1/19 - Sami - PMPS 324 - Question about testing

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Tina & Sammy

Tina & Sammy

Very Active Member
Good morning all,

Yesterday's Condo - 1/18/10

Looks like Sami might have been surfing right around the 300 mark for most of the night. I was so exhausted last night after having to deal with another kitty who has also been experiencing some sort of illness.

I went back to shooting in the scruff this morning. Is it bad to switch from the scruff to the flank, or should I stick with one general area and stay there?

Hope everyone has a nice day. I am hoping mine will be less stressful than yesterday.

Brenda and Morris said:
I've been shooting in the scruff for going on 10 years, just vary the sides and up/down the spine a little each day.

Good to see you taking the dose up a bit...suggest that you have the medium carb food with you at the office just in case you get a lower number and need to bring her up a bit while there.

Good luck with the dosecrease!
Click to expand...

Brenda, I will take some higher carb (8% & 16%) food with me to the office today just in case she gets a little low. Based on last nights +6 number I can't see that happening, but it never hurts to be prepared.
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami AMPS 290

Good morning,

We use to shoot on the scruff, and rotated every shot. I believe most do the rotation thing, as long as u stay within the area you choose.


Brenda suggested this last nite:
I've been shooting in the scruff for going on 10 years, just vary the sides and up/down the spine a little each day.


So yea, works like that for which ever area u pick, stick with one area and just rotate slightly for every shot.

I notice u take Sami with you often, maybe keep a kit of MC and HC, strips etc at work, if u have a locker or drawer to store ur things.
Hope she comes down for u and as always, slow and steady Sami!
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami AMPS 290

"Based on last nights +6 number I can't see that happening, but it never hurts to be prepared."

You know the saying, Man plans, God laughs? haha_smiley Substitue Kitty for God....best to be prepared. Plus it takes a few days for that shed to fill but when it does, there's little warning.

Nice that Sami came down some for you. cat_pet_icon
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami AMPS 290

Ronnie & Luna said:
Good morning,

We use to shoot on the scruff, and rotated every shot. I believe most do the rotation thing, as long as u stay within the area you choose.


Brenda suggested this last nite:
I've been shooting in the scruff for going on 10 years, just vary the sides and up/down the spine a little each day.


So yea, works like that for which ever area u pick, stick with one area and just rotate slightly for every shot.

I notice u take Sami with you often, maybe keep a kit of MC and HC, strips etc at work, if u have a locker or drawer to store ur things.
Hope she comes down for u and as always, slow and steady Sami!
Click to expand...

So I guess what you are saying is either shoot in the scruff or the flank, but don't alternate between the two. I totally understand the varying the placement of the shot each time and not shooting the same spot. I guess I will stick with the scruff, because I like the idea of the insulin working for a longer period rather than dropping quickly.
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami AMPS 290

So I guess what you are saying is either shoot in the scruff or the flank, but don't alternate between the two. I totally understand the varying the placement of the shot each time and not shooting the same spot. I guess I will stick with the scruff, because I like the idea of the insulin working for a longer period rather than dropping quickly.
Click to expand...


no I dont mean rotate from the scruff to the flank.

Pick a spot and shoot there, simply rotate around the shot area.

Like with everything, pick one thing and stick with it for consistency.
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami AMPS 290

Ronnie & Luna said:
So I guess what you are saying is either shoot in the scruff or the flank, but don't alternate between the two. I totally understand the varying the placement of the shot each time and not shooting the same spot. I guess I will stick with the scruff, because I like the idea of the insulin working for a longer period rather than dropping quickly.
Click to expand...


no I dont mean rotate from the scruff to the flank.

Pick a spot and shoot there, simply rotate around the shot area.

Like with everything, pick one thing and stick with it for consistency.
Click to expand...


Got it. I will stick with the scruff. Because from what I have read it has a slower absorption rate, and I think that will help prevent huge drops in short amounts of time. Does that make sense?
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami AMPS 290; +2 343; +4 306; +6 333

I am so confused. I know we just increased Sami's dose but after her being below 300 for her AMPS I was expecting her to stay in the yellow. Could this rise have anything to do with changing the injection site from the flank to the scruff. Does she need to build up a shed at this new location? Should I continue injecting in the flank instead?
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami AMPS 290; +2 343; +4 306; +6 333

msarobix said:
I am so confused. I know we just increased Sami's dose but after her being below 300 for her AMPS I was expecting her to stay in the yellow. Could this rise have anything to do with changing the injection site from the flank to the scruff. Does she need to build up a shed at this new location? Should I continue injecting in the flank instead?
Click to expand...

Hi Tina! :smile: What you are seeing is a completely normal response to a dose increase and shed filling (we call it NDW - New Dose Wonkiness). Please read this thread on what NDW is.

Just hang in there. It's not the injection site. This is how the insulin works.
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami AMPS 290; +2 343; +4 306; +6 333

Cassandra and Sasha said:
msarobix said:
I am so confused. I know we just increased Sami's dose but after her being below 300 for her AMPS I was expecting her to stay in the yellow. Could this rise have anything to do with changing the injection site from the flank to the scruff. Does she need to build up a shed at this new location? Should I continue injecting in the flank instead?
Click to expand...

