6/27 PMPS 280 Dose? First shot tonight

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Elizabeth&Julia&Margaret(GA)

Elizabeth&Julia&Margaret(GA)

Member Since 2009
Julia and I were hanging out in the Health forum but thought we'd jump in with 4 paws since we'll be on Lantus and her first shot is tonight. I've done this before with Margaret (her sister/litter mate) but she was only on Vetsulin for 2 weeks before going OTJ with a food change. So, I'm used to testing but not used to Lantus or low #'s and such. We got really lucky with Margaret.

Our original thread

Deb and Wendy advised that 0.5 units is a good starting dose and I wanted to confirm that only because Julia tests are only slightly over 200 or "the no shoot number" for newbies. I'm a worrier (who isn't when it comes to their cat) so it's not that I don't trust them which is not the case at all. They (and everyone else, too) have been so helpful. When my other cat Margaret was diagnosed she was at 430 to start so, unfortunately it was higher but I had a cushion. ;-) I did confirm as best I could on our scale that Julia is about 10 lbs.

Julia's shortened story is that she started using the house as her litter box and of course we had her to the vet multiple times. Originally we started with a UTI but the behavior continued for months. We ruled everything out and determined it was behavioral. My Dad has been ill for the past year and with his multiple hospitalizations (and ambulance rides since he's not able to walk) we thought the stress had to be causing the problem. Her appetite and drinking picked up and so did the urination (her behavior got worse) so we tested her at home and found the high BG. She went to the vet last week but we waited a bit of time to change foods to see what her numbers did, however, they're still high. I had surgery a week ago which complicated things. Now, we still don't trust her at night not to go to the bathroom wherever she pleases so she's still put in the bathroom. I'm hoping to change this so I can watch and test her at night. But some of that stress may be contributing to the higher numbers.

Vet reported last week that all blood work was normal but for a few numbers which can be explained by diabetes.

*Sorry for the ick factor but cat owners can appreciate this...Lest you think I would put my cat in the bathroom at night for an accident on the carpet or floor, she was using anything and everything for a litter box at night including the couch, the kitchen table, the drain board in the kitchen, a pan of brownies on the counter, and me to name a few places. Yes, apparently she was not happy with me one night. If I didn't love her I wouldn't be here doing this. :lol:
 
Re: First shot this evening - New to Lantus

Hi Julia, Deb & Wink checking in to see how you are doing. Feeling better after your surgery I hope?

Welcome to TR. There will be plenty of folks here to help you out. Someone will clue you in on the preferred posting style.

Please, remember to get a pre-shot test tonight before you give the insulin. We want to know what the starting number is before you shoot.
 
It was recommended that I do 0.5 units. Question...

Due to me waiting for someone to double check tonight, we're 60-90 minutes later than my planned time. Should I shoot tonight and make tomorrows shot early or wait until tomorrow evening to do the first shot? If I do it tonight then her morning dose will be when I'm at work and my Mom isn't comfortable with giving the insulin when I'm not home. Mom is fine with testing though. I'm having some complications from my surgery (fun times) so I see the doctor tomorrow. Then I'll be home all weekend to watch her. Unless anyone thinks she's not okay at these numbers? I don't want to cause her any harm of course.
 
Option 2. You will be home to watch her, not putting the burden of testing on your mom. The number is above renal threshold so we do want to get it down. One more day should be ok.

Did you check for ketones just in case?

Next time, put the question mark radio button on your very first post. If you have forgotten to do that, you can edit your very first post with the little edit icon. Only change the subject line or the post icon, not the text. It's hard to tell what you might have changed and most of us got to first unread post anyway. An edit change does not make it the first unread post.
 
Welcome to Lantus Land!!

There is a weight based formula for the initial dose of Lantus:
initial dose = ideal weight in kilograms x 0.25​

Assuming that 10 lbs is a good weight for Julia, the starting dose would be 1.0u. You can certainly start at a lower dose if you prefer.

Deb & Wink said:
We just don't want it to be below 200.
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Actually, that's what's recommended on Health. Over here in LL, we suggest that if you get a pre-shot number that's under 150, you post and ask for help. We can then walk you through the options.

How early would you need to shoot in the AM? If it's within 30 min. of your shot time tonight, it's not a concern. More than 30 min., could be dicey depending on what the pre-shot test number is. Early shots act like a dose increase.

Please let us know how we can help. The folks here are very generous with their time and knowledge. We're here to help you in any way we can.
 
