8/14 Jazz AMPS 515, +3 317, +7 96, 9 +417, PMPS 597

[Terri Ridgway]

A new day. Let's hope she doesn't bounce too much. Can anyone explain "flatten the curve"? What do I want to see in that case? What am I shooting for to see on the spreadsheet?

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Here's your previous post

Flattening the curve is just trying things that will (hopefully) keeping her from dropping so fast so early which is one of the reasons that cause bounces.

Sometimes we'll suggest feeding more food early in the cycle (like at +1, +2, +3) to see if eating earlier and more often will help to keep her from dropping so fast.

 

[Terri Ridgway]

Here's your previous post

Flattening the curve is just trying things that will (hopefully) keeping her from dropping so fast so early which is one of the reasons that cause bounces.

Sometimes we'll suggest feeding more food early in the cycle (like at +1, +2, +3) to see if eating earlier and more often will help to keep her from dropping so fast.

How should the numbers look? All green and blue?

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

How should the numbers look? All green and blue?

That's the dream but rarely the reality, especially so early. Some cats just need a little nudge to get them down into good numbers and others can take weeks, months even years.

One thing feline diabetes will teach you is patience, whether you want to learn or not.

The reason we're suggesting "front loading" Jazz is to hopefully stop her from dropping so fast, so early which just sets her up for another bounce.

 

[Terri Ridgway]

That's the dream but rarely the reality, especially so early. Some cats just need a little nudge to get them down into good numbers and others can take weeks, months even years.

One thing feline diabetes will teach you is patience, whether you want to learn or not.

The reason we're suggesting "front loading" Jazz is to hopefully stop her from dropping so fast, so early which just sets her up for another bounce.

So far she's not dropping fast but +8 she's at 96. I think I now understand about front loading. I don't know what you mean by "so early". We've been at this a year. You are so right about patience! Ugh

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Today she dropped almost 200 points in the first 3 hours. That's says two things to me. First, another big drop that will likely cause yet another bounce. It does depend a bit on the cat, but the goal is to try to get her to drop no more than about 50 points in an hour. Her onset looks to be about +2, which is when they often do the big drops. I'd try to get some fresh food/low carbs on board before onset, so maybe start with some food around +1.5 when you can. Take a couple tsps from her regular preshot meal and move it up that 1.5 hours. Food experiments can take a couple weeks, so be patient for results.

Second thing that drop of 200 points told me is that this was going to be an active cycle. The rule of thumb we use is that if the +2 is above the preshot, it'll be a quiet cycle. A +2 about the same as preshot means a normal Lantus cycle with some downward motion - may still need some monitoring. A +2 below the preshot value means more monitoring needed as it'll be a more active cycle.

I'd get a test in another hour, to see where she goes with this 96. Is she done dropping or got some more drop still in her? Bounce clearing cycle can both be more active, and have later nadirs than usual.

 

[Terri Ridgway]

Today she dropped almost 200 points in the first 3 hours. That's says two things to me. First, another big drop that will likely cause yet another bounce. It does depend a bit on the cat, but the goal is to try to get her to drop no more than about 50 points in an hour. Her onset looks to be about +2, which is when they often do the big drops. I'd try to get some fresh food/low carbs on board before onset, so maybe start with some food around +1.5 when you can. Take a couple tsps from her regular preshot meal and move it up that 1.5 hours. Food experiments can take a couple weeks, so be patient for results.

Second thing that drop of 200 points told me is that this was going to be an active cycle. The rule of thumb we use is that if the +2 is above the preshot, it'll be a quiet cycle. A +2 about the same as preshot means a normal Lantus cycle with some downward motion - may still need some monitoring. A +2 below the preshot value means more monitoring needed as it'll be a more active cycle.

I'd get a test in another hour, to see where she goes with this 96. Is she done dropping or got some more drop still in her? Bounce clearing cycle can both be more active, and have later nadirs than usual.

I'm sorry, I couldn't get it in an hour but in two hours she's now at 417. Discouraging

 

[Wendy&Neko]

How confident are you that the +8 was a good test? Sometimes if you get too little blood the meter will read low. It just seems out of sorts with a test in the 400's 2 hours later. Unless she snuck some kibble.

 

[Terri Ridgway]

How confident are you that the +8 was a good test? Sometimes if you get too little blood the meter will read low. It just seems out of sorts with a test in the 400's 2 hours later. Unless she snuck some kibble.

I'm 100% sure of the number. I retested and it's now 497. This happens a lot. She didn't get into anything. She went straight back to her box she shares with one of her sisters and looking out the window. I'm right here watching her. (I had the hours off by one. I just did +10. The 417 was +9 and the +8 was actually +7- sorry about that. Anytime I get a green I almost always retest. I haven't had any discrepancies.

 

[Manuel]

Hi Terri, I think Wendy was asking how confident you were of the test you originally said was +8, but which you've clarified is actually +7 -- reading 96.

I'm sorry about all these bounces. It must feel crazy to not have a sense of how Jazz will respond. I'm still trying to learn how food affects my cat's BG change, and she's typically quite regular. Thank you for caring about, and for, your kitty.

 

[Terri Ridgway]

How confident are you that the +8 was a good test? Sometimes if you get too little blood the meter will read low. It just seems out of sorts with a test in the 400's 2 hours later. Unless she snuck some kibble.

Yes the +7 (8) I am 100% confident. That's why I said "anytime I get a green I almost always retest". Thank you for responding! Her bounces are crazy.