29 Nov Methos 367@pmps, 359@+2

[SmallestSparrow]

My last: https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/11-25-methos-284-pmps.296009/

Unlike the yellow with pink Klimt that Binie is painting for @Heike & BInie, Methos likes big swaths of pink with bits of yellow…a very Rothko week for us so far
At least I will sleep tonight if guilt over lowering him doesn’t keep me awake
For all the kitties chasing blue tonight a funny mailbox and blue door I saw when walking the Camino de Santiago

 

[Heike & BInie]

Thank you so much Colleen for sharing this beautiful blue door! It brought us luck...

I hope you really slept last night. By lowering Methos you mean the decrease to 2.75? I really hope he sees better numbers on 3 IU soon - but not too low of course. Hope he stops producing these pink numbers, he looks much better in yellow and blue!

Hope you have a beautiful Saturday!

 

[Staci & Ivy]

My last: https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/11-25-methos-284-pmps.296009/

Unlike the yellow with pink Klimt that Binie is painting for @Heike & BInie, Methos likes big swaths of pink with bits of yellow…a very Rothko week for us so far
At least I will sleep tonight if guilt over lowering him doesn’t keep me awake
For all the kitties chasing blue tonight a funny mailbox and blue door I saw when walking the Camino de Santiago
View attachment 71624

Hi Colleen, Hoping Methos finds more blue doors and sunnny yellows soon.
Love this cool door and funky mailbox!!

Good luck with the increase and I hope you slept well last night.

No more Rothko for Methos. Show him those Starry Night pics for inspiration!!

 

[SmallestSparrow]

Thank you so much Colleen for sharing this beautiful blue door! It brought us luck...

I hope you really slept last night. By lowering Methos you mean the decrease to 2.75? I really hope he sees better numbers on 3 IU soon - but not too low of course. Hope he stops producing these pink numbers, he looks much better in yellow and blue!

Hope you have a beautiful Saturday!

Yes to 2.75. He in theory earned the reduction (in my vets system a half unit step, in the forum a quarter ) but I didn’t take it and he bounced high, then started to try to go low…and since we’d wanted to try 2.75 before when he got to a non bouncy point I hoped 2.75 would hold him there. Sadly he’s in a climb (at least not a huge bounce). I caved to a little peer pressure so instead of going back up to 3 as my vet said I split the difference at between 2.75 and 3. Maybe that’s why his climb is smoother. So now a full 3 and if he doesn’t turn around in a week I will see if my vet is ok with quarter unit increases. I don’t like pink but I don’t like bouncing into black either. His ketones may go up to 0.3 or 0.4 in pink but red and black take him to 1.0. (And you know how that is )

I hope all is well with you, to you and sweet Binie

 

[SmallestSparrow]

Hi Colleen, Hoping Methos finds more blue doors and sunnny yellows soon.
Love this cool door and funky mailbox!!

Good luck with the increase and I hope you slept well last night.

No more Rothko for Methos. Show him those Starry Night pics for inspiration!!

Thanks Staci…I tried to sleep well. Someone hogged half of the daybed though

I curled up in the 3 ft he left me. At least he didn’t stretch out his tail.

 

[Heike & BInie]

Yes to 2.75. He in theory earned the reduction (in my vets system a half unit step, in the forum a quarter ) but I didn’t take it and he bounced high, then started to try to go low…and since we’d wanted to try 2.75 before when he got to a non bouncy point I hoped 2.75 would hold him there. Sadly he’s in a climb (at least not a huge bounce). I caved to a little peer pressure so instead of going back up to 3 as my vet said I split the difference at between 2.75 and 3. Maybe that’s why his climb is smoother. So now a full 3 and if he doesn’t turn around in a week I will see if my vet is ok with quarter unit increases. I don’t like pink but I don’t like bouncing into black either. His ketones may go up to 0.3 or 0.4 in pink but red and black take him to 1.0. (And you know how that is )

I hope all is well with you, to you and sweet Binie

Thank you for the explanation Colleen! I am still struggling with the concept how to treat bounces. The libre shows me the overall bg and during the times she sees green numbers, her bg sometimes goes up because every green hour is payed with many bouncing hours. Because of this I sometimes thought, bouncing could be a sign of too much insulin but when I reduced, the bg just flattened out on a high level. So I think it is just a learning process for her and we have to live with the bounces?

