2/2 George 201 AMPS

Hammy

Hammy

Member Since 2021
Hello. I wasn't able to get numbers this morning preshot.
I also switched from Alpha Track 2 to relion Prime...
However, I was able to test them both at the same time twice and they tested pretty much the same.
Tonight AT2 was 158 and Relion Prime was 157

These are some lower numbers for him.
He also didnt finish his full can of food like he usually does.
Should I lower his 1.5 units?

Heather
 
I'm not sure there's enough data really to say...

What dosing method are you following? I don't see it in your spreadsheet or signature.

Are you able to test overnight if needed?
 
Hello and welcome over to the Lantus/Basaglar/Levemir forum. Love the bow on sweet George's picture.

We find it's easier if you just stick with one meter. The AT and the Relion Prime would typically be further apart so it's better to just pick one meter, and stick with it.

At the moment, there isn't really enough data to say what to do with the dose. I'd work on getting more experience with testing, and making sure you can get those preshot tests in. Let us know if there's anything we can help you with there. It was fine to lower tonight as that's a lower number than you are used to.

As far as feeding and Lantus, we typically feed several small meals through the cycle, or some people have grazers. So he doesn't have to finish all his meal at once.
 
Thank you the welcome and for taking time to answer. I think I did an intro in another board, I will do another one here this evening.

The vet I took him too was not my favorite vet. He had history here, so my daughter took him while I was out of town.

George use to weigh 20 lbs and was just under 14 when he was at the doctor.

Vet told us to feed him, wait 15 minutes, then inject 2 units.
NOT to worry about testing him at home and to call her if anything goes bad, but she never had anyone have to call her for hypoglycemia.

The first weekend, I pricked myself with the insulin needle, I think after it was already injected. I think the needle pushed out the fold and into my finger after injection, but I got scared anyway, called the vet, and they said for me I had to call poison control. George should be fine until next dose. Poison control called me every hour until midnight. I was fine.

METERS:
I plan on exclusively using Prime, but I am having a hard time adjusting. This morning, I couldn’t get enough blood on the prime, I am use to the AT2 beeping and Prime doesn’t beep, then it says error after the strip being in too long, and I didn't get enough blood. I got frustrated and used the animal one again. It was 201. I wish prime beeped. He is slowing down eating and I don't know if it is because I am stressing him out with all the preparing.

Questions:

WHEN TO INJECT:
1. Vet said 15 Min after eating is the sweet spot for injecting insulin. Sometimes it takes him 10-15 minutes to eat. Do I wait 10-15 minutes after he is done or after he starts?

Food/Feeding:
2. If I can feed him multiple times a day (most times I don’t think I can except morning, right after work and a little before bed. One can in am and one can in pm was doing good. He was on this diet before we started injections.

ADJUSTING UNITS QUESTION?

3. He is 14lbs now, I was doing 1.5 units even though the vet said to do 2 units. When do I need to be concerned (what exact numbers do I need to be aware of) to lower a one time dose? What are the numbers I am looking for? For example (him having 158-200 was lower than when he was in 300s even tho it's only been a week. I lowered to 1 unit because I was scared and unable to test him all day today)

Thank you again for kindness and such valuable information here.
Heather & George
 
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FrostD said:
I'm not sure there's enough data really to say...

What dosing method are you following? I don't see it in your spreadsheet or signature.

Are you able to test overnight if needed?
Click to expand...

I could test overnight if needed. It is hard to find him, he sleeps in my daughters room, often under the bed.

What dosing method am I using?
I suppose I need to decide that. I was going off what my vet told me to do. 2 units 2x a day, 12 hours apart, no testing until 2 weeks after he has been on 2 units, 2x a day

But after reading here, I don't want to do that. That seemed so high. I don't know what method to do, the SLGS seems less scary.
BUT I started with doing what the vet told me which was not either one of these methods. She told me to start with 2units. I went down to 1.5 after reading and calculating numbers, but if I should just start over with .5 u BID (what does BID stand for)
Both methods are so different than what she told me, I started second guessing myself, and I am now wondering if I am harming him more than I am helping him.

recap my question to this confusing post, lol

Should I start over with tomorrow doing SLGS and .5 U instead of what the vet told me to do? (As I was compromising in the middle between vet and SLGS) Vet wanted me to do a curve after two weeks. We just completed week one.

Heather
 
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Hammy said:
.

recap my question to this confusing post, lol

Should I start over with tomorrow doing SLGS and .5 U instead of what the vet told me to do? (As I was compromising in the middle between vet and SLGS) Vet wanted me to do a curve after two weeks. We just completed week one.

Heather
Click to expand...
I'll let @Wendy&Neko weigh in on the dosing...I know the sticky says 0.5U but since youve already been giving 1-2U I'm not sure an immediate change to 0.5U would be good (risk ketones, not sure how depot is affected). I'm new to Lantus so still learning about dosing.

