4/8 Gus +9 488

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bev5477

bev5477

Member Since 2011
Gus got his 3U last PM and seemed to hold it OK. This AM, before his insulin, he also seemed in good spirits but a litle slower. It was 5AM so I thought his slowness was because he was still half asleep. (All BGs last PM were >600 and this 4/8 AMPS=>600, =3>600) It is now +4 and he is lethargic, limp, and under the sofa so no other cats or peoples can get to him. He isn't responding well clinically to this dose. It's exactly what happened the last time he was on 3U (see SS) and why I was hesitant to go there. Can anyone explain Gus's reaction to me? Of course, I'll test him at +6 and +9, but what about thye next shoot?
 
Re: 4/8 Gus AMPS>600 Not Good

Bev:

I'd see if you can get both a BG test sooner as well as a test for ketones. I don't think he can be over dosed if his numbers are still this high. He may just be feeling lousy because he's been sitting in high numbers. On the other hand, lethargy can be a symptom of ketones being present so please get a ketone test. It doesn't matter that you got one yesterday. Ketosis can develop quickly.
 
Re: 4/8 Gus AMPS>600 Not Good

Good morning guys .. I'm sorry gus is not feeling so well .. I would second what Sienne wrote .. it could be gus not feeling well from being so high, but better safe then sorry .. please keep an eye on ketones ..
 
Re: 4/8 Gus AMPS>600 Not Good

Come on, Gus, feel better! I can't give you advice, Bev, but I can give some support. I hope you can get to the bottom of these surprisingly high numbers.
Hang in there. How is his health in general? Could he have an infection that is driving his numbers?

Ella & Rusty
 
Re: 4/8 Gus AMPS>600 Not Good

Hi Bev,
I agree with Sienne. I doubt that he is overdosed because he has had a curve, but it's a high curve. That indicates not enough insulin. I also agree with getting a BG and ketone test sooner rather than later. You need to make sure you catch any ketone problems early....and it can change quickly.

Is he eating ok? Is it possible that he is dehydrated...are you adding water to his food? FD often have issues with hydration, and being dehydrated can make them feel lousy. You can check by pinching up his skin between his shoulder blades...does it snap back down right away, or does it stay pinched up for a bit and slowly go back down? If it stays up, he is dehydrated...try to get him to drink, some cats like to drink from a trickling faucet, refill and put out more water bowls, add ice to them, you can even syringe water into his mouth if he won't drink.

Remember that it takes a few cycles for the shed to refill when you increase the dose. It is not unusual to see higher numbers during that time, and sometimes cats just feel lousy when their numbers are high. However, it could also indicate another problem is brewing, so I would not hesitate to take him to the vet if you think he is getting worse or not improving.
 
Re: 4/8 Gus AMPS>600 Not Good

Sienne and Laurie, thanks for reassurance that this isn't a dose that's toooo high for Gus. Laurie's right, he did have a high curve. He is eating and drinking very well. I tested for ketones and he's neg. for that. Slightly dehydrated-now that I know how to check for that. BG for +4=HI and +6=HI. His overall appearance has improved since morning; alert and moving around. I'll bet you guys are spot on. He must feel crappy when his numbers are so high. Especially since he got a taste of #s that were slightly lower. Another point made by DH : Gus may have had really high #s for a long time. Who knows how long he was like this prior to his diagnosis. His body most likely adjusted itself in order to compensate for such outrageous BG. I've learned to be patient with his BG so we'll stay where we are for a while and give him a chance to adjust. We're on the right track. Someone just has to tell Mr. Gus.
 
Re: 4/8 Gus AMPS>600 Not Good

Bev,

I'm glad to hear Gus is feeling better. I talked with my sister-in-law after Gracie was diagnosed. She's been a diabetic for years. She said that she actually feels worse with low numbers than high since she's gotten used them. You'll just have to wait and see how the new dose works, and expect him to be a little moody as his body adjusts. As long as he's ketone negative, you know that it's just a matter of time until he feels better.

Jason
 
Re: 4/8 Gus AMPS>600 Not Good

I saw your note to me in your condo the other day. I *have* used R with Jazzy and would be happy to help you with it. It's powerful, but we would be working with tiny doses and in a methodical manner so we can keep Gus safe. I do think you need to see the vet, though. If he is lethargic and hiding then there may be something else going on. We don't know if he feels bad because his numbers are high, or if his numbers are high because he's sick.
 
Evidently, Gus doesn't feel well with his high numbers because as his BG began to decrease, he began to behave as if he felt better. That's an important indicator that I'll be able to use as Gus and I dance this dance together. He actually communicates very well, as I'm sure most of the furbabies here do. Were the high numbers following his dose change the 'NDW' that I've read about?
 
can't help with input...but hooray for negative ketones!

binks used to feel very lethargic in the higher numbers, now is dashing around like a kitten.
hoping for the same for Guster!

celi & binks
 
Hi Bev,
Some of what you are going through reminded me of my experience with BigMac. He also started out with very high numbers... above 600. He was hiding and lethargic for days. I had to hunt him down because he just wanted to be in the dark and alone.

When his numbers improved, so did his behavior and he no longer hid in the closet. There was a definite improvement that correlated to his BG numbers. Things weren't perfect, but much better. I was amazed what a difference the insulin made because I had chalked up some of BigMac's lethargy on getting older. But he was only 9 years old at the time.

I hope once Gus's body gets used to not being so high, he will pick up his energy level.

Anyway hang in there!
Best of luck to Gus. Come on handsome, you can do it!
 
Bev: I have to echo CD's comments. Although Gracie was never high like Gus or Big Mac, it was high for her little tiny body and while we were waiting for her shed to fill,she would also hide and was very lethargic....very odd for as young as she is. Once she started getting down into some better numbers, she became her kitten self again. Even when she hits the 300s now, at least she has insulin on board and we don't see any of that initial behavior. You are doing great!!! I admire your patience. Hugs to Gus!!
 
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