3/7 Shadoe amps 376 pmps 358

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Yesterday’s Condo

Yesterday's recap:
371 - amps (12uL & 1uR)
290 - +1
212 - +2
169 - +3
167 - +4
160 - +5
196 - +6
277 - +9.5
351 - pmps (13uL & 1uR)
374 - +1
322 - +2
299 - +3
254 - +4
297 - +5
376 - today's amps (13uL & 1.25uR)
346 - +1
302 - +2

From the looks of things, Shadoe has deemed Sunday to be her day of rest from this stupid numbers game and I can poke all I want, she is gonna drag her numbers sloooowly.

Back and forth, back and forth, good days, not so good days, happy days, stubborn days.
Whatever the day it is going to be today, Shadoe has started it off with a too fast test-n-treat clock. She keeps going over to the treat carpet more than 10minutes before it's time. I told her, you are outta luck missie; it's not time yet. So she lay down on the spot and with her back to me; she is mad and pouting, but one thing's for sure: she is the first one in the snack lineup, so when that bell chimes at the top of the hour, she will be present and ready.

The LB action was of the non stinky variety and was out of the way before her amps; that was nice.
She ate 1/2 can of ff chicken feast after her shot, and I put down the other 1/2 can after +1 - the extra water I mixed in is gone, so I will add more. If I did not know better, I swear that she prefers her food mushy and soupy over the solid chunky from the cans. It's a good thing because I don't see her drinking lots of water at a time.

I'll be out after +4 and be home again for her +6. Depending on her numbers, I could try R at mid cycle since she has had some other days where she just refused to leave her comfy pinks, but we will see later in the day.

I will pop out later to stop at the vets, maybe, to ask about arranging for Xrays, just so we have a snapshot of Shadoe's insides now, at the time of her dx. It's good to have a before picture so we have a comparison for later as things change.
I also want to pick up a 2nd meter. All the talk on the board of others having meter issues or meter not working or wondering if meter is working right has me freaked, so I need a backup to be able to sleeeep.

OK that's it for the tardy Shadoe condo for the day, but more to follow ad nauseam.

Pats and scratches for all of the kitties, yes, even the naughty ones.
Extra cuddles and soothing words to the under-the-weather kitties.
Lazy hazy day for the beans today.
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302

(((Gayle and Shadoe)))

Maybe some yellows or pretty blues today? I just know you can do it Shadoe ;-)

Droppin thru to show my support for you two & wishing you both a Super Sunday!!
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302

Looking good for Shadoe today, gayle.

On the verge of seeing that yellow sneak out any second.
I elove when they think they know the schedul better than us.
Max does it to me all of the time.

Thanks for the backup meter panic. never thought of that either and I am using the walmart relion. Guess when I am hoardin my stips to smuggle back to Canada, I should get a second meter to. I hope they have one. They are hard to find.

Have a great Sunday.
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302 +3~304

Happy Sunday you two....nice report as usual Gayle...you are amazing!!!
keep up the great work!!!
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302 +3~304

Make sure you don't pay for the meter. There has to be some deal on a free meter with the purchase of 100 strips. I did some meter comparing, and made myself crazy, but I do keep one for a backup.
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302 +3~304

UGH is about all I have to say about Shadoe's catitude today.

I swear she is doing this on purpose! She goes right to the edge of yellow and gets my hopes up that her +3 will tip into yellow, but nooooo. The scaredy cats decides to back away.

Well, if her +4 is still going up when I test before going out, and her +6 is higher, I suppose I could try some R, maybe .5 or 1? Maybe I'll get some thoughts on that idea before I get home

At any rate, Shadoe's doing just fine, doing happy cat stuff and rolling around nice and purring, but those numbers are just lagging behind all the other good stuff.

Who knows? Maybe she just wanted to visit the pinks. This is only cycle 2 for the 13u, so it's OK as she's just filling up her tank.

Linda,
I'll look around and find one that is high on that meter rating I have seen posted, and I'll get a kit that has some strips in it for sure.
It is just for backup but since I may be playing around with doses alot higher and want to keep Shadoe more blue than green, I think a 2nd meter has become very much more important to have around.
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302 +3~304

Gayle,
Looks like Shadoe is going to keep you on your toes today!! I just want you to know I look forward to reading your posts everyday!!!! I pick up info a little at a time and most of all I just love the way you write about whats going on.

Really enjoy it.
Have a good day.

Jan and Buddy
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302 +3~304

You, Gayle, have the patience of a saint. Saint Gayle of the Kitty Cats.

