6/25 Nikki AMPS 333; PMPS 278; +2 301

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Alexis & Nikki (GA)

Alexis & Nikki (GA)

Member Since 2013
Yesterday's Condo

I'm beginning to think the dose reduction of .5 was too much. She hasn't hit a blue since the last 1.5u. I'm pretty sure the bounce from that has cleared, since she was down to 237 last night before coming back up. Either I missed a low at +4 or she's just surfing along the high yellows/low pinks. SLGS says to wait a week, but I'm thinking about bringing her back up to 1.25u. Thoughts?

ETA because I was half asleep when I wrote this: I think I can squeak out slightly better numbers with a tiny dosecrease. Tonight will have been the 6th cycle since the reduction, but I think she's still fighting the 10% carb food a bit. I *think* I have enough data now for people to advise, but if not, no worries. I don't want people to feel uncomfortable. :smile:
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

Is she on nothing but 10% food? No chance of her getting into anything else? confused_cat

If I remember right, she was on high carb food? Dropping to 10% from HC, should help her numbers some. How long has she been on the 10%? Didn't she have tummy problems that prevented you from having her on a LC? I'm trying to remember, sorry. :sad: If she has other issues, that makes it even harder for you, food wise.

In the beginning, I had Lucian on all very low carb, under 4%, for the first month or so, to try to get a grip on his BG's. I understand, some cats are extremely carb sensitive, just a 2% difference can cause them to spike. Different foods of the same carb % can effect them in different ways. Friskee's Tuna and Egg, at 8%, effects Lucian like a MC at 15-16%, no idea why.

I got into a habit of only increasing or decreasing by .25, for fear of 'missing' the best dose. Early on, I took Lucian back to a low dose and started over, just to be sure I hadn't missed it. But then, Lucian being Lucian, I've had to try anything and everything, since he isn't your normal FD kitty. :shock:

Wish I had an answer for you, but you've been around long enough to know, I deal with Lucian and NOTHING is normal for us. :lol:
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

She had some kind of gastro issue pretty much her whole life, but culminating in horrible diarrhea last fall. It was never dx'ed, even after abdominal ultrasound and various bloodwork. We finally had to give prednisolone, which I think kicked off the FD. I suspect it's a pancreas thing because as soon as we put her up to 2u BID, her stool immediately got firmer and smaller. In light of that, I wanted to get her off the 34% carb Hill's z/d prescription food. She officially came off it completely last Friday with her PM meal.

I switched her to a rehydrated raw food as they make a turkey flavor, which she seems to tolerate well. It's 10% according to Dr. Lisa's chart. I would like to go lower but wanted to make one change at a time, so that I don't cause any gastro issues to flare up. I think frozen raw might be our next step but I'm still trying to find a store that carries a low carb, lowish phos, turkey/rabbit/duck brand. I'm trying to stick to the more novel proteins just in case there is an allergy, although if there is one I'm betting it's a grain/gluten thing....

I dropped her to the 1u after her AMPS of 133 on 6/23, as I was thinking that she'd probably gone lower than 90 on the previous cycle. The reason for the .5 drop (instead of .25) is that I wasn't sure how her body would react to the steep carb reduction and I wanted to be safe since I'm at work all day. That said, I think her bounce from that low cleared and she's been sorta hanging in the high yellow/low pinks since. It's possible that she's still hitting a low somewhere that I haven't caught and bouncing off it, but she isn't hitting those 390's that she likes when she bounces, so I'm thinking it's a dose thing. I figure I can go up to a fat 1u or 1.25 and see if I start getting better mid-cycle numbers.

And thank you for commenting! It's helps just to have people to bounce ideas off, even if we aren't the experienced ones. I think Lucian got you to the experienced level pretty darn quick! :lol:

Bottom line is, I only guessed at her being below 90 prior to that 133 AMPS, and that was on 1.5. I figure I can go up to 1.25 and she should be ok....
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

Have you tried mixing a little pumpkin into her food? Not pie filling, just plain pumpkin. I've seen several members use that for loose stools.

