4/30 Faraday PMPS 181, 206 +2, 173 +3, 142 +4, 140 +5, 170 +6

Cali S

Cali S

Member Since 2022
Thanks *so* much to @Hendrick Cuddleclaw , @tiffmaxee , @Angela & Cleo , and @Bron and Sheba (GA) for taking the time to respond to my post yesterday and to encourage me to really advocate for Faraday in starting a lower dose.

+3.5 from last night was 302, so I felt pretty good about just going to bed, though goodness knows I couldn't properly sleep in anticipation of getting up early for his AM shot.

As you can see from his AMPS, little dude is in the yellow! I'm planning on testing +3, +5ish (have an unavoidable errand at +6), and +9.

I also finally figured out testing him in my lap (dude is not a lap cat typically), and while he doesn't love it, it's made testing easier for both of us I think!

AMPS 275, 228 +2, 111 +4, 71 +5, 71 +6.25, 81 +8
 
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Just wanted to stop by and say “Good morning to Cali with kitty Faraday” from Georgia. I am so glad you found this FDMB group. They are a wonderful, knowledgeable and caring family. Cali and I are in the process of a “do over” with this group’s help.
 
Cali S said:
Thanks *so* much to @Hendrick Cuddleclaw , @tiffmaxee , @Angela & Cleo , and @Bron and Sheba (GA) for taking the time to respond to my post yesterday and to encourage me to really advocate for Faraday in starting a lower dose.

+3.5 from last night was 302, so I felt pretty good about just going to bed, though goodness knows I couldn't properly sleep in anticipation of getting up early for his AM shot.

As you can see from his AMPS, little dude is in the yellow! I'm planning on testing +3, +5ish (have an unavoidable errand at +6), and +9.

I also finally figured out testing him in my lap (dude is not a lap cat typically), and while he doesn't love it, it's made testing easier for both of us I think!
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not a bad idea to also grab a +2 when just starting out, +3 is widely considered a good point to get a gauge on how the insulin is working on a given day but ECID (every cat is different) and with some cats, a +2 is a better indicator. But you're not going to know unless you check and by +3 if the insulin is really kicking in, some cats have already plummeted.

Take Hendrick for example, who was 10lbs when we were shooting 1.5U, he had a AMPS one day of 284 and by +3 he was at 106! Had I checked at +2 that day I would have known he was careening downhill and would have given a snack or something to slow it down. Steep drops, AKA dives, are to be avoided if possible. They can make the liver "panic" and release regulatory hormones and stored glucose that elevates the BG.
 
Hendrick Cuddleclaw said:
not a bad idea to also grab a +2 when just starting out, +3 is widely considered a good point to get a gauge on how the insulin is working on a given day but ECID (every cat is different) and with some cats, a +2 is a better indicator. But you're not going to know unless you check and by +3 if the insulin is really kicking in, some cats have already plummeted.

Take Hendrick for example, who was 10lbs when we were shooting 1.5U, he had a AMPS one day of 284 and by +3 he was at 106! Had I checked at +2 that day I would have known he was careening downhill and would have given a snack or something to slow it down. Steep drops, AKA dives, are to be avoided if possible. They can make the liver "panic" and release regulatory hormones and stored glucose that elevates the BG.
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When you give a snack is it just LC wet food? Tbs or so? Or more like a tsp?
 
Iirc the FDMB defines a snack is as a teaspoon. I probably give a tablespoon sometimes instead, it depends how low he is and how hungry and how much I want to offset the insulin hitting. This all took weeks and weeks of trial and error btw. In the beginning I had no idea what to feed, how much or when.

For Hendrick, LC wet (5% calories from carbs) or lower will still offset the insulin enough that he doesn't drop too low or too fast, usually. Occasionally I will bump it up to 10% or 15% but typically I only do that if he is really low and still dropping and I am concerned about him going too low. Or if I measure his BG and get a low number under 50, boom, 15% right away.
 
I’m so glad to see you didn’t shoot too high a dose. That’s a great nadir for him. Check again at +6 or whenever you see this.
 
tiffmaxee said:
I’m so glad to see you didn’t shoot too high a dose. That’s a great nadir for him. Check again at +6 or whenever you see this.
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Glad to hear that is a good nadir! I was getting nervous, but it seems we have hit the bottom (71 @+6.25). Phew! Can I let it be until +9 or do you think I should check again sooner?
 
Hendrick Cuddleclaw said:
wow look at Faraday go! On just ONE unit, holy @#$ can you imagine if you shot the 2.5U the vet wanted?

crikey. Almost certain hypo.
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I KNOW!!! I am SOOOOOOO glad I listened to y'all and not the vet. Definitely would have been back at the vet today otherwise.
 
As this is Faraday’s first 24 hours on insulin, should I be nervous that cycle 3 is going to go even lower?

Tentatively planning for a +2.5 and +5 test tonight.
 
Cats do often go lower at night, but as long as you're able to test and monitor, have plenty of test strips and MC (10-15% carb) and HC (over 15%) food on hand, and your hypo kit you'll be fine.

By the way, it is possible he'll "bounce" from the greens he saw today and you'll see a high PMPS. Fairly common. Dont be dismayed if you get a red PMPS. Hendrick did the bouncing thing for weeks and weeks.
 
should be fine, as the numbers come down the drops are lessened and things are flatter, usually. So you could see the similar numbers at +2, +4 etc even though you had a lower PMPS. But with so little data to go on right now, it will be interesting to see what you get. That's all I mean, I don't mean to make you nervous. You're monitoring closely and that is key.
 
Hendrick Cuddleclaw said:
should be fine, as the numbers come down the drops are lessened and things are flatter, usually. So you could see the similar numbers at +2, +4 etc even though you had a lower PMPS. But with so little data to go on right now, it will be interesting to see what you get. That's all I mean, I don't mean to make you nervous.
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I'm so new to all this it's very easy to do! I will just wait and see what the data says and act appropriately. The moral support here is already impressing me to no end!
 
Your spreadsheet says you are following SLGS but that would have meant a reduction to .75. If I were you, I would follow TR. That means reduction if under 50. Thank goodness you didn’t shoot 2.0!
 
tiffmaxee said:
Your spreadsheet says you are following SLGS but that would have meant a reduction to .75. If I were you, I would follow TR. That means reduction if under 50. Thank goodness you didn’t shoot 2.0!
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I am also so so so very glad I didn't shoot 2.

I can change it to TR. We'll see how the rest of the weekend shapes up. I can be really flexible with work up through the end of the week where it gets a bit more challenging, but I'll make it work for Faraday!
 
The +4 and +5 being so close makes me think we're getting to the nadir? I'm going to do one more check at +6, and if it's not gone much lower, might just go to bed. FX this cycle continues to be less dramatic than this morning's!
 
I think he very well might not drop much more. Unless the +6 is a lot lower I agree you can call it a night. Very nice cycle.
 
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