4/12 Victor AMPS 23.4 +6 26.9/484- I"m sure another day of no progress...SOS on wet food!!!!

H Allen

H Allen

Member Since 2022
This AM 23.4/421 prior to his shot.....I am ready to stop pricking his ear and torturing him because I'm not getting anywhere exccept feeling EXTREME guilt and helplessness....
 
hey there don't despair. I know exactly how you feel, I was there myself very recently.

it's a marathon not a sprint. It can take weeks, months or years to get kitty regulated so take a deep breath, give yourself lots of hugs and keep plugging away. You're doing a great job and Victor will come to learn that the ear pokes are for his benefit. Many members find that the relationship with their cats grows stronger and the bond develops even further.
 
Hi there. I'm thinking of you and Victor today. Keep on plugging away. The other members here are echoing what I was saying yesterday and the day before. Right now, just focus on Victor and not his BG numbers. I know that's hard to do, but I mean, focus on him just as a cat. He doesn't even know that he is diabetic, he just knows that he's Victor, and that you love him, and that he loves you. I do hope he will get relief for his ears soon. Let me know how that goes.

I was just thinking how, one day, you will perhaps be the one to encourage another member who is just starting out... when Victor is regulated.
 
Any thoughts on reducing the prednisolone? Since we now know it's a yeast infection and the ears are packed?
 
H Allen said:
Any thoughts on reducing the prednisolone? Since we now know it's a yeast infection and the ears are packed?
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I would ask the vet about it. Fact is, you've said the pred helped. I thought you didn't want to make too many changes at one time. Seems like every time you've taken him off the pred (or reduced??) that the ears flare up. But if it were me, I would ask the vet about cutting it to 2.5 mg. every other day. You risk a flare up, but you won't know unless you try. Does Victor shake his head a lot? Or paw/scratch at his ears?
 
He shakes his head and when you rub behind his ear- near the base he starts to scratch with his back leg. BUT when he shakes his head while on the pred he does not lose his balance and gives a good shake- when he is off the pred and shakes his head it's only really a shake to one side and then he loses his balance....so yes the Pred is doing something....yes he could have a tumor or polyp in there- but we will never know because we are not to ct scans or MRI's- and at the end of the day knowing wouldn't change anything because we wouldn't do brain surgery or ear surgery....he's 14....BUT the vet did say last Monday this has been going on for 8+ months- there have been no changes in his personailtiy or behavior- if we were dealing with something like that we would have seen some sort of progression towards that and we have not....so she actually ruled it out....
 
H Allen said:
He shakes his head and when you rub behind his ear- near the base he starts to scratch with his back leg. BUT when he shakes his head while on the pred he does not lose his balance and gives a good shake- when he is off the pred and shakes his head it's only really a shake to one side and then he loses his balance....so yes the Pred is doing something....yes he could have a tumor or polyp in there- but we will never know because we are not to ct scans or MRI's- and at the end of the day knowing wouldn't change anything because we wouldn't do brain surgery or ear surgery....he's 14....BUT the vet did say last Monday this has been going on for 8+ months- there have been no changes in his personailtiy or behavior- if we were dealing with something like that we would have seen some sort of progression towards that and we have not....so she actually ruled it out....
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That's good! I like to see a vet who is practical! That's like my vet, she's willing to live in the real world where people aren't always willing or able to do a ton of diagnostics for various reasons (whether it be age of the cat or the cat's concurrent health conditions or financial reasons.)
 
I have a favor to ask. Would you please put the date in your thread title? Just add at the beginning, 4/12 before Victor's name.
 
I understand exactly how you feel. When Max was diagnosed, all of the stress, the effort, and the disappointment… all of it turned me into an anxious mess. I’ve come to realize that I can’t fix him, but I can give him the happiest life possible while we continue on with his care. Max is still not regulated, and I’m still that anxious mess some days, but he’s still my same sweet Max. What Suzanne said, “focus on him being a cat,” not just his numbers. It will get better, it just takes time. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Good. That helps. I've been responding on the wrong thread (yesterday's). We ask that members post a new thread every morning and put in the date, cat's name, AMPS number, and any other numbers can be updated in the title as the day goes along if they are on the board or have questions. Then we try to always respond to the current day's thread to keep that one bumped up to the top.
 
I think your labs are missing decimal points for several numbers. For example the first three values: protein, albumin and globulin should be more like 8.8 (not 88), 3.6 (not 36) and 5.2 (not 52). Right? Can you please check. Also there needs to be a column in there before the numbers for the Reference Ranges for your particular lab. Is your vet using IDEXX lab, or a different one? I was looking at them using the IDEXX lab reference ranges since that's what my vet uses.
 
H Allen said:
I'm not going to do as much testing today maybe at +6- it's becoming a neurotic addicition and I'm slumping into depression from the numbers
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Yes, that! I too had a cat who started in high numbers and seemed to be there forever. Plus I know how expensive test strips are in Canada.

I don't know if you've looked at this part of the New to the Group Sticky Note:
Example of an ACTIVE, but NOT necessarily typical Lantus and glargine biosimilars cycle:
NOTE: Until kitty is pretty well regulated, the description below is NOT not what you'd consider a "typical" Lantus/Basaglar/Semglee cycle. It takes time and patience for kitty to achieve a "typical" cycle! The example below is what you're working towards (a nice shallow curve). A relatively flat cycle is the ultimate goal.

