Re: 4/28-4/30 Hershey AMPS (376) +4(209) +6(222) +8.5(368)
Okay, I will share what I can to help you while considerig TID. First, let me start with the basics.....to get your dose you do take your total amount that you are shooting in a day and divide by three. That in itself will be a little tricky, as you are using a sliding scale. For Kitty, she was getting 4.5 to 5 units bid for a total of 9 to 10 units a day (Wow, yes, I know it was a lot! She loves Insulin!) When we started tid, I shot 3 units every 8 hours, after testing and being sure the number was rising. It is advisable to start conservative with your dose, as there is a possibility of some insulin overlap. So, if I had to do it for a kitty like Hershey, that gets a much better response from small doses than Kitty did...I would start my tid dose a little less than the total units he is getting bid. With Kitty, I actually started at 3 units tid and eventually ended up at 4 units tid, before reducing after getting such a good response- that I needed to back down. Truly, even now, I shoot somewhat of a sliding scale tid. It is not written down, I just know based on her tests how much it will take for the next 8 hours! To me, TID is about momentum, and once you consistently keep insulin in the cat, the amount needed usually decreases. Initially when starting tid (for a couple of months), Kitty's curves were pretty flat-- she would not dip down much, but she was in GOOD safe numbers throughout the day. I attributed the flat cycles to a consistent constant insulin supply-- Kind of like a tank of gas that always is half full-- she never had a lot more or less insulin at any given time in her body. After a few months, as her body adjusted to the constant supply, she did start to dip lower. I never had Kitty tested for Insulin Resistance, but she very well could have been and maybe the better response started once I shot enough isulin to finally break through the antibodies. But, either way, her cycles were very flat to begin with-- her curves looked much more like a "L" curve. But, we did away with the 400 and 500 preshots!
This is a personal opinion, but I think that for "most" cats, Prozinc does not last longer than 8 to 10 hours. In fact, that is why the Prozinc curve is what we refer to as a Smile--if the insulin lasted 12 hours, there would be no smile shaped curve. Some cats obviously get longer duration than others, but for most, when the insulin is gone....it is gone and the rise can be Very Fast. Even now, on weird cycles that Kitty is too low for my comfort level to shoot at +8-- I can wait an hour and she will go up 100 to 200 points-- the duration is NOT there for her.
As far as feeding, I feed Kitty with each shot. So, she gets fed every 8 hours. Truly, if she is begging, I will give her a little food at +4. I NEVER feed after +6, because I do not want food to influence the test for the rising number. When Kitty first started TID, I always tested at +6 and +8, to ensure a rising number. But, after months of testing for that-- I no longer do that. Now, I know that the Prozinc is Not going to last her that long and as long as she is above 200, I shoot. This is a decision I am comfortable with after many months of testing and dosing tid-- to begin with, you need to test and be sure that the cat is rising or really--- I am not sure rising is the right "adjective"-- I think it is more important that you are not shooting into a dropping or lowering number. If Kitty is flat, I assume that is rising-- because I know that means she is going no lower and the insulin is wearing off. Cats that are candidates for tid, should not have late nadirs and be dropping at or after +8. So, I don't find that dropping numbers at +8 are normally an issue for TID dosing.....BUT, you need to test to ensure this!
As far as how you handle Sundays and your busy schedule. You can shoot BID on Sunday, with only changing one shot time. In fact, now with Kitty's condition, some days-- I shoot tid and some bid. I will use Kitty as an example....Her tid schedule is 6am, 2 pm and 10 pm. IF, I test at 6am and she is too low to shoot or not eating-- I wait 4 more hours, which would be a normal 12 hour cycle and shoot at 10 am (this is the only shot time that changes). When I do this, I know that her next shot will be at 10 pm--(12 hours away, normal bid schedule)---once I shoot at 10 pm, I am back on tid the next morning at 6am. So, you only have to adjust one shot time and you can shoot bid for a 24 hour period, without getting you off schedule. Regardless of which shot you change the time on, you just wait 4 hours test and shoot-- then test and shot again in 12 hours-- and your tid schedule will stay in place for the next shot. The numbers might not be as good on your bid cycle, but you just accept that-- knowing that the other 6 days of the week, the tid schedule is producing better numbers. Does this make sense?
There have been times, that I would shoot at +9 or +10--- But, that creates a totally new schedule and you have to be really flexible to make it work! But, it can work if you are willing to get up at all times of the night and adjust your schedule to Hershey's!
Hershey looks like a good candidate for tid. He is getting a good response and good early nadirs, it just appears the insulin is not lasting long enough. TID has been great for Kitty. Any days that you know you are not going to be able to be home to shoot on 8 hour cycles, you can shoot bid-- by adjusting the one shot 4 hours back.
I hope I haven't made this more complex than it is! The hardest thing for me to adjust to, was shooting insulin into numbers much lower than I was used to. I remember the first time I shot 3 units into a low 200-- with members "Yelling" at me to SHOOT! I was scared to death, I was use to shooting into 400s and 500s-- AND, if I had just waited a couple of more hours, I could have had my way! Because the insulin was gone!
Like I said, I hope I have helped and not complicated this! Let me know if I can help!
Good Luck!
:shock: Binky's says Friskies Mixed Grill is 8% carbs. Twice what Hershey usually gets. :YMSIGH: 
