4/19 Cain AMPS 435; +2 496; PMPS 388; +2 408

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Jennifer&Cain(GA)

Jennifer&Cain(GA)

Member Since 2013
Hello!

This cold is kicking my butt today. Didn't help when I didn't get a lot of sleep to get the PM+2 and watching all the shooting in Boston. Hope everyone there is staying safe.

AMPS is 435. Still one unit given. Today I have to miss some of the evening testing. But I'm going to try to get different hours to test today. Like +2 or something.
 
Re: 4/19 Cain AMPS 435

Hi there!

I hope Cain decided to come off the red rung on the ladder--blue and green are much prettier :-D

Hang in there; you're doing a great job, btw!!!
 
Re: 4/19 Cain AMPS 435; +2 496

+2 is 496. Food induced bg I'm guessing? Still all new at this. :)

Testing Cain is so much easier when he's all sleepy.
 
Re: 4/19 Cain AMPS 435; +2 496

Narillan said:
+2 is 496. Food induced bg I'm guessing? Still all new at this. :)

Testing Cain is so much easier when he's all sleepy.
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Good chance some of that number it is food-induced. When Gobbles' was first dx'd and also when he is above 400, he gets very sleepy. In fact, the first month or so of his dx, he slept A LOT. Yup, I agree--testing is so much easier when they are sleepy. Here is the general guideline using the Lantus Tight Regulation Protocol, with regard to insulin newbie kitty:

Hold the initial starting dose for 5 - 7 days (10 - 14 consecutive cycles) unless the numbers tell you otherwise. Kitties experiencing high flat curves or prone to ketones may want to increase the starting dose after 3 days (6 consecutive cycles).

Each subsequent dose is held for a minimum of 3 days (6 consecutive cycles) unless kitty earns a reduction (See: Reducing the dose...).

Adjustments to dose are based on nadirs with only some consideration given to preshot numbers.

In case you don't know (I didn't when I was new) a "cycle" refers to 12 hours; thus there are two cycles per day. Your AM and PM. You will note above that it reads to "hold the initial dose for 5-7 days (10-14 cycles)"..so....Cains shot tonight will be cycle 8.

If it were me, and Cain (well, Gobbles in my case) was still high (over 250 nadir) Saturday, I would post something like this in the subject line: "4/20 Cain PMPS (insert BG #) ? dosing advice". And then ask for advice re: Sunday's shot. That's just me, though....

Hang in there kiddo! And give Cain a big hug and scritches from Gobbles and I!

p.s. Are you ketone testing???
 
Re: 4/19 Cain AMPS 435; +2 496

Thank for the help. :)

And trying to on the ketones. When I can catch him in the litter box. I got one test in two days ago, which was negative, but I haven't caught him again yet.

He does sleep a lot and laying down a lot. He'll often eat and then go clean his front legs and head, then go to sleep. From his shoulders and back is rough fur so I'm hoping when he is regulated he'll try cleaning more than just his front.
 
Re: 4/19 Cain AMPS 435; +2 496

Narillan said:
Thank for the help. :)

And trying to on the ketones. When I can catch him in the litter box. I got one test in two days ago, which was negative, but I haven't caught him again yet.

He does sleep a lot and laying down a lot. He'll often eat and then go clean his front legs and head, then go to sleep. From his shoulders and back is rough fur so I'm hoping when he is regulated he'll try cleaning more than just his front.
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That's great you got a test. Keep trying. And if you haven't already done so, make a note on Cain's SS when you do get a test in. Cain sounds a lot like Gobbles did "back in the day" what with all the sleeping and rough fur. He also had some dandruff. Maybe you can gently groom those areas he's not grooming at present? The fact that Cain is doing some grooming is a good sign. As he gets regulated, the condition of his coat should improve. Gobbles' coat really didn't show improvement for about three months. Cain has a thyroid problem, correct? That can also cause dry fur (and hair loss).

