6/4 Ann & Maggie +7 133; PMPS 103

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Ann & Maggie11 (GA)

Ann & Maggie11 (GA)

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Hi, I woke up to Maggie being hungry, so I fed her, although she's still slurping more than eating. Yay, I gave her the last antibiotic; so glad as it causes constipation. I'm using the new vial of Lantus, and there is a difference. I don't feel comfortable giving her .50 unit, so I've been doing a skinny half unit. When I'm gone mid morning I worry she may get too low, and there's no one here to check her. I think she is trying to go into remission. What is the number indicating hypoglycemic? She looks hypo when she's high 80's. I know all monitors are different. I'm using the Alpha Trak,

Yesterday
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Re: 6/4 Ann & Maggie AMPS 97

Can you explain how she "looks" when she is in the 80s...
Real hypoglycemia is very serious but people confuse the term....a low number is simply that sometimes. A LOW number.

A true Hypo event has the symptoms listed on this sticky : http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/r ... msg-925783

Many cats who are on no insulin at all can have a regular reading some days of <40 and that is nothing to worry about. When a kitty is getting a great deal of insulin, it can force the numbers into a very low range which means that HC gravy has to be administered to raise the number to something above 50 let's say. Most kitties handle numbers from 40-80 just fine and there are no hypo symptoms but is considered a "surf" in the low numbers.

Maggie is on .5u and is getting very nice numbers....it might be good if you read the stickies and try to familiarize yourself with the symptoms. She might start getting lower than 80 numbers so you want to be confident that it is not a hypo that she is experiencing. but just a pretty low number. It is coming up to the time when she just might see some numbers that are lower than you are used to....a lot of kitties go lower in the PM cycle too so that's why people are vigilant about checking during those hours. You should always have HC gravy on hand to bring her up from a number that is <40. Know what I mean? Do you have your hypo kit ready?

Look over the sticky "STICKY: LANTUS & LEVEMIR - NEW TO THE GROUP? PLEASE READ..." at the top of the page. You will scroll down to the bottom and find "Hypo toolkit" and that explains what you should have on hand...
Maggie is looking great!
 
Re: 6/4 Ann & Maggie AMPS 97

Good morning Ann ~O) Pat gave you some wonderful advice. I just wanted to say good morning and that Maggie's AMPS is awesome :mrgreen:
 
Re: 6/4 Ann & Maggie AMPS 97

Oh don't mind me as I'm just a worry wort. Yes, I have Karo syrup, FF grilled beef with gravy, Whisker Lickin soft treats (which I've been giving since her tooth extraction), Purina dry d/m food, Eukanuba dry, etc. I guess a few times I've seen her staring into space and not reacting to my voice when I say her name! It is good for me to go back and review all the stickies, Since her tooth extraction, she's slurping more than eating the bulk. So if there's not enough food in her and insulin is added......
 
Re: 6/4 Ann & Maggie AMPS 97; +2.5 177

Wow,
Look at Maggie! What nice readings.
As Pat said, once you look at the stickies you may feel more comefortable with the numbers. But you have to be comfortable with leaving her. Weekend is here so maybe you will be able to get some more mid-cycle tests in?
 
Re: 6/4 Ann & Maggie AMPS 97

paige said:
Good morning Ann ~O) Pat gave you some wonderful advice. I just wanted to say good morning and that Maggie's AMPS is awesome :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

Thanks Paige. I may have messed it up by adding some grilled beef to her Sophisticat FF. :( I was about to leave for a few hours, or I did a fur shot. I tried to not disturb her as I gave the shot!
 
Re: 6/4 Ann & Maggie AMPS 97; +2.5 177; +7 133

Remember Ann, Your Meter Is Your Friend (I just made that up LOL)
ALWAYS have a good supply of test strips available. You will test her frequently when she gets below 60 let's say. Sometimes, my Shadow will drop suddenly and he will be at like 46 !!!
I have been through that a LOT with him so now I am not as shaken as I was at first.

The problem I encountered with Shadow is that when he is below 50 I notice that he doesn't seem to want to eat. Actually, he doesn't look as if he knows what the food is. I have some large plastic syringes that I have given him gravy with. I keep giving him gravy and testing every 15 minutes until I see the number has gone up to the 60s. Then, I test every half hour or so.

I know that I was very nervous when I first saw those low numbers. But, when you are there and monitoring with your trusty meter, you are in control of the situation. Feed HC, test, feed HC and test....and on and on until the numbers are high enough that you are out of the low range.

The real fear is if a kitty who is on a very high dose of insulin (much more than Maggie is getting) drops very suddenly into a <40 number. The insulin is still pushing and working to keep the numbers going lower and lower. It also depends on the hour in which the low number is noticed. It is hours before the expected nadir of the kitty, one knows that it will be an effort to keep the numbers up when the kitty is naturally heading for their peak hour. Know what I mean?

Read the stickies about Hypo situations and you will feel more secure in your ability to deal with those pretty low numbers that are so good for their healing....a kitty who is OTJ can go very low on their own too....it's a range of numbers that are all okay. And Ann, there is always someone here to help if you have a question.

Keep in mind though...some kitties do go lower in the PM cycle so a before bed time check is really a necessity....just so you can see where Maggie is during the PM cycle...
 
Re: 6/4 Ann & Maggie AMPS 97; +2.5 177; +7 133

Thanks Amy and Pedro.

Thanks Pat for all the information. I'm starting to get it; I'm still new and a little slow or brainfog sets in! I am home more on the weekends, so I can monitor more often. I keep saying I am going to change meters. I like the Alpha Trak because I am used to it, but the strips are so expensive. I have a Relion as a back-up which is less expensive.
 
Re: 6/4 Ann & Maggie AMPS 97; +2.5 177; +7 133

Ann we are all so the same--Thinking about how they look!! Moonie looks the same at 200 as she looks at 60, but my mind says--Oooh Look she's 60, is she OK? --I used to panic at low numbers very quietly, but now I know that I AM In CONTROL!! I have strips(just got 250) I have lc, mc & hc food-I have temptations, karo & honey!! ;-) ;-) If that isnt an arsenal of FD stuff to keep my kitty's bg in a good place, well then I give up :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:!!!
She has been in the 40's and acted like all is well in her world--I was running for food bcatrun_gif
Moonie feels when she is getting lower & feeds herself..I do still watch & she eats about every 1 1/2-2 hours--I see her going to the food dish
but sometimes she is sleeping & forgets!
You are doing so great! It is so great to see Maggie doing well!--BTW I use the accucheck aviva & really like it --It is more expensive, but I find it pretty accurate.
 
Ann we are all so the same--Thinking about how they look!! Moonie looks the same at 200 as she looks at 60, but my mind says--Oooh Look she's 60, is she OK? --I used to panic at low numbers very quietly, but now I know that I AM In CONTROL!! I have strips(just got 250) I have lc, mc & hc food-I have temptations, karo & honey!! If that isnt an arsenal of FD stuff to keep my kitty's bg in a good place, well then I give up !!!
Click to expand...

Thanks much Roni. I have my cabinet stocked, too, with FF, Sophisticat, MC and HC, Whiskas, Tartar Treats, etc. I don't even have this much food stocked for myself. :lol: Maggie is also a grazer, wanting to eat a little every couple hours, sometimes just sucking the juice and eating a little of the bulk. She hasn't lost much weight and was overweight when I first took her in with the symptoms. I will check out that meter you mentioned. I've been ordering the Alpha Trak strips fom Amazon.com. The Vet's Office sometimes takes over a week, so Amazon is faster and more reliable. Have a good evening.
 
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