8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147/+5-111/+11-174/PMPS-179

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Shai and The Pirate Fitz (GA)

Member Since 2012
Fitzel's Condo


Hi Everyone:

This is Judith, Shai's wife. I had to take her to urgent care this morning but she gave me instructions to post this. She said something about a condo but I'm not sure how to do that. Fitzel didn't get a shot this morning because I need to go back to the hospital and no one will be here. After last night, Shai was nervous about a hypo incident. She's going to be fine, but we won't be back until this afternoon so please excuse the lack of blood testing data.

Judith
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147 (Shai at Dr.)

Hi Judith, nice to meet you!
Hope all goes well for Shai at the Dr. this morning. You focus on her and let us know how she's doing. Fitzel will be just fine, and that's a nice AMBG number:-)
Carl
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147 (Shai at Dr.)

Oh, no! I hope Shai is ok. Sending healing energy to her and to you, Judith. Keep us posted.
Liz
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147/+5-111 (Comments Wanted)

I'm Back - unexpected trip - very not fun - but all is well.

Thank you Liz, Carl and Sienne. :YMHUG:

Okay, so Fitzel had no insulin this morning but her +5 is amazing considering. I'll get more BG tests today, but I sure don't want a repeat of last night. :dizcat

No hypo incidents.

I'd really appreciate any comments on her numbers from last night and today. I'm one very confused bean.

Shai
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147/+5-111 Comments Wanted

Shai, I'm so glad to see you are ok. Thank you for the update. Here are my $0.02 worth of thoughts on Fitzel's numbers. Not worth much and I am sure one of the wise ones will give input too. Fitzel's pancreas is working pretty well. After all, she's only getting 1 drop. Her pancreas needs just a little support to function very well (that 53 was great, not a hypo at all). With continued support, Fitzel's BG could easily be in the 50-120 range all the time (normal numbers for a cat) and continue to heal. With a little more healing, her pancreas might not need any more insulin at all and then she would be in remission: OTJ! My understanding is that hypoglycemia for a cat really isn't until below 40 and even then many cats go that low and are not symptomatic so it's not really hypoglycemia. The hard part for the bean is to screw up her courage and let the BG numbers be in the 50 to 120 range. It's kind of scary but necessary for healing. You can control the number from going too low by testing and then feeding to bring it up as necessary. It's really hard to do from a psychological/emotional viewpoint. At this point, it seems to be the best method that we know of for treating FD and getting the cat into remission. Of course, Fitzel is your cat and you decide her care. I am supportive of whatever works for you.
Liz

ETA: You might want to take a look at the spreadsheets of other cats, like Jasper.
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147/+5-111 Comments Wanted

Hi Liz -

Last night when she went to 53 I was concerned she'd drop lower. Under Jane's amazing guiding hand, I did indeed feed her some HC, about two teaspoons worth and then tested every half hour until she got to 90, then I waited for another hour and she was 105. After that, I fed her some LC food with a small bowl of MC out. This morning was a bit crazy but her numbers weren't too bad considering I thought she'd spike high for going so low (53 from 189 in just 2.5 hours).

Then, I thought she'd be spiking this afternoon when I got home to test - but no. Since dosing depends on the nadir and not the PS's - would the advice be to try and decrease to less than a couple of drops? If so, I'm not really sure I can do that with any accuracy or consistency. The only way I think I'd know if there were two or one drop in the syringe is if I plunged the plunger to see, and then, well, it wouldn't be in the syringe anymore. I'm already using just what's in the neck of the syringe after I'm almost to a hard zero.

I want to do whatever will help her pancreas continue it's rally - without stressing out her beta cells. I know to go OTJ she should be green for 7 cycles. I'm really at a loss on how much to dose her and not send her into a dive.

Shai
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147/+5-111 Comments Wanted

You may not be able to prevent a dive. That's why you test then feed as needed to control her numbers. Do you think you're giving her 2 drops now at each shot? Can you reduce to 1 drop? I've read where some people keep pressure on the plunger, then stick the needle in the vial, then let go of the plunger. That is the dose of 1 drop or a fat 0.0u, which cracks me up. :lol: I've also read where some people draw 0.5u, then slowly squeeze out insulin and count the drops. Say that is 6 drops. If the dose is 4 drops, then they draw up the same amount and squeeze out 2 drops, leaving 4 drops in the syringe.

