Squeaky and KT (GA)
Member Since 2011
Good Morning World! Welcome to our home! Last Condo
AMPS 178
WOO HOO! A BLUE AMPS! He'll probably bounce like a big rubber ball but at least we SAW blue again! Wish it was green but hey - right now we dance to the blues! Again, it's because he didn't eat but I don't CARE where the gift came from - we'll take it!
As promised a few days ago, I have what to ME is VERY EXCITING NEWS! I was originally going to post it in Health but I'm not sure others would even care to read it so am posting it here. I'm hoping other more knowledgeable people will see this and explore it too. This is sort of long but I can't figure out anything that can be 'left out'. Here 'tis:
===================
Oh my gosh! Talk about coming in the back door - I just FELL in the back door! Some of you have noticed the link in my signature to my husband's rare genetic disease called Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis or 'HKPP'. 'Hypokalemic' is a fancy word for 'low potassium'. Until 2 years ago, it and all the different types of 'Periodic Paralysis', was an 'orphan' disease. MDA took it under their wing for 3 years and began researching under their 'other diseses' heading. There has been more 'discoveries' this last 2 years than the 50 years previous combined! Those of 'us' that either have it or care for someone that does have had to learn how to deal with it by trial and error and by ourselves. Doctors aren't overly interested in patients with these orphan diseases.
Some of the latest discoveries are quite exciting! Why post this info HERE? Studies have now shown that there's a link between HKPP and low blood sugar! While looking at the information updates concerning diet for HKPP designed by the National Institutes of Health, I found this (quote article HKPP.org HERE):
.......
Blood sugar, also known as blood glucose, is the body’s fuel. It feeds the brain, nervous system, muscles and other tissues. The body makes glucose from the carbohydrates we eat, but also from proteins and fats. We would not be able to function without glucose.
As food is digested it is converted to glucose which is released into the blood. Some glucose is stored in the liver, as insurance against low blood sugar. Maintaining a stable blood glucose level is important to everyone's health and performance, but it is absolutely essential to those with Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis.
The Goal of the HypoKPP Diet Is to Keep Your Blood Sugar Stable
How Blood Sugar Level Affects Muscle Strength
After eating, blood sugar rises. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin which allows glucose to move into the tissues, including the muscles. The higher the blood sugar rises the more insulin is produced, the more glucose moves into the muscles, and the faster it moves. As each molecule of glucose enters the muscle it takes an ion of potassium (K+) with it, lowering the amount of potassium in the blood serum. As serum potassium drops the muscles become weak.
.......
As I've 'hung around' this board for 1 3/4 years, I've 'watched' all sorts of medical issues as they've developed and been solved or managed. I've learned how diabetes works and what organs do what associated with it. I've learned that cats (and other animals) and humans bodies work the same in many way. After all, a muscle is a muscle - same basic concept. I've seen 'unexplained' potassium issues with the same type supplements given, same effect of weak muscles as my husband. I have wondered more and more as my brain absorbed more of both of these....IS there a tie to this same thing with some of our cats?
I have NO medical training other than raising 4 boys so have to figure out an analogy for things. With HKPP, the electrical circuit in each cell 'shorts out' - those 'wires' are Potassium, Chloride, Calcium and Sodium. They have to meet in the middle to complete the circuit. When one 'beats' the other, that overshot is wasted causing more to have to be drawn out of the blood. This 'disconnect' keeps quickly lowering the available potassium levels in that muscle area affected. Potassium cannot just knock thru that cell wall - it has to ride GLUCOSE! It makes perfect sense NOW that the same thing is happening on the glucose side - each 'overshot' requires more glucose too thus lowering the blood sugar!
It also explains why when I give my hubby KLOR/Con EF 'fizzy tab', he begins to respond with a bit more muscle strength within usually 60 seconds or so! His blood sugar is low - that tablet has saccharin in it - SUGAR! It's the same as giving a diabetic a piece of candy (karo for my cat) when in a hypo situation for a quick jumpstart! It takes at least 20-30 minutes for one of his potassium chloride pills to start working because it's not addressing that blood sugar issue!
The diet needed is a bit different between a diabetic and a person with HKPP but there are many of the same requirements. I found it interesting that I SHOULD give him French Fries rather than a boiled potato as the fat in the fry will help slow the absorption of the carbs in the potato. Is there something in 'our' cat's diet with potassium or muscle weakness that needs tweeked when that condition is shown? Should we be adding some type of extra 'fat'?
