11/12 Billie PMPS 369 +3 262 +5 212

Status
Not open for further replies.
Deanna & Billie

Deanna & Billie

Member Since 2014
Hello LL!!

Yesterday: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=128283

Billie sure is throwing me for some loops this week! I had to be out from TFS until +4 today. I wasn't too worried about leaving her considering her start of 280, and I left food out as always (some eaten but some left in the bowls when I got back). But, I got in the door and tested her at +4 if not a bit earlier, and she was at 45 :shock: She came up very easily to 68 in a half hour with LC and I'll test again in a bit. :mrgreen:

I am wondering... Should I hold the dose or take the reducie? Could it be a good idea to try the 3 times under 50/one time under 40 strategy?

She is at 1.75 now from a reduction she earned 5 cycles ago. She has already earned two reductions in the past week. But, aside from the cycles where she earned the reductions, she has not spent any time in green and not a ton in blue, and that is my concern - I am happy that she is earning reductions, but wondering why she's earning them yet not spending quality time in healthy numbers.

Other details: She is coming up on her 6 month FD anniversary in a week. Because of her food allergies (only eating Instinct rabbit and pork), I unfortunately don't have the option of manipulating her dives with varying levels of carbs. But, I have never had to fight to keep her out of the 40s. Today and on 11/5, she came right up with rabbit LC. On 11/9, I went for the maple syrup and prosciutto since her drop happened very early, and she came right up.

I don't know what to make of it, so I'm hoping someone with more expertise will know what to make of it! Any thoughts are much appreciated!! Thank you :smile:

Either way, after today's surprise, I will be sure to be home for +2 or +2.5 tests no matter what her PS number is. And, if I did try the 3 times under 50 option, I'd kick up my amount of testing in general.

Sending lots of vines to all cats and beans needing vines.
 
Re: 11/12 Billie AMPS 280 +4 45 +4.5 68 dose questions!

Hi Deanna,
I don't know what to say about Billie's numbers and I hope someone with better experience will take a look at her spreadsheet. You are following the protocol, but she doesn't seem to want to! Perhaps, when you reduce by .25 of a unit, try holding the dose a little longer and see if she doesn't settle in. Some cats require more time. Billie seems to bounce moderately whenever she gets a low number. Sometimes it is tempting to interpret a bounce as a failed reduction and to go back up again in dose (you have done this a few times).
You could try shaving or fattening the dose rather than going up and down by .25. You could try measuring with calipers, since the markings on most syringes are not consistent. You could certainly try the "3 under 50". Almost anything that you try you will have to consider what and how Billie is eating.

Sorry not to be of much help!

Have a good evening,

Ella & Rusty
 
Re: 11/12 Billie AMPS 280 +4 45 +4.5 68 dose questions!

Thank you Ella!! I really appreciate your thoughts - they definitely are helpful! You are right that she is a bouncy girl, and I think some of her less flattering numbers are from bounces taking quite a while to clear. Then, she clears them all the way into the 40s!

I think another factor is a bit of glucose toxicity (if I'm using that term right) - since August when the allergy trouble started, she has had a lot of problems making her hard to regulate and driving up her numbers, from the hives to the asthma attacks...then she was on pred, then got a UTI, then was having bad reactions to the ABs, and is just now starting to level out to normal FD Billie again (paws crossed/ANTIJINX!).

So, I am thinking her body got used to those higher numbers, and I am fighting against that as well. If I look at her SS from July, there is tons of green, and she earned a few reducies, but August is where everything went haywire.
 
Re: 11/12 Billie AMPS280 +4 45 +4.5 68 + 5.5 109 dose questi

hmmm, good question. Some cats will bounce all the way down the dosing scale. Shelly's Jersey is one that comes to mind. They go under 50, get a reduction and bounce, land back under 50 and bounce again. Repeat until OTJ. So that's not unheard of at all, especially for a newly diagnosed cat.