How do you draw up the dose now? There may be a way to reduce that to something smaller.
Liz
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147/+5-111 Comments Wanted

I draw in 2u and extract the syringe from the bottle.

Then using jewelers glasses (5 power magnification) I tap out the bubbles - that takes about 1u - then I start slowly pushing until I can see where the plunger is - covering the zero marker but not beyond the zero marker. I need to see fluid in the neck. Whatever is there is what I shoot and what I've been calling (rightly or wrongly) 0.01

I can try the plunger pushed in thingy and see what I push outta there.

I'm concerned about tonight. I'm under strict orders to do what I have to at my usual time. Which is right after Fitzel's PM shot. Judith has big wigs coming from Thailand and has to be at work tomorrow. She's out the door at 5:15am. No one will be able to test Fitzel through the night. When Judith did it last time, she took a 'sick day'. She can't do that tomorrow and my doctors will come over and kill me if I don't do as instructed. :evil: (They're so mean!)

I can probably work myself back to doing a night run, but not for a bit. That's what makes TR so scary for me. It won't work without curves at night - or at least several tests. That's not possible with any consistency because of my circumstances. I don't know. Maybe I should give up the idea of getting her into remission? Maybe that's not going to be realistic for us. Just try to keep Fitzel at some dose she can live with.

I don't know, maybe we should return to the go slow approach.

Shai
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147/+5-111 Comments Wanted

You definitely have to take care of yourself. Is there any way you could move up her shot time so that you can get a test or two before your medical stuff and Judith has to go to bed? You've probably thought through all this.
Liz
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147/+5-111 Comments Wanted

Hi Shai and Fitzel! I hope you are feeling better today Shai.

Is it an option to shoot earlier so you can get the appropriate amount of sleep at night? Fitzel seemed to go into lower numbers pretty early last night so if you shoot earlier that might help you out.

Very nice numbers today for Fitzel even without insulin :-D

Have a great evening.
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147/+5-111/+11-174 Comments Wanted

Thanks Liz and Tracy -

I really wish I could push up her shot time. The night time isn't the issue. It's the morning. I can't get to give her the morning shot before 9:30 - 10:00. Then there's the 12 hour rule so we end up at 9.30 - 10:00.

I feel like I'm doing the best I can but my best isnt good enough or safe enough for the TR protocol. I feel that I'm taking away Fitzels one chance at remission but I'm hard wired into a health regime for me that is the antithesis of what I need to do for my kitty. Then I come asking you all for help, which you so generously give and I end up falling short. How can I conscionably take everyone's time when I can't always follow through.

I don't want to keep you from people who need your help and are faithfully working the program.

I'm very depressed and unsure what I can do to best help Fitzel.

Shai
 
Re: 8/12 Fitzel= AMBG-147/+5-111/+11-174 Comments Wanted

(((Shai))) Don't worry about us. We are here to help Fitzel and you in any way that we can. We are all crazy cat ladies who just want to do the best for our kitties.

Ok, another suggestion. Is it possible that Judith could give the morning shot when she gets up? And maybe a +2 before she goes to work? Then you could get a +4 when you are available. The TR protocol really only requires a pre-shot test and a mid cycle test. That's what Anne and I do. I get the am shot and she gets the pm shot.
Liz
 
(((((Liz))))

Your words mean so much to me. Thank you.

The issue with Judith giving the AM shot is that she leaves for work at 5:15am. She doesn't come home until between 5 and 6 at night. She has an hour and a half to two hour commute to work and back each day depending on traffic. She takes the dreaded 405 freeway. The infamous Carmaggedon one.

My problem is I'm attached to the machines in the morning as well as at night. I have to do this first thing and and it can take a couple of hours. Then I can take care Fitzel. By the time I get to her, it's at least 9:30.

I really appreciate you telling me how you and Anne deal with your kitty. This I can do during the day and perhaps every so often at night. Judith helps me on the weekends and when emergencies pop up like this morning.

Thank you again, your missive is what I needed.
Shai
 
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