4/19/18/Ravan/+3 311/+6 380/+9 253/pmps478/+4 305
- Thread starter JoyBee&Ravan
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Stacy & Asia
Member Since 2017
What was the AMPS, JoyBee? With the low yellow at +9, I’m hopeful! 
JoyBee&Ravan
Member Since 2018
@Stacy & Asia
? a few questions When I first started I watched videos about drawing Lantus out of the pen with a syringe,they never said not to push a bit back in if you drew out too much So I have been doing that all along.
I'm trying to get the exact right amount but often i get too much & squirt it back into the pen ( It's so Expensive to waste!) Recently a few people told me not to do that ,that it can contaminate the insulin!
I still have 60 units left in the Lantus pen. Last night I bought a new pen. When i held them both up to the light the new Lantus looked clearer. I had thought the slightly cloudy look on the old pen was from the cold in the fridge but no, the new Lantus definitely looks clearer.
It's been kept in the fridge every day since I bought it but now I'm concerned it might not be good to use? Even the new pen doesn't look clear like water.There aren't any particles or bubbles in either pen.
Also I've tried a few times to pinch the skin when I give Ravan the shot. The first time i did a Fur shot! I tried again a few days later & just don't feel comfortable doing it that way. Ravan is black & I part his fur & have a clear view of his skin when I inject the insulin. Is it Ok to continue doing it that way?
amps 321 (I am VERY hopeful also!)
Thank you .
? a few questions When I first started I watched videos about drawing Lantus out of the pen with a syringe,they never said not to push a bit back in if you drew out too much So I have been doing that all along.
I'm trying to get the exact right amount but often i get too much & squirt it back into the pen ( It's so Expensive to waste!) Recently a few people told me not to do that ,that it can contaminate the insulin!
I still have 60 units left in the Lantus pen. Last night I bought a new pen. When i held them both up to the light the new Lantus looked clearer. I had thought the slightly cloudy look on the old pen was from the cold in the fridge but no, the new Lantus definitely looks clearer.
It's been kept in the fridge every day since I bought it but now I'm concerned it might not be good to use? Even the new pen doesn't look clear like water.There aren't any particles or bubbles in either pen.
Also I've tried a few times to pinch the skin when I give Ravan the shot. The first time i did a Fur shot! I tried again a few days later & just don't feel comfortable doing it that way. Ravan is black & I part his fur & have a clear view of his skin when I inject the insulin. Is it Ok to continue doing it that way?
amps 321 (I am VERY hopeful also!)
Thank you .
Stacy & Asia
Member Since 2017
The reason not to inject back in to the pen is because there is a lubricant in the syringe (sometimes you can see a drop come out if you push the plunger hard on a new, empty syringe). I don’t think many, any? studies have been done to see how this affects the insulin, but it is known that insulin degrades in pre drawn syringes. That could be from the plastics used in the syringe, exposure to light, the lubricant, or any combination of factors. It’s just not a good practice to push insulin (or any injectable medication) back in to the bottle. If you ever see on tv shows or movies, they always draw too much and squirt the excess in the air.
With a little time, you will get good at drawing very near the amount you need, I always draw more and have to waste a little because od air bubbles. I don’t waste much now, but wasted a lot in the beginning before I got my technique down. Don’t worry about how you started, I was told by my vet to roll the insulin, I injected back into the bottle, we all make mistakes like that because we don’t know any better. And our cats did fine, and usually the insulin was fine too.
You can try the new insulin and see if it makes any big difference, but unless the insulin is decidedly cloudy and looks off compared to the new one, it is probably okay. If the new insulin makes no change, go back and finish off your other pen before continuing with the new one. They should look very clear, but sometimes I get the condensation “frosted” effect you describe, it’s superficial.
Whatever works for you as far as injecting is fine, so long as the insulin goes in. I make a part in the fur and grab a bit of it and roll it over the pointer finger of my fist to see the skin clearly, I have a handful of fur and pull up on it slightly to make sure I can see what I’m doing and then inject at a 45 degree angle. It’s good that you look for the skin, way less furshots that way.
Pretty good preshot for Ravan so far, I hope he comes down nicely for you.
