Re: 10/5 Tink AMPS 252, PMPS 150, +2=116, +3=73, +4=57, +5=6
I'm still experimenting with food myself - and like everything else, what works one day has little effect the next. :roll:
Tink has (mostly) proven to be a very carb-sensitive guy. Despite being in critical DKA at diagnosis, AND developing hepatic lipidosis, coming home with a feeding tube and HUGELY uncontrolled, etc... he went off insulin almost immediately once we got him home and took him off dry food (which was a serious challenge in itself).
At that time, anything over 4% carbs gave him high numbers - though going lower didn't seem to make any difference.
Fast forward to now - we're uncontrolled again (but getting there). I have been using mc & hc to steer his curves when possible. The hard part is, sometimes mc is enough to keep him from going over. Other times, it seems no matter how much hc I throw at him, he still slowly descends into scary numbers. Mc (11%) worked well on him the other day - I gave it at +3, after having given him some lc at +2, which didn't slow him down in this case.
My strategy right now is going to be to feed normally for a higher +2. He normally gets a meal at PS & another at +3 (if I'm home, sometimes that waits till +4 if he's having a higher cycle). A normal meal for him is 1.5oz of 4% Wellness. If +2 is a little lower than PS and I'm NOT going to be around, I'll give him some mc and load the feeder with mc or hc as I see fit. I'm typically giving 1.5oz of mc when I give it (1/4 of a 6oz can). HC I give him about half of a 3oz can, which I guess is also 1.5oz, though it's only two small teaspoons. It's just easier for me to deal with ounces that tsps - since it's a lot easier to divvy up a can than to break out the measuring spoons. Probably giving him something every 30min until at least +4. If he's significantly lower at +2, I stick around. My work is flexible enough that I can do that when I have to - but I DONT want it to become a habit. It happened the other day though, but hc was enough to bring him back to safe numbers and stay there. I was only 2hrs late for work.
Of course the downside of carbing him up like that, is that I may be preventing him from going under 50 and earning a reduction. Still... as much as FD has consumed my life - sometimes I just have to put my food down and say "I'm not playing this game right now!". In Tink's case, MOST of his numbers tell me that he's not in need of a reduction - so if I have to carb him once in awhile, I'm ok with that. If it starts becoming a regular thing - I'll certainly be reevaluating. I don't want to be carbing him just so that I can give him more insulin.
I do indicate feedings on my SS, so feel free to peruse that. We're just starting to create a strategy - so it isn't really very consistent yet, but at least you can see what has (and hasn't) worked. I've been using Wellness Chicken & Lobster (11%) as mc and Merricks Cowboy Cookout (19%) for hc. Though, when he needs hc, he REALLY needs hc so I might try to find something in the 25% range. Fancy Feast seems to upset his system as he's always been corn-free, wheat-free, byproduct free. Though I don't think it's the wheat, because PIZZA and couscous don't upset his tummy. :roll: Some of his recent "under 50" events have required 8oz of food before stabilizing - which is a LOT considering he usually eats 6oz in a whole DAY. As I think Wendy pointed out, "good thing he's a bottomless pit". :lol:
FWIW, I don't feel like I'm experienced enough to be making recommendations on how to feed curves - like I said, I'm just experimenting myself, plus ECID. This isn't a suggestion of what to do - it's just an explanation of what I've been doing.
