6/3,Screechy,AMPS 314; +3, 396; +6, 410

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mtdenise

Member Since 2013
Hello. I've posted a few times in the main forum but need to start getting advice on dosing and what I need to do. I agreed to foster Screechy as his last foster home could no longer keep him and I didn't want to see him go into boarding. I'm his third foster so his SS reflects all that was done before I got him. He came to me on 5/15/13. I've been reading, learning to do ear sticks, etc. Now that I'm more comfortable, I'd like to take the next step and try to get him regulated. I'm confused as to how I do that, so I'm hoping the knowledgeable members on this board can help guide me.

I'm hoping I can do tight regulation with my crazy schedule. I'm a pet sitter so my hours from day to day change, but I think it's worth a try. I'm sure getting him OTJ will make him more adoptable. He is really a great cat considering all he has been through. Here's a blog I'm doing for him. The first entry explains his situation before I got him...sad. http://screechycat.blogspot.com/

He's currently getting 1 unit of Lantus twice a day (8:45 a.m. and 8:45 p.m.). I feed him 1 can of FF AM and then 1/2 a can meals throughout the day (3-4 times), and then give him 1 can at night. If I can't be home, I leave out food ice cubes for him to pick at. He was so hungry and wolfing everything down when I first got him. When he was first pulled from the shelter he was skin and bones. He looks great now, gained 3 lbs, his coat is healthy and shiny now, and he's very playful and happy. Please let me know if there is any other info you need. Thank you.
 
Re: Newbie - 6/3, Screechy, AMPS 314

Hello.
How wonderful that you have taken Screechy! He sounds like a great cat.

When you want help, the best way to get noticed is to use your subject line and/or the icons.

Use a question mark icon.... or put dosing ? in the subject line.
The subject line is what shows to everyone so you can edit it .... and put your bg numbers too....

And if you are at the bottom of the condo page.... you can bump yourself up to get noticed....
The ones who advise on dose.... scan thru and look at the subject lines or look for questions.....
There are often so many and some days they have more limited time so they need to see who is most in need.

I hope you are able to make great progress with Screechy....
 
Re: Newbie - 6/3, Screechy, AMPS 314

Wow, you are doing a great thing for Screechy! :-D And you can already see the results of better care. I think you could probably increase by 0.25u. His nadirs are mostly yellow and it's better to get them at least in the blues. I have a soft spot for handsome black kitties. :-D
Liz, Zener's other mom
 
Re: Newbie - 6/3, Screechy, AMPS 314

I know you have only had Screechy for a few weeks but he has been diabetic since March and the more control we can get now, the more likely regulation and/or remission.

On health you said you wanted to fall between tight and relaxed and I would recommend tight to try and make up for the lost time... although it does need a little more testing - maybe 4 tests a day - am preshot, pm preshot, before bed (2-3hours after pm shot) and a mid cycle.

Mid cycle can be challenging depending on schedule so maybe get a spot check (5-7 hours after morning shot is ideal but any test you can get then is useful) if you are home during the day.. And when not, set the alarm and get it at night instead.

This forum will be able to help on dose adjustments... you already have a recommendation from Anne who is one of our most experienced members.

Wendy
 
Re: Newbie - 6/3, Screechy, AMPS 314

Welcome to Lantus Land!

A quick question about food.
I feed him 1 can of FF AM and then 1/2 a can meals throughout the day (3-4 times), and then give him 1 can at night.
Click to expand...
So does this mean that Screechy gets a full can at AMPS and PMPS and then approx. 1.5 - 2 cans more of food during the AM cycle? So, you're feeding him between 3.5 - 4 cans of food daily? If so, that's a log of food for one cat. (That's what I feed my two cats.)

You've done a great job with Screechy's spreadsheet (SS). He's been at the 1.0u dose for quite some time. I'd encourage you to increase his dose to 1.25u. Hopefully, you have syringes that are marked in half unit increments since they will make dosing easier. We typically change doses in 0.25u amounts.

Please let us know how we can help. The people here are very generous with their time and information and we'll do our best to lend a hand.
 
Re: Newbie - 6/3, Screechy, AMPS 314

Welcome to Lantus Land Screechy and ....sorry..do we know your name? :-D

Screechy is a lucky boy to have found you and you are wonderful for fostering him and helping him.