With a little time, you will get good at drawing very near the amount you need, I always draw more and have to waste a little because od air bubbles. I don’t waste much now, but wasted a lot in the beginning before I got my technique down. Don’t worry about how you started, I was told by my vet to roll the insulin, I injected back into the bottle, we all make mistakes like that because we don’t know any better. And our cats did fine, and usually the insulin was fine too.
You can try the new insulin and see if it makes any big difference, but unless the insulin is decidedly cloudy and looks off compared to the new one, it is probably okay. If the new insulin makes no change, go back and finish off your other pen before continuing with the new one. They should look very clear, but sometimes I get the condensation “frosted” effect you describe, it’s superficial.
Whatever works for you as far as injecting is fine, so long as the insulin goes in. I make a part in the fur and grab a bit of it and roll it over the pointer finger of my fist to see the skin clearly, I have a handful of fur and pull up on it slightly to make sure I can see what I’m doing and then inject at a 45 degree angle. It’s good that you look for the skin, way less furshots that way.
Pretty good preshot for Ravan so far, I hope he comes down nicely for you.
JoyBee&Ravan
Member Since 2018
@Stacy & Asia
https://draxe.com/slippery-elm-for-pets/
Have you read this about using Slippery Elm for cats upset stomach? I swear it works great for Ravan & my other cat.
I'm confused why more people don't seem to use it or at least read about how it works?
https://draxe.com/slippery-elm-for-pets/
Have you read this about using Slippery Elm for cats upset stomach? I swear it works great for Ravan & my other cat.
I'm confused why more people don't seem to use it or at least read about how it works?
Stacy & Asia
Member Since 2017
You posted on another condo about this and I responded briefly. Many people here do use SEB and I know of one that uses marshmallow root instead. Many use canna capsules, probiotics, plant enzymes, turmeric and any number of natural remedies for their pets. If it works, that’s great, if it doesn’t, you need to try something else. Diabetes is a complex and destructive disease, it can trigger other disease processes and sometimes other disease processes (pancreastitis) cause the diabetes itself. What I’m trying to say is that several of the cats here have more than one thing, medically speaking, going on.
Another thing to keep in mind, there are plenty of cats who arrived here as overweight diabetic kibble junkies and after a minor food switch to low carb wet food, they get right with the program and either go OTJ or become very well regulated, quickly. They don’t stay around long, usually, they have little need to. The people you see post here regularly and for a long time, typically don’t have those kinds of cats. The more complicated cats have medical issues, the more medical issues, more drugs and vitamins and supplements necessary to maintain a good quality of life for them. So you are seeing the minority/the exceptions of diabetic cats posting on here, even though it looks like the majority...it isn’t.
Many people who have a sick animal and whatever they are trying isn’t working, would try almost anything. Sometimes natural remedies are the answer, sometimes it’s pharmaceutics. What we all have in common is that we want our cats to be well and live the best cat life they can, so if we find something that helps them do that, we are thankful for it.
You can look at Asia’s condo for today, I have been successfully using SEB, but something acute is happing to her right now, and it just isn’t enough at the moment. However much in theory it may do this or that, at the end of the day, I’m giving my cat whatever takes care of the problem or lessens the symptoms if that isn’t possible. Right now for her, it’s Cerenia. I don’t want her refusing food or vomiting and her eating right now is more important than having faith in something that should work, or has worked in the past, but isn’t now.
Lastly, this is your condo, if you’ve found some great tips and tricks and natural remedies, it’s your platform, please do share and give links and the like. Many others can benefit from your experiences and even long after you’ve stopped posting, this information remains and continues to help people and their cats. I find useful things in old threads all the time.
JoyBee&Ravan
Member Since 2018
@Stacy& Asia
Thank you for the information. I really never thought about the other medical issues. I was just trying to offer an alternative that works for me.
Thank you for the information. I really never thought about the other medical issues. I was just trying to offer an alternative that works for me.
JoyBee&Ravan
Member Since 2018
I bought a new Lantus pen, hoping the new insulin might make a difference. His bg is still in the pink & going up! I'm so depressed. Can't stop crying.
JoyBee&Ravan
Member Since 2018
Bellasmom
Member Since 2018
I think ravens numbers are looking better over all
JoyBee&Ravan
Member Since 2018
JoyBee&Ravan
Member Since 2018
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