4/23 Toeby AMPS 326, +1 268, +2 149, +3 86, +4 135, +5 281, PMPS 331, +2 367.

Hi Laura
I see he came off the bounce but is back there again.
Have a look at the drop in the first 2 hours of this mornings cycle especially from+1 to +2. That a big drop and that is triggering the bounce.
whatare you feeding him in the first 3 hours of the cycle?
What you need to do is slow that drop down.
I would do two things.
Get a +1 and a +2 in the cycles where he is likely to be coming off the bounce to see if you can catch it before the big drop happens. The +1 will tell you if it’s likely.
If the +1 is less than the Preshot number I would give him a good snack. If we find this is not stopping the drop enough, we can increase the carbs to try and slow that drop.
This is called ‘feeding the curve’ .
We know that this is a good dose as it’s bringing him down into greens. We need to try and stop those bounces from happening now.
Does that make sense?
 
Today I gave him some treats every hour when I tested him: freeze dried turkey or chicken liver, and a couple Temptations just because I was testing him so often, 6 times back to back.
If anything, the Temptations should have helped keep his sugar up.

No, I don't quite understand the question of: what am I feeding him in the first 3 hours of the cycle...

Normally, he eats some of his breakfast or supper - as much as he wants to eat, and then he walks away.
I let him eat, and then give him his insulin immediately after (it's a matter of 3 or 4 minutes only).
The only way I am going to get him to eat again in hour 1 or 2 is to either feed him some kind of treats he'll eat, or take his regular food away from him after a few licks.

And, I am not confident that I know "where he is likely to be coming off the bounce" - you may need to explain that.
Are you saying the 18.4 preshot he had tonight is another bounce, so he will be coming off it in this cycle or next?

I appreciate explaining this must be tiresome, and I truly apologize.
I get the philosophy of this "feeding the curve" but that assumes that I can get him to eat on the curve.

I swapped emails with his vet today - we are going to continue the budesonide for another month or so, and then maybe cut back.
Laura
 
Re-reading this, I guess you are saying I should test him for a pre-shot, test him at +1, and if he is lower at +1, give him some treats or whatever food he will eat....
Is that right?

+1.75 test - 367

So he's higher than his preshot of 331 at suppertime
He had no snacks before this
This is a bounce, is it not?
 
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Re-reading this, I guess you are saying I should test him for a pre-shot, test him at +1, and if he is lower at +1, give him some treats or whatever food he will eat....
Is that right?
Short answer yes. If you can get him to eat food rather than treats, that is better, but I know you have problems with IBD and getting him to eat. So you have to work with what you have. The freeze dried treats are absolutely fine to give him anytime as they are good food. I think the temptations are higher carb, which actually may be needed to slow the drop if the other food doesn't do the trick. What we are trying to do is slow that drop from preshot to +2 and the way to do that is with food.

So he's higher than his preshot of 331 at suppertime
He had no snacks before this
This is a bounce, is it not?
Correct. But he started the bounce back at +5 in this morning's cycle. There is nothing you can do about bounces except wait them out.

No, I don't quite understand the question of: what am I feeding him in the first 3 hours of the cycle...
I just wanted to know what you are feeding him in those first 3 hours after preshot so we could work out how we can slow the drop by adjusting the food.

The only way I am going to get him to eat again in hour 1 or 2 is to either feed him some kind of treats he'll eat, or take his regular food away from him after a few licks.
I wouldn't stop him eating his preshot meal at all, we want him to eat that.
Can you routinely give him some treats (freeze dried) at +1 and +2, if the BG is starting to drop, to see if that helps?