I know you are busy but if you have a chance, it helps to start reading the Stickys at the top of this ISG. You will probably need to read them several times over the course of Screechys dance here. Let us know when you have questions...we love them!
I agree that it looks like he's ready for a .25u increase. You are doing a great job of spot checks.

I'd give him six cycles at the 1.25u dose and reevaluate...unless, of course, he drops below 50. A drop below 50 would earn him a reduction.

Let us know how we can help.
 
Re: Newbie - 6/3, Screechy, AMPS 314; +3, 396;

Thank you everyone. My name is Denise. I just tested Screechy and his +3 was 396. It's so frustrating to me to see his numbers bouncing all over the place and make no sense.

Regarding his food, Screechy gets about 3-4 cans per day. When I first posted on the main board, he was getting 3 and I mentioned he always acted like he was starving. Someone suggested I increase his food, thus the 1/2 can meals throughout the day. Should I adjust the amount and/or the feeding schedule? Right now he eats at 8:45 a.m., between 11-12, 3 pm, sometimes 5 pm, and then 8:45 p.m.

I will bump him up to 1.25 units. I do have the syringes that are marked in 0.5 units. Should I start that at tonight's dosing or in the a.m.? I can usually get a midcycle test during the day. What is considered a cycle? If I need to keep him at this dose for six cycles, is that six shots or six days?

One other thing, the bottle of Lantus I have is from when he was first diagnosed in March. Is it possible it's just not effective anymore? The rescue group is considering getting me a new bottle just in case. Thoughts?

I've read through the stickies but will re-read them. Every time more info seems to sink in. I was completely overwhelmed when I first got him. I agreed to take him to keep him out of a cage and because I once fostered a diabetic dog. I only had to give insulin to the dog and thought it would be the same for Screechy. Little did I know there was so much more to having a diabetic cat; however, I'm happy to be helping him on his journey to his forever home.

I'm sure I'll be asking a lot more advice on dosing as I just don't have a grasp of that at all. Thank you all for helping. I don't know what I'd do without this.
 
Re: Newbie - 6/3, Screechy, AMPS 314; +3, 396;

Denise, You could add your name to the signature. That way it is there for all the folks in Lantus Land to see.
 
His BG is rising today after his shot. I always wonder if I gave the injection correctly or is the insulin working. Giving the injection today seemed just like every other day, so I believe he got it correctly. How do you all stay sane doing this? Also, I still had some questions in the post above. Thanks everyone.
 
Re: 6/3,Screechy,AMPS 314; +3, 396; +6, 491

Denise

on food: if he is at a good weight, use the simple formula of # of pounds x 20/calories per day and that should tell you how many calories/day he might need. Feed him that a week and then weigh and see...did he lose weight? If so, increase his calories slightly. If he gained, cut them back a tiny bit more. You want to find the calories/day that keeps him stable. Until numbers are more stable, he will act hungrier but you don't want to overfeed him. Here is a great post on Feed Kitty as Much as They Want?

Yes...start the 1.25u dose tonight. Some cats get New Dose Wonkiness and numbers go up before they come down.

A cycle is 12 hours; so there is an a.m. cycle and a p.m. cycle each day. For example, if you shoot at 7a.m./7p.m. then those are your two cycles. Six cycles three days; 2 cycles/day = 2 shots/day= six shots in three days. Make sense?

If the vial was brand new in March and has been properly handled and stored, has no floaties, or cloudiness, it should be fine. Some members use a vial of lantus up to six months depending on kitty's dose. When you get ready for more insulin, I'd think about switching to the Lantus Solostar Pens. Some pharmacies will sell them individually but if they won't, they come as 5-3ml pens per package. Most members use the pens. If you go this route, do NOT buy pen needles. We draw from the pens with the same syringes you use for drawing from a vial. However, do not inject air into a pen.

We love questions so just let us know!
 
Thank you for explaining everything Marje. I will try to figure out how much he should be eating. I have so much to read...and I've already done a bunch of reading when I got him.

Oh, the Feed kitty as much as he wants post is no longer there.
 
I just weighed him and he's 8.6 lbs. He was 5 lbs. when we pulled him out of the shelter in March. I think 9 lbs. is a good weight for him. He's only gained 0.1 lbs since I've had him (his previous foster believed he weighed around 8.5), so he's pretty much staying stable on the amount of food I'm giving him.
 
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