4.6 Feeburt Amps 314 Acro results PMPS 345

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Shelly and Spaceman

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just And (I mean Just) got Acro results. 392. So I do have an acro cat. This explains a LOT. In a way I feel better...I never understood how he could have developed diabetes with the diet he was on. But I'm also a little sad that there is so little I can do for him.
Ok...what next. I guess I can be more aggressive in his treatment. And suddenly 10.5 U doesn't seem so bad.
 
Re: 4.6 Feeburt Amps 314

(((Shelly))) sorry to hear the results, but at least you know now.
Maybe add "acro results" to your subject line, I know there were a few people waiting for your results....
there are quite a few acro mom's here and in the High Dose forum, lots of support, and you can post in both forums too.
Just so you know, you and Feeburt have both forums to get help and support. (((hugs)))

The High Dose forum also has some good threads with acro info, if you haven't checked thru them already.
 
Re: 4.6 Feeburt Amps 314 Acro results

Thanks, I have checked out the links and have joined the high dose group. We'll be fine. I would like info for the new study at CSU.
Over all, he is acting like he feels good. He gets to go out to the garden with me in the evenings and LOVES that. and his dandruff seems better.
 
Re: 4.6 Feeburt Amps 314 Acro results

Shelly -

At one level, I suspect you're not surprised given how you've had to be raising Feeburt's dose. There are a few people here who have had the sterotactic surgery or are well informed about the study going on at CSU. Gayle/Shadoe may have information and Heather/Boo definitely does. I know Heather (her login is Boo) has been checking in recently and I suspect she will stop by when she sees your subject line. If not, drop her a PM. Until you decide how you want to proceed, from what I've seen with other acro kitties, you can certainly be more aggressive with dosing in order to get Feeburt's numbers down.
 
Re: 4.6 Feeburt Amps 314 Acro results

ah man, I'm sorry. But at least you have an answer and yes, 10 units isn't so high considering.

The good news is -- now you know...the good news is now you know....just keep telling yourself this...and the good news is, you can do something about it too.
 
Re: 4.6 Feeburt Amps 314 Acro results

Hi Shelly,
Feeburt's acro results are not very surprising, I think we both knew there was a reason other than just plain ole diabetes, right? (((hugs))) I will PM you Dr. Lunn's email address and you can write her directly. Don't worry, Feeburt can live a terrific life with acro, there are plenty of us with long term acro's who are doing quite well. Leo I believe tested almost exactly where Feeburt did, and he's just about the happiest cat I know. :)
 
Re: 4.6 Feeburt Amps 314 Acro results

I'm sorry Shelly! It is a shitty diagnosis, but as you said, now you know know why he's not responding well and now you can be more aggressive in his treatment.

The stickies in the high dose section can help you understand what's happening. Also, there have been several shows recently on Discover, The Learning Channel, etc. about acromegaly in humans (Help - I'm becoming a Giant; Tallest People in the World; Tallest Woman in China, etc).

It's important to realize that acros have a fully functioning pancreas. The problem is that the tumor releases "stuff" that makes it difficult for the body to use its own insulin. At times, the tumor produces less "stuff" and then his extraneous insulin needs will go down (currently, Shadoe is a perfect example of this; Fletcher has been on and off insulin 4 times now). If and when Feeburt hits lower green numbers, you will use HC to bring him up, never LC. Also "acro beans don't need green" - your goal is to get Feeburt to spend as much time as possible in the blue numbers. Unlike a normal diabetic, the pancreas needs no "healing"; you simply want to prevent kidney damage.

As far as treatment, you have time to decide. Your options are:
1) Treat side effects of tumor, meaning treat the diabetes and if needed, manage pain (some of the kitties seem to get headaches; Boo and KB have spinal arthritis). While this seems like the cheapest option, it depends on how much insulin he will eventually need. Some kitties, like KB and Bayley don't need terribly high doses. Others, like Leo and Girlcat have had to shoot "crazy-high" doses.

2) SRS: The SRS is about $5000 (I think my bill was actually $4200). This is not guaranteed. So far, 3/11 died (1 due to cancer and 2 due to renal failure), 2/11 have gone off insulin, and the rest have showed improvement but still require insulin.