For feeding smaller meals, a lot of us use an automatic feeder with 5 or so slots. They usually have a spot in the bottom for an ice pack to keep things cool. I personally feed two large meals and he eats as he wants, but as our numbers get lower I might change that. I use my feeder more to automatically remove food 2 hrs before preshot, one less thing to remember.

Most people here tend to test, feed and shoot all within 5-10 minutes, so you should be fine with what you're doing. I personally test and feed, then clean up the room he's in (litterbox, rinsing cans to recycle, litter on the floor, whatever). When I'm done with that, I give the shot.

Would you say 20 lbs is his ideal weight? Are you currently limiting food? And he's on completely low carb diet right (including treats and such)?

If he's low carb, my understanding is you can do either TR or SLGS, it's more preference and lifestyle (TR requires more tests, including night time). Benefit to TR is you can hopefully get his numbers under control more quickly, but is definitely more aggressive and probably scary to someone new to FD.

As for what numbers to be aware of, that depends on dosing method.

As for when to do curves, I personally think 2 weeks at one dose is too long before doing a curve. If you want to do SLGS, I'd follow those guidelines. More data never hurts (except maybe the cat's ears)
 
Hammy said:
Vet told us to feed him, wait 15 minutes, then inject 2 units.
NOT to worry about testing him at home and to call her if anything goes bad, but she never had anyone have to call her for hypoglycemia.
Click to expand...
That right there tells me that vet is not familiar with Lantus. With Lantus, the onset is not until 2-3 hours after the shot. Not like the older insulins that start earlier and harder where it is very important to get a full meal in at shot time. With Lantus, we typically test, feed, and shoot all within about 10-15 minutes. But if they don't eat all right away, that's OK too. And you can give a shot while their head is in the bowl. Cat's typically hypo on weekends or late nights it seems, not wonder that vet never got a call for it. :rolleyes:

Food/feeding - most of us buy autofeeders to spread out the meals while we are away or sleeping. The Petsafe 5 is a popular model. It's also a safety thing, making sure they have food out during the low points of their cycle.

Read through the yellow starred Sticky Notes on the top of this forum. Including the one on Dosing Methods. The one you choose is based on what you feed (must be all low carb wet or raw for Tight Regulation), how much you can test, and your goals for George. If you think SLGS is a better fit for you, you don't need to start over at 0.5 units, that's just for brand new people. Maybe try 1.0 or 1.25 units for a while and see if that gives you numbers you feel more comfortable with. As you gather more data, your comfort level will increase. And we've had people start at SLGS and change to TR when they've got more comfortable. Regardless, the dosing method has to fit your lifestyle and everyone is different.

I also recommend reading other people's posts. See if you can find other new people - look at the date joined under the avatar. You'll find a lot of new people have the same questions and concerns and you might learn something by reading. I know I did when I started.
 
Hammy said:
I plan on exclusively using Prime, but I am having a hard time adjusting. This morning, I couldn’t get enough blood on the prime, I am use to the AT2 beeping and Prime doesn’t beep, then it says error after the strip being in too long, and I didn't get enough blood. I got frustrated and used the animal one again. It was 201. I wish prime beeped.
Click to expand...
Hi! Just here to offer insight to the prime from an AT2 switcher :)
  • First, I had an adjustment period too - I hated it at first honestly but was set on using it - affordable strips, strips I could get at Walmart and not mail order, and a popular meter on fdmb. It will take a few days to adjust (different blood spot on strip, no beeping).
  • Second, I still use the AT2 lancet (I originally got the AT2 starter kit) - some people like lancets, some don't so use what works for you - use a 28 or 29g lancet needle to start (alphatraks are 28g) then eventually - if you want - you can try a smaller gauge (I use a 30g with Jax now - ReliOn brand needle but it lancet needs fit in most lancet devices so still using my AT2 lancet).
  • Third, here's how I test:
    1. warm Jax's ear (I used to do a warm rice sock but now I just rub it a few times since his ears are used to being poked)
    2. insert strip into meter (I do not push the power button - I just insert the strip while the meter is off and the meter turns on) - you have two minutes from this point to get blood! Occasionally, my meter turns off randomly...but it's random and I don't know why but that does not happen on the regular - when this happens, I take out the strip, re-insert and go about getting blood.
    3. poke Jax's ear and get blood on the strip (make sure it has the blood drop on the strip on the screen)
    4. set down the meter while it does its thing (you see the two dashes blinking on the screen) and hold a cotton round on Jax's ear and count to 10 or 20 - then the meter is usually done too.
Hope that helps some :bighug:
 
Just wanted to say WELCOME to the LB&L Forum!

If you copy and paste your last condo/post into the new one each, we can go back and look at what was said previously - that way you don't have to repeat yourself from one day to the next anyway...some of us are tired and need all the help we can get for the continuity thing.

Thanks so much...and again you've gotten some great tips and advice above...it's a lot...but you'll get it :)
 
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