+0 - PreShot number.
+1 - Usually higher than PreShot number because of the last shot wearing off. May see a food spike in this number.
+2 - Often similar to the PreShot number. Onset begins around +2 for most cats. You'll probably see an active cycle if the +2 is the same/similar OR lower than the preshot number. Continue testing!
+3 - Often lower than the PreShot number.
+4 - Lower.
+5 - Lower.
+6 - Nadir/Peak (the lowest number of cycle. NOTE: ECID. Not every cat has a mid-cycle nadir. Adjust the hours on this example to fit your cat.)
+7 - Surf (hang around the nadir number).
+8 - Slight rise.
+9 - Slight rise.
+10 - Rising.
+11 - Rising (one of the quirks of Lantus/Levemir/Biosimilars: some cat's blood glucose numbers dip around +10 or +11... not to be confused with nadir).
+12 - PreShot number.

So what does this mean practically as Victor is not yet regulated. Some of this still holds true. If you get a get a +2 that is the same or lower than the preshot value, keep testing. If not, meaning it's higher, save on test strips and put the kit away until the next shot time. Do that two hour drive to go pick up the Dr. Elsey's kibble. Spend some time on yourself, cuddle the cat. Whatever, just try not to stress about testing and numbers until preshot. Self care is important!

You will see that many people get the +2 test as a sort of indicator what to do next for testing in the cycle. On caveat, for a smaller number of cats, mine included when she was on Lantus, onset was later and a +3 was a better test. For some cats that aren't near a good dose yet, it's harder to spot when the best time is to test, but over time and as his numbers come down, you'll figure it out. And keep up those tests at night, a before bed test or +2 to +3 will tell you if he's being sneaking at going low at night and bouncing during the day.

I'm really hoping that lower carb dry food will be a help. I've seen some amazing turnaround when cats get on a lower carb food.
 
We shall see too how easily he decides to eat the Dr Elsey's dry kibble...fingers crossed....I don't even want to test anymore as my depression is getting deep, my anxiety is rising....I'd love to see some sort of pattern or result it will be 2 weeks tomorrow....sigh.....
 
H Allen said:
it will be 2 weeks tomorrow....sigh.....
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Only two weeks! We call feline diabetes a marathon, not a sprint. It usually takes quite a bit longer than 2 weeks to start seeing good numbers. What you are seeing is quite common for newly diagnosed diabetics. With a testing and following the dosing method, we'll get Victor into better numbers.

My paws are crossed for the Dr. Elsey's too. If not, and if there is a PetValu near you or that will ship, there are yet more options to try. I've ordered from PetValu and had them delive.r Freeze dried raw is one option, PetValu carries the Stella an Chewy's and Primal varieties. I've also seen an air dried product on their website. I don't know the carb content, but the ingredients are pretty good. The manufacturer may have more information.

I think it's quite funny to hear your Bengals are so picky. I had a friend with one that used to steal food and hide it in a stash. I remember one story of her daughter bringing home a muffin as a treat for the next day and finding it missing. She accused her sister. A couple days later the muffin was found in kitty's stash under a bed. :p
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Only two weeks! We call feline diabetes a marathon, not a sprint. It usually takes quite a bit longer than 2 weeks to start seeing good numbers. What you are seeing is quite common for newly diagnosed diabetics. With a testing and following the dosing method, we'll get Victor into better numbers.

My paws are crossed for the Dr. Elsey's too. If not, and if there is a PetValu near you or that will ship, there are yet more options to try. I've ordered from PetValu and had them delive.r Freeze dried raw is one option, PetValu carries the Stella an Chewy's and Primal varieties. I've also seen an air dried product on their website. I don't know the carb content, but the ingredients are pretty good. The manufacturer may have more information.

I think it's quite funny to hear your Bengals are so picky. I had a friend with one that used to steal food and hide it in a stash. I remember one story of her daughter bringing home a muffin as a treat for the next day and finding it missing. She accused her sister. A couple days later the muffin was found in kitty's stash under a bed. :p
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I know but we've been struggling for 8 months to get Victor welll....it seems we are always getting one step forward and 3 steps back!

Yes these cats are very dexterious and tricky.....You can NOT put anything on their food or they WILL not touch it....It's like they think it's poisoned! They will actually open the closet doors for the food shelves crawl inside and chew open the bags if we try this foolishness....NOTHING gets by them!
 
So something just happened- my female EPI cat needed a new can of food (she gets Kitten instinctive loaf RC)- I opened the can and let Victor 'sniff' it and he dug in...he's done this ones in a blue moon just licking the fat off the top but this time he REALLy dug in and ate a bit- I just searched in the files and this is a11% carb 50% protein 39% fat wet food....I know it's not under the 10% but it's ALMOST! Thoughts? Should I take it away? PAMPS is in an hour.....
 
Just wanted to chime in with some support. Welcome! I'll echo what everyone else is saying... it takes time to get to a good dose, and it can be really frustrating. Oberon took three months before we really got to an effective dose, and he's still not really regulated two years later. (But he's also a special case with a high-dose condition. Not everyone takes that long!) The other thing to keep in mind is that when you give any amount of insulin it's probably going to help get at least some glucose into the cells where it's needed, even if blood glucose levels stay high (unless the cat has insulin resistance). So even though you aren't at a "good" dose yet what you're doing is definitely better than nothing. Oberon isn't even close to regulated, but he has regained all the weight he had lost at diagnosis and appears generally healthy, so the insulin is definitely helping even though his BG numbers are all over the place. So hang in there! :bighug:
 
I hope you'll be able to get a second test in tonight. That'll be even more important if you can convince lower carb foods are good.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
I hope you'll be able to get a second test in tonight. That'll be even more important if you can convince lower carb foods are good.
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Sorry I didn't get another test in after PAMPS- I'm becoming neurotic and obsessive about it and I need to scale back the obsession because I'm headed into dark territory....
 
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