71 on Alphatrax

[thewebs]

Getting very nervous. Wriggley just tested at 71 at + 6. He was 425 amps and got his usual 1.5u shot this morning. His numbers have been very weird the past few days. Low in the amps. Then high in pm. Mid day numbers His mid day numbers have been 309 410 432 last three days. I gave him some high carb food and will retest in an hour

 

[Panic]

A 71 this late in the cycle isn't much to worry about. For future reference, don't break out the high carb food until he drops below 50 (OR drops below 100 very early in the cycle, within the first 3 hours or so). At this point he should be heading up on his own even without the food. Here's a guide to help you:

Between 50-70

• Feed 1-2 tsp of low-carb food and retest in 20-30 minutes.
  • If dropping, offer a little more low-carb food and repeat process
  • If holding, no more food but retest in 30 minutes to be sure they are no longer dropping
  • If rising (and over 70), no more food and take a break. Retest in an hour to make sure they don’t dip back down again

* Reduce dose by 0.25 units

Below 50, use high-carb food until over 50, then use guide above until you are over 70.

^This does not apply if very early in the cycle - if dropping under 100 very early you want to intervene quickly with the high-carb so it doesn't get a chance to drop VERY low toward nadir.
Wriggley has earned a 0.25 unit reduction though! Congrats!

 

[Panic]

Just remembered you're using Alphatrak. The "take action" number on that is 68, instead of 50. Here's a guide for Alphatrak numbers, the same re-feeding etc would still apply, numbers are just slightly different.

When using an Alphatrak, I prefer to start the MC food if the BG is below 80-90 mg/dL early in the cycle. If the LC food doesn't bring the number up above 80 at the next retest in 20 minutes, then you want to feed the MC food and to retest again in 20 minutes.

WHEN that low happens is important. If you got that 80-90 later in the cycle, around +5 to +6, maybe a teaspoon of LC food would have done the trick.
If you got a number below 68 at mid-cycle, maybe a teaspoon of MC food would have been enough.
Early in the cycle, below 68, still dropping, bring out the HC food and have the simple sugar (karo, honey, corn syrup, etc.) standing by.

 

[thewebs]

I definitely panicked! So all shots should be reduced .25 to 1.25? This is his first low nadir. He’s usually much higher.

 

[Panic]

Better to take it seriously when it's not than the other way around!

Yep! If you are using Start Low, Go Slow reductions are earned below 90, and on Modified Prozinc Method, reductions are earned below 68 (for Alphatrak). Have you looked into which method you'd like to follow? That's how you know when to increase/reduce doses. Either way, reduction earned so that is his new dose. It's definitely a good thing to see some changes!

 

[thewebs]

153 at +7. So just one below 90 gets him a reduction? He was 479 at +6 four days ago and 309, 410 & 433 the three days prior. Do you think this a breakthrough or a blip. His morning numbers were weird on 10/2 and 10/4. I will drop him and see what happens. Thanks for your help!

 

[Panic]

So just one below 90 gets him a reduction?

Yep!

I think it's a sign that Wriggleys body is getting a little more used to lower numbers ... For some cats it takes months and months before the bounces stop, for others its kind of a constant so an insulin change to Lantus is needed. I would be prepared for more bouncing as he gets closer to those green numbers he's not used to just yet.

 

[JanetNJ]

Congrats on a green!!