2/13 Michelangelo AMPS 301, +6/304 - Possible news article

[KPassa]

Good Afternoon, Everyone! I'm so glad the board is finally functional again; I've missed being on here!

Previous Condo.

I'm hoping I unknowingly did a fur shot this morning, but I suspect my vial of Lantus is losing its potency (I've had it since the beginning of October). It's still clear, but it seems I'm getting a lot of these alleged fur shots lately. At first I thought it's because I switched syringes but after switching back to the short, thinner ones for a couple of days. the numbers haven't really changed. The only reason I don't think Mikey needs a dose increase is because he hasn't really gained any more weight since the last increase and he is still seeing some greens occasionally.
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All that business aside, a couple of weeks ago, one of my friends who is a Type 1 diabetic contacted me about an article he was assigned to write for one of his jobs writing for an online (human) diabetes website. He was asked to write about Pets with Diabetes. Of course I've been inundating him since then with all the links and information I've learned from everyone here over the last few months (THANK YOU, GUYS!! :YMHUG: ), but wanted to ask for input in case I missed anything. I have no idea what's going to end up in the article or even what specifically he has to write about but I will definitely share it here once it comes out.

• This is what I've given him so far:
• The importance of low carb, wet food for cats
• Links to this message board, catinfo.org, AAHA article, TR Protocol, home testing, and the DCIN website (maybe some of those human diabetics reading his article will save some kitties?)
• Mikey's Profile page and spreadsheet
• Info about daily/yearly cost for pets (not covered under insurance)
• Info on glucometers (i.e. human vs. pet) and BG numbers for felines
• Info on insulins and shots-per-day and when to test and curves
• Vets and how they're not necessarily incompetent, just uninformed (Which I re-posted on the main health board because I think it's something that most of us initially thought about our vets before we learned more about why they're not in sync with the latest feline diabetes info.)

Should I maybe post this on the main board instead? Does anyone have any suggestions or anything else I should provide for him that I might have missed? He might also want to interview some people. Any volunteers in case he asks?

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Re: 2/13 Michelangelo AMPS 301, +6/304 - Possible news artic

I think the importance of home testing is critical. No parent would ever consider blindly shooting insulin into their child yet caregivers are often not informed about home testing or it's importance isn't stressed. It's the best way to insure the safety of your cat. In addition, because so many cats are stressed at the vet's office, a curve run at the vet's is unreliable with the possible consequence of the cat being over dose if the numbers at the vet's office are used for adjusting dose.

Of course, there are any number of myths:

• Cats will not adjust to home testing;
• The cat won't let you test;
• Your cat will end up hating you for testing

and probably any number of others myths that I've forgotten.

Unlike humans, cats can go into remission. It's not a guarantee but it's a possibility. There are evidence based, research protocols (e.g., the Roomp & Rand TR protocol that we use) that have an admirable track record of getting newly diagnosed cats into remission.

Learning that your cat is diabetic is overwhelming, if not terrifying. Get support. An online community like this one is a huge resource. Having experienced people to guide you and be available almost 24/7 helps caregivers to develop the knowledge and confidence to manage their cat's diabetes.

Read. Knowledge is power. There are great resources out there -- and some that are not so good. Use your commonsense.

There is a lot that's unnecessary: prescription foods, curves run at the vet's office, repeated fructosamine testing. Knowing what is good practice for treating FD can help to reduce the costs.

Your vet should be your partner in this process. If your vet is one who insists, "It's my way or the highway." the vet won't help you to learn what you need to do to keep your cat safe. If the vet gets annoyed if you ask questions, it may be time to interview around for a new vet.

The process of testing and giving insulin is one which creates a unique bond with your cat. They know you are helping them to feel better. It also causes most caregivers to become incredibly perceptive regarding their cat's behaviors and know when something is amiss.

 

[KPassa]

Re: 2/13 Michelangelo AMPS 301, +6/304 - Possible news artic

Thanks, Sienne! :thumbup Want to potentially be interviewed?

Of course, I was much more detailed in my reply to him than the list I posted above. In fact, I think I started out with that quote about "Giving insulin without testing is like driving down the freeway with a bag over your head," which I'm sure a lot of the diabetic and parents of Type 1 diabetic Readers will be able to relate to. Then I proceeded to write approximately 8 pages worth of information and links. Just take a look at how long the section I wrote to him about vets is! I think I have a tendency to write a lot. ;-) (It's okay, though. Because he's my old writing partner, he understands how verbose I am. I even joked that I was writing a novel on Feline Diabetes for him.)

I'll wait till I hear back from him again (give him some time to pour through the latest batch of info I just sent him) and then impress upon him some more about the importance of testing. :lol: