1/4 BuddyM: +10 69 | AMPS 98 | +2 87 | +3.5 58 | What is going on? (lower than expected)

Mariette

Mariette

Member Since 2020
Previously:
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...10-5-49-11-76-pmps-77-what-do-i-shoot.240958/

Sorry guys I answered on my previous thread this morning. I'll do it correctly next time. (Only thread per day)

We were expecting Buddy to be high this morning because he had a fur shot yesterday morning and I gave him a big discount last night (3 units instead of 4). He tends to drop drastically lately, and his PMPS was too low for me to feel comfortable giving him the full dose. But Buddy is not high. Is this the depot releasing excess and dropping the bg lower than it should?

What on earth to do this morning? I was planning on going back to 4 units today, but that was assuming he'd be quite high today.
 
Thanks Elise! And good morning :coffee:

This damn depot! It's such a black box. I really can't make sense of it.

Can you think of any other spreadsheets I can go look at to get a sanity check for this depot action? When a skipped/fur shot/back-to-back reduction caused the numbers to go lower for a couple days.
 
Good morning. Let me think. I just got out of bed and I’m having coffee and catching up on some kitties. I’ll be back for your amps and will think about some spreadsheets to show you later.
 
By the way Buddy's been a lot more sprightly the last few days. Way more energy, and very playful and curious.

Is it possible that he had some internal issue that resolved and is causing him to need less insulin all of a sudden? Or is that way out of the norm? The vet who diagnosed him reported an elarged kidney but no other issues at the time. She did an x-ray I believe. But they can't catch everything right?
 
Or do you mean that Buddy might actually need less insulin like Butters?

Because that's kinda where my head is at too. But I don't understand this whole depot factor!
 
tiffmaxee said:
The depot is still active from 4.5. Can you monitor? If so I would give 4.0. If not let us know. This should be a flat cycle.
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I'm working from home today, so I can monitor. But I just do not feel comfortable about giving 4.
 
Thank you for the encouragement Bhooma and Elise!

I'm a wimp. I gave him 3. I really don't want to set his progress back but I don't trust this depot thing that I don't understand.
 
tiffmaxee said:
What about 3.75 then? But I do think a bounce might be starting.
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Mariette, you don't want to take too many back to back reductions. You are already down from 4.5 to 4 in 2 days plus a token dose. All of it will eventually catch up. And you've worked so hard to get Buddy into such great numbers. You don't want to lose momentum.
 
Bandit's Mom said:
Mariette, you don't want to take too many back to back reductions. You are already down from 4.5 to 4 in 2 days plus a token dose. All of it will eventually catch up. And you've worked so hard to get Buddy into such great numbers. You don't want to lose momentum.
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I know. That's what I'm afraid of. But I don't want him in danger. I'm not comfortable with navigating these low numbers yet or how to handle the decreases. Please bear with me.
 
I do agree with Bhooma. You say he’s got more energy and it sounds like he’s feeling better too. I’m going to ask the mods to take a look too.

Marietta, what did your vet say about the large kidney?
 
Mariette, I totally get being scared. I was so freaked out when I got my first green preshots. But then everyone here repeated the mantra "Shoot low to stay low" to me and I finally started to trust it after a while. Once the cat gets into greens, the dips are much less dramatic than coming from pinks or yellows. You can handle it when it happens next time. :bighug:
 
tiffmaxee said:
I do agree with Bhooma. You say he’s got more energy and it sounds like he’s feeling better too. I’m going to ask the mods to take a look too.

Marietta, what did your vet say about the large kidney?
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Just that he had an enlarged kidney. Probably because of the diabetes.
 
PerfumedCatMom said:
Mariette, I totally get being scared. I was so freaked out when I got my first green preshots. But then everyone here repeated the mantra "Shoot low to stay low" to me and I finally started to trust it after a while. Once the cat gets into greens, the dips are much less dramatic than coming from pinks or yellows. You can handle it when it happens next time. :bighug:
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Thanks for the encouragement Katherine!

Buddy's dips have been dramatic though. Look at January 2. He went from 136 preshot to 46 at +5. :(
 
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Mariette said:
Thanks for the encouragement Katherine!

Buddy's dips have been dramatic though. Look at January 2. He went from 136 preshot to 45 at +5. :(
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That has happened to all of us, some drop even more dramatically. Lantus starts to give you nice flat green cycles with out big drops as the cats get used to normal numbers. Baby steps. I keep saying greens get contagious. It will happen. We all were scared of lows at first. Once you see that feeding brings them back up it gets less scary.
 
tiffmaxee said:
That has happened to all of us, some drop even more dramatically. Lantus starts to give you nice flat green cycles with out big drops as the cats get used to normal numbers. Baby steps. I keep saying greens get contagious. It will happen. We all were scared of lows at first. Once you see that feeding brings them back up it gets less scary.
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Thanks for understanding Elise.
I know it must be frustrating that I'm not listening to advice but he's my little baby and I really am trying to do the best for him.
 
