2/05 Maggie11 - AMPS 215 - how are we doing?

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Ann & Maggie11 (GA)

Ann & Maggie11 (GA)

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Hi,
I'm learning a lot just from reading. Can you take a look at Maggie's SS and let me know what you think! I just started my SS once she got back on 1 unit. She when first diagnosed (early January this year) started out on 2 units, then Vet changed to 1 unit, then back up to 1.5 and now 1 unit, so she's been dose hopping. I notice from another thread that it seems important to not skip doses on the Lantus and to keep testing until the reading gets higher, is that right?
Thanks
 
Good morning

just a question, did u shoot last nite?
Other than that, SS looks ok to me,
yes on the testing, spotchecks to fill in the blanks whenever you can both in the day cycle and the evening cycle.

and yes, on the avoid skipping shots, if your ever in doubt, please post in your daily thread here in Lantus land.
 
Hi Ronnie, Good Morning! Yes thank you' I did shoot last night but forgot to mark it. I went back and filled in shot last night. Definitely when I am in doubt I will post. I know I should test more. Does it hurt when kitties get the prick on ear. Maggie flinches almost every time. I am using the Alpha Track and just using the lancet with the pen, but not popping the pen. I tried the pen on myself and I was surprised how hard it hit my finger, I've never used the button on the pen on Maggie, just the pen with the lancet.
 
You're going a good job getting your SS started! A few things to consider...

One of the keys to using Lantus is consistency. If you take a look at our dosing protocol, you'll see the following:

Tight Regulation Protocol said:
Try to find a way to dose as consistently as possible, time-wise and dose-wise: sliding scales don't work. Don't skip shots. Fluctuations are very common in this phase before BGs start to stabilize under consistent dosing
Click to expand...

Doses are typically held anywhere from 3 - 7 days and changes generally made in 0.25 increments.

I'd also encourage you to get PM spot checks. Not testing in the evenings means you're missing half of your data. Many cats have lower numbers at night so it's important to know this in case you may miss the information that could yield a decrease. For example, you don't know if numbers were lower the evening of 2/3 when you got the blue AMPS the next morning or if the pink pre-shot numbers are the result of a low mid-cycle number and a bounce up.

I'd also suggest not always testing at the same times during the day. The nadir is not always at +6. You may want to get a curve (i.e., testing every 2 hours for 1 cycle) so you have a better idea when Maggie's nadir is. Even with a curve, the nadir can change times.
 
If anything it will annoy kitties, but they do get use to it, many actually come running for their test - may have something to do with they've been programed to know they get a treat after....so make sure u give a treat.
u can also use neosporin for the ears, to help them heal.
 
Hi Sienne,
Thank you for all the important information. I really appreciate it and can see that I need to be doing more testing. I am semi-retired and can spend more time with her and testing. I know a lot of you are working, and it must be a challenge. Thanks again. I am going back and read the dosing protocol as well as more reading. Lots to learn for me!
 
Morning Ann...is this your post in LL? Welcome...i wanted to just say that in the beginning, i do believe the ear pricks hurt the kitty...I mean,...they are startled by it but their ears do "learn" to bleed as the time goes on and they get used to it. I am wondering why you haven't tried the button with the lancet pen? does it adjust to depths? What gauge lancet are you using..the higher the number, the thinner the needle. I have found that the lancet device fives the same strength consistently and instead of free handing it, I get more consistent results with the device....

As Ronnie said, we shoot twice a day and that consistency allows for the buildup of the reserve, or shed. Maggie's AMPS are very good today and the SS looks good too. You can fill in the comment section to the far right with any important info too.
What are you feeding Maggie? How often do you feed her and give her snacks....?
Have you read the stickies about Hypos and do you have your Hypo "kit' on hand?

The numbers should gradually come down as the days on one dose go by. Sometimes, we get a reading at preshot that is below 100
which causes us to wonder what dose we should give. It would be great if you posted a thread or 'condo" each day here and link the previous days' condo to the first post of each day. There is always someone here to walk you through things with lower numbers. The first thing you should do is post your question in the heading of your first post so that people can come and walk you through the lower numbers....if you visit other condos during the day, you will get an idea of what happens in those cases.

For the time being though, it will be good if you can do checks during the day so you will be able to see how the insulin is working on Maggie. We want to find the hour that she goes low (nadir or peak) and that will also correspond to the night time cycle as well.
Do get a before bedtime check at night. A lot of kitties go lower at night while their Beans are sleeping so night time checks are important too. (I set my alarm to get those night checks...but I am a testing freak :lol: )

You are doing great! Hope to see you posting everyday, k? :mrgreen:
 
Hi Pat,
Yes, this is me in LL. I am feeding Maggie Fancy Feast Savory Salmon and FF turkey and giblets. She is a grazer, so when I leave, which will be shortly, I will leave some FF out. I have a dry food Purina DM, and she may nible but really doesn't car for it. She is good about eating after her shot. Sometimes I give her the shot in her chair and then bring some FF over to her chair. Sometimes after her ear prick I give her not even half teaspoon of Stage 2 Gerber veal baby food. I looked at nutrition and protein, no sugar, some low carbs. I hope that is okay. I have chicken and liver FF, but she snubs that one. Yes, I will try and post every day I did print out the sheet on Hypos and bought some karo syrup to be prepared. I will have more time over the weekend to read and reread all the info in the stickies.

Oh gosh, you are right as there are settings on the pen. I probably had it on deepest setting when I pricked myself, silly me! Thanks so much for your help.
 
you will need it deep enough to draw enough blood for your particular meter....but once you find the right setting, I think you will like it. Some people can do it freehand as I said, but I use my device and love it! Good that you will have time over the weekend to read up.
It is an awful lot to get up-to-speed on and you will alwasy refer back to those same pages in the future.

Just remember to take deep breaths and if you have any questions at all, please post them and you will get many responses that will clear up confusion and help you relax in this whole new "thing" or hobby as I call it. ;-)

It's like a marathon rather than a sprint. This sugar dance is a waltz rather than an Irish Jig... :lol: So happy for Maggie tht you are so conscientious...that is so good...great to have you here! :mrgreen:
 
Thank you Pat. That is encouraging. At first when I did the prick, I was afraid of hurting her and I know I was not going deep enough. Now I most always get it the first time, almost!! Yes, she does know she is getting a treat right after, so it helps! Yes, you are right about it being a marathon and so much reading and research. Thank you so much.
 
Hi Ann

I'm not sure about the veal baby food - sounds like u use it sometimes after a BG test as a treat...just wanna tell you there are some treats you could try - a very popular one with kitties is the freeze dry 100% treats. they break off into small pieces and kitties go ga-ga for those.

With the baby food, u want to make sure no onions or garlic, others here have used baby food as an appetite stimulant, so it's good to have some on hand.
Next time your at the pet store check out the freeze dried treats, they will go a long way!

You can add a bit of water to the wet food to keep it fresh while you're out or overnite.
Since she is not caring much for the dry, you''re heading in the right direction to eliminate it completely.
If she does nibble on some dry here and there, make a note of it in ur spreadsheet, sneaking in dry can have an affect on numbers and does take longer to get out of their system.

Other than that, glad you're here and learning - it does get easier!
 
My two love the FF chopped grill feast...it has the kelly green label. you do add some warm water to the food, right? Fish is good on occasion but not as an everyday thing. Many flavors have fish in them too (the FF chicken feast for instance)

Also...about those freeze dried treats...I get mine at Petsmart....they are in the dog treat section! Actually they are made for dogs....

LARGE_primebites_chicken.jpg


http://www.rushdirect.net/products/prim ... reast.html

I buy the small bag and think the pieces are a bit smaller than the larger bags. I shave off some and sprinkle it on the top of the food....if you give tiny pieces as a treat you will be the BEST Mama!!! They absolutely love them. It's all chicken too, nothing else.
 
Thanks Ronnie. I just looked at the Gerber baby food, and it has veal, water and corn starch. It's a small 2.5 oz jar, 8 grams protein, 2 grams carbs and oh no, 5 grams fat, but 1 jar lasts me a week with her as that's how small the portions are that I give her. I will look for the dried treats next pet store visit which will be soon. Yes, just a treat after the pricks now and then. She used to love the Tartar Treats when she was well, I mean non-diabetic. Sometimes I do the prick while she's sleeping, so she's not looking for the treat. I know, don't we all wish we could sleep that good!

Thanks Pat for that picture of the treats so I'll know what to look for. Those prime bites chicken treats look really good. So they like the doggie dried treats, huh! We haven't tried the chopped grill feast yet, but Maggie loves fish, so sounds good next time. Yes, I do add warm water to the FF after it's been refrigerated or microwave, too, just for few seconds.
 
Ann...they don't KNOW it's for doggies...SSSssshhhhhhhhh...and you can't tell them either...promise? :lol:

OMG...Raja would certainly never eat that if she actually saw the dog on the front.... :lol:

The small bag is under $4 so I hope Maggie likes it...if not, at least it's not too expensive. I have seen similar
treats elsewhere but they were more expen$ive than this brand at Petsmart. (Canadians can get freeze-dried in
Walmart but I don't see the same in ourWalmarts here....)
 
Welcome to Lantus Land!

Maggie's numbers look great so far. I would hold this dose for another cycle or two and focus on getting some different spot checks, especially a before bed test every single night. Those are so important because many of our kitties have more action at night than during the day, and we really want to know if Maggie is dropping lower at night.

While you're shopping for treats, do you also have some high carb wet food on hand? Choose something in the 18% range on Janet & Binky's charts (most cats like the Fancy Feast grilled varieities with gravy). You won't feed those every day, but you'll want to keep them on hand to help "guide" low numbers when Maggie starts running low. A little bit of gravy from those foods will usually bump their numbers right up, and is easier and stays with them longer than Karo.
 
(Ann...they don't KNOW it's for doggies...SSSssshhhhhhhhh...and you can't tell them either...promise? )

Pat, oh how funny! I promise not to tell Raja about the dog. I love Petsmart and also Petco. They both have Adoption Centers, too. My walmart near me also does not carry everything re pets.

Hi Libby,
No, actually I don't have any high carb wet food. Thanks for telling me to have some on hand when her numbers get low. I stocked up on all the others that were good for her and donated the others. I'll have FF with the gravy on my list to pick up. I do need to get different spot checks. I just took another blood check at 7 pm central time, and her bg was 213. Her shot is due shortly.
 
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