2/17/20 AMPS 291, 305 +7, PMPS 386

Susan & Claudio

Susan & Claudio

Member Since 2019
2-16-20-claudio-no-amps-test-287-2-242-9-327-pmps.

Started out in the yellow. Thought it was gonna be a good day. HAH !! The came those nasty pinks. Well, hope springs eternal.
 
Hi Susan, numbers really have been a bit blah, haven't they? I think if I recall, you haven't decided between TR and SLGS yet? I'll try and summarize some the differences. The major difference between the two is the reduction number. With TR the reduction number for newly diagnosed kitties is 50 on a human meter, while for SLGS that reduction number is 90. Also, with TR you can increase the dose in a shorter time period (3-5 days) and assess based on nadirs, increasing if over 200, while with SLGS you hold the dose for at least a week and perform a curve to see how low the dose is taking the kittty, and if nadirs are between 90-150 you hold the dose. At the moment, you've held the same dose for 8 cycles. The tricky part is that with TR, a test after preshot in each cycle is recommended. With TR it would appear to me that you could increase tomorrow to 2.25u giving time of 6cycles to clear a bounce that may have happened after he hit 188 on Feb 13th. He may have actually gone a bit lower than that earlier in the cycle, since he dropped a fair amount from preshot to +2, but we don't know for sure. Start Low Go Slow would have you continue to hold this dose for another 3days, then do a curve to reassess and see if an increase is warranted. Does this help?
 
Thanks. I "think" I'm understanding a little better. So with the TR I need to test more often to try to catch the nadirs ? The blues are few and far between. Right now, I'd be happy with the yellows. Really want to make the pinks a thing of the past.
 
Yes, we need to see how low the dose is taking the kitty in making dose decisions. But TR doesn't necessarily call for more tests, I like to think of them as strategic tests. I have seen some caregivers test a lot, but that isn't mandatory. With SLGS you hold the dose longer, then evaluate based on a curve. TR is considered more aggressive, in that you can assess and increase the dose in less time. It does take some patience, some kitties still get up into reds or blacks after a low number or sharp drop. I can't promise you that Claudio will never see a pink again, regardless of the dosing method you choose.
 
Christie & Maverick
Yes, we need to see how low the dose is taking the kitty in making dose decisions. But TR doesn't necessarily call for more tests, I like to think of them as strategic tests. I have seen some caregivers test a lot, but that isn't mandatory. With SLGS you hold the dose longer, then evaluate based on a curve. TR is considered more aggressive, in that you can assess and increase the dose in less time. It does take some patience, some kitties still get up into reds or blacks after a low number or sharp drop. I can't promise you that Claudio will never see a pink again, regardless of the dosing method you choose.

So basically, the amount of testing stays the same ? The main difference is how often the dose is changed ? How often are curves done with TR ? Kinda leaning towards the TR.
 
Susan, one of those "strategic" tests would be to test at +2.
As Chris&China said in your post in Feline Health:

"If you think of your spreadsheet like it's a puzzle it will help. Getting tests sprinkled around all over makes it easier to know what the whole picture is. If you just get tests at the same times, it's like filling in the edges with a stripe down the middle.

One day get a +3, +6, +9 and another day get a +2, +5, +8......just look at your spreadsheet and if you see any big white spaces, that's a good opportunity to get a test!

As you learn more about how your cat reacts, you'll learn when the most important times to test (for you) are!

All that being said, I always liked to get a +2 because it acted almost like a crystal ball in predicting what the rest of the cycle was going to be like. (in some cats, the +3 is a better predicter)

If the +2 was about the same as the PS, it was usually going to be a pretty normal cycle....gradually down to nadir and gradually back up again.

If the +2 was higher than the PS, it was usually the beginning of a bounce and those cycles I could take a break in testing.

If the +2 was lower than the PS, that was my "early warning" that I needed to make sure to get more tests in because China could drop a lot lower later on"

Testing Times
 
Thanks. So I'll get a daily +2 to see where he's heading. With what little data I have, I noticed his nadir is approx. +4. How does a +2 and +4 along with other random times sound ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top