And, I am not confident that I know "where he is likely to be coming off the bounce" - you may need to explain that.
If you look at his SS for the last 10 days you can see when he drops to green....then he climbs up in numbers for 2 or 3 cycles then he starts to come back down. So the bounce is those higher numbers. Keep an eye out for the BGs dropping. If they start to drop, test more often and feed him. If you are unsure, just post and ask for help.
The main objective is to slow that drop off the bounce so he can get into lower numbers more slowly and not trigger another bounce. Some cats will come off the bounce sedately and others like to drop fast.
This is all trial and error with the feeding.
Sheba was a real diver and bouncer and I used to test a lot at the beginning of the cycles to catch and feed the drops.

I get the philosophy of this "feeding the curve" but that assumes that I can get him to eat on the curve.
Yes I understand the difficulties of feeding an IBD kitty. You can only try your best.

I appreciate explaining this must be tiresome, and I truly apologize
Please don't apologise, we are very happy to help. When I first arrived here, I had to learn like everyone does..
 
Thanks for your patience.
I find I get so frustrated with this because I'm really trying my best and seemingly stymied at every turn.
Wah, wah, wah... I know.

I can see he "bounced" at +5 - I was shocked he came back up so fast because he seemed to be doing great.
I did give him the water I drained off a can of water-packed tuna shortly before he was tested at +5.
There's zero carbs in that, but there is salt.
He loves that - he won't eat fish flavoured cat food, or the tuna itself, but he comes running as soon as he hears the can opener rattle.
Could that have driven up his BG's?

Anyway, I don't need a meter to tell me he felt good today, and he is feeling kinda crummy right now.
And I guess he will run high again tomorrow, given the bounce today.
Which sucks.
We have been lucky, he and his brother have led pretty healthy lives and I am sad to see him like this.
I will watch tomorrow, test him again at +1 and see if his reading is lower than the preshot - if so, I will try to get him to eat something more nutritious than Temptations.
Freeze dried turkey and chicken is zero carbs - so maybe Toeby needs something with carbs, like a higher carb wet food for a snack?
Trial and error, I guess.
I'll have to put the proverbial big girl panties on, which thankfully is not hard, because that's the size I already own... ;)
 
I did give him the water I drained off a can of water-packed tuna shortly before he was tested at +5.
There's zero carbs in that, but there is salt.
He loves that - he won't eat fish flavoured cat food, or the tuna itself, but he comes running as soon as he hears the can opener rattle.
Could that have driven up his BG's?
No
Freeze dried turkey and chicken is zero carbs - so maybe Toeby needs something with carbs, like a higher carb wet food for a snack?
Trial and error, I guess.
If you can find a food he will eat that has some more carbs in it, that would be better as we want it to slow the drop.

I find I get so frustrated with this because I'm really trying my best and seemingly stymied at every turn.
Wah, wah, wah... I know.
I'll have to put the proverbial big girl panties on, which thankfully is not hard, because that's the size I already own
It can be frustrating. Yes put on those big girl patience pants...I've worn out several pairs:joyful:

You re doing everything right and really he is responding well to the insulin. His little body is just bouncing which is very common.
 
Hi Bron,

I will start a new thread today - but just wanted to let you know I tested him at +1 and he was 9.8, down from a 13.1 (236 down to 176).
I gave him a small amount of the Winged Tiger Quail and Pumpkin that he loves (I bought it in November when the vet thought he might have food sensitivities).
It's sure to be high carb, I will take the time to do the math, but he gobbled that down...
I am home this morning so I will take more tests and try to feed the curve... I was kinda surprised he tested at 13.1 this morning, that wasn't too bad.
Laura
 
(*&*^&!!!
Just tested at +2 and he was 2.0..... checked again and he is 1.9

Gave him high carb gravy wet which he slurped up
He is not showing physical signs of hypo
Have timer set for 15 minutes to test again
FFS
 
(*&*^&!!!
Just tested at +2 and he was 2.0..... checked again and he is 1.9

Gave him high carb gravy wet which he slurped up
He is not showing physical signs of hypo
Have timer set for 15 minutes to test again
FFS
I would rub a drop of honey on his gums now and test again in 20mins
 
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