12/13 Angie pmps=74 +2=47 OTJ trial or hold your horses?

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GraceAndAngie

GraceAndAngie

Member Since 2013
Good evening LL,

I wasn't expecting to be asking the OTJ trial question this quickly! Our last condo was here. That was 11 days ago and I was proposing to reduce to 0.4 units. Since then I reduced her to 0.2 units when she came close to 50 and then again to 0.1 units. I can't remember why I did that last reduction! Maybe it was because after I skipped her pm shot her am bg was 85? Or maybe it was because I was worried about testing. Anyway, reduce I did, and she's done really well.

I know one 47 doesn't usually mean a reduction but I have been very unwell as my body is getting used to a new heart drug. The drug seems really promising but I've been so drowsy that I haven't been able to stay awake reliably at any time. Would it be a good idea to keep going to give her a bit more support? I am perking up a bit today so I should be able to get a few more tests in. But I'm never completely reliable!

Answers to questions in last condo:
Leavign food out doesn't work for Angie. Unfortunately, she gets sleepy when her bg's dropping and anxious for food when it's going up. Every time she starts harassing for food and acting anxious I grab her and test - her bg is always on the way up. :roll: She'll be floppy-deep-sleepy when she's low and won't go get food.

Mum flat out refuses to learn how to test Angie - she doesn't want to deal with lancets or blood and she's a bit stressed about having too much on. Ang misbehaves for mum anyway (mum's too nice :twisted: ) so testing would be harder.

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I really appreciated all the supportive messages you sent on my last condo. I was hoping to get my little laptop so that I could reply earlier. It came, but the keyboard didn't work so now I'm waiting on a new keyboard. It takes a low number to get me on the big computer! :lol:

Dyana, Michelle, Amy, Julie, Carla, Ruth and Sienne- thanks so much for the visit, the kind words, the vines, hugs and for the dosage advice. FDMB folks are wonderfully supportive and caring people. I'm constantly blown away by the amount of care you have for others, when you all have so much to deal with in your own lives. Thank you all again. One day I will find a way of giving back. :-D

Paula - big hugs to you. You are doing an amazing job with those health issues. I wouldn't claim to have the same challenges as you at all - I have a mum who helps me out and brain anurisms sound scary! :YMHUG: But I really did feel the solidarity that you were sending through the net! My new magic drug is really helping with my heart and my dizziness. I hope that something comes along for you.

Sienne - thanks again for the depot tips. It made sense. I think less frequent, larger reductions worked better for us in the end. Although increasing by small increments helped to hit the right dose while we were looking for it.
 
I'm sorry I don't know about the OTJ question. It sounds like Angie is doing really good and at least getting close. Someone else should be along soon that has more experience and can answer your question. This should bump you up. I'm glad the new heart drug seems to be helping you. You do a great job for Angie with everything you have to deal with.
 
Seeing a 47 the cycle after a skipped shot suggests that maybe Angie is done with insulin to me. That's my 2 cents worth. I'll see if I can round up a few more people to take a look.

At a very pragmatic level, if you keep an eye on Angie's numbers during a trial and they start trending upward, you can always re-start insulin. This isn't the case just for Angie, it's the case for any kitty on a trial. The other practical issue is that if you're not feeling well, given Angie's numbers, a trial may be the safest route.
 
I agree with Sienne.
She may still need some insulin, but I think starting a trial to see if she can go without it, is a good idea at this time. :mrgreen:
 
Safety first - "Better too high for a day, than too low for a moment."

My signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools lists a number of other assessments your mom could make that aren't invasive, yet contribute to evaluating how Angie is doing. Measuring water and food intake, weight, and elimination are good ways of spotting changes in those which may guide you in monitoring the OTJ trial. Increases in appetite and thirst, and soaked litter boxes suggest that insulin could be needed: maintenance of normal appetite and water consumption, a modest amount of wet litter daily, suggest she's doing well without insulin. Dehydration checks are useful regardless of insulin use, as cats' thirst drive isn't very strong.
 
So it looks like the consensus is to start a trial!! Congrats.

Here are the instructions.
  • Test at your normal AMPS and PMPS times.
  • Feed multiple small meals throughout the day as much as possible (small meals are less likely to overwhelm a newly functioning pancreas).
  • If Angie is green at your normal test times, no need to test further until the next "PS" time, just feed small meals and go about your day. If she is blue, feed a small meal and test again after about 3 hours. If her number is lower 3-4 hours after a meal, then her pancreas is working!

Sometimes the trial doesn't work the first time and we have to give a little more support in the form of resuming insulin. It's not the end of the world if that happens, we just give him the support he needs. Our goal is a strong remission and it's better to take our time to get that than to rush into remission just to have it fail later on.
 
I'm a little late to the bandwagon but I also agree, Grace. You know what to watch for and you can always ask for suggestions if you see numbers creeping up.

Congrats!! and GO ANGIE GO!!!
 
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