09/18 Blaze AMPS 7.1/128

Blaze and Paola

Blaze and Paola

Member Since 2020
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/09-17-blaze-amps-10-9-196.235451/

@Critter Mom @tiffmaxee

Good morning girls,
Blaze is low this morning...and was over night.
He has never been this low at a preshot ever.
He is eating right now but I am not sure what to do...if I should give him some insulin...a few drops or not shoot at all since I am going to work. He has been on a nice streak though...what do you think?
He kept me up all night though, he was restless. I didn't sleep.
 
I still have a few minutes to shoot something, I am within the 15 min time frame...but I am not feeling comfortable doing it...
 
Things for you to consider:

* Lowest preshot to date.
* No monitoring possible.
* Numbers have been steadily improving, even on smaller dose.
* Blaze's behaviour was unusual last night - and he was in very good numbers at the time.
* Numbers have tended to stay fairly flat previously when no insulin given (skipped shot, fur shot).
* Historically, Blaze has been in good numbers with occasional pinks from bouncing off better numbers.
* No history of throwing ketones.

If it were my cat, I'd skip.

What do think, Paola?


Mogs
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Skippng, the points you listed made it even more clear to me that skipping is what I should do. Decision made. THANK YOU SO MUCH for ALWAYS being there Mogs, I don't know what I would do without you and Elise:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Have a grand day at school Paola. BTW Blaze is now starting to run a lot of the time in the normal BG reference range. If your spreadsheet was colour-coded for an Alphatrak meter and the normal feline BG reference range (3.9-8.3mmol/L, per my vet's advice) you'd be seeing some nice safe greens now.

Keep well, and keep safe.

:bighug:


Mogs
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Last edited:
A thought:

Especially now that Blaze is in better numbers I recommend being doubly sure that you've got plenty of strips for the Alphatrak meter. I'm making this suggestion purely as a sensible general safety precaution because you can't pop out to the local chemist to pick up more Alphatrak strips. It's also wise to have a good supply of test strips for your backup meter. And spare batteries. And... And... (I'm not paranoid - honest, guv! :rolleyes: ;) )


Mogs
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Have a safe day at school and now you can feel safe about Blaze at home. Over the weekend you might want to make another spreadsheet using the one for AT. You don’t need to put in the past numbers or even add it to your signature. It would be just for you to see how many times he’s in green!
 
I have all of the above Mogs!
Plenty of strips, batteries as well.
I am going to make a Alphatrak Spreadsheet right now so I can see that.
I just tested him at +9, he is 8.1/146 with no insulin given this morning
 
I went to download an Alphatrack Spreadsheet but I noticed that there is no difference in the levels between the Human meter one and the one supposed to be used for Alphatrak 2. The only difference is in the green area, where the take action number is below 68. Am I looking at the wrong one?
 
So I received the verdict of the vet after looking at Blazes data.

She basically still thinks that Blaze should be getting more insulin because of his size. She thinks that the 0.5 unit was already a fraction of what he was supposed to get (which was 2.0U) and reducing to 0.25 and less (0.15U) and not being consistent with the dosage all the times is not ideal.

BUT then she says that "Blaze's current curve looks appropriate at this time".

She is also saying that I shouldn't be testing so often: quote "Unless you're concerned that he is becoming hypoglycemic, it is not necessary to take so many blood sugar readings. I know that you are concerned that his blood sugar may become too low - you're right to be more concerned about it being too low than too high, because it's safer for the blood sugar to be too high than for it to be too low".
 
I just want to hold my head when I hear vets talking like that!

I'm not sure what happened today, but personally I don't think there were enough tests today. (sorry, I just looked at your notes in the SS - you're at work!)...

What you're looking for are nice flat numbers...so right now he's kinda flat with those blues...

I definitely would NOT give any more insulin (not a larger dose) - regardless of his size!

Depend on your testing - the numbers are crucial to knowing which dose is working for him. Try to be as consistent as possible

Do you have calipers to help you measure such a fine dose? Stick with a consistent time of day every day.

Take a look at Teal'c - info - SS - his mama Patty works too...so perhaps it would be helpful to see what's going on there. Here's the last post: https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/9-16-tealc-amps-83.235393/#post-2636252

There are others who work fulltime..
 
A few words comes to mind, inconsistent, mixed messages, and nonsense. If the bg curve is appropriate, if you are right tgat a hypo is more serious than being too high, how could 2 units be an appropriate dose? Weight only is a criteria for dosing at the beginning. I don’t understand her.
 
tiffmaxee said:
A few words comes to mind, inconsistent, mixed messages, and nonsense. If tge bg curve is appropriate, if you are right now a hypo is more serious than being too high, how could 2 units be an appropriate dose? Weight only is a criteria for dosing at the beginning. I don’t understand her.
Click to expand...

