3/11 Hank AMBG 133- PMPS 259

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bettyandhank

bettyandhank

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Hank's condo form yesterday (hope i did that right)
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=8756&start=0

Help.

I just walked downstairs to Hank spitting up a little...clear. he hadn't eaten anything (i don't think)

I did his test and he was at 133. i am NOT giving his shot.

I have only 2 strips left (no lectures) We only just started this and I had only a newbie kit (thank you Cinidie) w/ a vial of strips. I had no idea how this would go..it is all uncharted territory. We have wasted some starting out not getting our samples. I spent $166 this week ordering supplies online.
Some strips were ordered Tuesday which I hope to have tomorrow. Ordered more yesterday that have also shipped.
I have spent nearly all my last days running researching, running around for supplies, and dealing w/ this. I cannot afford retail for theses things, and not even online to be honest. But I have what I have for now which is enough for 2 more tests...intended for tonight's PS and tomorrow AM PS expecting my first order to arrive by then. Maybe I'll get lucky and they will be in today's mail. It is an enormous strain as I have no income now.

I have other obligations today I must give my attention to. Since this all happened I am way behind and already in trouble on some other time sensitive matters which affect others.

I am not sure what to do now, ...I am so far behind and can't stay online. I may call the vet..but appreciate any advice. I will check back quickly for what i can. I wished i could find someone w/ some one touch strips to borrow just a few til mine arrive. I'm afraid to use these now as waht will I do before tonight's shot?

betty
 
Re: 3/11 Hank AMPS 133- Help...What to do?

if you're not shooting this morning, this would be AMBG 133

if u can, please update spreadsheet for today.

not much I can suggest with limited supplies, you'll want to make sure he will eat some food.

I know how tough this can be in the beginning, it does get easier and manageable thou.
it will require patience and a bit of working around your circumstances. There are lots of members here in the same boat, and many will tell you - it is manageable.
check the Supply Closet forum daily for any offers, Walmart honestly will have the least expensive meter and strips, that many here use, I think some of us mentioned that before.
I had to settle for a cheaper strips too at one point till things got better, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do for you kitty.
And yea, it will take your time up learning, but trust me - it's worthwhile - you can't continue without learning right? gotta give it time and be patient with yourself.
 
Re: 3/11 Hank AMPS 133- Help...What to do?

Thanks Ronnie, ...many people have mentioned the relion Meter. For consistency, and because this is what I now have, I am using the one touch ultra mini.
I found strips one touch online for @ $26/50 on the first round then $21/50 on the 2nd.
i didn't realize a week ago when this all began i would have gone through 25 strips so quickly, as we'd never done this before. it's a whole new world as you know.
I also had no idea until I checked locally the cost for them, too much. So after figuring that out and sortingsorting what to do I ordered online, it cuts close timewise.
So now I am stockpiling...ordered 3 boxes then 3 boxes more 2 days later. Unfortunately that doesn't help me right now.

He did throw up bile this morning before I tested..but looks pretty good. I just left a message at the vet who said via the receptionist not to shoot if under 150..She does not know all the circumstances or have full picture of all the numbers that have occurred in between this week, so I won't totally rely on this.
I still want & appreciate any feedback or advice. We are now over an hour late for our shot...so not sure what else to do.
Call back form vet ofc. Now they are correcting saying rules for today & future reference to not shoot if numbers between 100-200. To call them if numbers below 100. test no more than every 2-3 hours tops. Noted the variance in our meters and that mine read 40-60 pts higher than theirs 9accu-track, i think??)
And of course, to listen to the vet instructions only.

Hank seems to feel fine...sleeping now.

Me on the other hand, I'm straving..no breakfast..and even further behind than ever.

B&H
 
Re: 3/11 Hank AMPS 133- Help...What to do?

The reality is that you probably could shoot this number IF you could test at +1 and +2. Our "rules" for newbies suggest that until you are data ready, you do not shoot a number under 150.

Did Hank throw up clear liquid or yellow, not so pleasant smelling stuff (that's not semi-digested food)? The latter is bile. The former could be anything.

Are you leaving food out over night? Given how much a newly diagnosed kitty can eat, Hank may have had a bit of acid stomach this morning if food wasn't available. As long as he's eating and not continuing to throw up, I wouldn't worry about his vomiting. If he is throwing up bile and it continues, he needs to see the vet.
 
Re: 3/11 Hank AMPS 133- Help...What to do?

If he's eating and seems fine.. he's probably fine.

Cats sometimes just throw up.. it doesn't necessarily mean anything horrible is going on.. you'll often hear people talk about the whole cat.. it's not just the numbers.. keep an eye on him.. paying extra notice to how he is doing will get you through it fine..

Running out of supplies happens.. money problems happen, you do the best you can... that's all anyone, including Hank expects of you.

Since you didn't shoot in the AM, he'll prob be fine all day without testing.. and his pm cycle will probably be high because he'll be emptying out his shed today.. testing lots today and tonight would be useful information for the future.. but not important enough for today that you need to get upset about it.

Keep an eye on him... give extra chin scratches if you feel awful not doing "something".. ;).. if he starts acting weird then it's time to get concerned.
 
