12/13 Willie AMPS 501, PMPS 345, +4 328

[Christie & Willie (GA)]

http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=31970#p332123

Thanks for all for the warm welcome and feedback on yesterday's condo. So appreciated! I've modified my signature and spreadsheet to reflect that we're using the AlphaTrak. Thanks for the suggestion!

Willie is still running high this morning. Can't test him over lunch because I'm out of strips on the loaner meter (which has to be returned today anyway) and the mail with the new one may not be there yet (should be arriving today).

I'm not adding additional liver to his diet... sorry for the confusion! Originally, the Feline Instincts formulas all required the addition of either ground chicken livers (ick) or powdered liver, though recently they've started giving the option of mixes with the powdered liver already added in. We are using one of those and are not adding any additional liver to it. I'm hoping my family can hook me up with some inexpensive venison (they're hunters, it's hunting season, AND I have a deep freeze! LOL), but if not, then I may switch them over to the Wysong Au Jus venison formula and supplement that with the Feline Instincts in consultation with the owner of Feline Insticts (who is terrific, btw).

One question about tight regulation... how often do you need to be testing at the nadir? I work full-time and am the only human in our house, so it will be difficult for me to get home during the day to test him. Plus, I'm trying to keep him dosed on the 8s. I'm going out of town for a few days over New Years and I've found a sitter who is experienced with diabetic kitties. The 8am/8pm schedule will work for them (otherwise I have to pay for someone to stay in my home overnight, which I really don't want), so I want to keep him consistent at least until then. After that, I could potentially switch to dosing on the 6:00s or the 7:00s, which would give me a window during my lunch hour to run home and test. Though, even that gets tricky because now with the 12 hour dosing schedule, I'm finding I'm using my lunch hour to run most of my errands that I would normally run after work. Plus, I need to be getting back to the gym, which is usually after work.

Right now, I've been testing right before and after dosing (poke, eat, dose). Should I be doing a late night in the evening as well (+3 to +4?)? There are nights that it is tough... dosing at 8:00 means that I have to stay up until midnight to get a +4, and have to be up by 6:30 or 7:00 to get Willie taken care of, scoop the boxes, plus get ready for work.

Thanks again, everyone!

ETA PMPS. Glad to be away from the 500s!

 

[Blue]

Re: 12/13 Willie AMPS 501

About the testing, there are just a few tests that are a MUST.
The test before each shot, and a before-bed test.
The ps tests will let you know if it's safe to shoot, and the bedtime test will let you know if it's OK to go to bed or if Willie has decided to go low that nite and you will need to stay up to bring up his number.

The other tests will depend on your gathering of numbers. Since many people work, their curves and main testing happens on the weekends and evenings, or on their days off. Once you have a feel for Willie's nadir, if he is around about +5 or maybe earlier or maybe even very late. One of mine is around +5 but my other is close to +11 or later. As you test, you will find out if Willie responds early or not. If he really does not drop till close to +3, then your tests at +1 and +2 will just be rising numbers. Until you have done some curves, you can't really tell where Willie's nadir is, and nadir is not something that stays put in that spot, as much as we wish it would.

Don't worry about the mid cycle tests when you are working; I travel 1hr each way to/from work so there is no way I can get home to test. I go with the 6am/6pm, so I can also get to the gym for my 4pm-5pm sessions and be home in time for their 6pm test/shots.

Eventually, you will know what is happening during the week days because Willie is going to do pretty much the same thing on the weekend when you can do your curves. You will be able to plan for Willie's numbers and not worry while at work.

 

[Christie & Willie (GA)]

Re: 12/13 Willie AMPS 501

Thank you so much for your response... makes me feel much better. I will definitely make sure I'm doing before bed tests. Once I get through New Year's, I may still try to get him on a schedule that better allows me to go home over lunch. It's only a 10-15 minute drive and can be done, it just doubles my commute costs and leaves little time for daytime errand running. On a 7:00 dosing schedule, I could go home and test between 12 and 1 some days, make it to work at 8, get off at 4:30 and still make it home in time to dose at 7... even with errands or a workout thrown in.