Honestly, I'm on the fence. If she were mine, I think I'd hold this dose and try to keep her over 50 for a few cycles. Often getting a little more insulin into a kitty is very helpful in stopping the bouncing. If you'd had to work to bring her up from the 40's today - ie, if you used high carb and she went up, then back down and you had to repeat for some hours, that would be a sure sign she needed a reduction. If she'd gone in the 30's, then it would be clear.

But you gave her a bite of low carb and she came right up. Because she's failed reductions in the past, I think I'd try to hold this dose a little bit longer.

That's just my 2 cents worth. Let's see what others say.
 
Re: 11/12 Billie AMPS280 +4 45 +4.5 68 + 5.5 109 dose questi

Hi Deanna, no dosing advice from me, just wanted to say hi and I am so relieved there's been no further coughing or itching for poor Billie! Her numbers look really good though, maybe she is really liking this late night schedule you have her on! :mrgreen: :lol:
 
Re: 11/12 Billie AMPS280 +4 45 +4.5 68 + 5.5 109 dose questi

Julie, thank you for the advice!! I am leaning toward holding the dose too. I think what you noted does make a difference - I have never had to fight to keep her numbers up. I will be more vigilant with early cycle tests in case she has these big drops in mind.

I am at least shooting through the bounce tonight! I got a +10 from her and she is already up at 369. I want to shoot early, which has worked well the past couple times I have done it when she has been high pink at +10, but then again, wonder if shooting early + holding the dose is a bad combination.

Ruth, thanks for stopping by! I hope she is not getting too used to this late night schedule, because I am about done with it! :roll: :lol:

More opinions are always welcome, of course - the more the merrier :smile:
 
Re: 11/12 Billie AMPS280 +4 45 +4.5 68 + 5.5 109 +10 369 dos

Deanna, it's what I have been doing and now I too have to decide my next move. If you can be around for hours on end to test the three times under 50 just might help bring her move level. It is exhausting though. For Max I seemed to need to keep testing until at least +7 or +8 depending on where he was at +6. I'm curious to see what you decide to do. Good luck.
 
Re: 11/12 Billie AMPS280 +4 45 +4.5 68 + 5.5 109 +10 369 dos

Absolutely no advice, Deanna. I'm pretty convinced I'll never figure this dance out. I think you're really doing great figuring out Billie, even if she does dance to a different drummer!

I hope she is not getting too used to this late night schedule, because I am about done with it! :roll: :lol:
Click to expand...

Amen, sister. Amen.

Marilyn and Polly
 
Re: 11/12 Billie AMPS280 +4 45 +4.5 68 + 5.5 109 +10 369 dos

Wow...that really is a dive for Billie!! These kitties do love to keep us guessing, don't they? I'm sure you will do great with however you decide to go...you do an awesome job of monitoring, so Billie is in great hands. Have a wonderful evening, Deanna!
 
Elise, Marilyn, and Amy, thanks for stopping by! I really appreciate the visits and the encouragement. I'm still not totally sure what I will do about the dose, but she does seem to be breaking the bounce nicely. I am going back in forth in my head thinking what if holding the dose helps to flatten out her numbers...but what if it does the opposite and causes a dive/bounce/dive/bounce pattern. I guess I will try one thing or the other, and if one doesn't work, I'll try the other! As long as I am testing enough, she will be okay.

She seems to be in great spirits tonight. She is hanging out behind my head on the back of the couch as I type this. We can go to bed now, and I am totally taking advantage of that!!

Thank you again to everyone for stopping by and offering thoughts! :YMHUG:
 
Hi Deanna:

I think you got great advice from Julie, and if Billie were mine, I'd follow it. She does know her stuff.

You have put a lot of thought into this and seem to really be in tune with what Billie is doing. I know you'll make the right decisions.

I'm so happy to see Billie doing so well. Sending lots of vines for continued success in the fight against her allergies.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top