6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386, +4 430

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Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259

I think you are going to get some rest tonight :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: I mean...it COULD be a food spike. You'll probably know better by +2. I'm a big believer in +2 tests and +1 if the PMPS makes me nervous.
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259

Thanks, Marjorie. I'm sure I went too conservatively on the dose, but with the change over in food today, I was just a little hesitant.

Low priority question: if Boo were regulated on the perfect dose and the perfect amount of food (and kind of food), what range would her ideal AMPS and PMPS be?? How do you know (after a cat has been transitioned to wet) if he/she doesn't need insulin at all?

Thank you for your help.
xo
Carla
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

This is really frustrating. Now I feel like I've put her in the risky high numbers. It's all so subjective. I don't know how you begin to get a good feel for things!

Should I not feed her for a while?
ETA: Should I keep testing every hour or wait till closer to nadir?

thanks
Carla
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Carla: I wouldn't test her for a few hours or if you are ready to go to bed, I'd just get a before bed test. You can feed her if she's hungry...you don't want a hungry kitty.

Well, the ideal AMPS and PMPS is one between 50-100. After they are transitioned to wet food, if they don't need insulin, they will continue to quickly earn reductions. We try to keep them on insulin as long as possible...some people are able to dose one drop. A few things can happen which tells you they are ready to be off insulin: (1) they keep dropping below 50 even on a tiny, tiny dose (2) they get an inverted curve (hard to spot...Jill/Libby can do it and I wouldn't be surprised if Sienne can to or (3) they are on a tiny drop and go for a week with totally normal numbers. Then they start an "off the juice" (OTJ) trial. Take a look at Curry's SS. She's on a trial.

Alot of us with cats on canned food feed on a very set schedule: PS, +1, +2, +3....the same portions each time and as consistent on the food as you can get. That's hard with finicky eaters but I did notice that once I quit jumping around on food and just started feeding Gracie only the 4% calories from carbs Wellness canned foods, she eventually stopped her wild plummeting. She sometimes will drop a little fast than I'd like but no more of that 100/hour right off the bat.

It can and does happen but it can be challenging finding the perfect dose. So just keep an open mind and do not get discouraged. Just in case no one has yet told you, FD is a marathon, not a sprint. We were certain Gracie would be OTJ in two months.....now it's been nine. She's made progress, but she's also regressed. We still have not found her "perfect" dose. But look at Mannie's and Tess's SSs. Mannie is a long-term diabetic and Michelle has found his perfect dose. He's on somewhere around +150 cycles at the same dose. NICE!! Tess is also on a very high number of cycles at just a few drops and is doing remarkably well....she's been FD 1-1/2 years.

What is very hopeful in Boo's case is that she has been a dry food kitty. Sometimes the diet change does the trick...and fast. So you've got alot going for you.
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

I think this is a save-a-strip night. How about getting a +4 and if Boo doesn't look like she's turning around, you don't really need to worry about testing.

So, the take away message is that you were seeing a steady rise from the AM nadir. If you had stalled, you would have seen the bigger jump at +1 (or even +0.5). Stalling isn't always possible. Once Boo will reliably eat canned food, shooting in lower ranges will be an easier decision. Of course, sometimes, you just can't predict where the numbers are going to go.

I'm not sure what Marje means by the AM/PMPS being between 50 - 100. We look to see that a cat is in normal BG numbers (less than 120) almost all the time. A cat earns decreases either by dropping below 50 (in a newly diagnosed cat) or by staying in normal numbers for a week. As decreases are earned, the dose is lowered to a microdose. At that time, insulin is withheld for 2 weeks. If your cat stays in normal numbers, then the cat is OTJ.

Keep in mind, though, that Lantus dosing is based on the nadir. The pre-shot numbers are the last to come down in many cats.
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Thank you Marjorie. As I said in a previous post, in a little over a week, I will not have the luxury of being home in the +5 after her PM shot. I will have to shoot and leave... and I suppose I'll have to leave wet food out for that time, but I'll have no idea how much she has eaten (as there are 2 more cats in the house). I feel that I have been CHAINED to my house this week. I have canceled almost every plan I had made. I won't always have the luxury to do that. I guess I just want to know that I'm not going to harm/kill my cat by making wrong dosing decisions. Sure would be nice if the wet food did it!

