7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsheet

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TokyoKitty

TokyoKitty

Member Since 2013
Sammy 7/29 condo

Hi all,

We had our first monthly visit at the vet yesterday. He did a +7 blood test, took one look at the number (79) :shock: , and pronounced Sammy to be cured! He instructed me to stop shooting insulin immediately and said it's not safe to shoot lower than 200. I suggested tapering off the insulin, but no way.

I managed to get a new levemir pen from him (just in case she relapses), but he would only give me 28 syringes (14 days worth). So I have 14 days or less to get Sammy off the juice. I'm a little worried...

She's on day 5 of her 0.25 dose, and doing well (in the greens). I upped her to 100% LC (was 80%) today. So I'm hoping we can decrease her dose to 1 drop after 2 more days, then keep her on that dose for 7, and hopefully (paws crossed) get to a point where we can stop the insulin before we run out of syringes.

Can someone please take a look at Sammy's spreadsheet to see if this is a reasonable/doable plan? How hard should I work on locating some syringes from an alternate source? (syringes are only available by prescription in Japan, and are banned for import from customs, so I'm not sure where else I could look...)

Thank god for FDMB. Poor Sammy would have been a goner weeks ago if I had stayed on the vet's recommended regimen. He means well, but he's hopelessly out of date in feline diabetes protocols.

7/30 recap:
AMPS 77
+1 88
+2 77
+3 67
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says to stop insulin

I would put up a ? question inn your comment to get more eyes on this, I can't advise on this but I would get Marje or Deb someone to look over her test results, I don't trust vets to much Lucky would be dead if I listened to them. thanks for stopping by to see Lucky and his trail day :smile:
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says to stop insulin, need feedback

Thanks for the suggestion. I added the ? and hopefully will get some eyes on Sammy's spreadsheet.

It's so frustrating to deal with these vets that know nothing about treating feline diabetes. I worry that if it takes longer for Sammy to taper off the insulin, I'll run out of syringes, and the vet will refuse to give me more because she's testing less than 200! I suppose a desperation move would be to give her some HC and honey just before the vet visit to spike her numbers :razz:
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Susan

I need to study her SS and will get back to you shortly.
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Do you know any human diabetics that use u100 syringes?
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Wow! Her SS looks great!

If she has three more days like she has been (touch wood) or goes below 50, she will have earned a reduction to 0.1u. One more week after that at normal numbers or a drop below 50 and she's ready for a trial. That's 20 syringes.

I don't want to jinx her by any other scenario :-D how about we just see how she does in the several days especially since you have changed the food. If you reduce her to 0.1u in three days and she's still doing so fantastic, maybe we should consider alternatives. ;-) :mrgreen:
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Good suggestion Carl! But I don't know of anyone that has diabetes here. Hmm, maybe there's a way to spike my blood sugar and get myself diagnosed as diabetic. Eat a whole chocolate cake an hour before a fasting BG test?
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Marje, thanks so much for reviewing Sammy's spreadsheet. Yay! Maybe there's hope yet! I'll have a heart to heart with Sammy and explain to her how important it is for her to keep her numbers in the green :-D
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Marje,
Can a syringe be used more than once in an emergency situation?
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

I know people do reuse syringes but I wouldn't. I think you increase your chances of contamination and transmittal of bacteria.
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

I haven't tried this, but a friend of mine who also has a cat with diabetes swears he can go into Walmart and just buy them. Says you don't need a prescription for insulin needles. Try calling and see what they say....

Fingers crossed Sammy's numbers stay down. :)
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

How exciting. Almost there. GOOOOooooo Sammy! :mrgreen:
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Hi Mary Alice. Thanks for the suggestion. Walmart owns and operates the Seiyu chain of discount stores in Japan. But Japan has really strict laws about syringes, so they are only available by prescription here. It's actually illegal to have syringes shipped to Japan even for personal use, although customs would probably just confiscate them.

Dyana: Thanks for the well wishes!
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Do you know whether you need a prescription for syringes in Tokyo? In the US, not all states require a prescription.
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

I've bought them on American Diabetes Wholesale without a prescription, but maybe it's because of the state I'm ordering them from. I've also bought them at several pharmacies.

Susan - if you can't get any, I can fedex some to you. I have a whole box of regular u-100 needles. They don't have the 1/2 unit markings though. Can you use those?
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Everyone's offer is generous but Susan and Sammy are in Tokyo. I don't think customs will allow entry of syringes into the country. Me hen you ship an item to a foreign country, you have to do a customs slip identifying the contents. It would be illegal to omit the syringes on the list.
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

The pharmacist here in Oregon just give them to you if your short cash they cannot refuse syringes here, and you can walk in to any store and buy them, I'm sorry that you can't get them for poor Sammy, good luck
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Is there any other vet you can go to? Or perhaps a human insulin support group? Online cat fanciers group that might have vet suggestions?
 
Re: 7/30 Sammy: vet says stop insulin, need eyes on spreadsh

Hey Marje - I did find out if you ship less than a two-month's supply for personal use, you can do that without any problems. If Susan gets desperate, let me know.
 
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