I hope Shadoe gives you one or two good numbers today. You know, a crumb to keep your going. ;)
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302 +3~304

Gayle
I love reading your Shadoe reports also. You and Pat could write books about your kitties djust from your daily threads.
Come on Shadoe if you are going to get poked all day make it worth it and show some yellow and blue.....as you know I am not a big fan of pink. cat_pet_icon
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302 +3~304

So Shadoe says, you want crumbs? I'll give you crumbs!
Her +4 was 313
I went out for a couple hours and came back to a super change!
Her +6 was 311.

Can't you just see her? :twisted:

Whatever. I am heading out to harrass the vet about arranging for Xrays, then wander around checking out meter prices and deals.
I really need to get a spare.
I am sure that Shadoe would be horrified to think a day may come and no pokes! :lol:
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302 +3~304

Oops late to the party. definitely R +6 if she's still high. You can start experimenting carefully with R doses now. Make notes of what works and what doesn't. Next up is making an R scale so that you'll have a set dose to shoot for whatever number she happens to be at. This is a trial and error thing, not something that's going to magically appear to you in the night :lol: Look at my Leo SS page two. Scroll down that page to see the R scales I started with and as you scroll up, you'll see how I increased them. http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pkwEJXZdhGd9dugnx-MrJPw&output=html

Warning! Do not use my scales unless they happen to mirror what you are noticing with Shadoe!

I don't want anyone to think the doses I shot will work for their cat. This means you, people who do not have IAA/acrocats, do NOT do this to your cat! This data came from hours and hours of studying Leo's response to R. Every Cat Is Different. What worked for my cat might irreparably harm your cat.

Notice I developed a 2-part scale tailored to his responses, 1 for PS's and one for +6 numbers. General rule of thumb I started with is that I shot 1/2 the dose at +6 that I would have shot for the same number at preshot. ie: Preshot 300 (1u) +6 300 (.5u) then I fiddled with it to see the response. Start your scale low and then watch for a couple cycles. Increase entire scale the same amount when you do it.. so initially every dose on your scale would be increased .25u at a time if you wanted to increase your scale for better action. Also, make an R scale page on your SS so you can track the scales you used. Comes in handy when showing a new R user what you did. ;-)

Important to note is that Leo was very sick through most of this, he was eating 18-24oz of food a day during a lot of it and also at some point my R lost efficacy so I was shooting much higher doses than I probably would have on a new vial.
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +1~346 +2~302 +3~304

gayle, finally got caught up and read that you got the acro diagnosis. took off a few days so i haven't been around.

commenting about testing like xrays. the way my cats' specialists and i play it, sometimes it's cheaper to have her regular vet give meds or tests like xrays, so they do it for me without charging for a checkup on top of it (once the specialist says it needs to be done). the markup at the specialty vet is pretty horrendous for meds or xrays. the vet just gives me the copy of the xray and i bring it to the specialist to evaluate. the specialist does the ultrasounds because they have the equipment ready and someone there to interpret it, and it's a quick in and out for my kitties. specialist and regular vet work together and share notes, so both are kept up to date just in case.

guess we could all speculate as to why vets resist getting that acro test done. venturing to say denial is probably a big part of it. they're not familiar with it so it can be emotional, unfamiliar, require work -- you name it. but we're reading now that acro is probably a lot more prevalent than many previously thought. when you think the number of members here are the tip of the iceberg in terms of the total population of diabetic kitties, yet see the number of high dosers here (past and present), clearly it's not so rare. i'm just glad you got the diagnosis right away, because of your diligent research and follow up, so you can get started right away on giving shadoe what she needs.

you know we're all in your corner cheering you on, and would love to see you blog about your experiences.
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +3~304 +6~311

Man, it's not like I want a whole whack of magic; just a little bit. :YMSIGH:

It is one hugely gorgeous day outside, sunshine yellow all over the place. I have opened the windows in hopes of some sunshine leaking into Shadoe somehow, so maybe, just maybe, with a little help from just 1uR at her +6.5, I will see her tip into some yellow by +8.

Who knows? Maybe it's Shadoe's idea of a compromise; one day I get what I want, the next day she gets to lie around in her fuzzy pinks.

Chris,
I am going down to the vets after taking a +8 to talk about getting Xrays soon, just to have in her file. I also want to find out if there is a single vet there willing to play along with Shadoe and me. I have gotten too much foot dragging and avoidance up to now, and I will be wanting to have a vet who is going to work with me, even if that means the vet needs to study up a bit now.
I am concerned about the reading of the Xrays as well. I want to know everything about them, the process and costs from start to finish. And the reading of the xrays better be someone who knows how to read them!

