? 6/21 Fred Increase/decrease amounts?

[Purrberry]

It's been a while since I've been at "lower" doses of insulin, so if someone could please refresh my memory.

When under 6u BID, do you increase/decrease by .25?

If you happen to look, I know Fred's spreadsheet is a disaster right now. Between his very strong initial reaction to Levemir, requiring reductions, to trying to find a vacation dose, to my petsitter accidentally giving him Lantus instead of Levemir, we're just a hot mess. Now I feel we've lost all momentum and those good numbers, even if they were causing a lot of bouncing. I thought we were back on track yesterday, but he remained flat all night and went crazy high this AM. I know he's going to be crazy high at PMPS as well.

To top it off, I have to be away again this weekend. This past weekend, I was 90 minutes away. This weekend, I'll be halfway across the country for a wedding. And I am STRESSED. Poor Fred and these awful numbers.

 

[Librarianista]

I’m so sorry

I have no dosing advice, and I know this is super stressful. But even with this setback, Fred would be much worse off if you weren’t doing anything at all to take care of him. He’s got a good mama

 

[Summer and Susie (GA)]

Oh gosh, Kathleen, sounds like you are stressed. I can't advise on anything but I'm sure there will be folks that will come along to help. Scary that your petsitter confused the Levemir with the Lantus. Maybe you need to sit that young lady/man down and be clearer with what Fred needs and when. If Lantus is no longer given then hide it someplace in the fridge. Sounds like going across the country for a wedding should be a fun time for you. I would sit your petsitter down, again, and make your instructions very clear before you leave. If you question the individual maybe you should contact your vet and see if they have any techs that could come and shoot twice a day and test before shooting. I did that a while ago and have a vet tech lined up if I ever get sick and can't take care of Susie. I always find that the more preparation you do in advance - the less you will worry. Good luck, Kathleen.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

We change size of increases to 0.5 units when over 5 units, not 6. Frankly, Fred's dose shouldn't have been lowered as much as it was. The Lantus mixup didn't help. But it is what it is, time to look forward. After a petsitter or vacation dose, you can go directly back to the last good dose. Which if you consider he earned a reduction at 5 units (even though that was likely from the 5.5 unit depot), you'd be fine going right up to 4.75 unit. Hopefully that will help get rid of the ugly numbers.

The link to your last post here.

 

[Liz & Minnie]

Ugh, stressful and I'm sure you have mixed feelings about going away. And I know how frustrating it is when you can't figure out why the numbers are the way they are. But on the plus side - ketones are still nice and low, and you got a nice drop out of the 500s today down into pinks. And I just looked back at Fred's s/s, with my fresh eyes on it the overall color-scheme doesn't seem drastically different - except of course no blues since the Lantus mixup. Hopefully if you go back up to 4.75 you'll see some progress.

And - if I was me, I would be happy with a bunch of nice solid yellows while I was away. Not too high, not too low. I don't remember, are you having the petsitter stay or come and drop in twice a day? The weekend I was away, I had the sitter come in 3 times on the Saturday and do a midday check. Made me feel better.

Do your cameras have microphones? I got one recently and (although the sound quality is atrocious) when I call out her name Minnie will come to the camera - if she feels like it - and a couple of times it even encouraged her to eat. I was very surprised but maybe worth testing to see if it has similar effect on Fred? I do feel a bit of an idiot sitting in the car calling out "Minnnn-ieeeee Minnnn-ieeee where are you baby??" into the phone, but I've got some great pics of her staring at the camera.

Hang in there.

 

[Kathy and tiger]

Hope things go well for you and Fred

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Wow, Kathleen, a lot has been going on with you and Fred. I'm with Liz on the vacation dosing... Some nice solid yellows would be great. Hide the Lantus so the pet sitter cannot make that mistake again! Do you have cameras that you can check on your phone? I do hope you have a good time at the wedding. I think Fred will be okay. How often will the pet sitter be coming? What dose are you going to go with for a safe dose while you are away... are you going to try to figure that out this week... you still have a few days.

I can totally relate to things not being normal. My Darcy's shot times have been all over the place for the last week or so... and the vets haven't been checking him like I would like.. so I reduced one day in a panic (and maybe that wasn't the best choice, but I think we are getting back on track). Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and check in on you and Fred since I haven't been around much lately.

 

[Purrberry]

Hi everyone. Thanks for checking in on Fred. I'm trying to get us back on track, but it just doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Logically I know it can't be the case, but it seems that one mix up with Lantus instead of Levemir ground our progress to a screaming halt. As @Liz & Minnie said, I haven't seen blues since. Fred had SUCH a strong reaction to the Lev switch, and I know that can be the case sometimes. I was shocked but SO happy and hopeful that we finally found something that was working for him. He'd bounce, but the Lev could cut through those like a hot knife through butter. (it was frankly scary how fast his numbers would drop during a cycle) I could literally see the depot building; each day, the nadir would get lower, until, on the 4th day, it was too low. That started our dosing dance, and I'm always bad at that. But now, even with bringing the dose back up, he's just high and flat. It's a complete 180.

@Summer and Susie If you go back to my initial thread about the mix-up, you'll see what happened. She's actually really great and felt just horrible about it all. I'm a crazy prep-a-holic. You should see the notes I have taped up all around my house when I'm away. ;-)

Hide the Lantus so the pet sitter cannot make that mistake again!

I did. :-( I had it back in its box in a corner behind the condiments. But she found it. Now it will go in the basement fridge!!

I'm with Liz on the vacation dosing... Some nice solid yellows would be great

Ah, my Kingdom for solid yellows! I'd love for him to be there while I'm away...or any time! Yellow is always so elusive because he's such a bouncer. I thought I had it down for last weekend. The last check I got on him was at +5, and he was at 183. He nadirs around +6 or +7, so I felt good we were at a good dose for two days. Enter the Lantus mix up.

Do your cameras have microphones?

They do! And I talk to them as well. If I don't see them on one of the cameras, I call out to them. They're usually too lazy to oblige. ;-) But yes, I sit there calling, "Freddieeee! Sadieeee! Come have a snack! Let Mommy see you!" I don't do it at night, because my petsitters stay over. Can you imagine hearing a disembodied voice calling out in the middle of the night? Lol.

are you having the petsitter stay or come and drop in twice a day?

She'll arrive at dinner, and stay until about +1 Then she goes home and comes back. I wish I could get a check in the middle of the day, as that's the best data and/or danger zone. But they don't do it. Last week, my poor sitter set her alarm at 3 am to check on Fred, as she was so worried the night of the mix-up. (but I was VERY glad she did) Unfortunately, she felt she was too tired to test safely, which I totally get.

Frankly, Fred's dose shouldn't have been lowered as much as it was.

Likely not. But I was trying to be safe as he was dropping so hard. I thought 2 days in slightly higher numbers would be OK. How wrong I was given what happened.

Thanks again, everyone. I know you've all got lots of things going on with your own babies. I try to check in when I'm away, but I have less time. And then there's DH calling up the stairs, "Kathleen...stop looking at cat forums!". He always knows. ;-)

My best to you all!