? 10/11 UPDATE Apollo's PMBS was 425, started with 1.5 units, +1=343, +2=339, +3=277

Mile Hi Dave

Member Since 2020
10/11 -- We've been on Vetsulin since July. Switching to Lantus today and Apollo comes up with this reading. I'm afraid to shoot because it is his first dose. He's eating now. I'm supposed to start with 1.5 units. Do I just wait til this PM to be safe? Spreadsheet was just started today, but his AMPS has historically been 269 on the low side and 389 on the high side, mostly in the mid 300's on Vetsulin. He got his Vetsulin, PMPS 320, last night and now he gives me this reading. I'm thinking I should wait, it worth the risk of letting him go a bit high til tonight. What do you, experts, think??
 
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The typical questions you need to think about is whether you have an ample supply of strips and if you have high carb food on hand if you need to steer the numbers. If I recall correctly, you're low on strips. If you look at the sticky on handling low numbers, you'll see that you would need to be testing every 15 - 20 min should numbers drop into a low(er) range. That could potentially mean a lot of tests! Unfortunately, there's no way to tell how the cycle will play out. If you're planning on following TR, you would be able to shoot anything over 150 but you need to think about whether this is feasible give your supply of strips.

It sounds like you're nervous about shooting. If that's the case, wait until PMPS.
 
The typical questions you need to think about is whether you have an ample supply of strips and if you have high carb food on hand if you need to steer the numbers. If I recall correctly, you're low on strips. If you look at the sticky on handling low numbers, you'll see that you would need to be testing every 15 - 20 min should numbers drop into a low(er) range. That could potentially mean a lot of tests! Unfortunately, there's no way to tell how the cycle will play out. If you're planning on following TR, you would be able to shoot anything over 150 but you need to think about whether this is feasible give your supply of strips.

It sounds like you're nervous about shooting. If that's the case, wait until PMPS.


That's what I'm thinking, especially with a new insulin. I do have strips coming today, paid more to buy them from Amazon and I have Prime. According to Amazon, they are out for delivery, so tomorrow won't be an issue. I'm in favor of letting him be a bit high today, so I can safely shoot this evening. I just wanted some assurance that my thinking is correct. A bit high is far better than him going hypo. I do have a hypo kit, with everything needed, just don't want to ever have to use it! :)
 
Just an FYI...

We make a distinction between low numbers and a symptomatic hypoglycemic episode. The latter is to be avoided. However, since you're planning on using TR, the point for a dose reduction is where numbers drop below 50. Don't confuse low numbers with a "hypo." Unfortunately, many people don't make the distinction.
 
Hi Dave! Is this your first post to the LB&L Forum? I don't recall seeing a LEOPARD on here before! WOW!!

I just looked at your avatar and it appears that Apollo is in the POOL?? Is there water in there?

I'm so impressed with your pic, I'm having a hard time getting to other important stuff...like WELCOME!

If you've come from another forum, could you possibly copy and paste your url from over there to here so we won't have to go looking? I suppose if this is your first day (well, planned day) for Lantus, then most likely it IS your first post here...

At any rate, welcome to the LB&L forum! Looking forward to seeing the antics and more pics please of your boy Apollo! From what I can see he's a real beauty. Luci and I will be looking for more glam shots :)

Have a great day!
 
Just an FYI...

We make a distinction between low numbers and a symptomatic hypoglycemic episode. The latter is to be avoided. However, since you're planning on using TR, the point for a dose reduction is where numbers drop below 50. Don't confuse low numbers with a "hypo." Unfortunately, many people don't make the distinction.

I understand that, I'm hoping to be able to go down .25 soon! I really just want to start him out closer to the 300+ he has been for the last few months, especially just starting a new insulin. I'm ready, he just wasn't. Strips came, got Lantus to last til I get my shipment and have a source for more, if needed. Have a hypo kit ready. I think I'm as ready as I can be.
 
Hi Dave! Is this your first post to the LB&L Forum? I don't recall seeing a LEOPARD on here before! WOW!!

I just looked at your avatar and it appears that Apollo is in the POOL?? Is there water in there?

I'm so impressed with your pic, I'm having a hard time getting to other important stuff...like WELCOME!

If you've come from another forum, could you possibly copy and paste your url from over there to here so we won't have to go looking? I suppose if this is your first day (well, planned day) for Lantus, then most likely it IS your first post here...

At any rate, welcome to the LB&L forum! Looking forward to seeing the antics and more pics please of your boy Apollo! From what I can see he's a real beauty. Luci and I will be looking for more glam shots :)

Have a great day!

It's my second post . Apollo is a water friendly Bengal. Yes, he gets in the pool, it's his and has even hopped in a real pool. It's the breed. He's hopped in the shower with me many times because he knows how to open doors with handles instead of knobs. They're super smart. I had to childproof my cupboards and, sometimes, he gets past them.

I belong to the feline diabetes FB GROUP, but this is the only forum.

Thanks for the welcome!
 
Hey Dave! Great to see you here in the LB&L Forum from the FB group!

One thing you can always be sure of....cat's hate to be predictable! So of course on the morning of your first shot of Lantus, you get your lowest number ever!!

