8/4 Bagheera AM 59 +2 53 +6 111-3U PMPS 162-4U +3 78

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bagheerathediabeticcat

bagheerathediabeticcat

Member Since 2013
Hello, kind humans. I really need your advice.

I do not think we can continue on this regimen. If you take a look at my blood sugar readings, I get dangerously low, and it is very dangerous. Today, for example, based on what has happened to me when I get my full dose, my human was not comfortable dosing me until six hours past my normal dosing time. Even then, he only gave me half my dose. And then my blood sugar climbed, but my human did not feel comfortable giving me the full dose I had worked up to. It is a good thing he didn't, because even that four unit dose dropped me down to a green level.

My human is wondering if I am showing signs of my pancreas starting to secrete insulin again? Could I be one of those cats who recovers?

Or is that just a false hope?

Regardless of that is true or not, does it seem like my human will have to go back to the fluctuating doses based on my blood sugar readings? Maybe he should go with four units if I'm 100 to 200, five units if I'm between 200 and 300, and six if I'm above 300? I know this is not what this protocol says, but what can he do? He is very nervous about me getting hypoglycemic and we have seen several readings where I am flirting with it.
 
These are not "dangerously low" readings. A 30 is dangerously low especially if you are not carefully monitoring. Numbers in the 50s help the pancreas heal and re-learn what normal range BG is.

Giving inconsistent doses will lead to inconsistent numbers. It is, however, your choice. I will repeat this again. Please use the Start Low Go Slow approach to dosing vs. making it up as you go along. If you want Bagheera to get even close to remission you need to be consistent and learn to tolerate low numbers. You might want to look at more spreadsheets -- for example, Oliver Twist's SS -- to get a sense of what a Lantus SS should look like and that low numbers aren't dangerous.
 
Sienne, these readings are not so bad. In fact, if I was not diabetic, they would be fine.

But there are some readings that were very concerning and cause my poor human lots of stress. If you look back at just the past few weeks, we've seen readings as low as 38, and additional readings right at 40.
 
When you shoot 6 hours late do you shoot the pm dose at +12 after the am shot? Lantus likes consistency. Are you still feeding dry food? It is not easy to transition to ALL WET FOOD but it is possible. Dry food does impact the numbers. As for numbers, we all get low numbers, Tuffy loves the 20s and 30s. She is a real stinker but through support and guidance here we have survived it all. The protocol works but it you are not comfortable with the numbers I agree with Sienne. Constantly changes the dose can't be good for or comfortable for Bagheera.
 
I am not on Lantus, I am on Levemir. So maybe that is a problem?

As for the start low, go slow approach, remember, we started me way down at three units. We worked our way up to 6.5 units over the course of several months. So it is not like my human just decided to dose me at that level with nothing to go on. The three unit dose was not sufficient to bring my blood sugar levels down.

Maybe I should be posting in the Levemir board. When we first got here, someone told me that I should post here. But I am not on the same medication so maybe that is wrong.
 
bagheerathediabeticcat said:
As for the start low, go slow approach, remember, we started me way down at three units. We worked our way up to 6.5 units over the course of several months. So it is not like my human just decided to dose me at that level with nothing to go on. The three unit dose was not sufficient to bring my blood sugar levels down.

Maybe I should be posting in the Levemir board. When we first got here, someone told me that I should post here. But I am not on the same medication so maybe that is wrong.
Click to expand...

No, you're fine posting here. Just put a note in your signature that you're on Levemir, otherwise, everyone assumes you're on Lantus.

Yes, you did work your way up, but now it looks like it's time to work your way back down again! :mrgreen: How are things going these last few days? Any time you get multiple readings under 50 or two or more skipped shots (usually under 100 at pre-shot), you'll want to try decreasing by .25u to .5u at a time. So, after that 41, you would have dropped it to 4.75 or 4.5. Hold that dose for at least 6 cycles unless he drops too low. You dropped him all the way to 4u, which might have been too big a decrease, but either way, hold it for 6 cycles till he levels out and you'll be able to see if you need to go back up a bit in dosage or go down even further.

How has Bagheera's appetite been? If he's eating less, this can also be a cause for needing less insulin. I was reading somewhere recently (and now I can't find it) that cats have a sort of "seasonal affect" and eat less during the summer because there are more daylight hours and shorter nights and since they spend most of the day sleeping, they don't need as much energy (aka food) to sustain them during the shorter periods of activity. Except it was much more scientific sounding. :lol:
 
I just thought of something else: does Bagheera play with your new "foster" kitty? He might be getting more of a workout vs. when it was just him and Jacey. This can also potentially cause a decreased need of insulin.
 
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