6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371 +6/145 +9/111 PMPS/115 +2/65

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Pumbaa

Pumbaa

Member Since 2012
*sigh*

I think my patience pants were made in China 'cause they seem to be defective these days! haha_smiley

Here it is 6/22 and Pumbaa's last good day of numbers were on 6/15. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have reduced him to a fat 1.75U after his dive down to 38 on the 15th. I feel like I've wasted so much time waiting for bounces to clear and the shed to reduce, and now waiting for the shed to refill to the 2.0U level, to start seeing some good numbers again. This gets so frustrating.

I don't understand Pumbaa's reds yesterday, unless he took a dive on the 20th after his PM +3 and I didn't see it. He's only on his 4th cycle after I increased him to 2.0U again, so, although I am tempted to raise him to a fat 2.0U or even 2.25U, I won't, until he settles into the 2.0 dose.

I'm going to have to read up about insulin resistance, as I seem to recall that they can become resistant to a certain dose causing you to then have to go above that dose to break the resistance, or something like that.

I feel like I'm failing Pumbaa by making wrong decisions, after he was doing so good. Can't cry over spilled milk...need to just move forward and do better for him! :)

Suze



ps: I checked the current pen, and the insulin appears to be fine. Somewhere in the last couple of days I did open an new container of test strips, so I guess I need to check myself and see if they are accurate. Making a note to order control solution with my next order of test strips.
 
big double *sigh*

Pumbaa said:
...I feel like I'm failing Pumbaa by making wrong decisions, after he was doing so good. Can't cry over spilled milk...need to just move forward and do better for him! :)

Suze

ps: I checked the current pen, and the insulin appears to be fine. Somewhere in the last couple of days I did open an new container of test strips, so I guess I need to check myself and see if they are accurate. Making a note to order control solution with my next order of test strips.
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Once again you manage to articulate exactly what I'm feeling, and I'm sure many others as well. If we ever get through this maybe one day we will look back and think it was all worth it. But I can not recommend to someone using Lantus on a cat. If I can't do it how can other average people be expected to? I'm crazy but just crazy enough to try something like this on my own. Most of the time I go far with the *crazy internet theories*. This one may be my undoing. :roll:

As for Pumbaa the general picture is simply that the dose reduction didn't hold, so you went back up. Everything under control.

But why is he still bouncing around after 5 days? Just doesn't make sense. I can't figure out what could be causing those numbers. :?
 
Re: 6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371

I'm glad that I can articulate what you are feeling. Feel free to copy and paste the feelings if it helps you express yourself. :) Seriously!

I wouldn't not recommend Lantus, because I've seen the spreadsheets of so many other diabetic cats who have done better, quicker, on Lantus. I believe it all has to do with the cat. ECID. Your Chip and my Pumbaa probably would have been destined to bounce and dive as they do no matter what insulin they were on. The thing to stay focused on is just getting their numbers down to a good level (to me, that's below 250 consistently), and pray that one day they stop bouncing and make our lives a little easier.

The first 2 cycles after going back up to 2.0U could be new dose wonkiness. Or I missed a big dive one night when I thought his numbers were high enough that he wasn't going to dive, and I went to bed. I'm just trying to be patient and praying that he comes down today, before I do anything drastic, like increasing his dose.

Suze
 
Re: 6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371

Just hold the dose for 8 cycles to rebuild the shed and then see where he is at. :smile:

If the Lantus gives us control then it's all worth it.

However Chip has already been though the full treatment from the vet. It was terribly expensive (not much more than this) but blissfully easy by comparison. And it went fast, he was in *remission* in about 10 weeks. If only I had known to change from the med carb prescription food to low carb FF wet just after his last nadir, he likely would have been officially OTJ.

At the time I was overwhelmed by the cost, and of course the fear that he would need shots for life. And the much more flexible shots were an adjustment themselves. Doing that same plan with a tiny bit of home testing and occasional curves would cost almost nothing more than the price of the dry prescription food. Which was about what I now spend on FF.
 
Re: 6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371 +6/145

I practiced the utmost patience this morning and didn't test him again until +6. Now he's down to 145. Hooray!!!!!! And his poor little ears got a break from all of that poking! He could be on a dive, so I'll test him again at +8 and see if +6 was the nadir or not.

So good to see my boy in blue again!!!!!!!