Hi Elizabeth, welcome to LantusLand, the greatest place you never wanted to be. :lol: Paws crossed that Julia responds well to Lantus. Let us know how we can help.
Liz, Zener's other mom
 
Thanks, Sienne. I'm around 60 to 90 minutes later than what I need to be at to give her the shot before I leave. I would feel more comfortable starting at 0.5 (vs 2 that the vet recommended!) since our lives are quite chaotic and I can't quite tell how much of her #'s are stress related. As long as I'm doing her no harm of course. Once we get a few doses and tests in and see how she reacts we can go from there if that's okay? Once I start tomorrow evening I'll be home for the entire weekend so we can get some good data. Can I assume that if she's above the 150-200 tomorrow that I'll go ahead with the 0.5 and not wait for someone but if it's lower (which I'm not expecting) I'll check in before I shoot? And we'll attempt a ketone test tonight for sure.

Also, I have to explore some food options for her to find something she will love as much as her gravy. She's always been a once-a-day-in-the-morning eater which isn't so helpful with an evening shot. Before we switched food she could easily eat 3-4 cans of FF and that would be it for the day. On the low carb (and at possibly lower #'s so she's not as hungry) she's around 1.5 cans in the morning and she could be fine for most of the day. I tried giving her a can now and she went back to sleeping by my Dad. Since he's bedridden, if she's not in the kitchen on her chair she sleeps by him. Heaven forbid I look at her or touch her and I will get a dirty look but he can do no wrong lol. I'm planning on getting her some of the Pure Bites treats as a treat and/or bribe.
 
Anne & Zener said:
Hi Elizabeth, welcome to LantusLand, the greatest place you never wanted to be. :lol: Paws crossed that Julia responds well to Lantus. Let us know how we can help.
Liz, Zener's other mom
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Thank you!

Now this may sound weird but even after Margaret, my other diabetic went off insulin and subsequently passed away (from kidney disease) I've always wandered over here to read the goings-on and see how cat's were doing. Pat, Raja, and Shadow started wayyyy back when I first joined with Margaret, for example. So, while I'm new to Lantus, the forum isn't so new or foreign to me. I never quite thought I'd have the need to post ;-) but appreciate the welcome and look forward to learning as we go. Plus, honestly, you all are as entertaining as can be. I love the moral support and camaraderie that I've been witness to over the years. It's something pretty special going on here and it is a lifeline for people such as myself. Thank you!

Back to the topic on hand, Julia, but I thought it should be said.
 
There's no problem with starting at a lower dose. It certainly gives you a sense of where the range is -- and not quite as high a range as your vet was suggesting.

You may want to read through the stickies at the top of the Board. Lantus is very different than Vetsulin. For example, this is a depot-type of insulin. It will take at least 5 days for the depot to form and for you to begin to get a sense of how Julia is responding to Lantus. It's also why shooting early acts like a dose increase (greater overlap between doses) and shooting late acts like a dose reduction (less overlap). It takes a little while to wrap your head around how this version of the sugar dance works!
 
Hi and welcome to LL! So because you were late you skipped tonight's shot, right? But then you talked about not shooting until tomorrow morning? If you skip tonight there is no problem shooting at your preferred time tomorrow morning. Or do you just want to be home to monitor after the first shot?

You said your mother is nervous about shooting, how about testing?

Usually we try to break up the food into smaller meals, it puts less of a load on the pancreas all at once. Since Lantus is a long acting insulin it's best to have smaller meals to deal w/ the slow release of the insulin throughout the day. Some do preshot , +1, +2, +3. We do Preshot, +3, +6. In time you will find what works for you and Julia. A timed feeder make it easier.
 
I spoke to my Mom and she said she would rather I be home to monitor the first few times which I will be all weekend, since it's so early in the game. It's not a problem for her to test and in fact she did the two tests today. It's the me not being around for the duration of the first shot that makes her nervous. She said by next week as long as I tell her when to test she'll be fine. I'm always reachable at work and can post if need be so she has a lifeline as do I.

I've been busy reading the stickies since I knew Lantus was going to be our insulin. I can't say I understand all of what I'm reading but I'm working on it and know it will take time as you mentioned. Of course I may write as if I haven't read a thing but I promise I have. It's a lot to absorb all at once.
 
That's funny that you have lurked around the board. It is entertaining and having a sense of humor is extremely helpful in dealing with FD. :lol: I really think that someone could put together an entertaining book from some of these posts. Did you every read any of Celi and Binks?

This stuff is very overwhelming. Don't worry if you have to ask questions multiple times. We all remember our early days.
Liz
 
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