Carolyn,
OK I'll continue as I have been, using R a bit when she's pink/red at ps and then a bit less at +6 if she is not budging or is still high pink, recording with the BG numbers.
While I am doing that, I'll look at what effects the R has had on her numbers so far, like how much of a drop in each case. I really need to look into graphing these numbers; I love to look at lines / graphs.

And yes, we squeaked down into yellow with a big 292 for a +8
 
Re: 3/7 Shadoe amps 376 +10~315

Well, I went to talk to the vet about Shadoe's results and to ask about Xrays or what's next.

The young vet said she was just going to call me about the results. OK.
Anyways, she said they did not come back and say Shadoe is acro; rather her results are highly suspisious :shock: I said "Excuse me, what??" You better figure out how come she is drinking up this insulin like it's nothing and the numbers come down then go back up. That's just not normal. I gave her Shadoe's ss and said are you telling me this is normal??

She said she has been doing alot of reading up on acro, she even pronounced it correctly which was promising, and she has also been studying what's in Shadoe's file. Her concerns are that she had that bad bout of p-titis, (which she had told me to treat with a change in diet LOL), and also that Shadoe had received some A/B, but maybe there is something else going on which could be fixed with a different A/B, and also we should get the dental done to rule out any issues there.

We then talked about my request for Xrays. I said if Shadoe is maybe acro but has not been long, then the teeth positioning and snoring and all the other symptoms one may see but we are not seeing, plus that Shadoe is female (she pointed that out), means not too much. We agreed that we will still continue with the insulin, increasing as needed to get her numbers lower, but in the meantime, we should look a bit deeper because we really don't know for sure if she is or is not acro. Do we? I gave her that much because I don't know how they determine their ranges and what it means to be just a bit over or a bit under.

She said that the Xrays would be around 160 or so, and the u/s would be about double, but what you can see from only the u/s would be of more value than what we may see with only the Xrays. I am not sure if it is right or if I am saying it right, but I did see her point.
Just thinking of the Xrays and u/s I have had for myself, I can appreciate the differences in what they can tell. The way she summed it up is that there isn't really anything much that you can get from the Xrays that can't be had from the u/s. And going the other way, you can always get the xrays done later if we still need to see anything that can't be had from the u/s. The Xray shows you A to F; the u/s shows you D to Z. If we really want the A,B, and C, then we can do the Xray later.

I said Whatever; just book it and let's get crackin.

Now, if she is just trying to sell me a big bag of snake oil, let me know. I'll walk back over there and tear strips off her.

While I have your attention now, how much do these things cost? Seriously. I would like to know how much the dental stuff costs and what it entails. I am terrified about having any cat put under because I lost one cat years ago when I took her in to be spayed. She just did not wake up they said. Her brother was fine, but she just never woke. I am thinking of demanding that I be present for the whole thing.
Oh yeah, I said we will not be doing any pilling from now on and I mentioned that bit about the kitten sized tube for the throat. At that point, she commented on my knowledge of the subject being very good, so she knew exactly what I wanted to avoid.

So how much are Xrays and u/s, and what are they capturing, exactly. I want to be sure they don't do half a job and charge me full price or double price for crap.

Also, I will ask for pre-dental bloodwork when we go for the u/s; is there anything special in that bloodwork I should request? I like numbers, lots of numbers, but I don't know what test names to request. One time, it included CBC, CC3, FPL, T4, Fruc, and U/A. I do know that I don't need that Fruc test done, but what about the others? The FPL I don't need either.

Anyways, it's pmps time. I just said that in my mind to the tune of IT'S HOWDY DOODY TIME!

Ugh I have lost my brain.
 
The more I think about it, the more it sucks.

One lousy yellow number today. Shadoe has been sleeping for most of the day; I think she is not enjoying her pinks like she once did. She has not much of an appetite today either, even for her pure snacks. I had to go and get her for her pm shot, and when I made her food, she did not come to eat - I had to bring it over to her and she lapped up the soupy part.
Let's hope she has better luck tonite with her numbers.
 
I just paid $619 plus tax for an abdominal ultrasound ($33 kennel fee, $330 ultrasound, $80 travel fee - the specialist is not in-house, and $176 specialist consultation fee). You may be able to avoid all the frills they dinged me with, and just pay the ultrasound fee.