Re: 3/11 Hank AMPS 133- Help...What to do?

Hi. No, it was clear. I did hear him gag, and he spit more than once, but not huge amounts
He has not had a big appetite at all throughout this. I think by the time i figure out something was wrong, he was already sick and not eating so much.
He has not had this ravenous desire for food as a symptom that I've read about on here with other newly diabetic cats. Perhaps he was eating more some time back and I missed that as a symptom. I think he had already dropped a couple lbs before we made it to vet 1. And then another lb in the next week. His weight has been holding it's own since then. he will eat a few bites of breakfast, and then if coaxed by me, will eat some more bites during the day..usually i bring it to him and even spoon feed right now. I was encouraged that he eat.
As far as in the night...if there is leftover dinner, it is left down and he could eat it. I try to pick it up in the AM until we can test/shoot. i do not think he got up or ate anything last night as there was still a little this morning leftover. Not positive, but that's what I think.
I'd like him to eat more today.
i just got a call form this vet's ofc. mangr. discouraging my calls. Made me feel terrible. I called when his number was low for direction as I would think they would want me to. The receptionist called back once w/ some general rule of thumb instructions for ranges, then a 2nd time to correct herself raising the range (due to my meter reading higher than theirs) i then get a 3rd call form the mngr. saying too much time on phone. Yet I called only once. Made me feel terrible. They don't want you to 'get on the internet'...only listen to your vet. But then i felt intrusive. How awful.
That one visit I've had on this gave me only the basics- lo-carb diet, they did a spot check of BG and ketones. how to give a shot, etc..
BTW, several of the things they said were actually not right- they would have had me roll the Lantus vial 1st (not needed for Lantus), they gave the 2-hour window guide, etc.. No ranges were discussed, or what to do if numbers were low, high, etc... I didn't even know what all the questions were yet. Every day is different. They are a very good vet clinic, but I had not been there in years and never to this vet.
I guess all vets are different. I saw one online in another state where they send a tech to a newly diagnosed diabetec's house. Help them set up their testing station, do the initial test & shot and get their routine set up. Then they call daily for a week to follow up for any questions or adjustments.
That would be so great.

Again, am so grateful for the advice, feedback & wisdom here....we sure need it as we figure this all out. Wonder why they are so discouraging?

I will check mail now hoping for strips. Though it feel like my window is closed schedule-wise to do one now anyway. 2nd time this week, which i hate.
May need help for tonight's schedule...already thrown by DST.

Is this a GOOD thing that his counts are low twice this week? Does this indicate anything hopeful...than the Lantus working?

thanks!
betty
 
Re: 3/11 Hank AMPS 133- Help...What to do?

bettyandhank said:
i just got a call form this vet's ofc. mangr. discouraging my calls.
Click to expand...

New vet time if it's an option in my opinion.. it's one thing for a vet (and understandable) not to be up to date on the latest and greatest of feline diabetes.. but that is simply just BS.. there's no nice way to put it.

A vet should want to work with you to make your cats better. That should always be their primary concern, even before how much money they are making off you.. yes it's a business they are running and we've all got to make a living, but people don't go to school for 8+ years to become vets "for the money".. and personally, I don't think it's likely for an office with rules like that to hold on to the staff that's really passionate..

And one that will discourage against new research/information (even if it comes from the not always that accurate internet, information should always be considered).. I'd rather have a vet that knew nothing and wanted to learn with me, then thought they knew everything (even if at the time, what they knew was right, some day it wouldn't be).

Don't feel terrible. I expect better customer service from my auto mechanic.

P.S. I'm usually at the vet with one of my 3 cats (or all of them ahha) at least once a month.. but I call/email probably 3x more then I actually go in.. and if I DON'T call or email (I feel bad for bugging them, so I back off often).. they call or email me and give me heck!! :)
 
Not too bad for all day with no shot. Nearly but not quite 24 hrs as we moved it up a little in preparation for DST.

Not sure what it really means..or if significant, but seems good to me. I can almost 'see' now when his sugar is high. Am learning to read him better. Today he looked pretty good. It sure is a rollercoaster. Can't wait to feel more comfortable in knowing what to do.

BTW, tonight I managed to bend the needle sideways. Didn't notice unitil pulled out of pen...guess I'll keep working on my technique. Wasting as much as I'm using.

I sure feel happier when Hankie's numbers are reasonable.

BTW, what is the benefit of shooting low numbers? If they are within range, is there a purpose?
 
bettyandhank said:
BTW, what is the benefit of shooting low numbers? If they are within range, is there a purpose?
Click to expand...

If the numbers are low because of insulin, when the insulin wears off the numbers will go up (long acting insulins don't work for exactly 12 hours and stop, and it varies from cat to cat). The idea of shooting low (once you have enough information on how your cat reacts to insulin) is that the new insulin you just shot will start to kick in when the old insulin that made him that low, is wearing off. The goal of it being to keep him low as much as possible so the pancreas can heal.

There's really good information in the stickies in this forum that explain things.. even if you've read them lots of times before, as you start to feel like your brain isn't going to explode from information overload, give them another read. Things will make more and more sense each time :).
 
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