EXACTLY My thoughts! Well said Elise!
 
I had to read her email 3 times...honestly I am going to continue to do what I am doing...I think that the numbers he had these past couple of days have been better. Today I didn't even shoot him and he was 8.1/145 when I got back from work
 
I just gave him his 0.15U. He ate well and I think that dosage is working for him. Vet says that because sometimes Blaze doesn't really eat his full meal, that I should be considering doing an ultrasound to see if there is anything else going on. I think that the reason why he was so restless overnight could have been that he was in low numbers for the first time in a while and his system is kinda thinking "what is going on"...
 
Entirely up to you whether you feel you need to bring him in. He’s acting well in every other way. See how he is doing and then decide is what I would do.
 
Yes, I feel that the decisions I have made with all of your help is what is making Blaze feel better and have better numbers. If I had only listened to the vet and had never found this Board when I was desperate, I feel I wouldn't have my kitty with me anymore. You can't expect that every cat is the same and that the rules written in textbook and manuals must be applied in full at all costs.
 
Blaze and Paola said:
So I received the verdict of the vet after looking at Blazes data.

She basically still thinks that Blaze should be getting more insulin because of his size. She thinks that the 0.5 unit was already a fraction of what he was supposed to get (which was 2.0U) and reducing to 0.25 and less (0.15U) and not being consistent with the dosage all the times is not ideal.

BUT then she says that "Blaze's current curve looks appropriate at this time".

She is also saying that I shouldn't be testing so often: quote "Unless you're concerned that he is becoming hypoglycemic, it is not necessary to take so many blood sugar readings. I know that you are concerned that his blood sugar may become too low - you're right to be more concerned about it being too low than too high, because it's safer for the blood sugar to be too high than for it to be too low".
Click to expand...
You're vet is nervous. Suddenly the little she learned in vet school is even less. Not yet, but she will learn a lot from you and Blaze – especially going easy on the insulin and recommending home testing.
Have a great weekend, Paola. I'm sorry you aren't getting much sleep and the education system is still trying to figure out how to go about educating. :bighug:
 
Looks like you've got yourself a pyjama party, Paola... :nailbiting:

I'd also suggest reducing the dose tomorrow morning. You'll then have 4 back-to-back cycles with which to judge dose safety before Monday.

I just caught this as I was making a final swoop before I pass out (I have sleep meds on board so I'm going to pass out very shortly.)

How is Blaze acting? Is he fretty like he was last night?


Mogs
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Last night it was more of a waking me up for attention, licking headboard of my bed, knocking things over my bed side table, scratching things he is not supposed to scratch...then went on ALL night
 
Looks like he might earn a reduction either tonight or tomorrow. Mogs why don’t you think she should give it 1 more chance tomorrow?
 
Will try to eke them out with you but if I suddenly go silent it's because the meds won out. To fill out the time let's get a bit of housekeeping stuff done.

Here comes another Moggie's Big Book of FD Kwestions:

For tonight:
1. Is Blaze hungry?
2. When did you last feed (time in + notation, type of food (LC, MC, HC)
3. Do you have plenty of the mid and high carb in the hypo kit?
4. Do you remember now to steer numbers?
5. Do you know how to change your thread to ask for help if you need it?


.
 
tiffmaxee said:
Looks like he might earn a reduction either tonight or tomorrow. Mogs why don’t you think she should give it 1 more chance tomorrow?
Click to expand...
No, Elise. I'd rather see four cycles at the reduced dose to allow the depot to adjust a bit and for Paola to see where Blaze is at. Anti-jinx, I think Paola may have a challenging few days and nights ahead...

Can you point Paola in the direction of the drop dosing info in the Lantus stickies please, Elise? Also can you stay with her long enough to give her a quick refresh of feed 'n' test, feed 'n' test so she knows what she's at for the rest of the cycle? Or find someone online who could keep an eye out for a while? If I get 10 minutes more of consciousness I'll be lucky. Already fighting the meds trying to type this. I wish I could stay but that's an impossibility. :(


Mogs
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Hi Paola,

How are you both doing over there? I'm so sorry I wasn't able to sit with you last night.

Did Blaze calm down at all?

I'm keeping an eye on this thread and also watching for a tag.


Mogs
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Morning, Paola!

No need to be sorry, Paola. We've both been there, so we know the drill only too well. :)

:bighug:

How are you both doing?

How much time (HH:MM) till your AMPS?


Mogs
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