2nd Curve Testing for Tulip

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Kim Ethier

Kim Ethier

Member Since 2017
Tulip and I did another curve this weekend, no change to feeding dry food 1/4 twice a day and we upped her Insulin to 2 units last Monday night and she had better numbers yesterday, see attached spreadsheet.

8a = 16.4 (before feeding)
10a = 26.6
12p = 17.0
2p = 15.4
4p = 13.1
6p = 10.6
8p = 4.6 (before feeding)

Her is Tulip wrapped up for testing.
004.jpg 006.jpg
 
Are you following the TR (tight regulation) or SLGS (start low go slow) approach to treatment? If you are following the SLGS approach that 4.6 (83 US) would call for a 1/4 unit reduction. With a lower preshot number please try to do a test at +2 and +3 to make sure the glucose levels are not still falling.

With a lower than usual preshot reading you should stalll WITHOUT feeding and retest again in 20 minutes to make sure the numbers are rising and not still falling.
 
Kim Ethier said:
Tulip and I did another curve this weekend, no change to feeding dry food 1/4 twice a day and we upped her Insulin to 2 units last Monday night and she had better numbers yesterday, see attached spreadsheet.

8a = 16.4 (before feeding)
10a = 26.6
12p = 17.0
2p = 15.4
4p = 13.1
6p = 10.6
8p = 4.6 (before feeding)

Her is Tulip wrapped up for testing.
View attachment 27226 View attachment 27227
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Whew! That was a lovely green PS last night! If you're following SLGS protocol that means a dose reduction of 0.25 u as Mary Ann has said.

Tulip doesn't look too pleased to be in her burrito - very cute though. :)
 
I called in her numbers to the vet and am waiting to hear back. I have only been at this for a month so I did not know what to do with the low PMPS number, I actually thought that was a good number.

No she was not happy being wrapped up but it worked for getting the testing done.
 
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Kim Ethier said:
I called in her numbers to the vet and am waiting to hear back. I have only been at this for a month so I did not know what to do with the low PMPS number, I actually thought that was a good number.

No she was not happy being wrapped up but it worked for getting the testing done.
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The low PS is a great number. It just calls for a reduction if you choose to follow the SLGS Lantus protocol outlined here. The vet might have different idea about what to do. Many/most of us have gone through the mental struggle of breaking away from the vet's advice to do things differently.

BTW - you asked about ketones on someone else's thread and I answered there.
 
I saw your answer thank you again so much.

BTW...it is not that I do not trust the advice here I am just trying with all the help I am getting form all sides to get my Tulip to a healthy number.
 
Kim Ethier said:
I saw your answer thank you again so much.

BTW...it is not that I do not trust the advice here I am just trying with all the help I am getting form all sides to get my Tulip to a healthy number.
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We understand, Kim! Tulip is your number one priority. She's a lovely girl too - even with a scowl on her face in the kitty burrito pic. ;)
 
What a cutie pie Tulip is!
Welcome :cool:

Getting our diabetic kitties to healthy numbers is what brought each of us here.

Being that insulin is a powerful hormone, understanding how it works for your kitty will be your number one ally to safely achieve good numbers. If you have not already done so, check out the informational posts at the top of the forum. There you will find a wealth of information about the best strategies for treating Feline Diabetes. Ask plenty of questions - we are here to help.

How did you discover Tulip was diabetic ?
 
Welcome :)
Tulip just looks sooooo cute in her burrito.:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
I hope she starts to give you an easier time with testing.

I second Sandy's recommendation on reading the stickies and asking as many questions as you like.

I know that the testing has proved a bit difficult for you with Tulips resistance, but I would strongly recommend that you try getting a test before you give insulin, and if you and Tulip can manage it at least one test in each cycle.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Hi Sandy & Black Kitty,
Tulip was peeing on the carpet which was not normal so I took her to the vet and they found she had a bladder infection and with that they saw a high sugar level, so we did the blood test and she tested positive for Diabetes.
 
Hi Gill & George,

For both curves we have tested before giving food and insulin.

What do you mean at least one test in each cycle?
 
Kim Ethier said:
Hi Gill & George,

For both curves we have tested before giving food and insulin.

What do you mean at least one test in each cycle?
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A cycle is the 12 hours between the AM and PM doses, Kim. Getting a scattering of tests at different times within a cycle over many days builds up a really good picture of how Tulip is doing on insulin. Have a look at some spreadsheets for examples. Some people test often each day because they're around to do it and others have to ration the tests on week days and aim to get more on days off.
 
Kim Ethier said:
Hi Gill & George,

For both curves we have tested before giving food and insulin.

What do you mean at least one test in each cycle?
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I mean that ideally you would test before every insulin shot, and if you are able to convince Tulip, then get a couple of midcycle tests every day (one in each cycle) not just on curve day, as Tulip becomes more cooperative, then you can get as many as you want/need.

That 89 yesterday was a good healthy number, but there is not much margin for error there with limited testing, FYI below 50 we are getting dangerously close to hypo territory.
The difficulty with cats is by the time they start to show symptoms of hypo, the BG can be extremely low and it can turn into a tragic situation pretty quickly, sadly we have 'seen' it happen. I tested George once and he was 27, and he was looking and acting fine.

We don't know if she was still low this morning, or if she dropped much further last night. As you are still feeding dry, SLGS would be the best choice of a dosing protocol to follow, and I would say that with that green in there I would keep the food the same, ie don't remove the dry or reduce it for now, (until you can get into a situation where you can monitor more easily) as the extra carbs present in the dry could well be keeping Tulip safe, we've seen kitties BG change dramatically when the dry is removed, and with the limited testing that you can do at the moment it would make me nervous, although ultimately when you are in a position to do so moving to a LC all wet diet would be the healthiest option
Here's a link for a website written by a vet about feline nutrition
http://catinfo.org/

Here's an interesting post that Dr Lisa recently posted about dry food on the health forum
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dry-food-please-consider-more-than-just-carbohydrate-content.175004/


On the topic of food, was Tulip eating more dry before? have you reduced the amount of dry she gets in preference of LC wet?

If you haven't already I would read the following sticky, best to be prepared, hopefully you will never need it.:bighug::bighug::bighug:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/
 
UPDATE: Talked to the vet on Tuesday, after playing phone tag for a couple days, and we have are giving Tulip 1.5 units of insulin twice a day now.
 
Great job on the curve the other day, and congrats on the reduction.

Have you considered testing Tulip each time before you give insulin? As she proved on her curve day, she can be rather lower at shot time and it may not be safe to give insulin then. We all test before each shot, to make sure it is safe to give insulin. That's the same thing people diabetics do.
 
Thanks LizzieInTexas, Tulip certainly is a present to me as well as her brother 2Bad and sister Munchkin
 
Hi Wendy & Neko,
I would love to be able to do that, but with only having done 2 curves Tulip is still struggling with that so I want to go slow with her.
But...it is the plan to test more frequently.
Thank you for caring enough to ask, it is so wonderful how much everyone cares for each other and their babies here, what an awesome support you have all been!
 
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