She sure looks different now than she did 2 hours ago. She looked REALLY good this afternoon. Like the cat I remember from way back when. Now she's groggy and sleepy and grumpy. I should've shot the regular amount... i know that (now)... but I was really scared of another wild swing night that would take yet another 3 days to rebound from.

Thanks for your time and kind words. It makes me feel a little less like I'm failing my cat every time I misstep when I hear that my mistakes are common ones. I'm a perfectionist and I want to get it right. I should be happy... I'm thinking Boo's situation today is much better than if I had continued to shoot 5 units twice a day like my vet told me to do this past Monday. :o

Baby steps.... and yes, I understand the marathon reference... I ran my first half marathon 2 years ago and it did, indeed, seem to go on forever!! ha!

SO>>>>> Just looking ahead to tomorrow. If her AMPS is a respectable number (will most likely be high), do I go back to shooting 1 unit?THANKS!
Carla
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

I'm not sure what Marje means by the AM/PMPS being between 50 - 100. We look to see that a cat is in normal BG numbers (less than 120) almost all the time.
Click to expand...

You know...Sienne is right about not knowing what I meant and I don't know why I wrote that because I was thinking one thing and wrote the above. ohmygod_smile ohmygod_smile ohmygod_smile That's what I get for talking to Mike on the phone and writing in a condo.

Sorry...brain left the station there for a minute. Geez......

I would shoot 1u in the morning unless she gives you a number in the 100s and then I'd ask for help....just because you haven't shot a number in the 100s yet. But I bet you're right...she'll probably be up.

Every single one of us has made mistakes. All of our cats are just fine. It happens. I have overcarbed Gracie more times than I'd ever like to admit and changed her dose when I shouldn't have. She just keeps plugging away. :-D :-D

Have a great night.
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Thank you, Sienne. You are very patient and kind to explain things that I'm sure you've explained million times already today. I wish this weren't so scary for me. I just don't want to hurt my girl!

Thanks again........ you all are amazing people.
Carla
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Thanks, Marje... and tell Mike hello from Boo and me!
Carla
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Carla, I've always considered myself a perfectionist, too. I think the people who are perfectionists tend to make more "mistakes" because we tend to overthink things and we want things to work NOW!! It's going to take you a while (just like it took the rest of us) to have a "gut reaction" to certain situations and know you can trust that reaction. It's completely okay to ask a million questions and no one here is going to judge you harshly because we all have made the same mistakes. Boo will be fine, really!! When you start your second job, get some advice from the experienced people here about what they would do and then do what works for you. If that plan ends up not working, well, you try something else. Unfortunately, you won't know if something works until you try it so it's all pretty much a gamble. We'll all be here supporting you, though!!
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Hi Carla-

I just wanted to day you're doing anything but failing your girl. We all know how you feel...we've all had the nerves, and have been afraid to do something that could hurt our kitties. More than once, I've decreased Trixie's dose when I shouldn't have, because I was afraid to shoot lower numbers. Sure, it slowed her progress and we had to work back up the dosing ladeder, but she's doing just fine, and along the way we learned a lot of valuable information - and gained a lot of courage and confidence.

You're doing a great job - and you go her eating wet food...woohoo!!! I'm jealous...Trixie eats all canned, but I can't convince my civvies to go all canned for the life of me!

Have a wonderful (and hopefully relaxing) evening!

Amy
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Patty and Amy, thank you for those words. I've been so focused on numbers and calories and carbs and catching pee in a ladel that I forgot that soon, hopefully, life will level out and so will Boo. I just got off the phone with my mother (the recipient of the plans I canceled tonight) and she said, "CARLA, HOW LONG CAN YOU GO ON LIKE THIS?!" I've only been testing Boo for 4 days. :lol: I suppose I come by my "fix it NOW" mentality honestly! ha!

I will continue to focus on removing the variables that keep her in flux (Boo, that is... not my mom). 1) Getting her 100% on canned food (which, I hope I'm not kidding myself, I think this already is!) and 2) My panicky tendency toward knee jerk reactions.

