5/10: Sammy - AMPS 108; +2 92; +4 93; +5.5 94: +9 118; PMPS 143; +1 166; +2 168; +3 153

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Tina & Sammy

Tina & Sammy

Member Since 2010
Yesterday's Condo

Sammy surfed from +7 last night to AMPS this morning. I don't think I have ever, ever, seen the same number 3 tests in a row. We did increase to a solid .1u last night. That dose is really only about a drop more than the .1u skinny that we were doing prior. So far we haven't seen much of a difference. In fact, he stayed up higher last night than he had the previous night on the lower dose. I really hope that he comes down today. I will run this dose for 8-10 cycles and if I don't see much improvement then I might consider increasing to .25u.

At the same time I might also get him in for a pancreatitis test as well. Because with a pancreatitis flare up his numbers might rise a bit, is that correct? I have seen him sitting in the meatloaf position a couple of times, but he really doesn't lay like that most of the time. And lately he has had a voracious appetite, eating almost everything I put down within a few minutes of giving it too him. Are these both signs of pancreatitis?
 
When Tennie had his pancreatitis issue, he did not want to eat at all. And if he did eat he vomited soon after.
It took a few days of feeding by syringe, appetite stimulants, anti nausea and pain meds to get him over it.

But, to answer your question, Yes, Tennies numbers did start to go up just before his flare up.
 
Meatloaf position can be a sign, and yes, pancreatitis, can lift his numbers. But a voracious appetite certainly is NOT indicative of pancreatitis. In fact quite the opposite, anorexia and emesis would support that. Meatloaf position is pretty non-specific.
 
P-titis is "funny"....ECID with this one, too. Yes, it definitely can cause a rise in numbers - but not always. Trix's numbers actually drop when she's having a flare. Meatloafing is a sign of abdominal discomfort, but that could be anything from a simply belly ache to p-titis and all sorts of things in between. I generally would not put a voracious appetite in as a symptom of p-titis, though...although I suppose anything is possible. P-titis is very painful, and if anything, it would tend to cause a decrease in or loss of appetite. Trix will barely eat when she has p-titis.

FWIW, my vet doesn't like the p-titis tests. She did used to use them, but she found them to be fairly unreliable. If a kitty has anything else going, including FD, it can skew the results. I had asked her about it last year, and she said she would run it for me if she wanted, but she found that it didn't give her conclusive enough evidence, so at this point she now treats based on symptoms.

I can't remember...has he been tested for hyper-T? That will certainly cause a voracious appy.
 
Morning! I would have to agree with the others. Normally a kitty with P'titis does not have a voracious appy. Mannie would not eat when he has his bout with it. My vet is much theh same as Any's vet: not real supportive of the p'titis tests, same reason. So I would treat the symptoms, when they occurred.
 
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Max has had chronic pancreatitis for over 5 years. He always becomes inappetent. He rarely vomits or has diarrhea but it has happened and those are other common symptoms. I've never read of a voracious appetite unless it is due to EPI which happens often after years of pancreatitis and caused by not absorbing the nutrients in the food. Pain is there most of the time and hence the meatloafing although many cats are good at disguising pain. Max never shows signs of it. The stool would likely be gray or chalky in color. What was his T4? Hyper-t is a cause of what you are describing. Has he gained or lost weight? Eating a lot and gaining is not concerning but losing weight would be. If you do run the fPL I would have run pancreatic enzymes and ask how long to fast him for most accurate results. :bighug:
 
Thanks for all the information everyone. At least I now know that it probably isn't pancreatitis. I will just keep an eye on him and see how he does. I think when something isn't right, i.e. his numbers I try to make a determination based on symptoms. @Amy&TrixieCat my vet is the same way, we did an FPL test before and when it came back positive she just assumes that is what the problem is if the symptoms are there. As I said I will just keep an eye on him and see how he does. Maybe it is just me and I think he is eating more because I am limiting what I give him. Since his numbers have been rising I haven't been leaving food out all of the time, and only giving him mini meals and he tends to eat everything all at once. Maybe that is an instinct because he doesn't know when he will get to eat again. I don't know. I will just monitor and hopefully we will see some better numbers by tonight.
 
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Can this day get in more frustrating?

Last night I did increase back up to a solid .1u and so far he did stay in green a bit longer this morning, but his PMPS number was much higher than he has seen for weeks. I really hope that this is the high before the low, like we saw on 4/21 and 4/22 at knit camp. It is so stressful to watch the numbers climb and feel like they should be going in the other direction, but apparently his pancreas just needs a bit more support.

Hopefully we will see some better numbers tonight. I gave him fluids at PMPS in hopes that it will help bring down the numbers so the insulin doesn't have to work so hard. Sammy seems to have an early onset of insulin and then it seems to peter out early, his nadir usually falls somewhere between +2 and +6, but occasionally he will have a late nadir.

My plan right now is to hold this dose until Friday morning. If I don't see improvement back into the GREEN most of the time with only the occasional BLUE PS then on Friday morning I will increase to .25u. That way I will have all weekend to monitor him just in case it is a bit too much juice. Technically Sammy never earned his decrease from .5 to .25 or .1u before his Failed OTJ trial so there is a possibility we might have to revise a higher dose, but I am hoping it doesn't go higher than .25u before he starts earning those reductions again. I just need to get it in my head that he needs more support and stop procrastinating and give him what he needs.
 
Apparently today can get more frustrating. I just don't know what is going on. Maybe this is NDW even though it is only a drop more than what he was having before.


I think I will do one more hourly test before I go to bed and then call it a night. It will be the first night in a very long time that I have been able to sleep through the night. I will leave out lots of extra food, and will probably put it in the feeder as I don't want Sammy, or Crystal, to eat it all before morning, and Sammy will need a snack between +9 and AMPS or he will be waking us up at 4:00 am.
 
NDW is the easiest explanation....You know what they say...when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras!!

When you're only on a drop to begin with, adding a drop is still double the dose
 
Chris & China said:
NDW is the easiest explanation....You know what they say...when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras!!

When you're only on a drop to begin with, adding a drop is still double the dose
Click to expand...

I had not thought about it that way. Thanks. I just hope it settles down a bit. It is FREAKING ME OUT, but what else is new. LOL!
 
Peg and Toby said:
Come on Sammy work this new dose. It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it get to you.
Click to expand...
And it is doing just that. At least I will take a break tonight and wouldn't test as much. If I wake up on my own then I might get in a quick test, but otherwise I am going to try to sleep through the night.
 
I hope Sammy settles on the new dose for you soon. At least he's letting you get one good night's sleep in before he starts back into green (and I'm sure he will be back to business soon). :)
 
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