7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471 +1 490 +3 288

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MollynSkooter

MollynSkooter

Member Since 2014
Yesterday's Condo:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=121450


And just like that back in red :(

This is getting more and more frustrating, I am trying to keep calm, but I just keep thinking that all this stupid bouncing around isn't good for him, I just want to cry.

He is eating 1/2 of a 5.5 oz can of his new wet food. I will be giving him his 1/4 cup of dry at about +.75 when I leave for work.

I also had the added frustration of it taking like 5 or 6 tries of pricking to get his stupid high reading. It seems just as quickly that Skooter is falling back into high numbers, I am feeling like a #catmomfailure....

I know it will get better and easier, it's just difficult right now....I have a feeling I am going to have to figure out a different time for his IBD medication, I just don't know when that would be....
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481

:YMHUG: :YMHUG: :YMHUG: You are not a catmomfailure!! You are helping Skooter, and Skooter knows it! Think how much worse things would be without insulin and you caring for him like you do. Many kitties are just perpetual bouncers...it is very frustrating, but it can just be part of the dance. Time does help, and so does posting here...vent away as you need - we all understand, plus many people here have ideas on how to (try to) control the bouncing.

You are doing a GREAT job!!
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481

I know you are frustrated, but you just have to know that every time Scooter drops into yellow or blue, you are helping him. Also, every time he eats, his numbers are going to go up. And if he eats dry food, his numbers are going to go up a lot. Once, with Oliver, I put 5 or 6 dry Fancy Feast kibbles in his canned food to entice him to eat and his BG jumped up almost immediately. And that was just 5 or 6 kibbles. Also, every time you give him his IBD meds, his BG is going to go up.

You are taking step one - getting him off the dry food - and that seems to be going really well. Once he is on 100% wet food, you will be in a position to evaluate his insulin dose and make adjustments if needed. You can't stop giving him his IBD meds, but you will reach a point where you will be able to off-set the effects with insulin. You WILL get there.
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481

BTW, I don't think you necessarily need to change when you give Scooter his IBD med. It's just that, when you give it to him, you can expect him to spike. That is something you might be able to use when he gets into green numbers. I changed Oliver's Pred. from AM to PM so I could sleep without worrying about him going hypo. In your case, you could give him his med. in the morning so you wouldn't have to worry so much about him going hypo while you are at work.
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481

HI guys .. I'm not sure if I've been to skooters condo yet or not, so welcome from us! I know this is really frustrating, and trust me, we shed many tears in this house dealing with bounces .. and as stated, this IS the place to come and vent your frustrations, we've all been there, and it WILL get easier! Just hang in there!
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481

Morning Molly - sorry about Skooter's bouncing today. :YMHUG: Most of us have indeed been where you are, some still are. I'm glad Devon posted on your condo today. You should take a look at Mocha Jo's spreadsheet. She bounced until right before she decided she'd go off insulin and has been OTJ for over 3 years now. I still hate looking at Neko's first year on insulin - it was way too colorful for my tastes.

It helped me to remember that Neko was probably diabetic for a while before diagnosis and her liver got used to higher numbers. The bounces are the result of successfully starting to lower the blood sugar with insulin. Mr. Liver fights back against those nice numbers but I wasn't going to let the liver win that battle. :-x Most cats who are newly diabetic will bounce for a while. The more time in normal numbers, the less bouncing you'll see.
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262

Let me add a few more :YMHUG: :YMHUG: :YMHUG: Some of us have been there with not only reds, but blacks and TOO HIGHs on our spreadsheets in the beginning! :oops: It will pass if you stick with the Tight Regulation, and stay the course! But that said, I shed many many tears too, been there, done that, but really, you should hug yourself because you're doing an amazing job for Skooter! p.s.You don't mention it, but are you working alone like I am? If so, then extra hugs, it's hard I know.
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389

I have a lot of "moral support" from family and friends, but yes, at home it is just me and Skooter.

It has really been just the two of us for 12 years, which is why I am thinking I have been having such a hard time with this. He is my everything. Anytime I see something pink, red or black I take it as a failure and that I am doing something wrong, which I know is not true, it's just so hard.

I really appreciate how patient and understanding every one here is, it really really helps. I know it will get better and I won't cry as much. I think I am also anxious about Friday night and the full transition to wet food and just so very tired. Between not sleeping because of testing, because I am just plain worried about him and work right now, its just all a bit much to take in I guess. I am so happy that Skooter likes the wet food as much as he does.

With his +11 of 389, I am preparing for a PMPS in the red, and I am going to do my best to not get upset about it.

On a positive note, his +11 came from his LEFT ear....I have not been able to get that lil bugger bleed ONCE since I started testing....it was not easy and Skooter was not happy, but we got it done....now I just need to "teach it" to bleed more and I can switch sides. I also got a nice jolt of encouragement from the vet's office when I dropped off his latest numbers.....they said that they should bring me in with their even newer fur parents of diabetic cats on how to home test because I am doing such a good job at it.

Skooter is now laying on his plate, I think waiting for more food and it is making me giggle, which is good. He still is not really playing like he used to, but he is moving around more and he is coming up on the couch to snuggle with me more. Not quiet how it was before his diagnosis, but at least it is getting better. Poor guy needs to wait about 30 more minutes before he can get more food so momma can get a PMPS test in before his shot.
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471

Ya know, I used to LOVE the color red....now I despise it :P

I am not too surprised by this though, so I guess I just have to ride it out as much as it sucks....