Suze
 
Re: 6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371 +6/145

Dale, Chip is really looking good these last couple of days! No huge bounces, no red numbers, no black numbers and no tremendous dives!

I'm now a firm believer in just nudging the doses up or down by fat increments, instead of by even a .25U dose increase/decrease, just to try and prevent those bounces and dives. Not that it worked in Pumbaa's case in the last week, but in theory it should be less traumatic to their bodies, no?

Suze
 
Re: 6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371 +6/145

Pumbaa said:
Dale, Chip is really looking good these last couple of days! No huge bounces, no red numbers, no black numbers and no tremendous dives!

I'm now a firm believer in just nudging the doses up or down by fat increments, instead of by even a .25U dose increase/decrease, just to try and prevent those bounces and dives. Not that it worked in Pumbaa's case in the last week, but in theory it should be less traumatic to their bodies, no?

Suze
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So you are the one who jinxed it? Try all of the above by the end of the day? :shock:

This isn't at a good time. The Lantus pen is running on fumes with no reinforcements in the wings. Almost out of test strips. Haven't heard a thing from DCIN, that probably means that's a bust after all the effort applying.

Lantus is for the birds. cat(2)_steam

On the other hand if it's starting to work too bad I can't keep it up. *sigh* :?

To tell you the truth it looks pretty good on the chart. Right at the nadir. Wonder what the risk really is? I guess I won't worry unless he goes below 26. Of course how will I know without testing? Watch for symptoms I guess.
 
Re: 6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371 +6/145

Hope you hear from DCIN soon!

Didn't mean to jinx you today. That 77 looks very nice, and at least he went up slightly at +7, so maybe Chip won't have a huge bounce.

On the other hand, Pumbaa is still going down, down, down at +9. I just gave him some sardines and EVO turkey & chicken. It was just last Friday night that I had to do a BCS for the PM dose, and then he still dove down to 38. Hope we're not going to repeat that again.

Suze
 
Re: 6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371 +6/145 +9/111 - deja vu of last Fri

Blue is pretty safe. Anything over 50 and you shoot the full dose? :idea:

And you are saving some test strips.

Are the Arkrays you order in the same 50/tictac box sealed in foil? What is the expiration date on those?

It would save me sales tax which is high here, but I think I will need to get some at Wal Mart for now.

No time to wait around on DCIN, I fear the answer is they can't afford to help. :-|
 
Re: 6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371 +6/145 +9/111 - deja vu of last Fri

Pumbaa went up very slightly to 115 for his PMPS, so I shot the full dose. I'll be watching him closely tonight. After the last six days, it's worth it to have to watch him closely to see him surfing the blues!

I still have one unopened package of 50 strips, so I am good. And I'm going to reorder strips this weekend. *sigh* I wish I had the cash to order 500 test strips at once to reduce the shipping expense and not have to worry for a few months.

Yes, the Arkays are in the same foil-wrapped plastic tic-tac container as the Relions were. Expiration date is July of 2013.

My estimate right now is that I am testing about 200 times per month. That means I am saving about $16 per month ordering my test strips from American Diabetes Wholesale. I'm saving even more by ordering my lancets from them. The Ultilet Glucose Lancets - 28 Gauge - Pull Top - Box of 100 were $2.49 each. You can't beat that! Granted, I sat down with Pumbaa on my lap about 3 times so far, and went to prick his ear but there was no needle in the lancet, but at that price, I can forgive them, and have learned to check the lancet for a needle before I grab Pumbaa.

Don't give up on DCIN. From what I've read here, they are dealing with emergency medical care for kitties all the time. Chip isn't in a life-threatening situation yet, whereas some of these other kitties are. You need to go hunt down some "patience pants" and start wearing them. :) And just because you haven't heard anything doesn't mean you are forgotten. Have faith in DCIN. I would, from what I have read.

Hang in there, Dale.

Suze
 
Re: 6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371 +6/145

Pumbaa said:
...Didn't mean to jinx you today. That 77 looks very nice, and at least he went up slightly at +7, so maybe Chip won't have a huge bounce.

On the other hand, Pumbaa is still going down, down, down at +9. I just gave him some sardines and EVO turkey & chicken. It was just last Friday night that I had to do a BCS for the PM dose, and then he still dove down to 38. Hope we're not going to repeat that again.

Suze
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Actually you were our good luck charm. Can you come sit at the tables with me in Vegas?