All fingers and paws are crossed, that Methos is doing really well on 3 IU and you can keep the dose for a longer time. And I hope his ketones stay as great as they are. You are really moving mountains for him! Hope you can get some rest while he is not diving low.

 

[Heike & BInie]

Yes to 2.75. He in theory earned the reduction (in my vets system a half unit step, in the forum a quarter ) but I didn’t take it and he bounced high, then started to try to go low…and since we’d wanted to try 2.75 before when he got to a non bouncy point I hoped 2.75 would hold him there. Sadly he’s in a climb (at least not a huge bounce). I caved to a little peer pressure so instead of going back up to 3 as my vet said I split the difference at between 2.75 and 3. Maybe that’s why his climb is smoother. So now a full 3 and if he doesn’t turn around in a week I will see if my vet is ok with quarter unit increases. I don’t like pink but I don’t like bouncing into black either. His ketones may go up to 0.3 or 0.4 in pink but red and black take him to 1.0. (And you know how that is )

I hope all is well with you, to you and sweet Binie

Thank you for the explanation Colleen! I am still struggling with the concept how to treat bounces. The libre shows me the overall bg and during the times she sees green numbers, her bg sometimes goes up because every green hour is payed with many bouncing hours. Because of this I sometimes thought, bouncing could be a sign of too much insulin but when I reduced, the bg just flattened out on a high level. So I think it is just a learning process for her and we have to live with the bounces?

All fingers and paws are crossed, that Methos is doing really well on 3 IU and you can keep the dose for a longer time. And I hope his ketones stay as great as they are. You are really moving mountains for him! Hope you can get some rest while he is not diving low.

 

[Heike & BInie]

Thanks Staci…I tried to sleep well. Someone hogged half of the daybed though
View attachment 71632

I curled up in the 3 ft he left me. At least he didn’t stretch out his tail.

Hhhhh...he is so super cute! And I love how relaxed he is lying there. And it is so nice of him to leave a tiny spot for you!

 

[SmallestSparrow]

Because of this I sometimes thought, bouncing could be a sign of too much insulin but when I reduced, the bg just flattened out on a high level.

Methos also does this. And not just reductions. On his initial climb up the dosing ladder at 2.5 (I think, a lower dose anyway) he was flat but high. Any attempt to lower the nadir by increasing even 0.25 after that and it stops being flat and goes crazy with nadirs happening at +14 or 15, really high dropping suddenly to really low etc. I was hopeful when he was flat for a day at 3S/2.75F and while it was yellow it was low yellow. I thought maybe I can live with 200…but then he went all Rathko on me so here we are at 3. Again. For like the fourth time in as many months. I’m sure he’d love me to stop jerking him around

 

[Heike & BInie]

Methos also does this. And not just reductions. On his initial climb up the dosing ladder at 2.5 (I think, a lower dose anyway) he was flat but high. Any attempt to lower the nadir by increasing even 0.25 after that and it stops being flat and goes crazy with nadirs happening at +14 or 15, really high dropping suddenly to really low etc. I was hopeful when he was flat for a day at 3S/2.75F and while it was yellow it was low yellow. I thought maybe I can live with 200…but then he went all Rathko on me so here we are at 3. Again. For like the fourth time in as many months. I’m sure he’d love me to stop jerking him around

This is really nerve wrecking... Either too much or too little. Funny story: When Binie was diagnosed, I thought it takes a week or two to find the right dose and by then she will stay on that forever. I thought my main concern would be to guarantee I'll be home at shot time. This alone scared me so much, I cried for two days after the diagnosis.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

This is really nerve wrecking... Either too much or too little. Funny story: When Binie was diagnosed, I thought it takes a week or two to find the right dose and by then she will stay on that forever. I thought my main concern would be to guarantee I'll be home at shot time. This alone scared me so much, I cried for two days after the diagnosis.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Weren’t we all that naïve once Heike? I of course thought the same thing you did not knowing a thing about feline diabetes, and how it worked or didn’t work
I only knew one person with a diabetic cat, who said her cat was “fine” and she never once tested him or didn’t even own a glucometer. I shudder to think.
I have no idea if that cat is even still alive. I sure hope he is.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Thanks Staci…I tried to sleep well. Someone hogged half of the daybed though
View attachment 71632

I curled up in the 3 ft he left me. At least he didn’t stretch out his tail.

