1/7 (late) - Scooter - AMPS 277, PMPS 200, +4 266, +6 292

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Ry & Scooter

Ry & Scooter

Member Since 2011
SO told me this evening that he may have given Scooter too much insulin this morning, he said it was like 1.5u but a little bit below the line, so I think it was maybe a 1.25 or close. We've been considering it for a while so it wasn't a big deal, but I asked him to start doing mid-cycle checks when he gets a few minutes. He does the AMPS and I usually do the PMPS and all the spot checking.

PMPS was 200, lowest it's been in about a week, which is nice to see.

Should I carry on with the 1.25u dose? I did 1u tonight because I didn't have enough time to ask.

Yesterday
 
Re: 1/7 (late) - Scooter - AMPS 277, PMPS 200

Please ask SO to be more careful although it is good to get these kind of mistakes out of the way at this stage of the game and it's great that you are getting some help. You need to bear in mind that accidentally giving too much insulin can kill and that's not something anyone wants to live with.

For the best results it's really important to be consistent with lantus and based on Scooter's ss I'm thinking the increase would have been called for (please don't take my word for that though, I'm sure someone with more experience will be by to confirm before Scooter's next shot is due) so I'm kinda sorry you didn't stick with the 1.25...

You are doing a great job there really fantastic to see you rally for the gorgeous Scooter, please keep posting any questions that you have.
 
Re: 1/7 (late) - Scooter - AMPS 277, PMPS 200

Thanks. I've explained that to him many times, I guess he was struggling with the syringes and that was the closest he could get. I can understand it because I struggle with them too sometimes, the plungers are sticky and they get air bubbles stuck in them.

The first time I asked about an increase people wanted more #'s, so I gave more #'s and no one said anything, so... maybe it's time now.
 
Re: 1/7 (late) - Scooter - AMPS 277, PMPS 200

Ry

Can you please edit your original post, if you add the question mark icon people will know you have a question you need some help with (the icons including the ? are just above the subject line) and it would also be good to add 'dose question' to the subject line so that you get the attention of people that are good with dosing.

Your spreadsheet is filling out nicely, I think there's enough there to indicate the increase to 1.25 but better to get that confirmed.
 
Re: 1/7 (late) - Scooter - AMPS 277, PMPS 200, +4 266

Done and done

Back up to 266 at +4, will test again in 2-3 hours
 
Re: 1/7 (late) - Scooter - AMPS 277, PMPS 200, +4 266 -dose

Here's my dilemma. I think Scooter would benefit from a dose increase. However, in order for you and your SO to not worry about Scooter's safety, you do need to get at least one spot check per cycle. Nadir (or close to nadir checks) are hugely important especially since you are very new to this and don't yet have a clear idea of when Scooter's nadir is or what his typical pattern is. (For example, with Gabby, I know that she tends to have big drops early in the cycle so I know what to expect and can test accordingly.) I know your schedule is challenging. The difficulty is that you don't want to shoot and then walk out the door worrying what's going to happen to Scooter. I don't want to encourage you to raise the dose and worry about what's going to happen to your cat. Is there any way to adjust your schedule/shot times so you can routinely get a +2 test or other, additional tests? It would be very helpful if you could get a curve so you have an idea of when Lantus onset and nadir are.

You might want to take a look at Jill's post on raising the dose.

With regard to sticky syringes, before you draw up the insulin, move the plunger up and down the barrel a couple of times. There's a silicone lubricant in the syringe and moving the plunger will help to make the plunger move more smoothly. After you've drawn up more insulin than you'll need, rather than pushing the plunger to get to your dose, twist the plunger. In other words, you are sort of "dialing in" the plunger until you get to your dose. Twisting gives you much more control over expelling the excess insulin.

One housekeeping item: When you copy and paste your link to your previous condo (thread), you need to paste it between the brackets. If you don't, the link isn't active.
 
Re: 1/7 (late) - Scooter - AMPS 277, PMPS 200, +4 266 -dose

Ugh - I understand why you want me to test more, but if you guys can't work with what I have, or refuse help me because I can't be home to test every hour, I will move to Relaxed Lantus. Being constantly pressured "test more, it's not enough, you need more tests" is driving me crazy with stress because I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN. If I could be awake every hour of the day or magically teleport from 40 minutes across town to home to test him, I would. But I need to sleep, I need to work to pay the credit card debt off, I need to take care of my other responsibilities, I need to take care of MYSELF. I will try to do more, but I can't promise anything.

I am lucky I have my SO on board as much as he is, even if he will only do the AMPS - he started off wanting me to take Scooter to the shelter to have him put down so I am thankful he even does that much.

This is why I was hesitant to even come here in the first place. I knew it would happen.

I will write those tips on the fridge and I fixed the link.
 
Re: 1/7 (late) - Scooter - AMPS 277, PMPS 200, +4 266, +6 29

nobody's pressuring you - it's one of those things that if no one tells you, how will you know? you asked for the advice. sometimes we try to educate people and it might feel like pressure, but no one means it to be. sometimes it's hard to know how to give people information in the way they want to hear it, kwim? so we all do the best we can giving info out that we think the person needs to have to help their cat.

i looked back at your condo from yesterday (1/6) which was the first one on this forum, and not one person told you to test more - but i know when you're already stressed anything can sometimes be too much. yesterday's conversation was all about eating and barfing! :lol: only here would people be so fascinated by vomit and poop! ;-)

try to assume that this is like a class, and people are just going to give you ideas so that you can learn about lantus and how it works in scooter's body. we all understand life and having to work around things! really! hang in there. for now, if you feel better, just keep the 1.0 dose until things in life settle down.

:YMHUG:
 
Re: 1/7 (late) - Scooter - AMPS 277, PMPS 200, +4 266, +6 29

It's okay, Ry...
we can only do what we can do...
and care-giving can be exhausting.
I would hesitate to raise the dose until things settle down for you.

celi & binks
 
Re: 1/7 (late) - Scooter - AMPS 277, PMPS 200, +4 266, +6 29

Just do what you can. If you can grab a curve once a week on a day off, it would be awesome.

For me, at least, testing as much as possible early on has made the whole process SO MUCH less stressful for me. Because I have so much data, I know when Mikey's nadir is, so if he's dropping toward the 60's around that time, I don't worry as much because I know he'll be heading back up soon, and I don't necessarily have to intervene. Also, I can (usually) tell by his +2 where his cycle is headed, and that allows me to relax and leave the house, or go to bed, etc. If I didn't have all the data I do, I wouldn't be able to do those things without a ton of stress. It's not that we're trying to pressure you to follow a rigid regimen, we're trying to help you gather info so that you will have less stress down the road.

It took me a couple of weeks before I realized I could take care of myself AND Mikey. It means I've had to make some adjustments. Six hours of sleep is now the norm. I get up early to do his shot, then grab another hour's sleep. I'm unemployed right now, but because of the data I've collected, I feel like I can leave for a job when i get one and Mikey will be safe. If you don't go to bed right after the evening shot, grab a test every hour or so until you do. Not because it's part of the protocol, but because it will help you feel less stressed down the road as you learn your cat's unique process. Remember, dosing is based on the nadir, so we can't help you with that if you don't have the info.

Again, I was in your shoes a couple of weeks ago. Take a deep breath, relax, grab a curve once a week on your day off and spot checks whenever you're home and can take a minute to get one. Having the data has made a world of difference to my stress level. It's to help YOU feel more comfortable with your cat's unique situation and to keep him healthy, no other reason, no agenda.
 
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