As time went on with Gobbles and his FD, it seems like he has become conditioned to high numbers. Now, the occasional 400+ BG causes lethargy in him while at dx, he would get lethargic at 300. I'm confident that as Cain begins to regulate, he will regain energy and vigor. :-D A friend told me that her vet told her that when a cat's BG is high, the feeling can be likened to a hangover :YMSIGH:

I've learned to just let Gobbles be on the rare times when he has a "hangover"...

How is Cain's appetite?
 
Re: 4/19 Cain AMPS 435; +2 496

Hi! Sorry I was gone most of the evening.

I don't think Cain has a thyroid problem. The vet had that on the list to test for if the glucose wasn't above normal. It's an expensive test so that's probably why. Cain does have issues with dandruff I think. And I have to help him get rid of his winter coat, bit by bit. I need to brush him again. He's shedding when I pet him. When he was overweight (he was 20lbs at one point), he couldn't reach places so he didn't groom as much. Brownie, my other cat, does have the hyperthyroid problem. They are from the same litter. Do you think he would have it as well?

Cain will either eat all that I give him or sometimes most of what I give him and leave the rest in the bowl. Sometimes he'll eat it later. Or he'll get halfway into eating his portion, notice that his sister has food too, and goes to eat hers, leaving his portion half eaten. Which sometimes she go over and eat it. So there are days I have to throw food away cause he hasn't eaten all of it, and other days I think they're licking their bowls.
 
Re: 4/19 Cain AMPS 435; +2 496; PMPS 388

PMPS is 388. Gave 1 unit again.

Cain was fine on my lap until I started putting the lancet into the device, then suddenly it was time to go. :) Managed to distract him enough to get a quick test in.

Lemme know if y'all want another +2 or something. I plan on going to bed in an hour or so.
 
Re: 4/19 Cain AMPS 435; +2 496; PMPS 388

Hello Jennifer, not sure if I've stopped in to say Hi yet.

A "before bed" test is one that we recommend to get an idea of how the night cycle is going. Nice to see Cain move off the red floor. When cats transition from dry to wet (or to raw) they can also go through coat changes which could be part of the shedding you are seeing. Hopefully nicer healthier fur will grow in it's place. :-D
 
Hi! When I scanned your signature, I didn't see that It is Brownie with the thyroid problem; sorry. I know in people that thyroid disease can be heredity so I would think that applies, though I am not sure. Could be.....

As for testing: I freehand and so do a lot of other sugar parents. Gobbles and I tried lancet but found that free handing worked much better for us; up to you, but you might want to give it a try.

Good job getting the +2 !!!
 
Ah no worries. I wasn't sure if I should put Brownie in my sig. If I shouldn't I can take the line out since I mentioned it in Cain's profile under other cats.

I did try freehanding at first, but I didn't have a lot of luck at it. Maybe if I were faster...
 
This is what works for me: to free hand Gobbles' ear, I sit on the floor, legs straight in front of me (with a little gap to squash Gobs into) and I put the lancets, extra test strip (just 2, in case I don't get enough blood or want to double-check using the same drop of blood), glucometer with test strip in it (but not pushed all the way in ) and triple antibiotic (w/pain relief) ointment. Then I put Gobs facing me, in the "crook" of my legs, bend knees slightly (prop him up a bit), hold his ear and then stick the lancet at a 45 degree angle into the sweet spot (or lower sometimes). As soon as the blood starts welling up, I grab the glucometer, push in the test strip and get the test. Then I immediately put pressure on the poke site for 20 seconds, then a little ointment. This positioning would also work well with the lancing device...

to free hand Gobbles back paw pads (I used to test regularly on the back paw pad, but now only occasionally to give his ears a break): Same position sitting on the floor with supplies in same position, but instead of facing me, I face out. Hold the foot in my hand, gently squeeze back paw pad area, then a quick poke (but not too deep)....

You may have read that as time goes on, the ears tend to bleed easier. That's true. If you try to get a test and can't (twice in a row), give Cain a break and a low carb or no carb treat, and try again in 5-10 minutes. Our kitties can feel us stressing out, which not only makes them nervous but can easily raise their BG. There's a chance that part of Cain's high numbers is due to stress. Maybe.