Luckily, no problems with gastro issues with Lucian. My feral is another story. She has a tendency to be constipated, which I had hoped the canned diet would help. Nope. Been using Miralax a couple times a week to keep her regular. Thank goodness, Lucian has no other problems except the FD and the feral will, pretty much, eat anything. :thumbup

When Lucian was dx'd, all my cats were changed to LC canned food only, eat it or go hungry. :lol: Not going to risk him getting into something he shouldn't have.

Patches has been the hardest, there's only a couple flavors she'll eat. She was a die hard, dry food cat. But she's adjusting. No health issues, thankfully. I couldn't handle more issues, mentally or financially. :o
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

Pumpkin I haven't tried. So far the raw is working to keep her nice and firm. It's sad, but I actually want to take pictures of her poop, I'm so excited to see something look that normal! :oops: :lol:

I think I found a store that carries the Primal raw food. They have a turkey variety that might work. My problem right now is that Nikki would prefer the civvie's food. It's low carb approved (I feed my cats better than I feed me! :? ) so I let her nibble it. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and convert her to that food?? I dunno...
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

The only way you'll know if a dosecrease is needed is for sure is to do a trial run when you can monitor. The TR protocol says you can change based on nadir withing 3 ful days of a new dose, so if its been that, or its a failed reduction, go for it when you can monitor.

Ditto with the food - if shell eat it, you might test gradually increasing amounts to see how she handles, just slowly so if the result isn't wanted, you change back before it messes her up.

One change at a time, though, so you know what the result of the change is.
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

I pretty much can only monitor at night during the week. We're not doing TR though, as I can't really test enough to follow the tight protocol. I reduced her dose more than I probably should have, but wanted to be safe with the lower carb load, since I'm not home all day... I probably wouldn't change her food again right away, so I'm hoping a small dosecrease will hit the spot! :-D
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

That was more of a reference point - if it is as least as long as TR, then longer means its safe to do. Make sense?
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

Gotcha. :thumbup

I've seen some people on TR bring their cat right back up if a reduction failed, but they also can test a lot more than I can. Tonight will be the 6th cycle, so I guess I better go find those patience pants... :?

Today is only her 4th full day on the lower carb food, so it just may be that her body hasn't caught up to the change yet. Mr. L may be doing his thing with too much enthusiasm still! :lol:
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

Food changes will alter the glucose levels pretty fast compared to Lantus changes. As long as you've got reasonable numbers, take your time. Reds & blacks, I'd be concerned more about.

Testing for ketones periodically? Always good to do every so often when the levels are over the renal threshold (anywhere from 180 -280 mg/dL, depending on the reference source, and probably the cat's kidneys!)
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

She's been running a little higher than I'd like. Would love it if I could get a couple days settled into the high 100's/low 200's. Unfortunately, she bounces every time she hits a blue. :?

Then again, maybe she'll surprise me tonight. It gets kind of addictive waiting for the meter to beep and give me a number! :lol:
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

Oh and yes, I'm getting a ketones check every 3-4 days. Going for every 2-3 but now that she's peeing less, it's a lot harder! :lol: I love less pee, but it sure makes it hard to catch her in the act! :-D
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

Great - maybe note that in the spreadsheet? (I didn't see it, but I have cr*p vision, too)
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

It's the very last column on the right. Depending on how you are zoomed in, you may need to scroll over to see it! :-D
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

Yup, Miss Myopia is here and as blind as ever. I have the screen zoomed on a 20 " wide monitor, and the font set at medium, so it does scroll off the screen.
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

That's what happens on my home computer. My work screen is bigger, so no scroll, but my laptop has a small screen and I have to scroll. I freaked out the first time I couldn't find the ketones column. :lol: Then I realized I just had to scroll. ohmygod_smile
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333 - Dose?

Sneakers is one of those sensitive to carb differences- a % change of 2% will either spike her or lower her depending on the previous one. When I switched to all one % it took her about a week to show it in her numbers and steady off. So i know she holds on to those carbs with all claws for as long as she can :lol: :roll:
 
Re: 6/25 Nikki AMPS 333; PMPS 278

Squeaked the dose up juuuuuust slightly to a fat 1u for now. Her PMPS was better but hoping to get a better number at nadir tonight. Going to try for a +7.
 
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