2/9 Snax AMPS 325, Basaglar Pen

Lisa & Snax

Lisa & Snax

Member Since 2022
Good morning all!

I’m new here and at a loss. My boy Snax got diagnosed back in early September, and he’s been on insulin since. Started at 3 units and then eventually worked down to .5 unit (twice a day) in December/start of January.

By early January, a vet thought he might be in remission (curve numbers dipping way too low on a scant .5), so he took almost two weeks off insulin to check about remission (nope…). Back on at once a day .5 unit on January 21st, curve with that went from low 300s to low 200s. So back up to .5 unit twice a day on January 30.

This morning, he’s back in the 300s. An AMPS spot check a few days ago had him at low 400s.

What the heck? Did I ruin my cat by taking him off insulin for those two weeks? Is this normal to have happen? His last kidney/liver/fructosamine panel was on January 17, and it was all pretty good. He’s not allowed to graze, and if anything I’ve been even more militant about low carb everything since finding out he wasn’t in remission. Obviously I’ll be doing a BG curve this weekend to have my vet prescribe a new dosage, but I’m wondering if there’s possibly something else going on. Has anyone else had this happen?

I’m still trying to make sense of this whole diabetes thing and floundering! If there are any questions I can answer to help find better advice that my overworked (and sometimes not super responsive) vets are giving me, it’d be so appreciated!
 
Welcome. Here’s your post from main. We link them fir continuity.
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...t-advice-welcomed-please.258911/#post-2909907

My vet also took Max off insulin early on. I wasn’t testing at home and it was a safety issue. When insulin was resumed I started testing. As Sienne mentioned you need more testing for us to know if bouncing or not enough insulin. We need you to start a spreadsheet. Do you need help with that? I will tag someone who can help you with that. @Bandit's Mom can get you up and running right away once she sees this.
 
Thank you Tiffmaxee! Here’s my reply I just put on my initial post for more info, sorry I don’t have a full day of test numbers yet…

I try to test regularly, which have tended to be a pre-shot pre-breakfast test (the numbers in my initial post are AMPS), and have done plenty of glucose curves with checks every 2 hours. He was curving beautifully if not a touch low all the way from September to early January when we took him off insulin.

I unfortunately have a very time-consuming and varied-schedule job away from home, so any curves or multiple-test days are limited to the weekends.

I’ll update the forum with his curve this upcoming weekend, but here are sample curves:

Dec 5th, on .5 units twice a day:
7:30am: no test, fed breakfast, gave 1.5 units of insulin
8:30am: 119
10:30am: 74
12:30pm: 88
2:45pm: 79
5:00pm: 79
7:00pm: 74
Dinner and insulin at 7:30

He had been around those numbers in previous curves as well.

Then here’s a curve from 1/30, after he had been off insulin for two weeks and then back on .5 unit once per day (vet ordered) on 1/21:
7:15am: 329
7:30: breakfast and .5 insulin
9am: 274
11am: 283
1pm: 252
3pm: 222
5pm: 250
7pm: 295

And now his AMPS spot checks are consistent with that 300s range.

Again, I’ll update the forum with the new curve this weekend. I’m just worried I did something bad by taking him off insulin and resetting him like this!
 
Again, we need you to set up a spreadsheet. The curve from 1/30 is too long ago as we need to see trends. Looking at that it appears an an increase is needed but lantus is dosed upon how low it takes your cat and we dint know if he’s bouncing on the day of the curve.

What are you feeding him? Are you using a human or pet meter? Would you add that to your signature please?

As for the two weeks off while it might cause him temporarily to need more insulin than before, it won’t effect him long term. If you start a spreadsheet and can enter just the last two weeks of numbers that will help us a lot.

That first curve would be a perfect lantus curve if following TR. if following SLGS a reduction would be needed. Please look at our two methods we use and pick one.
 
Hi Lisa! Welcome to FDMB! :-)

Like Elise says, we are very data drive here and can help you with dosing once we are able to see any test data that you may have.

I can help set up your spreadsheet for you to put the test data in. Will send you a PM with the details I need. Look for it in the Inbox at the top right corner of this page.
 
Thank you all so much for your help and patience!

What type of data do you all like to see? Like a daily AMPS? That’s unfortunately about all I or my partner (combined) would be able to do with any regularity because of our jobs/schedules, other than about 2 hours after insulin in the evening.

My vets have told me to do curve days every couple of weeks, and then once he’s in a good place, just do a morning test once a week. Perhaps that’s my first problem, is not getting enough data based on their advice! So my apologies if I’m a bit clueless as to what a diabetic cat actually needs…

Snax eats a can and a half of Fancy Feast pate per meal (2 daily meals). Sometimes Purina One or their Pro Plans if I find low carb. No kibble anymore save for about 5 pieces of high protein Orijen just for the crunch. Treats are freeze dried only from PureBites or Whole Hearted, or composite freeze dried from Orijen. Glucometer is AlphaTrak 2 for pets. I’ll add all that to the signature.

And Snax’s full name is Snaxl Rose :cat:
 
With limited testing if you choose to follow one of our methods it would be SLGS and you would reduce the fuse if ever there’s a BG read in BG under 90. To follow TR you need an amps and pmps (ps is preshot) every cycle and other test test every cycle. Many move the shot time to get a +2 before leaving for work.

With SLGS you need. An amps and pmps every cycle and a curve every 7 days. With have seen many cats dive from 300 to 40 or less and if not testing end up with a symptomatic hypo and in a glucose drip at the vet if lucky. You need to test before insulin to make sure it’s safe to shoot. Then you feed to make sure they eat. Then you can shoot. Lantus is fused upon his lie it takes your cat. If too low they will bounce and be high at the next shot time do you think they heed more insulin when actually the reverse is true. Read the stickies at the top of the forum.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top