========================
Join us in our HAPPY DANCE today!
AMPS 178
WOO HOO! A BLUE AMPS! He'll probably bounce like a big rubber ball but at least we SAW blue again! Wish it was green but hey - right now we dance to the blues! Again, it's because he didn't eat but I don't CARE where the gift came from - we'll take it!
As promised a few days ago, I have what to ME is VERY EXCITING NEWS! I was originally going to post it in Health but I'm not sure others would even care to read it so am posting it here. I'm hoping other more knowledgeable people will see this and explore it too. This is sort of long but I can't figure out anything that can be 'left out'. Here 'tis:
===================
Oh my gosh! Talk about coming in the back door - I just FELL in the back door! Some of you have noticed the link in my signature to my husband's rare genetic disease called Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis or 'HKPP'. 'Hypokalemic' is a fancy word for 'low potassium'. Until 2 years ago, it and all the different types of 'Periodic Paralysis', was an 'orphan' disease. MDA took it under their wing for 3 years and began researching under their 'other diseses' heading. There has been more 'discoveries' this last 2 years than the 50 years previous combined! Those of 'us' that either have it or care for someone that does have had to learn how to deal with it by trial and error and by ourselves. Doctors aren't overly interested in patients with these orphan diseases.
Some of the latest discoveries are quite exciting! Why post this info HERE? Studies have now shown that there's a link between HKPP and low blood sugar! While looking at the information updates concerning diet for HKPP designed by the National Institutes of Health, I found this (quote article HKPP.org HERE):
.......
Blood sugar, also known as blood glucose, is the body’s fuel. It feeds the brain, nervous system, muscles and other tissues. The body makes glucose from the carbohydrates we eat, but also from proteins and fats. We would not be able to function without glucose.
As food is digested it is converted to glucose which is released into the blood. Some glucose is stored in the liver, as insurance against low blood sugar. Maintaining a stable blood glucose level is important to everyone's health and performance, but it is absolutely essential to those with Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis.
The Goal of the HypoKPP Diet Is to Keep Your Blood Sugar Stable
How Blood Sugar Level Affects Muscle Strength
After eating, blood sugar rises. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin which allows glucose to move into the tissues, including the muscles. The higher the blood sugar rises the more insulin is produced, the more glucose moves into the muscles, and the faster it moves. As each molecule of glucose enters the muscle it takes an ion of potassium (K+) with it, lowering the amount of potassium in the blood serum. As serum potassium drops the muscles become weak.
.......
As I've 'hung around' this board for 1 3/4 years, I've 'watched' all sorts of medical issues as they've developed and been solved or managed. I've learned how diabetes works and what organs do what associated with it. I've learned that cats (and other animals) and humans bodies work the same in many way. After all, a muscle is a muscle - same basic concept. I've seen 'unexplained' potassium issues with the same type supplements given, same effect of weak muscles as my husband. I have wondered more and more as my brain absorbed more of both of these....IS there a tie to this same thing with some of our cats?
I have NO medical training other than raising 4 boys so have to figure out an analogy for things. With HKPP, the electrical circuit in each cell 'shorts out' - those 'wires' are Potassium, Chloride, Calcium and Sodium. They have to meet in the middle to complete the circuit. When one 'beats' the other, that overshot is wasted causing more to have to be drawn out of the blood. This 'disconnect' keeps quickly lowering the available potassium levels in that muscle area affected. Potassium cannot just knock thru that cell wall - it has to ride GLUCOSE! It makes perfect sense NOW that the same thing is happening on the glucose side - each 'overshot' requires more glucose too thus lowering the blood sugar!
It also explains why when I give my hubby KLOR/Con EF 'fizzy tab', he begins to respond with a bit more muscle strength within usually 60 seconds or so! His blood sugar is low - that tablet has saccharin in it - SUGAR! It's the same as giving a diabetic a piece of candy (karo for my cat) when in a hypo situation for a quick jumpstart! It takes at least 20-30 minutes for one of his potassium chloride pills to start working because it's not addressing that blood sugar issue!
The diet needed is a bit different between a diabetic and a person with HKPP but there are many of the same requirements. I found it interesting that I SHOULD give him French Fries rather than a boiled potato as the fat in the fry will help slow the absorption of the carbs in the potato. Is there something in 'our' cat's diet with potassium or muscle weakness that needs tweeked when that condition is shown? Should we be adding some type of extra 'fat'?
========================
Join us in our HAPPY DANCE today!