Hi Tina! :smile: What you are seeing is a completely normal response to a dose increase and shed filling (we call it NDW - New Dose Wonkiness). Please read this thread on what NDW is.

Just hang in there. It's not the injection site. This is how the insulin works.
Click to expand...

Okay, thanks, I just wanted to make sure it wasn't because of my wishy-washyness. How long does the new dose wonkiness usually last?
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami - FOOD QUESTION

Does anyone know anything about Taste of the Wild food. I was at the pet supply store today looking for some acceptable dry food for Sami, and they didn't have any of the low carb dry foods listed on Janet's and Binky's List. The packaging states Grain Free, but that doesn't always mean low carb. The packaging also states 3% fiber but that isn't total carb count either.

Just want to know if this food would be okay for Sami. If not what dry food do you recommend as a suppliment to the wet.

Thanks.

PMPS number coming shortly, I am hoping for some yellow.
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami - FOOD QUESTION

Hi Tina
Sorry to hear you are having some frustration with numbers.
Take it from me, I have been down that road and still on it.
I can pass on the advice that has been given to me many times on the board.
Patience.
I know, easier to say but Sami will get there.
With regards to food, I am under the impression that dry food is not good for
diabetics but I am sure others will have opinions.
I bought Origens, which is from Canada and says something about diabetics but I finally
have all 3 cats only wet and have this big bag of dry.
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami - FOOD QUESTION

msarobix said:
Just want to know if this food would be okay for Sami. If not what dry food do you recommend as a suppliment to the wet.
Click to expand...

In my opinion... dry food will only cause you grey hair! In addition to getting the BG all over the place and no so predictable. If Sami eats wet food, ditch the dry forever! Dr. Lisa @ www.catinfo.org has a good page on the subject. I recommend that you have a look.
 
No such luck with the Yellow PMPS. I can say that Sami seems to be more frisky the last few days than she has been over the last two months. She still seems to sleep alot, but then again I have been paying a lot closer attention to what she does since she has been sick so it could be that she always slept this much.

I have also concluded that Sami will be getting her shot on her flank from here on out. Sami seems to be more sensitive in her scruff and she always seems to flinch when I give her the shot there, but it doesn't seem to phase her when I give her the shot in the flank. So there you go, I guess we don't have much of a choice since it is all about Sami's comfort.

Maybe we will get lucky and see some yellow over night. I will probably test her again before I go to bed, and the get up at some point during the night to do a spot check. I doubt she will go too low, but it is always good to have the data.

I do have a question about testing though. Do you alternate ears or do you always test in the same ear?
 
msarobix said:
I do have a question about testing though. Do you alternate ears or do you always test in the same ear?
Click to expand...

Tina
You really should alternate the ears and use a dab of poly or neosporin after each test.
Always need to watch for infection.
 
I use the same ear unless I happen to pick him up wrong and the other ear is more convenient, I will use it. But the one ear I use all the time bleeds better. :-D

As for the BG readings, this is not an exact science....ECID and all that. If you go and look at others' spreadsheets who have been here for a long time and go back to the very beginning of their spreadsheet, you will probably see erratic numbers, sometimes for months before there is any improvement. cat(2)_steam You are in very early days, my dear. While it is OK to be hopeful, don't set yourself up for discouragement... it could take awhile before you can predict Sami's readings with any hope of being close. dancing_cat One step forward, two steps back, that's what we call the sugar dance! dancing_cat
 
come on Sami, let's see yellow!

Lucy is a right ear tester. Any attempts to test the left ear resulted in more of MY blood loss than hers. I tested her that way for well over a year, many times a day. It did bruise sometimes but it has healed completely now.
 
I test on one ear. In part, it's more convenient for me and part of Gabby's other ear is black and it's harder to see the blood well up. The other practical reason that I test on one ear is that it bleeds better.

msarobix said:
I was at the pet supply store today looking for some acceptable dry food for Sami, and they didn't have any of the low carb dry foods listed on Janet's and Binky's List.
Click to expand...
I'm curious as to why you want to feed Sami dry food. The Taste of the Wild that you mentioned contains such things as Chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, roasted venison, smoked salmon, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, methionine, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries. The items I italicized cannot be metabolized by a cat. Cats are obligate carnivores and can't digest vegetable or fruit matter. It's also not clear whether the chicken meal that is the first ingredient is high quality protein (i.e., muscle meat) or who knows what else. I also don't feed fish. Even products like EVO dry contain quite a few fruits and veggies.

Helene suggested you look at Lisa Pierson, DVM's site. She's done extensive work looking at feline nutrition and recommends a species specific diet. In other words, high quality protein in a wet form in order to keep a cat properly hydrated.
 
Re: 1/19 - Sami - FOOD QUESTION

msarobix said:
Just want to know if this food would be okay for Sami. If not what dry food do you recommend as a suppliment to the wet.
Click to expand...

Unless there is a serious health reason that is causing a kitty to be inappetant and dry is all they will eat, it is generally recommended that no dry food is fed to any cat, diabetic or otherwise. Even the grain free versions will seriously raise BGs and insulin needs, and can produce some incredibly erratic results when using Lantus. Is there a reason you feel you need to be supplementing the canned food?

I second the call to read Dr. Lisa's website. Dry food is what brought the majority of us here, and dry food will not only keep most cats on insulin permanently, but may also cause other health issues. It's just not worth it.
 
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