trying.)

I also feel awful about the bruises that are forming on her ears. I am applying gentle pressure with a cotton round for 20 seconds or so each time that I test, but you can see the bright red areas in the photos. I'm trying to poke a different spot each time, but those "sweet spots" are pretty limited in size, and I imagine it hurts more every time they are poked. How long does it take for the capillaries to "learn to bleed"?

5119C471-DFFF-4147-B43F-105BC60668C5_1_102_a.jpeg


85670ABC-5468-4EB1-A155-3186C9F1040E_1_102_a.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • 5119C471-DFFF-4147-B43F-105BC60668C5_1_102_a.jpeg
    5119C471-DFFF-4147-B43F-105BC60668C5_1_102_a.jpeg
    71.8 KB · Views: 134
  • 85670ABC-5468-4EB1-A155-3186C9F1040E_1_102_a.jpeg
    85670ABC-5468-4EB1-A155-3186C9F1040E_1_102_a.jpeg
    87.9 KB · Views: 125
poor girly. It took me around a month before it got mostly easy. Ares had some bruises i believe it was from 1..hitting that big vein! 2...not putting pressure on his ear quick enough. 3accidentall poking all the way through his ear

It will get easier and hopefully Chispa will begin giving u some blood and healing better.
Unless she has a condition, it is usually cat mom error... unfortunately. We try as hard as we can though.

;)
 
Thanks, @Ashleigh & Ares . I don't think I've hit the big vein (it's very visible) but I've definitely poked all the way through her ear several times -- and nothing came out even so. I swear it's like her ears have blood in them sometimes, and sometimes they just don't. Tonight was the second night in a row that I wasn't able to get her PMPS -- there really was no choice but to give up after poking her SIX TIMES (three in each ear). I can't just keep poking and poking and poking when absolutely nothing is coming out, and she's flinching and yelping with every poke.

I don't know what to do. I could go and get a Libre, but she can't wear it forever, can she??

This is killing me.
 
The Libre works for two weeks, maximum. With each new Libre you use, you have to link it to either your cell phone, or a reader purchased separately. Most people just use their cell phone. However, if you are going to be out of town you will probably need to purchase and use a reader, because you will presumably have your phone with you rather than leaving it at home. You only get one chance per Libre to link it with your phone or the reader. If you change your mind, you can't change which way you are reading the information.

Benny's old vet used only the large back foot paw pad to do the BG sticks. I've done that very rarely when repeated ear sticks did not work and it was a stick that I really needed, such as for an AMPS or PMPS or when he was diving really low. Luckily that has not been often, because it really makes Benny disgruntled to have his foot messed with, and the ear sticks don't bother him as much. Others may prefer not even to use this site. My current vet uses the inside of the ear to stick; I use the outside.
 
Thanks, @Ben&Squirrel . So with the Libre, am I understanding correctly that the phone or reader has to be in the same location as the Libre in order to get the readings? It sounds like it doesn't upload the readings to my phone so that I could check it from wherever I am, as I was hoping -- instead it would be up to the catsitter to take readings and share them with me, correct? (I tried googling this, but the information was not readily available.)

So could she potentially have one Libre after another, forever? If this bloodlessness continues, it may have to come to that. I can't even imagine having to stick Chispa's foot. The ears are bad enough.
 
Have you tried the rice sock? Put some rice in a sock, warm it up in the microwave, press it to the ear before pocking, get blood sample. Did miracles for us until Chico started bleeding better, then no sock was needed :)

good luck with TR :bighug:
 
Marina & Chico said:
Have you tried the rice sock? Put some rice in a sock, warm it up in the microwave, press it to the ear before pocking, get blood sample. Did miracles for us until Chico started bleeding better, then no sock was needed :)

good luck with TR :bighug:
Click to expand...

Thanks, @Marina & Chico — I’ve been using hot water in a pill bottle, which supposedly does the same thing. That said, I’ll try anything at this point.

Love Chico’s “Neighborhood Watch” photo. What a character! :joyful:
 
Karen and Chispa said:
Thanks, @Ben&Squirrel . So with the Libre, am I understanding correctly that the phone or reader has to be in the same location as the Libre in order to get the readings? It sounds like it doesn't upload the readings to my phone so that I could check it from wherever I am, as I was hoping -- instead it would be up to the catsitter to take readings and share them with me, correct? (I tried googling this, but the information was not readily available.)
Click to expand...

That's right. The person gathering the reading has to put the reader or phone up to the Libre device. If you wanted to know her numbers right away, the person would have to tell you.

Karen and Chispa said:
Thanks, @Ben&Squirrel So could she potentially have one Libre after another, forever? If this bloodlessness continues, it may have to come to that. I can't even imagine having to stick Chispa's foot. The ears are bad enough.
Click to expand...

Technically, you could. However, its accuracy is not 100%, especiallly in extreme numbers. If Chispa gets very high, the Libre may be less accurate. If Chispa gets low, which is actually the goal here, it may also be less accurate. For me it was wildly inacccurate sometimes, and at low numbers, you really need accuracy.

You can do this. Take a deep breath and keep practicing. She really needs you to.
 
make sure the ear is very nice and warm and i also massage the ear in order to get blood moving before the poke. i really hope that helps alot. cold ears are THE WORST. im not looking forward to winter again.
 
Marina & Chico said:
Have you tried the rice sock? Put some rice in a sock, warm it up in the microwave, press it to the ear before pocking, get blood sample. Did miracles for us until Chico started bleeding better, then no sock was needed :)

good luck with TR :bighug:
Click to expand...

@Marina & Chico, an update: I tried using rice in a sock yesterday, and what a difference! I don't know why it works better than hot water in a pill bottle, but somehow I managed to get a drop of blood on the first or second try every time I tested throughout the day. It seems like a miracle. I hope it continues. Huge thanks!! :bighug::cat:
 
Karen and Chispa said:
@Marina & Chico, an update: I tried using rice in a sock yesterday, and what a difference! I don't know why it works better than hot water in a pill bottle, but somehow I managed to get a drop of blood on the first or second try every time I tested throughout the day. It seems like a miracle. I hope it continues. Huge thanks!! :bighug::cat:
Click to expand...
Very happy it helped :cat:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top