This link shows the various blood panels that are available: http://www.idexx.ca/downloads/books/Cli ... nglish.pdf

I think a pre-dental blood panel would be fairly basic. If you like lots of numbers, you might look at the geriatric profile, or one of the wellness profiles.
 
Thanks Linda!

OK that's good; I'll not be getting robbed for a price around $400. The rest should not exist as she said that number and I don't expect her to be tacking on 150 here and 200 there.
I bring Shadoe in, we are just around the corner, and I will wait till it's done, then get the report and then take her home.

I should stop by the vets tomorrow and get the info on the dental and maybe get it all done on one day? Would that be a bad thing to do? Should these visits be space out or what?
 
Hi Gayle,
Here in the U.S., my vet would charge $250 for abdominal U/S. I stockpiled for the University specialists to do it which cost about $400, w/recheck visit. If you have a specialty clinic or research facility near you, AND you can swing the cost, you may want to go there. I just felt much better about having someone who reads these day in/day out and nothing else, interpreting the results. Personally, I would be okay with doing xrays in either place. Also, i tried getting the University to agree to interpreting her U/S if I did it at general vet and they refused. But general vet had access, and more than willing to reinterpret U/S results.

Sorry for a stubborn shadoe sunday.
 
Just dropping in to say hello and to say that I'm sorry to see Shadoe in the pinks today.
I can't give you any insight into costs for any of the tests you need, but I can give you and Shadoe some moral support and hugs (((Gayle and Shadoe)))
 
Thanks Deb, I think Shadoe is just having an off day, I hope.

Carolyn,
The u/s person and equipment is not at my vet's office; it's brought in and set up and done by a person not who must do this sort of thing all the time.
Does that make a difference? There is another place to go, but I would need a referral from my vet's office.
I'll be asking more before the date; I would like to know just who is doing the interpreting because I don't think the person who gives the u/s is the one who reads/interprets it.
What questions should I ask to determine if I stick with the current plans or request a referral for the place down the road.
 
Hey Gayle,
You know this is just my opinion. Some may feel like it does not matter who or where you get it. All I knew is that I would never be able to afford another U/S for Latte, so it was a one time shot. I wanted state of the art equipment, and specialists both vet-wise and technician-wise. Because the University is so advanced, it also has strict standards. Like, labs and other tests done outside there facility are virtually null and void. I wanted to always make sure they would and could go back and reference it, if need be.

If you understand that logic, and suspect you will want to use a specialist down the road, then you may want to call them yourself and research cost, and if they will consult with vet (look at u/s) if you do it at your regular clinic. If the difference is pennies, mine as well go to them.

Is there any specialist in your area that deals with or has knowledge on acro kitties? I know you want to educate your regular vet, and I commend you for that. One effective technique I have found to help educate(and sometimes piss off) my regular vet is to use a specialist for the more complex things, and regular clinic for household issues , general checks,minor emergencies, etc. You always want to make sure regular vet is in the loop, because specialists are not always available and often so much more expensive. It was very confusing to me at first, but now its more clear cut...if i cant get what I want from one, i go to the other :lol: (j/k) Really, I love both my regular vet and specialists. They each serve a purpose in Latte's treatment individually and combined.
 
Oh sure, it makes very good sense. I am not all that concerned about a difference in the cost; I will need to ask more about exactly WHO is coming in to administer the test, who is reading the results, and what about just giving me a referral for the specialist place just down the road.
My vet's office knows of the other place.
http://www.vectoronto.com/imaging.php

I will ask my vet's office to tell me how much it will cost to have the u/s done and read at the above place. For all I know, it's the vec guys who do the work, but I have no clue.

I am just getting really tired of it all.
 
She's on her way back up, so we are done with the testing for the nite.

recap:
358 - pmps 13uL & 1.25uR
311 - +1
279 - +2
265 - +3
274 - +4
 
Hi Gayle
I am so sorry I missed your day today. Had issues with DD then internet went down in the house.
I think vet school looks like is your next career choice. You and Ronnie should open a diabetic cat clinic in Toronto.
Reading Carolyn's instructions...your instructions....just totally in awe of you.
It's nice to see though that his vet has been doing research and really wants to understand
(if possible) what is going on with Shadoe and how to continue with her treatment.
When Max was d/x'd in November for diabtetes I had all the u/s done on him t make sure everything looked okay. I can let you know what those costs were when I get back home.
I took him to the Emeregency vet Hospital here to vet #2.
Hoping for a good day for you and Shadoe.
 
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