https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/10-22-cole-amps-667-2-was-412.237235/ Hi - looking for more advice please. When I look at Cole's spreadsheet, I think we're back in another bounce (seems like almost every other day?) and in fact he just keeps rising today even after his morning shot. How long do I hold before I increase his dose again? We had one green reading so is that hold for 10 cycles or do I go up after 6 cycles? And go up by .25u or .5u? Thanks, Elizabeth
You hold doses that see green for 10 cycles, today is cycle 4. Holding the dose those few extra cycles will let you see where his nadirs land when he's finished the current bounce. Which should be about 4 cycles from now. If you look at the last green to previous green, you'll see he cleared the bounce on the 6th cycle last time. When they are new, those bounces can take six cycles to clear. As he gets more used to seeing normal numbers, the length (and height) of his bounces should go down. While he is bouncing, numbers can wobble up and down. Bounces are perfectly normal for newly diagnosed cats, most new spreadsheets look a lot like Cole's. More important, how is Cole feeling and acting these days? We have a measure we call the 5 P's, (pee, poo, play, preen, purr). Often you'll see improvements there even if the numbers are frustrating. And only you can see Cole, so it's good to give us a little update how he's doing as well.
thanks Wendy - helps to know that this is is normal for a newly diagnosed cat - I've been looking at other spreadsheets to compare but most of them are cats who have getting insulin for much longer. Cole has been a little more energetic since we started with insulin, and peeing and pooing are all good - but still lots of urination and lot of drinking water. He has been very happy to be on an all wet food diet so that transition has been positive. He is still not grooming and is a bit of a mess. He has always hating being brushed or combed and that has stayed the same - so he looks pretty bad right now. Still friendly though and he will purr and cuddle. He has trouble jumping up on the bed at times - which is new. I think we have a nice routine for the blood tests now, and he will come when I call him and let me do them with much less fuss than at the start. Gets a few treats, gets some cuddles so it's going well. Starting to use the rice in the sock for first test of the day when his ears are much colder. I'm probably more stressed than he is - he looks so scrawny and matted, and I guess all the bounces feel like we're not making progress when his numbers are generally high. Trying to keep positive seeing those occasional greens and blues.
The fact that Cole is seeing some greens so early on is indeed a great sign! It took Neko months, though she had a couple other complications. Any chance it might be neuropathy? Feline Diabetic Neuropathy
Take a look at Vyktor’s spreadsheet when he was first diagnosed - the link ‘SS’ right next to the link to his OTJ party ‘patience pants’ are required at this stage of the sugar dance. In regard to his having trouble jumping onto the bed - do you think is the matted fur causing that or is he walking a bit oddly too - with his back end lower than usual?
He is walking oddly with his back end lower, and his legs go out from under him when he's eating. He has had muscle wastage for about 2 years and we've been through everything with the vet and specialists trying to sort out why. However it was gradual and really got pronounced in September - part of why we took him back to the vet and then got the diabetes diagnosis. His previous blood work in July did not show high BG. Longer story - in March this year, one of his eyes started to show his third eyelid and it did not resolve. We took him to the vet and they could not figure out why - said it would gradually resolve. In May, his other eye did the same thing - so both third eyelids showing. This is all during the lockdown (I'm in Toronto) so most of the discussion was over the phone. We were referred to a vet specializing in eyes - that person said it wasn't his eyes. It was muscle wasting - potentially in his face that was causing the eyelids to stay exposed. Then we were sent to an gastro vet who looked at his gut etc, to see if he wasn't actually getting nutrition from his food, and then to the neurologist where we had scans, MRI, and ultimately a spinal tap. No tumours, doesn't have Haws. This is in July - and the final response was - we don't know what's wrong. So we continued on and then in August, he lost more weight, early September drinking a ton, and saw his back legs give out as he was eating - so back to the vet. Reading the neuropathy description it certainly sounds similar - but his blood work kept showing as normal up to July. Thoughts? Should I talk to the vet about adding methylcobalamin? He gets Cobalequin twice a week - which is also a B12 supplement. We've changed a lot of things in the last month - food totally switched to wet, and the insulin and testing - if doing this might be helpful, I'm up for it. I feel like we missed something or didn't act fast enough - not feeling great at the moment.
Added a reply - it looks very similar to what we are seeing. Knowing early greens are positive is helpful - the spreadsheet just looks like a random mess to me!
We've had a lot of people here add methyl B12 with success - with or without talking to their vet. Do you talk to your doctor when you take vitamins? The B12 you are giving now is good for the gut, so useful, but not for possible neuropathy. Getting Cole regulated will also help, but methyl B12 can help sooner. Zobaline brand is actually quite expensive, not so much the product but the shipping. This post gives an alternative for Canada.
I do not talk to my dr about vitamins so good point. Thanks for the link for Canada. Shipping from the US is always costly.
The good thing about B12 - unlike some other vitamins - is than an excess isn’t dangerous. Any excess is just peed out. However, it’s possible that you may be able to save yourself some money on having injections at the same time as giving oral supplementation, but that I would suggest you would consult with your vet about