So Pumbaa and Chip are now having a green diving contest. Today Chip dived more than 300 points but it was a soft landing. :mrgreen:
 
Remember that glucose math is in a whole different system!

You just can't assume that X amount of food at Y % carbohydrate plus Z units of insulin will always equal success.

There are way to many other factors which can impact the result.
- activity levels
- accuracy of food labels (what - you thought pet food was made by saints interested in perfect food for your cat? Hah! Its a means to sell off waste from meat processing! and to make a bigger profit, use extenders such as grain, or vegetables, or soy.)
- other health conditions, such as age, dehydration, constipation, hairballs, vomiting, and other diseases
- stress levels ... including yours!

and so on.
 
Re: 6/22 Pumbaa AMPS/371 +6/145

Dale 'n' Chip said:
Actually you were our good luck charm. Can you come sit at the tables with me in Vegas?
Click to expand...

I've never been a good luck charm before! Maybe my karma is turning? :)

Suze
 
BJM said:
Remember that glucose math is in a whole different system!

You just can't assume that X amount of food at Y % carbohydrate plus Z units of insulin will always equal success.

There are way to many other factors which can impact the result.
- activity levels
- accuracy of food labels (what - you thought pet food was made by saints interested in perfect food for your cat? Hah! Its a means to sell off waste from meat processing! and to make a bigger profit, use extenders such as grain, or vegetables, or soy.)
- other health conditions, such as age, dehydration, constipation, hairballs, vomiting, and other diseases
- stress levels ... including yours!

and so on.
Click to expand...

BJ: I gotta tell you, I love all of your input and knowledge, but you make my brain hurt! *LOL*

I've been trying to increase Pumbaa's activity, and realize that the accuracy of food labels is about as honest as a Presidential political campaign *LOL*, which is why I have been trying to update the nutritional values list, with the help of others who care about up-to-date info.

Fortunately, Pumbaa is only 8-1/2 and so far doesn't have any other medical conditions, that I know of.

My stress level - out the roof at some times, especially since I seldom get a full night's sleep (7 hours is what my body craves) anymore.

Add to the stress running my own business, and trying to generate enough work every month to pay the bills, as well as taking care of my mom and shopping and cooking for her, and also cooking for my drooler so that she can lose weight.

The higher Pumbaa's numbers are, the less active he is. Even though I have tried to increase his activity when his numbers are high, he just ignores me, and wants to be left alone. Once his numbers start to drop, he's a wild kitty, once again!

I'm trying to be SuperWoman, but feel that I fall short at times. :(

Suze
 
You have the patience pants of a saint. I don't know how you hold it all together, but wish I did. :-D

But there was something I was thinking about looking over Pumbaa's spreadsheet.

Has he had any antibiotics? Could some random infection be a factor? I don't remember that in the notes.

Chip is 2 weeks into Clavomox and it might be helping.
 
Chippendales:

I was born without the patience gene, so I don't know what you are seeing, especially since my patience pants came from China and are defective! *LOL*

Pumbaa has not been on any antibiotics, and, the last time he was at the vet, at the beginning of April, there was no sign of any infection.

I've been contemplating calling the vet to prescribe antibiotics, just in case, but that really doesn't seem to be the problem. Pumbaa just dives and bounces. *sigh*

Suze
 
Chip has no signs of infection either besides perhaps uti just from the high glucose. The first vet had him on Clavomox for the first 2 months, part of that was surely just to be able to charge an extra $250 for the inhouse Clavomox, but it may help the pancreas. I discussed it with the new vet and he said the low dose won't hurt for that long, it may help, and with script it's a lot cheaper than extensive testing to find possible infection. So it's preventative, which is usually always a no-no with ab but in the case of these diabetics it's common enough to have minor infections causing glucose fluctuation. So it's just cover all the bases, since he hasn't had antibiotics.
 
All patience pants are China made! Because it's too costly to be made elsewhere! :lol: :lol: Luckily they are disposeables & you can always put on a new pair anytime!

Relax Suze, those numbers are driving you to the walls!
Lovely to see Checkers in green recently. Surf on Checkers!
 
tortie58 said:
All patience pants are China made! Because it's too costly to be made elsewhere! :lol: :lol: Luckily they are disposeables & you can always put on a new pair anytime!
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Helen, *LOL*! Maybe that's my problem...I wear the patience pants too long after their "best used by" date. :)

Suze
 
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