3) Drug Trial: Dr. Lunn recently got funding for a drug trial. I think it's only for 6 months and it's not a cure...even if it does help, once you go off the drug, the problems come back (and unfortunately, the drug is not affordable to continue outside the trial). I don't have any additional details yet, but you can contact Dr. Lunn directly to talk to her about both the SRS and the drug trial. Her e-mail is kathy.lunn@colostate.edu She's very nice and will talk to you directly and/or to your vet. She is fairly busy and sometimes hard to reach; if she doesn't respond in 2 weeks, try again.

I don't think anybody knows the expected life-span after diagnosis, especially since these kitties are being diagnosed earlier and earlier after the initial diabetes diagnosis. Fletcher has made it three years since diagnosis (Carolynn posted yesterday in High Dose); I'm not sure about any of the others but I think they are living longer than they used to because we know more about getting their BGs down which will help prevent kidney disease.

I hope you wanted all of this information - I simply tried to provide the information that I wanted when Boo was diagnosed and I hope it helps. Please ask any additional questions you have (although it might be good to ask over in High Dose, so other High-Dose people will participate and future High Dose people can read the answers). Also, on a slightly fun note, you might want to take a "paw-print" and date it. Acros continue to grow, especially their feet, forehead, and lower jaw, so it would be fun to have something from which you can measure his growth.
 
Re: 4.6 Feeburt Amps 314 Acro results

Hi!
What a relief huh? yeah, I know, it sucks, but the good side of it is that NOW you know WHY.
I think it's pretty similar to finding out about the diabetes; you knew there was something wrong, but did not know what. Then the dx, and then the testing and the shots, and then, hey, what's going on here? All the other kitties are getting better, less dose, and some even OTJ! And us? Well, we are just up, up, and away! Kinda like climbing a mountain with no end in sight.
So yeah, it sucks.

BUT, it can get better and you can just look at what Shadoe did by going down from 14uL to 2.5uL like she had no brakes! OK, we had a good little run and seem to be headed back up but the biggest thing is we know now. We can be more aggressive and use R and aim for those bloos.
Numbers, shmumbers; cats don't care much about their dose, so follow Feeburt for how things are going. Shadoe is happy happy now, with her coat looking almost as slick and shiny as Booboo's and all she wants is for Oliver to stop stealing her food GRRRR.
So yeah, acro or not, kitty knows best.

I can't say too much because we have gone up and back down only one moutain so far. Heather and the others have tons more experience to relate. I was glad to hear that they can even go OTJ if the tumor revs down to sleepytime, now wouldn't THAT be great for awhile!

Pats for Feeburt; it's all going to be OK. just will take a bit more juice!
 
Re: 4.6 Feeburt Amps 314 Acro results

Aww, sorry to see your boy has had an acro diagnosis. It does help to have an explanation for what looks like resistence, though, as there are different things that can cause resistance and now you can tailor an approach. As others have said, while greens can be nice, blues are a good thing to aim for.

KB tends to rebound from lower numbers and it takes me a while to get back on track so I feel like I'm never really at the right dose. So we prefer blues, they're safer and leave a little more wiggle room in dosing.

Another site to check out is catacromegaly.com.
 
He is fine tonight. Seems happy. licking a cat nip tube thingy. He will be raised to 11U tomorrow night and will be ready for anther raise on Friday night. I think I will go ahead and raise him one whole unit to 12 U. Now that we know he's acro I feel like we need to get down and dirty and fight this. I will be home all night Friday and all day Saturday, except for the occasional run to the plant nursery. Any thoughts?
 
I'm not an acro mom, but am learning more and more from watching them here. I do see most of them raising by 1 unit at a time until they start getting better numbers. Just make sure you keep getting mid-cycle tests so if he starts to get blue you can slow down.

I'm really sorry about the diagnosis, Shelly. :sad: At least now you know what is going on, so you have the right tools to help Feeburt.
 
ShellyandCosmo(GA)andFeeburt said:
I think I will go ahead and raise him one whole unit to 12 U. Now that we know he's acro I feel like we need to get down and dirty and fight this. I will be home all night Friday and all day Saturday, except for the occasional run to the plant nursery. Any thoughts?

I think that sounds good Shelly. Once you hit the higher doses, you can raise by larger units. You also might pick up some R (I think you already did?) so you can ease the high numbers while you're working up the Lantus dose. Carolyn/Spot is one of the most experienced acro-moms around here - you might see if she'll stop in and check on you for a while.
 
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