? 3/22 Benny AMPS 400 Highest Reading Yet

[Lex Racquel]

Hi I’m new here, but have also been lurking since Benny’s diagnosis on 2/27/19.

We are 22 days into our Lantus regime and the dose just went up to 3 units the night before last and Benny’s sugar continues to rise. Are we overdosing or just not in the sweet spot yet? I feel like we are spinning circles.

Info: Benny is 6.5 years old. He had lost a significant amount of weight and was severely dehydrated upon diagnosis with a sugar reading of 670.

We switched him immediately to LC food (FF and Friskies Pate plus plain chicken and fish). He seemed to be doing better at first, his thirst went down but he still acts starving. His legs were getting stronger and now it seems the neuropathy is creeping back. His sugar went from 680 to 270 in two days on LC food. Now it’s back up again.

Please look at his chart and advise us. My vet is not happy with me blood testing, she has asked us to stop and that’s why we have some missing data for last week. I brought the Tight Regulation Protocol with me and she got super irritated and said that I would kill my cat and we couldn’t work together if I tried it for myself.

Unfortunately I can’t afford a more open-minded vet so I’m doing my best with her. I had to talk her into Lantus as she originally wanted him on ProZinc and said Lantus was proven to be less effective. I can only push her so much.

So any advice from the wonderful people here would be awesome. I’ll put the chart in my signature ASAP. Thanks.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wYg1T-o95GeOVmIi7qrGXdrqsvQIPCoH2UZVA_eS0QM

 

[Sandy and Black Kitty]

I brought the Tight Regulation Protocol with me and she got super irritated and said that I would kill my cat and we couldn’t work together if I tried it for myself.

(sigh) quite the drama queen that vet is

Testing is key to everything. That’s how you keep him safe. That’s how you know whether to increase or decrease. . .
I know what you are going through. BK’s vet at one point was so freaked out by the amount of insulin I was using that she refused to refill his Lantus prescription. I learned to smile and nod... and ordered my Lantus from Canada
She was a very good vet - just not wise in the ways of Feline Diabetes. I carried on and when BK went OTJ, all she could say was “he’s amazing” (which was an understatement).

My vet is not happy with me blood testing, she has asked us to stop and that’s why we have some missing data for last week.

The truth of the matter is that asking you to stop testing and shoot blind is asking you to play Russian roulette. Please continue to test before each and every shot, and get as many mid cycle tests in as you can - that includes the overnights.

Info: Benny is 6.5 years old. He had lost a significant amount of weight and was severely dehydrated upon diagnosis with a sugar reading of 670.

Are you checking his urine for the presence of ketones? If not please ask your pharmacist for some ketostix (no prescription required) and start testing once every day.

Hang in there and hang in here. Keep asking questions. This is the best place for a diabetic kitty to be.

 

[Erin & Scott]

I'm so sorry for what you have to put up with from your vet. Does she have evidence-based information showing the difference between the effects of Prozinc vs Lantus? It sounds like she's more invested in believing that she is right than in helping your Benny regain better health.

@Sandy is spot on with her advice; continue your testing, and follow the TR guidelines for increasing and/or decreasing. That is the only way you're going to get a true picture of what's going on so that you can find the optimal dose.

It will get better, I can practically guarantee that. Play nice with the vet but do what you know is best.

 

[Crista & Ming]

Smiling and nodding is the best way to deal with a vet that won't or doesn't want to get on board with what you want to do. I think most of us here at FDMB know how it feels. It almost feels like disobeying a parent but as a few people here and my own coworkers have reminded me, this is YOUR cat. Benny is yours and you hold the syringe at the end of the day.

Putting vet on an info diet regarding Benny's diabetes might be a good short term solution and when Benny starts to do well, there's nothing much she can do besides agree with you.

Also like Sandy advised, get more PM readings. Benny's high reading might be a bounce from a lower number during the PM cycle. Many members get a before bed test or wake up at a certain time to do a test.

You're doing great so far. Keep it up!

 

[Lex Racquel]

Thank you all for your sincere and heartfelt replies! Yes, this vet is a bit arrogant, yet also seems passionate as she’s seen some home treatments go very wrong. I will smile and nod like you suggested and then try to do what’s in my gut!

Benny had his highest reading yet at 490 this morning. I am in full panic mode as we were doing so well the first week. This 3 unit dose has seen some very high readings which I hoped were a bounce but an overnight reading was in the 300s.

This is going to sound nuts, but if he continues to climb, is going up a dose the right thing? Even if we had lower readings at 1 unit?

I read somewhere fish can cause blood sugar to increase and was bad for type 2 diabetics. We have been giving a ton of salty canned and cooked fish lately (tuna, cod, sardines). I immediately stopped all fish and am back to cooked chicken and Fancy Feast Pate.

Please say a prayer for our Benny that we get a good reading soon. I’m hoping this is the storm before the calm.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wYg1T-o95GeOVmIi7qrGXdrqsvQIPCoH2UZVA_eS0QM

 

[ohbell]

Hang in there!

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Is it possible for you to get a test every night before turning out the lights for bed? Even a +2 or +3 test would be valuable. Many cats go lower at night. We determine how to change the dose based on those low numbers. It’s also possible he is going lower at night, and bouncing, which is giving those high numbers as a result. You also need a test before each and every shot, including the night shots, to make sure it’s safe to give insulin. Here I am counteracting what your vet says, but it’s that data that helps us keep our kitties safe and get them regulated on a good dose.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

I'd suggest taking a look at several of our spreadsheets. I was a confirmed testaholic. Gabby never seemed to mind since treats were involved. As for your vet having seen some problems where home treatment went wrong, I'd like to know what she meant. I would make a bet that there are more issues with a cat having a hypoglycemic crisis if someone isn't testing than with someone who is home testing. As others noted, testing is the only way to keep your cat safe.

Wendy's suggestion regarding some PM cycle tests will help you and us understand what's going on over night. I'd also strongly encourage you to always get a test before you give an injection of insulin. You have no idea if Benny's numbers are in a safe area if you shoot blind.

I am also curious as to why your vet has been increasing Benny's dose by 1.0u. By TR standards, that's a big jump in dose.