? 08.23.22 Chispa, need advice before vacation

Karen and Chispa (GA)

Karen and Chispa (GA)

Member Since 2022
Hello, FD friends and mentors!

I'll be going out of town for a week as of Wednesday afternoon, leaving Chispa in the loving care of DBF. I have taught him to shoot and he's comfortable doing it; however, he hasn't managed a successful test yet, so we can't count on that.

As I understand it, my best option is to lower her dose a bit in order to keep her safe while I am away. We are on our 6th cycle of 2.75 units (started Saturday a.m.) and so far she is holding steady in the mid-200s to 300s. What would a safe "vacation dose" be? Is there anything else I should know?

Grateful for your advice, as always :bighug::cat:

@tiffmaxee
 
You would only lower the dose if kitty is seeing greens on a dose, which Chispa is not. In fact, if you don't see blues tonight, you could increase to 3.0 units. Unfortunately that would only give you a day to see how that dose is doing. So you could keep at 2.75 units, if you think DBF can measure that correctly. Or try 3.0 units for a day cause that'll likely still be OK as she's not even low yellows yet, and easier to measure.
 
Hi @Wendy&Neko — thanks for this. I’ll try 3 tomorrow.

While you’re here, can I ask a follow-up question about large drops from pre-shot to +2? How large of a drop does it have to be to signal a possible active cycle? To put it in terms of possible scenarios, how much of a drop would warrant setting an alarm to wake up and test at +5? Or to cancel plans and stay home to test?

I hope these aren’t impossible questions to answer, and I understand it may depend on the cat. I just figure it’s better to have some idea before I find myself in the situation. :bookworm:
 
You are right, it does depend on the cat. ;) But you could start with around 20% drop and see if that's worth testing more. And you could also try a +4 instead of +5. But it is something you will have to get a feel for. It may vary somewhat on how high the preshot was to start with. And also when your cat typically onsets. Chispa does seem to show some dropping at +2, for my girl a +2 wasn't useful when she was on Lantus, but a +3 was.
 
Hi again, @Wendy&Neko ,

Sure enough, Chispa started the day at 371, dropped more than 20% to 287 at +2, and now at +5 she is at 220 -- her lowest number yet.

Looking at her SS, there have been a few times recently when her BG dropped 150 points or more from preshot to +5 (8/19 am, 8/19 pm, possibly 8/21 pm, and today). On 8/19 it went from 598 PS to 347 at +5, a drop of 250 points! With that in mind, are we still ok to continue at 3 units for the coming week, when she will most likely not be tested? (DBF managed one successful test last night, but who knows whether he can repeat? And he will be at work or asleep every day at +5.)

Would you kindly take a look at today's numbers and let me know what you think? I feel like I am asking a fortune teller to read the tea leaves ... :D
 
Karen and Chispa said:
I feel like I am asking a fortune teller to read the tea leaves ... :D
Click to expand...
Or trying to predict what a cat will do. :cat: Seriously though, I used to analyze Neko's spreadsheet for ages before bed, trying to answer the question "do I need to get up in the middle of the night?". My DH called it reading the tea leaves. :p

Anyway, I see a 220 today. That's progress. :) But still 170 points above the danger zone. Can DBF get a +3 at night and based on whether it's a big drop leave out food? Can he get a second test in before going to work, if at least a +2?
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Or trying to predict what a cat will do. :cat: Seriously though, I used to analyze Neko's spreadsheet for ages before bed, trying to answer the question "do I need to get up in the middle of the night?". My DH called it reading the tea leaves. :p

Anyway, I see a 220 today. That's progress. :) But still 170 points above the danger zone. Can DBF get a +3 at night and based on whether it's a big drop leave out food? Can he get a second test in before going to work, if at least a +2?
Click to expand...

Haha, it sounds like DH and I are on the same wavelength :p

DBF could "try" to get a +3 at night, but even if not, I always give a snack before bed and leave a meal in the automatic feeder for +5 or thereabouts. He will also be leaving food in the automatic feeder during the day when he's at work. Since we are pretty well above the danger zone, does that provide enough "insurance"?
 
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