4/21 punkin amps 161 +5.5/59 pmps 163

[julie & punkin (ga)]

yesterday

mr punkin is back into his usual furry purry state this morning. he ate an hour ago and has been purring ever since. at the moment, he's on the ottoman at my feet, nice and calm, just looking around.

late last night i posted about his evening. we were trying tramadol for pain relief. for any who don't know, punkin has acromegaly (gigantism) that causes his diabetes and the hormones the tumor puts out causes the body to try to grow. humans report pain, and it appears many cats have it too. headaches from the tumor appear common, and we know punkin's tumor was very large. so we've run though the pain options - tramadol was the last. he got one 9mg capsule at 7pm, and by +1 or so, he was acting bizarre. my nurse friend who was here said it looked to her like he was hallucinating - looking back and forth rapidly, eyes very dilated, agitated, never settled down the entire evening. at about +5 he seemed a little better, but it was bad enough i'm not giving him any more. we've tried bupe, gabapentin and tramadol now. there is one more, amantadine, that we could try but i don't think we will. the bupe did seem to help some, although not conclusively enough for me to say "this one's it!" and it was $50 every 10 days. i really can't afford that on top of everything else.

we'll just continue with the acupuncture and let it go beyond that. he certainly seems fine this morning - i sofa slept/tested til +7 when he was in the 60's, then went to bed. anya is washing his back with her teeny tiny tongue. what a wife! :lol:

yay for saturday!

 

[Ann & Maggie11 (GA)]

Re: 4/21 punkin amps 161

Hi Julie, wow and thanks for explaining what punkin feels with the acromegaly. It sounds like the Tramadol can be crossed off the list. It's too bad the bupe is so expensive. Does the acupuncture help the pain right away? Sending some healing vines for punkin.

 

[Michelle and Mannie (GA)]

Re: 4/21 punkin amps 161

Nice start for Punkin this morning. I can't help with the pain meds... just have little experience with any of them. I wish you luck.

Way too cute with Anya.

Enjoy your day today.

 

[Daphne#5 GA]

Re: 4/21 punkin amps 161

Hi Julie, I had no idea you were up last night for that reason, (saw the time when you visited my condo, and btw, I have a funny pic. for you in my condo today, kinda answer to your comment on exercise).

I'm so sorry punkin is in pain, I know pain well, and I don't have a lot of luck getting rid of it for myself, most meds. all have side effects and painkillers just stop working, and increasing dose is too scary, and so I use some anit-depressants, which indirectly lowers the pain. I wonder if you could use them on punkin. I know that Elavil, now just the generic is available called amitriptyline, its been around for ages. It raises the serotonin in the brain (seratonin is our bodies pain killer, and sleep activator), so it helps me for both. I am almost positive that it can be used for cats. But check anyway.

I hope punkin has a better day.

 

[carolynandlatte]

Re: 4/21 punkin amps 161

dang! I'm sorry it didn't work out. :YMSIGH:
That is one of the reasons I did not try it with Latte...I was scared of the reaction. nailbite_smile We couldn't afford anymore of those bad side effects.
Yet, some cats do wonderful on the tramadol.

I hope the acupuncture and bupe help.

Someday I pray they can find a safer, more effective pain medication. It is so hard to see cats in pain with limited to no options.

 

[Barb & Checkers (GA)]

Re: 4/21 punkin amps 161

Oh Julie, I really feel for you. I am having the same problem with Checks and pain. Not the same as Punkin's, but the drug problem is same
Last Sept, I tried Tram on Checks at 12.5mg
I wrote in his journal. ~~puked half hour after med. HYPER!!!. Sat in front of water, not drinking it. Raced from room to room. It was 9 full hours before he lay down! His pupils were so dilated, they were big black saucers.

My DD's cat reacted the same way. Both she and Checks were 9lb's. Susan read that dose is too high for the cat's weight.
Dr Dave didn't want me to try to cut the pill more, because the dose wouldn't be even
Just today, we set up a plan for continuing bupe, but I'm already worrying about cost too.

Julie, I wish with all my heart, that you find a med that works well for your precious boy. I know all too well, how much it hurts you too.

 

[Anne & Zener GA]

Re: 4/21 punkin amps 161

(((((Julie))))) That must have been very difficult to see punkin's reaction to the tramadol. Poor guy. I'm glad your friend recognized the symptoms and was there with you. You sure are a great bean for sweet punkin, doing everything you can for him.
Liz