A positive thing that has come out of all of this is my attitude toward my own food. Seeing with my own eyeballs how much sugar affects BG numbers makes me really pause when making food choices now. I won't get into a long drawn out personal story, but I'm an all or nothing kinda gal when it comes to my weight. I am either eating right and exercising like a crazy person, or I'm popping in a frozen pizza before I go out for icecream. I've been a size 16 and a size 2. Middle ground is hard for me. This is teaching me just the basics of good nutrition and how important it is to our bodies.

You guys are awesome, and I'm so thankful you are here. I look forward to the day I am so confident in what I'm doing that I can be of help to others.

xo
Carla
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Carla, you have just described me!!! I'm either eating only what's good for me and exercising, feeling good about myself, or lazing around on the couch, eating chips and cookies, and feeling like a slug!! Nice to know I'm not alone!!!
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

I only recently let go of my "fix it now" mentality, so I know exactly how you feel at the moment - literally, about 2 weeks ago, in fact. I finally, finally realized that Trixie is still a cat, not a bunch of numbers that I have to conquer. Once I finally got over the "beat the numbers" aspect of this, my "love the cat" feelings came back. She may very well need insulin for the rest of her life, or she may go OTJ. Either is fine with me, 'cause she's still my sweet Trixie. Overcoming that hurdle was tremendously relieving. And, no doubt, as you settle into all of this, and with the support of this fabulous group, things will level out for your and Boo as well.
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Patty, I know that all too well. And it's funny, when I'm eating right and working out, life just looks a whole lot more "doable." Having to deal with Boo and my upcoming schedule/work load increase, it's pretty apparent just how important making better health choices has become. I need to feel hopeful and full of life rather than defeated and bogged down. Maybe this is the beginning of a turn around for ME as well as Boo. Food for thought.

xoxoxoox
Carla
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Amy, getting out from under this fix it cloud will be a welcomed relief indeed. I'm glad you have found some balance.
Here's to brighter days ahead!!!!!
Carla
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

hi carla, i've been gone on vacation and missed all of your first few days! seems like you've had quite a time!

i would bet if we took a survey most of the people here are perfectionists. i think those that are not probably don't stay with the Tight Regulation effort - my neighbor has a diabetic dog that she shoots the same amount morning and evening for years now and has never tested. you're in good company - we're all devoted to our cats and want to get them healthy. we also all stressed about the mistakes at the beginning. after a while you realize that as long as you're testing, it's you that controls their blood sugar numbers. you learn to "steer" the blood sugar with food and karo syrup if necessary. it's a little nerve-wracking the first couple of times but once you've had someone hold your hand through it, you gain confidence and can help someone else.

you're doing just great. take the high numbers tonight as a little gift and get a good night's sleep. you'll figure out how to still have a life with this when you get a little more experience.

and welcome to the land of FD - it's actually got some good parts - like this great community. :mrgreen:
 
Re: 6/25 Boo PMPS 186, +1 259, +2 386

Carla: after Gracie was dx, I totally dropped my fitness schedule. After a few months of trying to "control" her numbers and everything about FD, I realized that I had to get back to taking care of me in order to take care of her. So I work really hard at getting in my yoga and weight lifting and Mike and I try to walk every night he is home. It's a challenge but it's worth it. Those first few months I joked about becoming diabetic myself because I am a stress eater and I head for the chocolate. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

So if you want to see the 'Lil Stinka in action, check out our condo or her SS tonight. :lol: :lol: :lol: This is very typical except tonight, she actually gave me a 76 at PMPS and not 54!!!
 
Hi Julie! So nice to meet you and so good to see that people with diabetic cats can go on vacation! :smile:
Margorie, your SS makes my head hurt!!!! Wow, you test a LOT!

Well, I have my first ugly red box on my SS. :oops:

Tomorrow is another day.

Thanks everyone for making me feel better!

I think I will skip the testing tonight and give Boo's ears a break. She's about OVER that rice sock!

Night All........ see you tomorrow!
Carla
 
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