It would actually be helpful if you could go back and add maybe a week's worth of test results from when you were using the Vetsulin on your spreadsheet. Then you can add a line in between to show you've started Lantus. (if you look at 4/1 or 5/18 on China's spreadsheet there's an example)

Apollo is stunningly beautiful!! How much does he weigh?

If I'd been able to be here earlier, I would have suggested you go ahead and shoot as long as you had plenty of supplies (strips, medium and high carb food, Karo/honey/syrup and the ability to test as often as necessary today)

Next time you get a PS you're not sure about shooting, you can Stall, don't feed and test again in 20-30 minutes to see if the number goes up without the influence of food. If it does, that's usually a pretty good indication that the last shot is starting to wear off.

The thing to remember about Lantus is you're not really shooting the number he's at now....the dose doesn't usually start to "kick in" for 2-3 hours, so it's like you're actually shooting that number (you'll also be feeding him which should bring the number up too)

We usually suggest that if the cat is above 150, you should go ahead and shoot the scheduled dose. Get a +1 and +2 when you're shooting a lower PS number so if you do need to intervene, you can do it early. As you gain more experience and data, that 150 starts to come down until you're willing to shoot anything over 50. "Shoot low to stay low" is a common saying you'll hear around here!

Since you were on 2U of Vetsulin, you could start at 2U of Lantus, but if that concerns you, there's nothing wrong with starting a little lower, like 1.5

Keep asking questions! No question is a dumb one here!
 
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Hey Dave! Great to see you here in the LB&L Forum from the FB group!

One thing you can always be sure of....cat's hate to be predictable! So of course on the morning of your first shot of Lantus, you get your lowest number ever!!

It would actually be helpful if you could go back and add maybe a week's worth of test results from when you were using the Vetsulin on your spreadsheet. Then you can add a line in between to show you've started Lantus. (if you look at 4/1 or 5/18 on China's spreadsheet there's an example)

Apollo is stunningly beautiful!! How much does he weigh?

If I'd been able to be here earlier, I would have suggested you go ahead and shoot as long as you had plenty of supplies (strips, medium and high carb food, Karo/honey/syrup and the ability to test as often as necessary today)

Next time you get a PS you're not sure about shooting, you can Stall, don't feed and test again in 20-30 minutes to see if the number goes up without the influence of food. If it does, that's usually a pretty good indication that the last shot is starting to wear off.

The thing to remember about Lantus is you're not really shooting the number he's at now....the dose doesn't usually start to "kick in" for 2-3 hours, so it's like you're actually shooting that number (you'll also be feeding him which should bring the number up too)

We usually suggest that if the cat is above 150, you should go ahead and shoot the scheduled dose. Get a +1 and +2 when you're shooting a lower PS number so if you do need to intervene, you can do it early. As you gain more experience and data, that 150 starts to come down until you're willing to shoot anything over 50. "Shoot low to stay low" is a common saying you'll hear around here!

Since you were on 2U of Vetsulin, you could start at 2U of Lantus, but if that concerns you, there's nothing wrong with starting a little lower, like 1.5

Keep asking questions! No question is a dumb one here!
Thanks for your input and welcome! Apollo says thanks as well! I had everything but was worried with a new insulin.
 
**7PM MDT UPDATE: His PMBS was 425 and, after he ate 1/2 a can of FF, I gave him 1.5 units and I will be checking hourly for at last the next 3 hours, then at 6 and 9 hours. Alarms already set on phone. Don't know how happy Apollo is going to be with all the ear sticking. Thanks everyone for your help!
 
**9PM UPDATE: He was at 339, only down a lil bit. Beginning to think I maybe should have started at 2 units, seems it would have been safe. Gonna see how things go, if he goes back over 400 by morning, will be bumping it up to 1.75 at least.
 
Hello and welcome over here. Lantus is a depot insulin, it takes 5-7 days before the depot builds and you see what the dose can do. Try not to react to just one day's worth of data. Lantus will teach you patience. ;)
 
Please update your subject. People looking will think nothing has changed with the current subject. Lantus is dosed based upon how low it takes your cat. You don't know that yet. The drop at +2 means he might continue to drop until +5-7. Test in an hour. It is also a depot insulin so will build up in the coming cycles. Test in another hour.
 
As you gain more experience and data, that 150 starts to come down until you're willing to shoot anything over 50.

Just as a reference, DH shot at 94 AMPS yesterday!

It does get easier, especially when you see results!

Love the name Apollo, God or BSG call sign?
 
Please update your subject. People looking will think nothing has changed with the current subject. Lantus is dosed based upon how low it takes your cat. You don't know that yet. The drop at +2 means he might continue to drop until +5-7. Test in an hour. It is also a depot insulin so will build up in the coming cycles. Test in another hour.
I tried to find how to update the subject line, couldn't figure out how to do it. I'm testing hourly for the first 3 hours, then at +6 and +9, gonna be a long night. Figured it out, can't believe it's a thread tool.
 
I tried to find how to update the subject line, couldn't figure out how to do it

At the top, thread tools
Screenshot_20201011-232642.png
 

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