Awww. At least he likes to share his space with you.
I’ve “slept “ on the floor next to Ivy in her cat room. She sleeps in the cozy cat bed and I sleep on some towels on the floor next to her, so, I get it

 

[Heike & BInie]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Weren’t we all that naïve once Heike? I of course thought the same thing you did not knowing a thing about feline diabetes, and how it worked or didn’t work
I only knew one person with a diabetic cat, who said her cat was “fine” and she never once tested him or didn’t even own a glucometer. I shudder to think.
I have no idea if that cat is even still alive. I sure hope he is.

I met three people with diabetic cats in real life so far. One tested once in a while - they had diabetics in the family and new how important it is - two never tested. As far as they told me, these cats never went symptomatic hypo. I also shudder to think about it but on days I freak out about leaving the house, I try to think about them. I think they have been too careless and have been very lucky nothing happened. But I sometimes think I am a bit too paranoid.

 

[SmallestSparrow]

@Heike & BInie @Staci & Ivy believe it or not within my lifetime there was a time no one tested. Ever. And the cats all lived as far as I know. The Dr made a guesstimate of their dose (or the cat was admitted for a curve or three with increasing doses over 1-3 days). They handed you insulin and pee test sticks and said “give X units every 12 hours. Check to be sure there’s no ketones and preferably trace glucose. Schedule a curve in clinic in 2-3 weeks. Call if there’s ketones, no glucose, or 2+glucose. Have a great day!

every am I’d put down Erik’s dish, kiss his head, give him his shot, pat him and say “mommy loves you but she needs to earn greenies money” and walked out the door for 12 hours. The vets aimed for a dose that lowered the glucose enough without causing hypoglycemia

since we *can* test now I have to or I’d die of anxiety in fear he will go too low BUT
My goal for Methos truly is a shot I can give and not worry about. If I miss a nadir well ok. He doesn’t need to be perfect since (a) he can’t bc of his tumor and (b) I don’t want his last time he has filled with ear sticks

edit: I gave Erik fairly high doses twice a day for 3years, and at least 5 days a week walked immediately out the door and was gone for 10 hours. That said, I’ve been having my groceries delivered since 2 August and have only left my house to tske him or ‘Muz to the vet

 

[SmallestSparrow]

Awww. At least he likes to share his space with you.
I’ve “slept “ on the floor next to Ivy in her cat room. She sleeps in the cozy cat bed and I sleep on some towels on the floor next to her, so, I get it

When he’s too weak to want to sleep on the daybed I sleep on the floor (in theory on a mat next to the six different beds of his). This plan has similar results

 

[Heike & BInie]

When he’s too weak to want to sleep on the daybed I sleep on the floor (in theory on a mat next to the six different beds of his). This plan has similar results
View attachment 71634

Methos is such a sweet boy. I think it is not possible to say no to him. I totally get it. I slept the whole summer either on the couch and later on a mattress on the floor to be close to Binie, who slept on the terrace. I think only people with pets will understand.

 

[Heike & BInie]

@Heike & BInie @Staci & Ivy believe it or not within my lifetime there was a time no one tested. Ever. And the cats all lived as far as I know. The Dr made a guesstimate of their dose (or the cat was admitted for a curve or three with increasing doses over 1-3 days). They handed you insulin and pee test sticks and said “give X units every 12 hours. Check to be sure there’s no ketones and preferably trace glucose. Schedule a curve in clinic in 2-3 weeks. Call if there’s ketones, no glucose, or 2+glucose. Have a great day!

