11/23 Ophie PMPS 96, +1 99, +2.25 74, +3 73, +4 71

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Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99

At +1 she is 99.

When I just went up to test her, she was shaking. I thought she might be hypo, so I started running down stairs to get honey. She followed me downstairs, and she isn't shaking at all now. And I got the BG of 99. She was really-really-really uncooperative about the BG. And, I don't blame her.

Thoughts?
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99 (shaking?)

I forgot to add: she threw up a little bit... clear (water) with a little lump of something (fur) in the middle
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99 (shaking?)

I think I should just give her some HC food? Pre-emptive, she's not rising. I cannot poke her every 20 minutes, she won't allow it now.
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99 (shaking?)

Was it just clear liquid the second time she threw up? Sometimes my cats will throw up a hairball and then throw up a little bit a second time.
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99 (shaking?)

Could it be the stress of the day and maybe picking up on your feelings? I only wonder because with Twice, after my first scare, he seemed to be a wreck...but it was actually I think me that was frightening him. I was a ball of nerves and it was radiating off of me. As for the testing, today was alot. She has had other testathon type days but maybe without the anxiety. They get better at it as we do, but it is never easy at the beginning and there are still times when, especially ps, he just flips and flops and won't settle down. If I'm in a hurry, he senses it and is worse. If I am staying home and can walk away for 5 minutes, he is much quicker to calm himself down. I don't think it hurts them so much as they hate the restraint, even light restraint. But that too seems to have gotten way better. I have no for sure answers for you and why Ophie was shaking, but try to just have a normal night...leave her be if that's normal, snuggle her if that is. You will still need to do a couple tests but no marathon. Someone more knowledgeable will have a better idea for you :smile:
Hope you both have a relaxing night now.
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99 (shaking?)

Sounds like a hairball...? Clear liquid with some hair in it happens here. That might explain the shaking. She doesn't feel well...
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99 (shaking?)

99 is a good safe number...No need for honey or high carb food, but you need to calm down. Ophie could very well be stressing out because you are! Take some slow, deep breathes and calm yourself.

It's possible it's a hairball or a million other things....cats are so good at hiding when they don't feel well, but if he's eating well and acting fine, I wouldn't worry about it...just keep an eye on it for now

Here's something I hope you'll enjoy. It's wonderful advice for new members A message from your cat

Hopefully things will calm down some and as you relax, Ophie should too!
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99 (shaking?)

If you want to feed HC, go ahead. It's too close to the last reduction to earn another one. Ophie has nothing to prove tonight.

ETA: as Chris says, HC is not needed now .
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99 (shaking?)

Hello everyone, sorry for the drop in communication. I needed to regroup. Ophie threw up 3-4 times, who knows why. Too much catnip maybe? Who knows. She isn't eating anything. I did put a little honey on her lips, as I just need to get her BG up and not worry that the little bit of shaking was some sort of hypo? You guys probably think I'm crazy. Also, my hubby is about to toss me out the door (well, not really :)). She seems to have recovered from throwing up... it was a little scary/weird there for a bit... and she finally responded to me again. I opted to just let her be for a little, while I put my son to bed in the meantime too. She is now purring, but not eating still. And, she took her test and is 74 at just +2.25 out. I will test her again at +3.
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99, +2.25 74

We all understand how unnerving it can be to see those lower than usual numbers for our babies, but try to remember that we WANT them in the 50-120 range as long and as often as possible, because when they're in those numbers, their pancreas can heal!

Cats are special in that way...if their pancreas gets a break, it can heal and start to produce it's own insulin again, so the longer you can keep Ophie in those great healing numbers, the more likely it is that she'll be able to go OTJ at some point!

The only time you need to be concerned with a low number is if it's below 50 (as far as being possibly harmful)...anything above 50 (and under 120) is GREAT! Even if they drop below 50, it's important to stay calm and don't panic. You have to be able to think clearly.

There's almost always someone online to help you if you're concerned, and if you get a number below 50, use the 911 and usually someone will see it and come to help quickly...but if they don't, just have the "How to handle low numbers" sticky printed out (I have my "hypo kit" in a little lunch box with several cans of Gravy Lovers food, a whole box of strips for my meter, a little thing of syrup and the "how to handle" sticky printed out and in the box...just in case the message board is down, or my internet is acting stupid...it does happen, so it's best to have that printed out just in case)

You're doing fine, and Ophie is too...We promise it will get easier!! The first time is always scary...the next time (and there WILL be a next time) it won't be quite so bad, and after you've dealt with a low a few more times, you'll be a pro!!
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99, +2.25 74

I'm glad she seems to be over the throwing up. I hope her tummy feels better and she'll eat if you need her to tonight. Hang in there. It's not easy when they don't feel good and we don't know why.
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99, +2.25 74

I am refocusing and calming down. She has stopped throwing up and licked some food. Her numbers are still good. And I will see again at +3.

Thank you all! Sorry to be such a crazy woman!
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99, +2.25 74

Joely, we recommend that after members have been at this a while, they go back and read their condos the first time the cat went low. It's a humbling experience. We have ALL been in your shoes.

