2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, PMPS~307, +4.5~137 - VET VISIT/PRED ?

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

joyce-tuscany(GA)

Very Active Member
yesterday: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7517

WCR: pissed off about vet visit. This was the most I've ever heard her complain at the vets. So vet says MAYBE ear looks little less "angry". Little less red. Still says could be infection or could be something "nasty" from inside. For further diagnosis she would recommend neuro visit - they would want either ct or mri (anesthesia) and then if something there how realistic of an option is surgery and then potential treatment (not really in a diabetic 17 y/o, crf cat). So, since we aren't going the neurology route and since maybe there is some improvement in ear and in her balance (I think maybe she just has adjusted somewhat to being bobblehead) the vet still thinks it is worth trying the prednisolone. She has given me 5 mg tablets - told me to do 1/day for 7-10 days and then to do 1 every other day for 7-10 days. Part of me really would like to try the steroids - I know how well humans can respond to 'roids - but the other part of me is screaming about her sugars.

So pred users - how bad is it?? How quickly have you seen the sugars go wonky in your cats, how quickly have you seen sugars settle once off? How much change in insulin dose /how quickly have you had to do?? (assuming that the little increments of s/f/.25 wouldn't do a whole lot).

I also now have adequan to start using on her. Was told to use every 5 days for 4 treatments as a start.

Tuscany's weight was back up a little.

The was some good news at vet: I also took one of my semi-feral in (mama fur face). She had blood drawn for the first time in 5 yrs and 3 vaccines. She was an absolute peach there. (yes, petrified but very well behaved). Probably could use a dental - one side with some significant tarter the other fairly clean.
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

Bear Man was on steroids long before he was ever on insulin (the steroids caused his diabetes). He takes 15 mg of Prednisolone sometime between pmps and pm+2. His numbers are also affected by other meds, health issues, and, ummm, less than ideal food. In general, though, his numbers tend to start rising a couple of hours after the pred is given and he tends to be highest at amps. He can run high some days, but has also been capable of giving some very nice green numbers on pred. I guess every cat will react differently - I know Carolyn and Latte have some real problems with pred induced numbers. I am a big believer in giving steroids when they are genuinely needed, and dealing with the BG fallout afterwards. I wish you luck with your decision, and hope that Tuscany feels better soon.
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

Logan is on prednisolone right now. We started at 5mg twice a day, went down to 5mg once a day after a couple of days and are now at 2.5mg once a day. He has so many issues going on so I can't really tell you how the pred has affected his BGs so I can't offer much advice there. We do think it's causing insulin resistance but we're not sure how much b/c of everything else - way too many factors to say for sure.

All I can say is that if it will improve her quality of life, then it's probably worth giving it to her. You can always adjust her insulin upwards. You should see an improvement (if it helps) within a few days.

Linda and Carolyn know more about the pred than me! At Tuscany's age, I would be most concerned about her QOL - wouldn't worry too much about the BGs right now. She's already on insulin and the dose can be adjusted, as needed.
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

i'm with linda. steriods can be very useful and are an important tool in kitty health care.
Winnie was on dex not pred and it caused her dm and drove her numbers .

Thing is, some of the higher numbers you have been getting are likely from the underlying health problem.
IF that can be taken care of w/ some pred, then Tuscany's numbers may actually get better on pred.
You never know until you try how your kitty will react.
since it is just short term use, you would not want to chase higher numbers w/lantus. 2 -3 weeks of roids , with tapering after 7-10 days imho is too short of time to do that.
You may have to bite the bullet and deal with some higher numbers for a few days till you see what the pred does and how your kitty responds to it bg wise.

Is your kitty ketone prone? If so, any higher cycles ( say doesn't drop below 300 in cycle) and you are home to monitor you could be taught how to use R. But that's getting way ahead of the game.
Just wanted to let you know options are there if that is an issue. ( R should never be used unless you have the guidance of an experienced user. )
If it was longer term use ( or it works and she needs to say on longer term) then adjusting the lantus would be appropriate if numbers climb.

My money's on better numbers if it helps the underlying health issue.