every am I’d put down Erik’s dish, kiss his head, give him his shot, pat him and say “mommy loves you but she needs to earn greenies money” and walked out the door for 12 hours. The vets aimed for a dose that lowered the glucose enough without causing hypoglycemia

since we *can* test now I have to or I’d die of anxiety in fear he will go too low BUT
My goal for Methos truly is a shot I can give and not worry about. If I miss a nadir well ok. He doesn’t need to be perfect since (a) he can’t bc of his tumor and (b) I don’t want his last time he has filled with ear sticks

edit: I gave Erik fairly high doses twice a day for 3years, and at least 5 days a week walked immediately out the door and was gone for 10 hours. That said, I’ve been having my groceries delivered since 2 August and have only left my house to tske him or ‘Muz to the vet

Thank you for sharing this with us Colleen! I am glad this worked out for Erik and maybe there was a share deal of luck involved also. I read that before the handhelds have been invented, human diabetics were treated like that too.

I totally understand your treatment goals for Methos. Everything has to be considered and I hope you find a dose which works for Methos and for you. When I got all these bad news about Binies health, I also wondered if should change the goals to reduce the bouncing and not feeling well. But as we have to lower the glucose urgently because of this multi-resistant germ in the bladder, I feel I have to be a bit more ambitious again.

I hope you find a way to go out again. Today I wondered why I was in a good mood. Than I realized, that I was going out of the house and further as the supermarket twice this week. Even though both was work related, it lifted up my spirits. Hope you can do this too soon.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

When he’s too weak to want to sleep on the daybed I sleep on the floor (in theory on a mat next to the six different beds of his). This plan has similar results
View attachment 71634

He’s so totally sweet. How can you resist his precious face. I’m sure you cannot.
What we do for these sweet, innocent creatures.
We are doing the best we can for them. And you are doing everything possible Colleen.
Hopefully Methos will get to a point where you can follow those goals you are trying to set for him.

And thank you for sharing your experience with us. We learn so much from these discussions. Hopefully we help one another along the way.

 

[SmallestSparrow]

He’s so totally sweet. How can you resist his precious face. I’m sure you cannot.

He actually photographs kind of grumpy. So do I for that matter but IRL he does have just the sweetest face—it’s rather gaunt now but I still see my handsome man when I look at him and on days when his BG is better I think it shines through
“What?!?! I left you some pillow!!! Just not this half…this half is all mine”

 

[SmallestSparrow]

ntly because of this multi-resistant germ in the bladder, I feel I have to be a bit more ambitious again.

Oh I totally agree. When Methos came off his vetoryl briefly and his BG and ketones shot up i was like “screw the hyperkalemia, let’s get him back on his tumor meds and up his insulin. NOW!” Always something. I also don’t know that sneaking the dose up slowly works either. Just like you and @Staci & Ivy and me sleeping on the floor, we do what we have to do and hope it’s enough. I hope Binie and Ivy see lots and lots of blue (and if desired green)!

 

[Staci & Ivy]

He actually photographs kind of grumpy. So do I for that matter but IRL he does have just the sweetest face—it’s rather gaunt now but I still see my handsome man when I look at him and on days when his BG is better I think it shines through
“What?!?! I left you some pillow!!! Just not this half…this half is all mine”
View attachment 71642

He’s just so handsome. And sweet. It’s obvious
He’s a lover boy

 

[SmallestSparrow]

He’s just so handsome. And sweet. It’s obvious
He’s a lover boy

He says thank you and sends his regards to the lovely Miss Ivy and Miss Binie
To all

@Heike & BInie

 

[bluesunshine]

He actually photographs kind of grumpy. So do I for that matter but IRL he does have just the sweetest face—it’s rather gaunt now but I still see my handsome man when I look at him and on days when his BG is better I think it shines through
“What?!?! I left you some pillow!!! Just not this half…this half is all mine”
View attachment 71642

What a sweet face. I hope he channels Picasso's Blue Period tomorrow.

 

[SmallestSparrow]

What a sweet face. I hope he channels Picasso's Blue Period tomorrow.

Thank you but
(I get anxious without any yellow to hold onto)

 

[bluesunshine]

Ok Methos, let's try to go from

to