10/8 Atticus PMPS 114, +1 93..+3 52.. +6 77..+9 102, +11 94

Status
Not open for further replies.

Lori and Atticus

Member Since 2012
Hey everyone! I have been using Lantus on my kitty for a little over a week now and I can't seem to get the dosage low enough for her. We started at .5 unit twice a day which was alright, but if you look at my spreadsheet you can see what's been happening since then. I haven't been able to do a PM shot in the last few days now because everytime I lower the dosage thinking her BG will be high enough in the PM for a shot, it's not. I should be sorta happy that she's on such a tiny dose and that her numbers aren't bad considering. What should I do about the two doses a day though? I did the dose on the zero line today trying to get the bare minimum. We are an hour late for the PM dose and she is at 135 which i refuse to shoot her at still being a newbie and all. ;-) I am just not going to shoot tonight I guess because I'm heading to bed now, but does anyone know what I can do to get my girl on a schedule? Does it look like her pancreas is starting to try to handle things on it's own to a certain extent? I'm frustrated, but at the same time encouraged because she is feeling better and starting to gain a bit of weight which is great! Help please! Before I go nuts! :lol:
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

Hi Lori and Welcome to Lantus Land! I'm sorry, I don't have dosing advice, but I'm sure you'll get some shortly. Just wanted to welcome you and Atticus, and she sure is a beautiful girl!
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

Hi Lori

Welcome to Lantus Land! I looked at her SS and have some thoughts but want to take just a minute to look at her profile so brb.
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

:lol: that was quick....you don't have the profile properly linked so that it is public so you might want to go through the instructions again.

What I am seeing is that .5u looks like it could be a nice dose for her. While many of us shoot in the 50s, you are right...you are not yet data ready to shoot that low so we need to get you there. We say here "shoot low to stay low" but that is when it's safe.

I think the nice string of green numbers you saw on 10/5 a.m. Cycle was most likely because of the insulin depot. Lantus and levemir are depot insulins...what that means is the first several shots you give have to first build the depot and then the kitty starts to use the shots you give...once the depot is full. That's why the starting doses are held 3-5 days and subsequent dose increases are held for 3 days until we see what the effect of the insulin will be.

So with these types of insulin, there is a cumulative effect where one dose builds upon the previous dose. When you reduce the dose, the previous dose can affect up to six subsequent cycles....that's why we don't take back to back reductions. We only give reductions, under the tight regulation protocol, when kitty goes below 50 if you are using a human glucometer and 80 if you are using an alpha trak. Since I can't see the profile, I don't know which glucometer you are using so my comments are prefaced upon the assumption you are using a human glucometer.

Every time you skip a shot, you are draining the depot and you can see her numbers trending higher. Unfortunately, on the nights you did shoot, you have no p.m. Tests and cats are often lower at night. It's important that you get at least a +2 test and before bed test each night so we can see where she is headed.

Since you haven't shot tonight, I would normally tell you to shoot .25u and I'd stay up and walk you through it if you had supplies and could stay up to test. Unfortunately, I'm visiting my mom out of town and my iPad is about to go out on me....plus I have to be up and out early tomorrow.

How long have you stalled? Stalling acts like a dose reduction plus you've really reduced her dose a lot. If you can let me know how long it's been, I can tell you what I think you should shoot. I'll wait for your answer.

If you don't shoot tonight, I'd take her dose back up to .25u in the morning, give her six cycles and try to shoot consistently. It would be good if you could post a +11 so we can see where shes headed and offer advice but if you can't, if she's below 150 at shot time, don't feed, post here and let us help you.
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

Lori

I'm assuming you skipped tonight. I'm sorry but I have to get to bed and I only have about 9% left on my battery.

I'd post in the morning one hour before your shot time which would be +23 or 23 hours since the last shot. If Atticus is in yellow again, I'd shoot .25u. If she's in blue at shot time, don't feed her...post first and get someone to walk you through it.

I'm going to send Jane a PM and hope she's on in the morning. She can help you. Normally Dyana and Sienne are on early but they are on east coast and central time and they will probably both be at work.

I think if we can get you shooting a safe dose consistently, that Atticus might be seeing green numbers all the time :-D .
I suggest if you haven't put together a hypo toolkit with MC and HC foods as well as karo/syrup, tht you might want to. Normally I'd link that info for you but I'm about out of juice here and need to pm Jane.

Ill try to check in sometime tomorrow.
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

Hi Lori, Jane here :smile:

Welcome to Lantus Land! It's so great here that after our cat went OTJ (Off The Juice, i.e. into remission, becoming a diet-controlled diabetic) the first time, we came back for a second stint on Lantus and a second OTJ party, and we haven't left since :lol:

Just kidding. Of course no one *wants* their cats to need a place like this. But as folks say around here, it's the greatest place you never wanted to be!

