2/6 Max PZI AMPS 71, +6 92, PMPS 204 - Advice Pls

Status
Not open for further replies.
hollyall

hollyall

Very Active Member
I'm Holly and my baby Maximilian was diagnosed with diabetes in early January. We are really struggling (apologies up front for the long post). When Max was diagnosed and I started reading up on feline diabetes (this forum is amazing), I knew I was interested in home testing but felt so overwhelmed at first that I waited. However, after testing once a week at the vet and always getting results in the 450s (yikes!) no matter how we increased the insulin and changed the diet, I went out and bought a BG meter yesterday (ReliOn Micro). After yesterday morning's vet reading of 450, I did a PMPS BG home test and got 264 (better #) and gave Max the full insulin dose recommended by vet (was really discouraged in the morning but feeling better with the 264). We went from 3u PZI previous week to 4u yesterday. I had Max sleep with me last night so I could keep tabs on how he was doing. He seemed fine during the night and perky and ready for breakfast this morning. I did an AMPS and got 71 (quite low) so I did a second BG and got 59. I was concerned with the low reading so skipped the morning insulin injection (very scary to skip cause of all the high readings the vet gets) and gave Max good breakfast. I just re-checked Max's insulin (6+) with two more tests and got 79 and 92. Does anyone have any advice? I'm worried I'm doing something wrong to have such different readings than the vet. Also, Max has had several small meals since this morning (about 1 can) and I would have thought his BG would be higher by now. I know the vet visits stress Max a lot, but would they change the BG that much? Also, since finding out about the diabetes, we began switching Max from Science Diet Light dry food to Science Diet M/D dry (recommended by vet) and low carb wet food (9 Lives and Fancy Feast pate). After weeks of transitioning (more wet, less dry), I went with only low carb wet yesterday. Would that explain the disparity in #'s? Hard to believe since the M/D is lower in carbs, even though dry. I just can't figure out what is happening (vet gets 450 and I get less than 100) and feel like I must be doing something wrong. Home testing wrong, feeding wrong...I don't know. Feeling very discouraged. I've started a spreadsheet for Max but there's not a lot of info yet.
 
Re: 2/6 Max PZI AMPS 71 +6 92 - Advice Pls

actually it sounds to me like you are doing everything right. and definitely with those numbers you don't want to shoot insulin so that's fantastic that you knew to skip the shot this morning. you won't want to shoot until he's at or over 200 i'd say since you are new and for that matter, now that you're testing & have switched diets, you may want to think about going back to 1 unit or so twice a day if the numbers get high enough to need insulin again.

if you think your meter may be reading wrong though you can test either another cat or yourself or another human and see what kind of numbers you get.

also, yes, switching to all wet low carb food can make a huge difference in BG levels, as will being at home and not stressed out so again i say i think you are doing everything right and you should be thrilled, not discouraged ((Holly))
 
Re: 2/6 Max PZI AMPS 71 +6 92 - Advice Pls

Wow, Holly, it sounds like you are doing a great job! The only problem in all you described is that the insulin dose might be too high. How do you feel about reducing to 1U? (if BG goes above 200)
 
Just took Max's PMPS and it was 203. Think I will start out with 1u of PZI tonight, keeping a close eye on Max, and check again in the morning. Thank you both so much for the advice and encouragement. I guess I'm still learning and struggling with the variables and why the numbers are so different between me and the vet. Any other advice is very welcome. There is definitely a lot to learn. Max is so worth it though!
 
Holly,

You might try to get a test tonight. 203 is basically 200 and a pretty low number for one unit, especially with a food change. Be sure you have food out for him to eat overnight.

The reason the vet's number and your number can be wildly different is that cats are stressed at the vet and stress raises bg levels - 200 points on some cats. Your number is the one to go with - at home and relaxed.
 
Hi Holli and of course you too Max,

No real advice since it seems others have you well covered there. Just wanted to come on and welcome you to the FDMB family. And give you a cyber hug for home testing! Sounds like you are doing everything right.

I am also the proud servant to a Max, who is also extra sweet (diabetic). Just my Max is Maxwell. My Max was 485 when he was dxed, with home testing, a nice low dose of insulin (in our case Lantus) and the switch in diet to all wet canned food, my guy is now in remission ( off insulin).

Just keep posting with any questions you might have, we have lots of years of living with diabetic kitties here, and there is almost always someone around to help out.

Mel, Max & The Fur Gang
 
Sue and Oliver said:
You might try to get a test tonight. 203 is basically 200 and a pretty low number for one unit, especially with a food change. Be sure you have food out for him to eat overnight.
Click to expand...
Oh shoot. I thought I was ok with 1u cause he was 200. I will be sure to keep a very close eye on Max and have food nearby. Ideally, I would love to do another test tonight but not sure Max will cooperate. We are both new enough to testing that I need help in the form of my mom holding and cuddling kitty while I poke and test. Hopefully, with rewards, Max will eventually see testing as treat time and I can do it on my own. Still have a lot to learn...deep breaths.
 
Holly, I'm in the same boat as you. My Sabian is just now getting to take the tests ok, though she still meows and tenses a lot when I do the poke. I don't think I'm hitting her fast enough with the lancet or maybe I'm subconsciously doing it slower in order to evoke more blood (yikes!)...either way, she's getting to realize the tests are a prelude to some treats.

I'm sorry that I have no advice for your numbers or dosage...I'm just learning this too.
 
Thank you Mel, Maxwell, and everyone for the warm welcome and advice. This forum has been super helpful! Without home testing, I would have given Max is 4 units this morning and who knows what would have happened. *Cringe*
 
But you didn't give the 4u .... and now you know how important testing is. I think you did
very well. My Payne was Dx 10/11 and if I had not found this list .... well, I don't think she
would have made it. Welcome!
 
I'm very certain that if I had not gotten my test kit, found this forum and heeded the advice herein, I would have killed my Sabian on Friday night. That is something that would have haunted me for the rest of my life. This forum saved my baby and I"m eternally grateful.
 
You are both doing great. This is such a difficult thing at first because there are so many things to learn so fast.

One is that any meter has a 20% variance. If you take a reading at get 190 and take a reading 3 minutes later and get 200, they are really the same number. The only time this is really important is when you are considering a dose. You don't want to think - oh great, she's over 200. You still want to be cautious. When in doubt, wait 30 minutes and test again. When you shoot, plan to get a test early in the cycle. Rather than a specific number, you want to be sure she is over 200 and that she is rising - the number is going up, not down. And then you want to follow up since you shot a lower number than usual.

No worries. Soon you will have this all down pat and be helping other newbies.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top