7/22 - Mačka AMPS 416, +2 456, +10 406, PMPS 457 after increase to 1.5 / and calorie intake question

Penelope and Mačka

Penelope and Mačka

Member Since 2019
We start the day with a better number (compared to a few days ago in the 600s).

I am worried about going to work today in 2 hours. It means that I can only test him at +2 and +2.75. I was so sure I was starting at noon but I am starting work at 10am.

I did not catch any nadirs during the past days (so high), and went to bed at night after +3s (I really needed it). I basically gave an increase from 1.25 to 1.5 based on the high numbers I got and his overall state (drinking and peeing like crazy, very tired etc...). I hope I did not make a mistake. What if he was still bouncing from numbers 8 cycles ago?

Should I leave him food out for the day? Do you think he's safe right now when looking at his SS?
Thanks!
 
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He seems like he’s safe to me, Penelope! I think his increase seems like a good plan. Maybe he’ll get flatter curves after being on insulin for a while.
I always leave food out, since my cats don’t have a big weight problem, so I think leaving food out is a nice way to reassure yourself. If Macka gets too low, he can correct it himself.
 
Margie and Jackson said:
I always leave food out, since my cats don’t have a big weight problem, so I think leaving food out is a nice way to reassure yourself. If Macka gets too low, he can correct it himself.
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Yes, I am going to do that, leave food, but sadly put Chou-Fleur, the other cat, in the basement (his man cave). Otherwise he'll eat all Macka's food! I bought a microchip feeder, but he just does not get it when the lid is on. He needs to come close, and the lid will open automatically, great idea! But no.
 
Penelope and Mačka said:
We start the day with a better number (compared to a few days ago in the 600s).

I am worried about going to work today in 2 hours. It means that I can only test him at +2 and +2.75. I was so sure I was starting at noon but I am starting work at 10am.

I did not catch any nadirs during the past days (so high), and went to bed at night after +3s (I really needed it). I basically gave an increase from 1.25 to 1.5 based on the high numbers I got and his overall state (drinking and peeing like crazy, very tired etc...). I hope I did not make a mistake. What if he was still bouncing from numbers 8 cycles ago?

Should I leave him food out for the day? Do you think he's safe right now when looking at his SS?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
+2 will give you the information you need on whether or not you can be at ease when you go to work! Macka is still so high, I am sure Macka will be ok while you're gone :)

Post your +2 value in your title today and ask for advice on if you need to worry while you're away at work. There are a few steps you can take to make sure that Macka stays safe while you're at work, but I have a feeling you won't have to resort to them today :)

ETA:
Looking at his SS I think he is definitely safe from a hypo situation today, but let's get that +2 to be sure :)
 
+2 456. I guess this is a flat curve or a bouncing from last night in case he went in the yellow/blues...

Flat curves = Does someone have an explanation for these flat curves with very slight increase at +2? What does it mean? Insulin was not activated? Depot needs to build up? Thanks!
 
Penelope and Mačka said:
+2 456. I guess this is a flat curve or a bouncing from last night in case he went in the yellow/blues...

Flat curves = Does someone have an explanation for these flat curves with very slight increase at +2? What does it mean? Insulin was not activated? Depot needs to build up? Thanks!
Click to expand...
You're definitely right that Macka might need a couple of days to build his new dose depot! the good news is that you +2 shows that you definitely can go to work without worry :)

The increase at +2 could be a food bump, did Macka have a little snack before you took his +2?
 
Penelope and Mačka said:
+2 456. I guess this is a flat curve or a bouncing from last night in case he went in the yellow/blues...

Flat curves = Does someone have an explanation for these flat curves with very slight increase at +2? What does it mean? Insulin was not activated? Depot needs to build up? Thanks!
Click to expand...
I get a lot of higher numbers at +2. It’s usually from eating and before the insulin takes effect.
 
Penelope and Mačka said:
Yes, I am going to do that, leave food, but sadly put Chou-Fleur, the other cat, in the basement (his man cave). Otherwise he'll eat all Macka's food! I bought a microchip feeder, but he just does not get it when the lid is on. He needs to come close, and the lid will open automatically, great idea! But no.
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Did you follow the directions that came with the feeder? I have a very skittish siamese that I did not think would take to it but after following all the steps he was fine.
I dont remember all the steps they suggested but the first thing I did wa feed him in his regular bowl right next to the sure flap and open and close it a few times while he was pigging out. He ran the first time but only flinched by the 3rd day. Then i kept it open and fed him out of it for a few days. then i started what they say to do, put it on slow close etc. 2 weeks later he was fine.
 
Something weird happened: are you familiar with urine strip like keto-diastix? On the strip, the glucose showed 250ml/dl whereas the AlphaTrak read 403 at the same time. I never had such a low reading on the urine strip (usually dark brown).
What does it mean? Could it be that Macka was lower during the day and so does not have much sugar in the urine yet?
 
Penelope and Mačka said:
What does it mean? Could it be that Macka was lower during the day and so does not have much sugar in the urine yet?
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Yes, exactly!! The urine test strips can only tell you how much glucose was collected over the last however many hours since the cat last urinated...so if his blood glucose was below renal threshold much of the day, there wasn't that much glucose spilling over into his urine so you got a lower urine glucose reading.

That's one of the reasons we don't really like using urine glucose for testing. It can only give you information on what happened over the last several hours....it can't tell you what your cat's blood glucose is NOW and that's the more important number when considering if it's safe to give insulin or not.
 
Chris & China (GA) said:
Yes, exactly!! The urine test strips can only tell you how much glucose was collected over the last however many hours since the cat last urinated...
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Thank you! I see, it's a good thing at least that he was a little lower during the day while I was at work. It means that the dose increase to 1.5 is starting to be active. I hope he'll be ok tonight, arghhh I hate nights.
 
Margie and Jackson said:
I was told consistency is the key to managing diabetes, so maybe he just needs a little more time.
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I hope, but I feel like his overall state is not really improving. He is becoming weaker, less energetic, he loses weight too. Could be his IBD, or something else.... We are going to start the steroids tomorrow; please wish us luck. I am so worried.
 
After an increase, kitties can get some temporarily higher numbers in a phenomenon we call New Dose Wonkiness. Might have something to do with the depot restabilizing. It just lasts a couple cycles.

Good to see you are able to get more sleep lately.:bighug:
 
Wendy&Neko said:
After an increase, kitties can get some temporarily higher numbers in a phenomenon we call New Dose Wonkiness.
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Thank you Wendy! He actually is going lower, in the 400s though, but still lower than during the last week!
I am concerned though because he's having asthma lately again. I am not sure what the allergen could be here in Portland. In Paris, I was so sure it was the pollution, but here, impossible.

Also, the vet told me today that Macka should eat 360 calories per day. That's crazy. He barely meets 230/day with 2 1/2 cans of Fancy Feast! He does not eat more than that at the moment. What should I do? give higher carbs? Change brand? I have higher calorie cans but they also have more fat and potentially more carbs (not sure how much, it's called Kaikoa). How can he eat more caloric food without sacrificing the low carbs?
 
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Raw food can be good for getting calories in. It is more protein, less fat and carbs. More important, you need just a smaller volume of food to get the same calories as most canned food. Less volume means he doesn’t have to eat the same quantity to get more calories,
 
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