Marje asked me to look in on you. I'll keep an eye out for your (+23) BG, and then by the time it's AMPS-Hour, we'll know where Atticus is coming from and whether to shoot, ok?

See you then!
Jane



P.S. If you have time, it would be fabulous if you could correct the publishing settings on your FDMB Profile. It will belp us immensely when we want to give you input. The way you have it now, we can't access it.
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for the information! I had to go to bed early last night because the hubby had to fly out at 3 AM on business. I have corrected the profile so you can view it and I'm going to do Atticus's BG now. I'll post in just a few minutes what the result is. Thanks again! I can't wait to get her consistent. :smile:
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

Lori

Just post the number and ill watch for you. I can't stay with you all day....just checking in for you this morning but I can get you started.

Question...why is she on orbax as a general antibiotic? How long has she been on that and for what? How long will she need to be on it? Is it for elevated liver enzymes?

Also, it helps us if you can put her meds on the google SS. If you look at my Gracie's SS, you will see how I've modified it to inc meds. That can be very important for us to know in helping you with dosing.

Thanks. See you soon.
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

Thanks! She's on the Orbax for just a couple more days. When the liver enzymes were elevated, the vet gave it to her as a precaution. She's almost done with it. She's been on it a week. Atticus's BG was 166 which I thought seems a little low, so I took it again and it was 185. I really appreciate the help from everyone. You guys make this nightmare so much better. :-D
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

As infections clear, BG comes down. I'm dealing with the exact same issue with Gracie now.

IMHO, with that number, I'd shoot .1u this morning, get a +1 and +2 and see where she's headed. If we can get a consistent dose and tests, we may see that this dose is ok. Last night when I made my suggestions, I didn't know she was on an a/b.

Does my plan work for you?
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

My .1 will look different from yours so just be as consistent as you can.

I'm signing off now...will be back to check on you in an hour.
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

Woohooo, go Lori! Work those BOS!

402605_10100330169934213_637841923_n.jpg


Jane
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

I'll shoot in about 5 minutes. I work from home thank goodness or I would not have any BOS! I also have you guys which eases my mind. My vet is also in my neighborhood and open, so let's roll with it. There's no better time than now. ;-) I'll post up BG in an hour!
 
Re: Newbie Lantus dosage question

Good plan, Lori! I work from home too, so I hear you on the BOS-from-home too :lol:

In the meantime, would you change your thread title? Since this is your "daily condo" (we call our threads "condos" here - LL has a bit of a special language, you'll pick it up really swiftly), you can change it into our LL format:

Date, Cat's Name, AMPS or PMPS, Subsequent BGs

Ok?
See you in an hour!

Hugs
Jane
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185

Perfect! Gold Star :mrgreen:

Love the profile, too! I noticed you said you have 2 spreadsheets - if you wanted to, you could add a column to the google docs SS, indicating meds. It can help us assess BG trends when we know, and see it right there, was was given. Just an idea :smile:

Hugs
Jane
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185, +1 179

Will do. See ya in 20 min for the +2. :-D

P.S. Atticus has been feeling pretty darn good since yesterday so I wonder if there was an infection that she's getting over. Between that and her BG's coming down, she must be feeling better. She's eating good and actually a little playful. Yay Atticus! bcatrun_gif
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185, +1 179, +2 146

Ok...with that lower +2 than PS, I think you might see some nice numbers today. I'd get a +3 if she will let you so we can see how much her drop might be as she onsets.

I might not be able to. Heck back in so if she is lower and you need help, put something like "help pls" in the subject line.
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185, +1 179, +2 146

Thank Marje! She is very laid back about her BG tests now. She's just napping anyway. I'll post up a +3 in a bit. :smile: I am all over the BG tests today because this is the lowest I have ever shot so I'm a little nervous.
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185, +1 179, +2 146

Nice (+2). I agree with Marje - you may well see some very pretty BGs coming up.

I am signing off for the night, But I've sent a PM to Sienne letting her know you might like some eyes on your condo in a bit.

If you need input, you can always add "Help Please" etc. in your subject line, k?

You're doing great! See you tomorrow :smile:

Hugs
Jane
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185, +1 179, +2 146

Thank you Jane! I feel OK about the day time so far. I'm more concerned about nighttime if she is still low when I shoot at PM. I'll keep posting up today and tonight though. :-D I'll chat with you tomorrow! G'night!
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185, +1 179, +2 146

I told Jane I'd peek in. I see she linked the post on handling low numbers. I'm at work and I'll try to keep an eye on things between clients.