Mariette said:
Thanks for the encouragement Katherine!

Buddy's dips have been dramatic though. Look at January 2. He went from 136 preshot to 46 at +5. :(
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Oh trust me, I understand drama! I started calling Ruby a deep sea diver because we'd be at some seemingly safe number and then pop to a lime green: look at 11/28/2020 on Ruby's SS. We've all been there and our kitties have miraculously survived because this group trains us well on what to do. Shoot low to stay low!
 
PerfumedCatMom said:
Oh trust me, I understand drama! I started calling Ruby a deep sea diver because we'd be at some seemingly safe number and then pop to a lime green: look at 11/28/2020 on Ruby's SS. We've all been there and our kitties have miraculously survived because this group trains us well on what to do. Shoot low to stay low!
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Wow that's quite a drop. Totally out of the blue. (literally)
That must have scared the living daylights out of you!
 
Mariette said:
Wow that's quite a drop. Totally out of the blue. (literally)
That must have scared the living daylights out of you!
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Those early days of Ruby getting regulated gave me lots of gray hairs! :rolleyes: And as you go down the sheet you'll see how many times she threw me a number below 50 by +2 or +3. It was exhausting to be testing and feeding small spoonfuls of food all of the time, hoping the next test will be higher than the last (but not too high, of course ;)). It's all been very worth the effort though, as now I have a cat who is happy, who plays and who has a shiny soft coat again.
 
We ALL have been in your shoes. We know you are listening and you need to go at your own pace and comfort level. We will continue to give our opinions but you hold the syringe. Have a look at Shiloh567, her 2020 ss to see a diving artist in action.
 
PerfumedCatMom said:
Those early days of Ruby getting regulated gave me lots of gray hairs! :rolleyes: And as you go down the sheet you'll see how many times she threw me a number below 50 by +2 or +3. It was exhausting to be testing and feeding small spoonfuls of food all of the time, hoping the next test will be higher than the last (but not too high, of course ;)). It's all been very worth the effort though, as now I have a cat who is happy, who plays and who has a shiny soft coat again.
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Ugh I already feel the same even though Buddy's just barely started in the greens. I was at breaking point two days ago when the few nights of no sleep caught up with me.

I'm so happy Ruby's doing so much better. That's wonderful!
 
tiffmaxee said:
I don’t think it’s from diabetes but he could have had crystals or a stone that passed. Was he tested for a UTI?
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I am not sure if he was tested for a UTI. When he was diagnosed I took him in for a terrible diarrhea bout he was having.
 
Mariette said:
I just asked the vet to send over his labs...
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I'd delete that file and then black out your phone/address for privacy. You can also (or alternatively) manually enter the labs and reference values into your SS when you have time.
 
Buddy was 87 at +2.

I do have a follow up at the vet on Saturday. It was supposed to happen much earlier but because of covid making everything complicated it was pushed back a few times.

Anything specific I should ask her to test for?
 
I think I would want to know about the comment on the RDW being a touch high. I don’t think it’s a concern but if labs are run again it would clarify. I would spring for a fructosamine so you can see the lab’s two week average and their assessment of how controlled he is. Other than that he is feeling good. Any concerns that you have? I would want the labs sent out as opposed to in house. I just think they are more reliable that way.
 
Mariette said:
Buddy was 87 at +2.

I do have a follow up at the vet on Saturday. It was supposed to happen much earlier but because of covid making everything complicated it was pushed back a few times.

Anything specific I should ask her to test for?
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Feed a little lc and test in an hour.
 
tiffmaxee said:
I think I would want to know about the comment on the RDW being a touch high. I don’t think it’s a concern but if labs are run again it would clarify. I would spring for a fructosamine so you can see the lab’s two week average and their assessment of how controlled he is. Other than that he is feeling good. Any concerns that you have? I would want the labs sent out as opposed to in house. I just think they are more reliable that way.
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Thank you so much for taking a look at the labs! I'll ask about the RDW.
He is getting the fructosamine on Saturday.
 
I already gave him 3 teaspoons of the 15% I also have 20% and some 18%.

15% and 20% are FF gravy lovers and 18% is Weruvia Mack, Jack, and Sam
 
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