2/5 Jackson AMPS 305 +2 220 +4.5 83 +5.75 57 +6.5 68 +8 79 +10 95 +11 201 PMPS 158+1 193 +2 166 | Feline Diabetes Message Board - FDMB

2/5 Jackson AMPS 305 +2 220 +4.5 83 +5.75 57 +6.5 68 +8 79 +10 95 +11 201 PMPS 158+1 193 +2 166

Skye & Jackson

Member since 2022
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/2-4-jackson-amps-352-2-260.273805/

Well surprise surprise! The AMPS was dropping when I shot, but I didn’t actually expect the +4.5 reading I just got. Doublechecked with an ear prick, and yep, 83. Awesome!

I’m actually very wary of considering a drop below 80 to be good for a reduction though, now. Just a few days ago, we did that and it didn’t work at all. I’m thinking maybe we should try… 70? Or even lower? I don’t know…

Or maybe I take a page sort of out of the TR book and do a reduction if he goes under 80 (70?) three times in a week? I can’t watch him close every day, I work day shift this week and so does everyone else in the household. But he’s not in any danger in the upper greens… as long as they stay upper.

Just not sure what to do. I know I can’t just reduce to 1.75 again. That resulted in days of pinks. And he bounces so much that even when on 2 units he really only comes down every few days. But at least he spends more time in the yellows and blues. Hm….
 
Funny enough, for the +5 test of 89, the Libre concurrently read LO. This tells me that he’s probably sharply on the rise from whatever his nadir below was (around 70 most likely, given the typical 30-point variance at this sensor’s low end). The Libre does have a few minutes’ lag when dealing with quick rises especially.

I’ll see what he reads again in a few minutes.
 
Jackson read LO again at +5.5, so I figure I’d do a couple chores and try again. At +5.75 he still read low so I did an ear prick. 57!!!! Apparently the brief spike to 89 was an aberration? Either bad strip or possible stress from getting re-pricked.

So I guess he really does need a reduction… to something. Something between 2 and 1.75.

I’m giving him some regular (not no carb) treats and will check him again in a few. Some MC may be called for if those don’t nudge him up (they usually do). He’s acting lazy/sleepy.
 
He had a brief food bump at +6, but back down to 68 at +6.5.

He’s actually being incredible and unusually good for these ear sticks. I feel so bad, his ear is getting so sore…
 
Finally at +7, a BG reading of 89 and the Libre finally registered at 43 - but more importantly, showed the arrow that reflects climbing glucose. Jackson is finally out of the trough. (Edit: And at +7.5, Libre shows 61… so still climbing. Though maybe not so fast, if the typical 30 point variance in this range means he’s still hovering somewhere near 90. I don’t want to have to poke his poor ear anymore just to find out; it’s enough for me for now that he’s safe.)

A little logical thinking/memory finally kicked in… his dose was late last night. Like, an hour late. And then I woke up and, half-asleep, gave him his shot this morning at the normal time.

Is it possible he went so low because that hour’s “early” shot made it act like more than 2 units? Should I reduce now? Or should I wait? I’m afraid not to reduce, what with him not getting close watching this next week. But I really hate seeing him go hang out up in the pinks again. Maybe a skinny 2? Or something slightly more than 1.75 (hard to get reliably same though…)
 
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Guess that was a food bump, he’s back down to 79 (and reading LO again, which is frustrating, because 79 isn’t low enough to want to worry and stick him for).
 
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Is it possible he went so low because that hour’s “early” shot made it act like more than 2 units?
Yes, that early can act a bit like an increase. As for whether or not to reduce, I go back to your statement that neither you nor the other folks will be around to monitor much this coming week. Also "hard to get up" is a good indication that a reduction should be tried.

Out of curiosity, what is your feeding schedule for Jackson? He did some pretty steep drops today. If you can feed him at the right times to slow him down, he might not get so low. Plus those steep drops are likely to cause a bounce by themselves.
 
He normally is free fed and goes to munch himself when his numbers start trending lower blue, except I do remove food a couple hours before his evening preshot (difficult to get exact timing on when he runs out of food overnight for the morning one, so that varies; sometimes he even has a little food left). Ironically, it can be kinda tough feeding him when he’s low enough to actually need it, because he’s got plenty of sugar being converted to fuel and so that’s exactly when he doesn’t want to eat. Mostly he wants to sleep. (He’s the most playful/active when in blues.) The only time he’s cared much about food when he was in greens was when he was really low.

I do have to admit now that he has to get a reduction. I just hope he doesn’t end up in the pinks for three days straight again. Last time he even touched red a couple of times. I know he’s gonna bounce, probably hard, from this. I can’t have him going this low when I’m not home though. Not that he was actually in any actual danger today I know, just that there’s no way to tell without an ear prick, which I’m the only one that will/can do that. That and his feeding style are both why I opt for SLGS as an overall plan. I am aware that TR would stabilize him better/much faster. But given the reality of my/our life, he needs to stay high enough for the Libre to read something other than LO. (Even if it’s not technically accurate below around 100, at least I can guess close enough to where he actually is as long as we can get any reading.)
 
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It's a little trickier with grazers to get them to eat when you want! A slightly higher carb LC around+2-+3 might have slowed that fast drop.

Better a day or two too high, than a moment too low.
 
Better a day or two too high, than a moment too low.

True. True.

I need to get some more medium carb food today. I went to grab some when he was at his lowest and realized it had been grabbed for the other cats by mistake, it was gone. Luckily I had some treats that worked somewhat (before he stopped caring about eating them).

He’s awake and more active now that he’s solidly blue again.
 
O-Kay….. at PM +5 we’re suddenly down to a Libre reading of 64… meaning approximately 80 BG. (Not going to blood test just yet, his poor ear is sore enough already and might see some more abuse before the night is out.)

This time I’m bringing out the carbs. As in a whole 3 oz can with gravy. Eat up, buddy… green numbers are great for your health and all, but I need you safe and I really need to get some sleep before work too. I’m supposed to be getting up in six hours… and I can’t go to bed until you’re rising again!
 
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