11/25 Merlin AMPS 59 PMPS 234

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Diana and Merlin (GA)

Diana and Merlin (GA)

Member Since 2010
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All P's present. Hasn't eaten yet this morning so (except for a few nibbles on some plants I wasn't fast enough to get him away from)... no shot until he does. Going to check him again shortly.

AMPS: 59 (no shot given)
+12.5 (from PMPS): 60 (very little food eaten)
+13: 78
+13.5: 62
+14: 59
+16.5: 137
+20.5: 210
+22: 234
PMPS: 234
+3: 118
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

wow, that's an eye opener!

Usually when we're stalling before giving a shot, we don't feed. You're waiting to see if the number is going up naturally, and if you have fed then when you see a higher number on the next test you won't know for sure if it is a natural rise or a food spike. I would test again in 1/2 hour to see if the number is rising. Are you home the next few days to get some spot checks? When they start throwing numbers like this, it is important to start getting mid-cycle spot checks. We don't know if he went lower than this overnight.

But GOOOOOOOOOOO Merlin!
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

I just tested him again and he only went up to 60. He ate a little bit (very little bit, maybe a quarter of an ounce, he's on raw food). I'm not home tonight but I am home the next couple of days (i work nights and usually sleep during the day) but I'll test him again in a half hour.
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

I agree with everything Libby said. In case you don't have it handy, this is a link to Libby's post on handling low pre-shot numbers. So far, it looks like Merlin is surfing. Please don't feed (or try to) right now. You don't want the tests to reflect a food spike. You want to see if Merlin's numbers are rising on their own -- otherwise, you won't know what number you're actually shooting.

On a different note, it sounds like you are reticent to shoot if Merlin doesn't eat at shot time. Is he a picky eater? Just to make sure you're aware, unlike other insulin, since Lantus is long acting and onset isn't for approximately 2 hours, it's perfectly fine to shoot even if Merlin is grazing. (With shorter acting insulin, it's far more important to make sure food is on board before a shot and this is much less the case with Lantus.) Have you tried anything to entice him to eat?
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

Sienne and Gabby said:
I agree with everything Libby said. In case you don't have it handy, this is a link to Libby's post on handling low pre-shot numbers. So far, it looks like Merlin is surfing. Please don't feed (or try to) right now. You don't want the tests to reflect a food spike. You want to see if Merlin's numbers are rising on their own -- otherwise, you won't know what number you're actually shooting.

On a different note, it sounds like you are reticent to shoot if Merlin doesn't eat at shot time. Is he a picky eater? Just to make sure you're aware, unlike other insulin, since Lantus is long acting and onset isn't for approximately 2 hours, it's perfectly fine to shoot even if Merlin is grazing. (With shorter acting insulin, it's far more important to make sure food is on board before a shot and this is much less the case with Lantus.) Have you tried anything to entice him to eat?
Click to expand...

Okay, I was looking at the hypo sticky on the main board -- where it says to entice to eat. LOL

It's not so much that if he doesn't eat at shoot time, I'd actually like it if he didn't, but he's not grazing either. He's not really a picky eater, he's much more the type to eat when he's hungry and he's very keen on letting me know that.
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

The main board has to cover a lot of ground with varying types of insulin. No problem!! You'll want to keep testing to make sure you've got a rising number and your at a safe place for giving a shot. Right now, you don't have the data yet to shoot this low -- that's why we're suggesting you stall.

Do you feed, or does Merlin eat late in the cycle? You might want to make sure you pick up food by +6. It may help to insure he's hungry at shot time.
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

He usually eats early in the cycle, occasionally close to shot time. I'm okay if he eats an hour or two PS, but in this case, I'm pretty sure he didn't, so I don't have that "food spike" to count on.
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

Diana, the problem with Merlin eating within a couple of hours of PS is that you are then shooting a PS that is elevated by food. While it may not be a problem when the numbers are pretty high, when you start getting lower PS numbers, you really don't want to shoot a food influenced number. The food spike will wear off and the insulin will kick in at about the same time, causing a bigger drop than you would normally see. I hope that made sense, I need more ~O) this morning!

So he went up, then back down again. I would continue to stall, don't feed and see where he is in 30 minutes, what do you think?
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

Laurie and Mr Tinkles said:
Diana, the problem with Merlin eating within a couple of hours of PS is that you are then shooting a PS that is elevated by food. While it may not be a problem when the numbers are pretty high, when you start getting lower PS numbers, you really don't want to shoot a food influenced number. The food spike will wear off and the insulin will kick in at about the same time, causing a bigger drop than you would normally see. I hope that made sense, I need more ~O) this morning!

So he went up, then back down again. I would continue to stall, don't feed and see where he is in 30 minutes, what do you think?
Click to expand...

I gotcha Laurie, I think. It's only been within the last week or so that he's been pulling blues and greens, so I'm trying to move him into more of a post shot feeding. Right now he's so up and down when he wants to eat and I don't feel comfortable shooting him when he's so low and I can't monitor him, if that makes sense.

That's what I'm going to do.
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

Not to worry -- we're not suggesting you shoot when Merlin is this low. We just want to make sure that if you do see a higher number (e.g., around 125), that it's not elevated because Merlin ate within 2 hrs of shot time.

I'm going to try to check back in periodically but I gotta start cooking. I think Laurie will be around to lend a hand if you need one.
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

Yes, I'll be around today.

I understand that you don't want to shoot such a low number, you don't have the data to do that.
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

Ok Diana. I'd try to test in an hour and see if he's coming up.

Merlin has been getting some beautiful numbers lately! I know you said you work nights and sleep during the day, but it's important to try to get more spot checks. He looks to me like he is looking for a dose reduction, but you're not catching the lows. I also see that you skipped the PM shot two days ago, and he came up with a low number this morning...he's looking pretty insistent about needing less juice, I think!

If you are going to have some time off this weekend, maybe you could get a curve...that would help you see where to focus your spot checks also.
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

Already plotting the BG curve for this weekend (I was waiting on getting some test strips for a different meter, they finally came in).

Just retested Merlin to check on those numbers and he was at 137 so that's at PS 4.5 (no shot 4.5? I don't even know how to identify that. Going back for a nap, gotta work tonight. He just ate some more but he's eyeing me like it's cuddle time again.
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

Good planning for the curve. :-D Glad to see he came up to a good number for you, so you can rest.

Since you didn't shoot, the 59 is a +12, and you keep counting up for the the following numbers...so the 137 would be a +16.5.

Sleep well!
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

nice job handling the numbers this morning. I'm anxious to see where Merlin is tonight. :smile:
 
Re: 11/25 Merlin AMPS 59

Thank you all for all your help!

Right now he's snoozing in bed since he doesn't have to go to work the little lucky man. Grandma Bean will have him tonight, so we'll see what happens and this thread probably won't be updated until the morning after this point. Updated front post for updated numbers.

ETA: Ha, I misspoke. I'm going in late tonight.
 
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