I'm glad she stopped throwing up. Small meals will help.
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99, +2.25 74

Sounds like her tummy is really off. Poor Ophie girl :sad: That really could be anything...or nothing :? Cats are way too good at hiding issues so it makes it tricky for their beans to figure stuff out. And they are pretty sensitive to us and our emotions, so again...tricky little rascals. If it is just an upset belly from the stresses of the day, she probably won't be hungry until things are back to normal in her eyes. Her bg @ 2.5 looks stable, not a super huge drop, and partly explainable if she hasn't eaten as much as normal. What would be happening I believe, is that she has the insulin and it's ready to do its job, but not the same amount of glucose to balance it out. If it makes you feel more comfortable give mc or hc because of the fact that she is not eating much. If she was eating normally, I would let the body work it out with lc. But feed small amounts because she is vomitting and you don't want scarf and barf. Try to give her some quiet time. If she wants to be alone, let her. Just leave some food and go make normal nighttime noises. She will feel better once she hears the normalcy of the house again. Keep posting. These are just my opinions and thoughts and they may very well be completely out to lunch :lol:
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99, +2.25 74

Thank you Kim. Thank you all.

You make great sense, Kim!! I realize I'm being a little over the top, and perhaps I'm not making good decisions based on my fear of hurting Ophie. Did I mention that I'm a rule follower? Well, there seems to be no clear rules here, so it's especially unnerving.

Thank you, Wendy for being so gracious about my freak out :).

She isn't eating her LC food at all, and I've decided it's more important to get something into her little body so she is ready when the insulin hits in a little bit she has something to work with in there. Especially after throwing up so much. So, she munched on 2 smalls tspns of HC food. It's taken her 45 minutes of eating to get through half of it... but it's made a difference in her behavior. Likely wrong, but it's what feels right to me, right now.

I will see where she is at +4!

Thank you again, so much. I do hope this all becomes routine.
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99, +2.25 74

In my truly honest opinion Joely, the only 'wrong' thing would be to do something you are just not ok with. You are Ophie's mama and not only do you know her personality and behaviors best, but you also influence them. So if by giving her hc makes YOU feel good then it will let her feel your more relaxed 'aura'. And she will feel good. Plus you are right, she needs to eat! :-D It isn't like this is your one chance to do such and such. It is just one day. As you become more comfortable with different approaches, you will take those. Everyone will continue to guide you and help advise, but at the end of the day it is always your call. There is no 100% right and only way to do this dance because every cat IS different and every situation is different. Don't put yourself under undue stress over this. You are doing what you feel is right and what is comfortable to you, and that is not wrong :-D It is exactly what makes you the best mama ever for Ophie!
 
Re: 11/23 Ophie +9 101, +11 109, PMPS 96, +1 99, +2.25 74

You are very wise Kim :)

At +4 she is 71. I think she might have gone low again had I not given her the finger of honey on her muzzlepuff when she was shaking and throwing up. Or, the HC food. I gave her another teaspoon of HC food to much on for the next half hour. She was interested (thankfully!) in the food, so that is a plus. She still has a little bit before her nadir, so I will keep an eye on her!

Thank you everyone for such wonderful support. I don't know how you do it!
 
Beautiful Surf Ophie!! Here's your very first surfboard!!!

10045553-surfing-cat-cartoon.jpg
 
oh gosh, you've really had a time of it. wendy is absolutely right - ALL of us react like you did today the first few times. don't worry one moment about it.

this is likely still from the previous dose - it can affect numbers for as many as 3 days, although it lessens and you hopefully won't see this tomorrow.

to make it easier, i'll sum up' the rules (I'm a rule-follower too!)

if the BG goes below 50, pop open a can of high carb canned food with gravy, squeeze out the gravy only part and give 1tsp.

wait 20ish minutes, test, and repeat if necessary.

lather, rinse & repeat until numbers are staying over 50 for 2 tests AFTER you've stopped giving carbs AND the cat is past their nadir. i usually kept it up til i saw a 70+, and had stopped giving carbs at least 45 minutes before that, and it was past punkin's usual nadir.

gravy can upset some cat's tummies. you might do better with karo syrup. you don't usually want to feed the food with the gravy only because most of the carbs are in the gravy and you want ophie to stay hungry enough to eat the gravy on her own. you might try karo next time, just in case the vomiting was from too much gravy.

if she won't eat, you can rub karo on her gums or use a syringe without a needle (the kind meds are given with) to squirt some in her mouth. if you are desperate, she won't eat, you can't get it in her mouth and/or see symptoms of a hypo (low numbers do not equal a symptomatic hypo) you can use a needle-less syringe (same kind) to put karo syrup up her rectum. mucous membranes will absorb it. if you get to that point, head for a vet to get a glucose drip. you're not at that point, and i have only once known of someone having to go to a vet for help with low numbers, but always know the option is there for you.

just thinking ahead to morning, if you are faced with a less than 100 again, you might want to just give a token dose, perhaps .5u, to allow the depot to drain so you're not doing this again tomorrow. then tomorrow night you may be able to return to a larger dose, depending on what's happening. people will be looking for you to see if you need help tomorrow.

you really are doing a great job. i hope she's done soon and you can sleep tonight.
 
Thank you so much, Julie, that all makes sense.

I just got a 112 at +5, so I think she's safe tonight.

I am off to bed!

Goodnight to all the wonderful fur mommas/papas and sugar babies!

Joely
 
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