Just for the heck of it: Once in a while I test Gob's brother and sister--to keep an eye on their BG's and also so Gobs doesn't think he's the only one getting all the testing done :lol:

As for the signature line, I'm not sure. I would think it is okay. Like I said, I just quickly scanned your signature line and made the mistake that Cain, and not Brownie, had the thryoid problem. It may be that Cain has a thyroid condition as well, but of course I'm sure you know that only blood work would determine that.
 
..I didn't even think of partially inserting the test strip into the meter. I wonder if this meter will freak out if I do that. That will save on some of the test strips I lose to timeouts. I am learning that I have to put a decent amount of neosporin on his ears not only so it doesn't hurt as much, but because the blood just absorbs into his fur otherwise. Some tests are easy and some he doesn't want to test and yeah I get frustrated. I try to calm down so I can get a test. Now if I can get his ears to warm up, I think it's easier. It's been cool here lately and so his ears have stayed cool unless I mess with them a bit. (Scritches and massaging them gently.)

Thank you for the help, Kat. I'll try that position and see if he likes it better. At least he doesn't seem to mind the clicking the lancing device does.
 
Narillan said:
I wonder if this meter will freak out if I do that. That will save on some of the test strips I lose to timeouts.... Now if I can get his ears to warm up, I think it's easier. It's been cool here lately and so his ears have stayed cool unless I mess with them a bit. (Scritches and massaging them gently.)

Thank you for the help, Kat. I'll try that position and see if he likes it better. At least he doesn't seem to mind the clicking the lancing device does.
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I see you use a ReliOn Prime meter--I have one and you should have no problem with it--I can easily stick a strip partially in it, and then push it all the way in. If you ever put a strip in, and if by "timeout" you mean you didn't get the blood on the test strip before the meter shut off, I would re-use the strip. It shouldn't matter. I'm glad to see that you're using that meter; I've never had a problem with mine and the strips are so inexpensive!!! I use mine as a back up. What happened is that I ordered what I thought were the correct Arkray generic Prime strips. Wrong. I only paid $45 for 250 strips, but instead of returning them (and I doubt I could of), I bought the matching gluconometer--only $13 plus it came with strips!! So now I have a backup (well, 3 actually). I strongly advise a back up meter in case your battery goes or your meter breaks or you want to double check a number. Of course, if you think you get a reading that you feel may be inaccurate; take a second test using the same drop of blood OR just test the meter on yourself.

Have you tried using a rice sock to warm Cain's ear?
 
Yeah, timeout is what I'm referring to when I push the strip in and the meter waits until it turns off. But I did try to re-use a strip before and the meter kept giving me the picture to remove the strip.

(And I had a power blip while writing the above. Luckily Firefox came back up with everything. :D)

The strips are such a great price. I was going to go with the Micro but Walmart was completely out of strips for that and the other one that's compatible. I even asked the pharmacy counter. It was nuts that they were out so early in the day. I should order more strips and syringes so I have enough for a bit.

Hmm no I haven't tried a rice sock yet. It's just a small sock with rice, right?
 
Narillan said:
Yeah, timeout is what I'm referring to when I push the strip in and the meter waits until it turns off. But I did try to re-use a strip before and the meter kept giving me the picture to remove the strip.

(And I had a power blip while writing the above. Luckily Firefox came back up with everything. :D)

The strips are such a great price. I was going to go with the Micro but Walmart was completely out of strips for that and the other one that's compatible. I even asked the pharmacy counter. It was nuts that they were out so early in the day. I should order more strips and syringes so I have enough for a bit.

Hmm no I haven't tried a rice sock yet. It's just a small sock with rice, right?
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At the walmarts in my area, they only keep one or two boxes of any brand of strips on the shelf. When I went to buy Prime strips once and there were none on the shelf, I inquired at the rx counter and saw a lot of them on a shelf in the back, and the lady there told me they only put out a few boxes at a time due to theft :shock:

You're correct; a handful of rice in a small knotted sock--microwave 15-30 seconds depending on your microwave. Then test temperature of sock on your arm or cheek and place a few seconds on Cain's ear to warm it.
 
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