I also meant to feed him at 645, not 630, so he got his shot 30 minutes early instead of 15 minutes early (I am trying to get him back on track for a 615 or 630 AMPS so I can try to get a +1 in before going to work and stop being late for work). I can't go much earlier than that because there is no guarantee I will be home by 530 to test, feed and shoot

Welpers I figure I should be ok to run out for 30 minutes to get my food while he finishes up his dinner.....going for a +2 tonight and giving him his dry food portion of dinner at that time (trying to space things out a little bit)....I am guessing it is still kind of early to determine what, if any reduction in insulin I should do on Friday night when he starts his all wet diet. I am hoping to be able to lower it a little bit as I am a bit nervous how he will react at 4U on all wet....
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471

Molly, I am here alone with my two cats and, even when you have a supportive family and supportive friends, it's still just you dealing with all this. I am pretty sure if there had been someone else here with me to help me keep my perspective, I would not have rushed off tho the Pet ER the first time Oliver dropped below 50. Of course, that was before I found this web site. After I got here, I found some experienced people to hold my hand and that helped a lot.
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471

I just saw your PMPS. I wonder if you should bump Scooter back up to 5 units. Please don't do it based on my comment. I really don't know enough about this to be giving anyone dosing advice. But maybe someone with experience can ring in. If you don't get any comments, you can change the subject line of your condo to "Need dosing advice" and put the ? icon on your post.
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471

I will see if someone responds, but at this point, if I can I would prefer to stay at 4.00 units because Friday night he is switching from his wet/dry combo to all wet and I fear how his numbers are going to react.

He seems to be doing pretty good on the 4.00 thus far and I think he might just feel like being a basketball and bouncing a lot right now...I just don't want to change it now and then on Friday have the 5.00 be too much and then do even more changing on him. He has been through so many changes as it is.
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471 +1 490

Ok I give up....

I am in tears and I just don't understand what I am doing wrong here.

I am so sick and tired of this....I just want him to be better....
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471 +1 490

((((Molly)))) We all know how hard this is. Hang in there, Skooter is doing better than he was and he will do better in the future. Take a few deep breaths. Humor helps a lot too.
Liz
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471 +1 490 +3 2

Thanks everyone.....I cannot tell you how much your support means to me.

This has just taken so much more of an emotional toll on me than I thought it would. I know I have said it before, but Skooter is my everything, my whole world. It has been just the two of us since the day I moved into my first apartment. I get that he is getting older (17) and at some point we will have to say goodbye, but he is a relatively healthy cat (minus the IBD and diabetes :P) and I feel we still have some good quality time together.

He doesn't seem to really be effected by all that his happening, except that he is a little more lethargic than he was before his diagnosis. I have seen small signs of improvement and feel if I could figure out how to get his diabetes under control he would be grand! This really seems to be harder on me than on him.

I just got his +3 and it s 288, now it is time to give him his IBD medication, which will most likely shoot him up again. I am wondering if maybe I wait until 1030 or so to give him his IBD med if that will help or hinder his spike? He also still seems a bit hungry. I have not given him any dry food tonight and he got about half a can of the wet food around 6:30 p.m. Do I give him more wet or allow him a little dry? I am also wondering if I need to get anymore testing in tonight. I am kind of hoping not as it has been a struggle tonight to get samples (even using neosporain) and he is getting a bit agitated with it. If I have to do it, I will, but hoping to give him a break.

I do notice that my frustration level does go up when his numbers go up and when his numbers come down I feel better. I just don't know how to remind myself that the high numbers aren't necessarily bad or a failure on my part or his, just his body getting used to the lower numbers, but I can't seem to remember that when I see the gosh darn red numbers come up.....
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471 +1 490 +3 2

I remember reading somewhere that someone said they were not going to let their emotional state be dictated by BGs. We try to do that too. :lol: :lol: :lol: Some days are easier than others. I think you're better off giving the IBD med early in the cycle and it can help counteract the insulin. If you wait until later, then the insulin effect is weaker. As far as the testing and the food, those are good questions. If it were me, I'd probably give him the amount of wet/dry that you have been giving him, and go to bed. You need to take care of yourself and getting sleep is important.
Liz
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471 +1 490 +3 2

Well he will be getting IBD med about 30 minutes later than normal as he FINALLY decided to snuggle with me, which he hasn't done for a few days (but feels like a lifetime)....

I shall then give him his 1/4 cup dry and head to bed....and mentally prepare for more red tomorrow at AMPS lol

On a more unpleasant topic regarding his litter box habits....I am noticing his poo is a bit softer and less formed....I cannot remember if people said that is common while doing the switch to all wet or if it is something to be concerned with.....

It is not a HUGE difference, but I did notice when I was downstairs that it looked a little different (I am soooooooooo hoping it is normal and nothing to freak out about as we all know how well I find things to freak out about).....
 
Re: 7/9 Skooter AMPS 481 +5 262 +11 389 PMPS 471 +1 490 +3 2

Molly

One thing I would suggest is to not do a +1 when he's high because it just upsets you more. Maybe it will help to know that the +1 is likely a food spike number but, in reality, it's the deme as his PMPS. Meters can vary up to 20% and .2 x 471 = 94 so you can see the 490 is the same as PMPS.

Bouncing can be so frustrating...if you let it be. There is not much you can do to minimize it at this stage. It is 100% normal to let the numbers affect how you feel. We all do it. When we start the dance, we believe if we give insulin, numbers will come down. But insulin is a hormone, not a medication and so 1+1 does not always equal 2. And no matter how long we dance the dance, there will be things we don't understand.

We want so hard to control it but we can't. We can only follow the protocol, feed LC canned or raw (and you are working towards that), test for ketones, and love them.

You are doing a great job. He will get there. It might take time and patience, but focus on the fact that he is better because he's getting insulin.

:YMHUG: :YMHUG: :YMHUG:
 
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