If you need help, don't hesitate to ask. Edit your subject line to ask for help. There are plenty of people here who are experienced at handling low numbers.
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185, +1 179, +2 146

Thank you Sienne! I appreciate it! I'll be testing in about 20 minutes and we can get an idea of how much lower she is. Fingers crossed for pretty numbers! :smile:
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185, +1 179, +2 146, +3 116

Welcome Lori and Atticus-
I'm not going to give a lot of advice since I've only been around here a short time as well. Just wanted to stop in and welcome you. The support on this board is amazing.

My personal opinion is, the more numbers you get, the better you will begin to understand how Lantus is working for Atticus, esp if she is a willing participate. Fortunately, Fur Ball was surprisingly patient with me as it took forever to get a hang of testing him. Some days it would take me 5-7 goes before getting blood...and that would happen each time I tested. Oh the poor boy.

You aren't going to know a whole lot until you get the numbers. You can look at Fur Ball's SS. I can completely understand your trepidation about shooting low numbers. But, I did it and had a few sleepless nights sitting up with the support of Jane and Marje, plus a few others. As long as you are there, you can help Atticus surf safely.

Gotta get back to work. Hope you have a great day.
Karen
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185, +1 179, +2 146, +3 116

Thanks for that Karen! I will definitely get as many numbers as I can. Atticus is typically pretty good about it so it's no worries. I can get her on the first try now, so that's probably why she's more patient with me than she was at the beginning. :smile: I have noticed the support is awesome as well. I totally love this place! Another BG in 15 min if I can get Atticus out from under the bed by then anyway. :lol:
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185, +1 179, +2 146, +3 116, +4 103, +

She's doing good. I'm just already getting nervous for tonight though. nailbite_smile +5 is 97!
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185,+1 179,+3 116,+5 97,+6 78

And you have every right to be!!

There's a possibility that she will bounce off of these numbers, but we'll need to see what happens by PMPS.
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185,+1 179,+3 116,+5 97,+6 78... +9 11

+9 113 - Moving on up and my 16 year old daughter is getting a diabetes lesson as well. She did the BG test this time and got her on the first shot. That's my girl! :cool:
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185,+1 179,+3 116,+5 97,+6 78... +9 11

What a great day you guys are having, yeay! And getting DD on board with the routine is brilliant, congrats to her!
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185,+1 179,+3 116,+5 97,+6 78... +9 11

Thanks! She is doing some medical classes in high school, has already started college and is planning on getting a bachelors in nursing, so I thought this would be a great thing for her to help with. Good experience for her and I have a back up in case I ever need it. ;)
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185,+1 179,+3 116,+5 97,+6 78... +9 11

Atticus looks wonderful. What a beautiful looking curve.
You are doing great and how exciting that DD is getting the hang of it.
Karen
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185,+1 179,+3 116,+5 97,+6 78... +9 11

Ok. So, I'll be 100% honest. I'm getting real nervous about shooting her this PM. She is due in 30 minutes and her +11 was only 108. I know what to do if it goes too low, but I'm just really worried and wondering if I should shoot at a low number like that.

At any rate, I just got back from the store and stocked up on more test strips, karo, and FF with gravy. Atticus also lucked out and I remembered to get her some shrimp and sardines for her tests and shots. She'll be a happy little girl! :mrgreen:

So, my plan (if you guys think I should go ahead and shoot) is to just not sleep tonight and test every hour or so again. Heck! We wanted a 24 hour curve anyway, right? :lol: What do you guys think? Shoot or not shoot? That is the question. ;-)
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185,+1 179,+3 116,+5 97,+6 78... +11 1

Hi Lori and Atticus,
Welcome to LantusLand.

Looking good already!
I was smiling because my helper is my 16 year old daughter.
Be sure and post that PMPS number and ask for help when it's time.
 
Re: 10/8 Atticus AMPS 185,+1 179,+3 116,+5 97,+6 78... +11 1

Hi Lori-
What a great day you have had. It can be really scary to shot those blues. The 'experts' will be better suited to help you out with your question, but if you are able and willing to be up all night monitoring Atticus, I think it would be fine to shoot. Having done it myself, I know how stressful it can be. But it is so rewarding to see the numbers and get a better understanding of how Atticus responds. Since you haven't been consistent on the PM shooting, it may take some time to build the depot so the curve may be a bit skewed. At least that is how I felt when we did our first curve. Our vet did not explain the depot effect or teach us about Lantus. We have learned everything through this forum.

Thanks all I got. Just want you to know how great you are doing.

karen
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top