Keep us posted.
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

Tux(GA) was on pred and it actually did not have effect on her BG numbers. It's a case of ECID in my opinion and, as Cheryl said, you won't know what the effect will be on Tuscany until you try. If the pred can help improve quality of life, then I say try it. I hope that Tuscany is feeling better soon!
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

Hope the advice can help you & Tuscany--I know nothing so I'll just send Healing vines to dear Tuscany!
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

awww .. Tuscany, I feel so bad for your little ears ... joyce, I really have no advice on how steroids would affect bgs, but it seems to me, if she is suffering from a possible ear problem, wouldn't the stress of that raise her bg's as well? I don't know .. I'm just guessing at this.
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

Oh Joyce...hoping everyone's posts will help you out...I Know nothing...but I am sending hugs to you and
Tuscany...hope you will feel okay about things and make a decision based on that... :YMHUG:
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

Lots of beans with lots of experience plus your own knowledge re. the use of pred. I tend to think the prevailing wisdom here is that if pred will help, insulin needs can be worked around the pred..
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

Hi Joyce

Is Tuscany getting oral Baytril? If she has been getting it transdermally, I'm sure she's not been getting it. What are the ear drops called? They are antibiotic and have steroid?

If a neuro consult is do-able for you, location- and cost-wise, I'd do it asap. He or she can tell you more about what the possible cause is (the symptoms can tell them the part of the brain effected, or if it's the ear) and they are accustomed to medically managing some conditions including secondary symptoms like nausea, etc. Neurologists also have a lot of experience in managing inner ear infections just because of how many they see. They can create a treatment plan without doing an MRI. Don't get me wrong, they love to do brain imaging! but they can work without it. I'm always surprised at how many vets discourage neuro consults by implying that it's not worth it if you're not going to MRI.

As Sienna said, if the pred is necessary, the diabetes can be worked around it. I would want antibiotics to have a real chance first, though, because if it is infectious the pred will only help the infection. If you're able to see a neuro, I'd get his or her opinion first. Pred is very much an ECID thing for diabetics, and it is both a wonderful, life-saving drug and a scary drug with terrible side effects. Depends on the condition. For me --and my cat Earl was on pred for three years-- steroid use has to be justified. I want to know that it's the only thing that is likely to help before I use it, or that the benefits far outweigh the side effects.
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

Norton was on 6mg of Pred per day. It did NOT change his blood sugar -- no insulin increase was needed.

He got the Pred for inflammation from a brain tumor that was affecting him. (acromegaly +) He walked in circles in later months.

RE: stubborn infections -- Norton had an abscessed saliva gland that took 3 rounds of two different antibiotics to clear up. (looked like he had a golf ball in the side of his mouth at it's worst)

So - infections can be harder to clear up in diabetic cats. Good luck!
 
Re: 2/27 Tuscany AMPS~293, +4.5~332 - VET VISIT/PRED ??'s

this was a great condo to read today, lots of good information and advice. I hope it helps you with your decisions. Feel better soon, Tuscany!
 
Thank you everybody for the input and well wishes for Tuscany. It was encouraging to hear about some cats that pred doesn't affect much and a good reminder about quality of life issues.

So, we decided to start the pred tonight. Stuck it in a pill pocket along with the oral baytril.

Jesse, I think I will look into a neuro eval - you are right - I can just get an impression from them - but as I said - we did start the pred. I think this coming week I am off on Wednesday - not sure how booked these type of specialist get but will try to get name on Monday when the vet calls me with Mama Fur Face's blood work.

Otherwise, status quo here. Thanks again.
 
Cats react differently to pred/steroids. My Snowball was on glipizide before I adopted him. I stopped it and His BGs were in the normal range. However, he developed a skin condition and had to used pred for a short term. His BGs go as high as the low 200's when on the pred. When it was tapered down and stopped his BGs returned to normal.

My Twigie was on steroid ear drops for a while and her BGs would shoot up to about 500 when normally it stays below 200 with insulin.

My Bailey is on low-dose pred (0.12%) drops for an eye problem and his BGs are giving me problems. It took weeks to get bad. This morning his PS was greater than 500.
 
Lots of information in this condo today... a little heavy for a Friday, but totally worth printing and saving for a day when I can actually retain the information better.

I have nothing I can offer other than moral support. ((((((Joyce)))))) ((((Tuscany)))
Keep us updated.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top