8/30 Achilles AMPS 183, +5 49, +11 172, PMPS 243 +1 274

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Eva and Achilles

Eva and Achilles

Member Since 2010
Yesterday
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Happy Monday.

It sure was nice to see those blues and greens yesterday. But, I must admit, that it's a bit scary to shoot such low numbers. I hope we're doing right by our buddy. We won't be home today to test before the PM shot so I am even more concerned abot out little guy.

Hope to see lots of blues and greens in LL today.
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183

I saw the note on your SS about not having syringes in 1/2 units. The Walmart Relion brand comes in 1/2 units or you can order online. I get mine from Hocks. You should really consider getting syringes that are marked this way.

Make sure you leave plenty of food out if you are nervous leaving Achilles.
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183

Good morning - and nice amps! I too would leave lots of food our for Achilles if you will be gone, and are worried. I know that with Mannie he will instinctively eat if he starts to go low. Have a great day!
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183

I'm ordering the 1/2 unit syringes today. I've also ordered the Catmate 20 automatic feeder to ensure that fresh wet food is available while we are at work. I'm trying to get him on the following feeding schedule:
AMPS 1/2 of a 3oz. can of wet food
+4 1/4 can
+8 1/4 can
PMPS 1/2 can
+4 1/4 can

That's a total of 1.75 cans or 5.25 ounces a day. (Did I do that math right?) He also gets freeze dried chicken breast as a treat when we test his BG levels. So the amount of treats varies depending on how often we test. He got plenty of treats yesterday.

The vet would like him to lose a few lbs. He's about 15.5 now. I'm not terribly concerned about him losing weight just yet. I'd rather get him on a regular feeding schedule, get the diabetes under control (as best as we practically can), and then address the weight.

Is he getting enough or too much food?
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183 and QUESTION ABOUT FEEDING

Oh,,,so i see you are good at math then...ok..there is a calculation tha you can use, ... you have to know the amount of calories in the food you are using. then just do the math and try to figure it out that way.
But, my thought is how is Achilles acting about the food? Is he crying for more/
is he sitting at the side of your dinner plate and trying to paw some food off your dish? (Shadowe did that at the beginning...)
He couldn't get enough food. It tapered off after i feed him his fill for awhile.
I will get that for you...a little foggy right now, be right back...

Maybe you could read about food here first: http://www.catinfo.org
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183 and QUESTION ABOUT FEEDING

Take a look at Lisa Pierson, DVM's site on feline nutrition. There's a big section on feline obesity and how to implement a gradual weight loss program for your cat.
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183 and QUESTION ABOUT FEEDING

Good websites on nutrition...

my 2 cents... from the data you have I wanna say (Aug 25) that the onset appears to be at +3 so, I would feed the 1st snack at +2.5 or +3... ECID... the more data you get the better you'll be able to figure out what time to serve your snacks at.
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183, +5 49. ADVICE PLEASE!

I take it then that it is recommended that the snack be fed about a half hour before onset, give or take?

Okay, so now I am very worried. nailbite_smile nailbite_smile I am at work all day today. DH is at work too, but he went home for a quick test and feed. Well, at +5, DH tested him and got a reading of 49! He fed him 3/4 can of FF (unfortunately it was low carb). Apparently, Achilles would have eaten the entire can had DH not taken it away. I wonder if he is trying to regulate himself. Anyway, we won't be able to test until +11 and I am terrified that he will continue to drop.

Should we have someone put down some more food? Should it be HC or should we stick to the LC FF? nailbite_smile nailbite_smile

Any other advice would be most welcome.
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183, +5 49 ADVICE PLEASE

If I'm nervous about numbers and have to be at work, I will add some gravy or leave a lower carb food. BUT, a lot depends on how carb sensitive your cat is. For some cats, leaving LC will bump their numbers up quite nicely. The good news is that you are most likely close to nadir and numbers weren't plummeting down from your AMPS test. Achilles should be fine.
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183, +5 49 ADVICE PLEASE

Thank you Sienne.

I feel so much better. Both DH and I are relatively new at this, and as you likely picked up on, I am the worrier in the family. I'm very early in the process of trying to figure out how he reacts to the LC vs. the HC food. Frankly, I'm very early in the process of figuring any of this out. And being away from home 14 hours a day during the week makes it even more challenging.

I hate not being home to monitor him.

Will this ever get easier?? :YMSIGH:
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183, +5 49 ADVICE PLEASE

Achilles is having a very nice response to Lantus. You are doing fine and it is very understandable to worry when you aren't home. It will get easier as you go along. Experience and knowing/learning about your kitty's response to food type, timing, and amounts will help you get there. We all worry at different times no matter how experienced we are, but yes it does get easier, and then harder, and then easier. :-D
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183, +5 49 ADVICE PLEASE

you did good, Eva. :smile:

It's scary when they drop and you can't be home. As Sienne suggested, if you shoot a lower than usual preshot, a +1 test can make you feel much better. If you can't do that, then you can always throw some HC gravy on top of his regular food to give him a litle extra cushion. I've come home from work to 40's before, and it's nervewracking! Lucy's nadir was around +6, and that's usually when I was there (lunch break from work), so I would feed some medium carb or high carb, then hang around for 1/2 hour and test again to be sure that worked.

Achilles is doing really well. You will get used to it all once you have more data. The data you collect when you are home makes you more comfortable that you understand what is going on when you're NOT home.
 
Re: 8/30 Achilles AMPS 183 +5 49 +11 172 PMPS 243 +1 274

The blues and greens were nice while they lasted, but quite nervewracking. I think I overfed him today b/c his +5 49 scared me, which could be why he is back in the yellows. Then again, we did lower his dose from 1.5 to 1.25, so I suppose we could be seeing the effects of that.

I think yesterday's timed feedings helped control his numbers. That automatic feeder can't come soon enough!

Thank you all for the caring advice and the comforting words. You are simply a blessing. I hope to one day be able to pay it forward.
 
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