2/26 Tink AMPS 301, +2=333 after PJ party last night - DECREASE AGAIN???

[JenM]

Last condo: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/2-24-tink-amps-172-2-200-reduction-earned.133659/

Well, Tink threw me a nice low PMPS (89) last night - so I stalled for 30min to see which way he was headed. I've not had great results shooting green with him. Anything over 100 usually is fine... but under that and he likes to dip too low. So, I retested half hour later and he was up to 92. Though that's essentially the same number - I shot anyway... figured at least he wasn't still falling. WELL... that didn't work so well. At +2 he was already in the 50s. His regular lc meal did nothing - he went under 50. I broke out the mc (11%) and that kept him surfing in the 50s, but I had to give him a whole 6oz can of it to accomplish this.

I am not sure whether I should reduce again or not. He was bouncing pretty good this morning (our first trip to the pink floor this month), so I did give the 4u dose this morning - but thinking about reducing tonight. What do you guys think? On one hand, last night was only the 9th cycle on the newly reduced dose - so I'm thinking the depot may have still been contributing. I also shot quite low. Still, this is his second dip under 50 within those 9 cycles.

Part of me thinks the safer thing to do is to reduce again... but we've been making so much progress... I'd hate to reduce too much too soon and mess things up. I'm thinking that perhaps if I make it a rule to feed him mc, rather than lc, on cycles when his PS is under 100?? I don't know what to do. Appreciate any input.

 

[Tina & Sammy]

No dosing advice from me, but you did an awesome job feeding the low last night. Good thing Tink decided to eat the entire can. I don't know for sure, but I don't think the depot would still be holding extra from the 4.25 unit dose after 9 cycles.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

The depot influences 4-6 cycles, depending on the size of the dose. Probably more like 6 cycles in this case, so that low last night was the 4.0U dose talking. Looks like Tink's really liking this dose.

What criteria are you using for reductions Jen? With long term diabetics (diagnosed over a year ago), we usually make it a little tougher and suggest 3 times under 50, 1 time under 40, or a week in normal numbers. I see you reduced after two times under 50 at the 4.25U dose. Looks like you've now had two visits south of 50 on this dose. The first dip would have been under influence of the depot from the larger dose. But you also have to go with what you think is safe, given your circumstances. Something could have clicked with Tink. One more day to the weekend!

If you goal is to keep him in a higher dose a little longer, then the idea of higher carb for lower starts sounds like a good one. Given his recent track record, he seems capable of hitting below 50 at anything below 150 for a preshot.

 

[JenM]

I guess I'm using my "gut", with guidance from the protocol. I reduced initially (after two dips under 50) mostly because I felt like a 3rd dip was imminent. I just felt like he'd been flirting with low numbers a bit too much and that I'd been steering with food pretty frequently to prevent his going under 50. I need to weigh him again - but I think he's packed on a bit of weight from all the extra food. Honestly... even the 60s make me nervous, and result in my testing every hour or so to see where he's headed - which depending on what my plans had been for that day/evening... is kind of a pain in the butt.

I think, since his first dip was likely influenced by the depot - I'll hold the dose for now and plan to use higher carb food if I'm shooting low.

It's just hard since I have to leave at +2 every day during the week. And it makes it harder since sometimes +2 doesn't seem to alert me to a drop - sometimes he waits till +3 to show that. And unfortunately, I really can't adjust my shot schedule to allow for a +3. I could wake up earlier - but I can't get HOME earlier... So, I basically just always worry. I wish I knew why some days he's so low at PMPS. I never seem to catch that when I do a curve. I mean, they're great numbers... but why does he surf so long (or is he - was it because he went lower than I thought, etc??) on some days, but not most days. Why can't there just be a rule book for FD that the sugarcats actually follow?!?!

He's never shown any symptoms of hypo though - although I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

 

[JenM]

Good thing Tink decided to eat the entire can.

OH... you must not be that familiar with Mr. Tink. Tink would probably eat ME if I held still too long. The ONLY time since his diagnosis that Tink got anywhere NEAR not being willing to eat, was during a low in which I pumped about 14 ounces of food into him over 4 hours. At that point he FINALLY started acting like he wouldn't eat anymore.

Tink is our little food bandit. He's eaten a pan full of couscous, stolen macaroons and pizza slices from the counter, eaten half of a beefsteak tomato he stole off the counter, gnawed a large hole in a giant zucchini that was sitting on the stove... and I can't even remember his other escapades. LOL Oh yeah... he steals food from the dog's kennel if she doesn't eat it fast enough. He's a real character.

 

[Tina & Sammy]

ROFL! That is incredible.

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

we love a good appy in a cat!

Wendy's laid out some things for you to consider - i agree that this is the 4.0u dose talking, not the depot from the previous dose. I think it's been too long for that to still be a factor.

One thing I've noticed in other spreadsheets where the cat has gone all green - it seems like they seem to settle in and get fairly flat in greens after a little adjustment phase. In that adjustment phase many of them will go under 50, but it just seems like many cats (never all, of course) will get used to it and then get flatter and more predictable.

Max doesn't seem to do that, but if you look back at some other OTJ kitty's spreadsheets, many do.