8/4 Coco AMPS 304 +5 73 +7 70 PMPS 325

[Michele and Coco Chanel]

Second day on Lantus (previously on Vetsulin). It's 1U 2x day. Vetsulin was 1 unit 1x a day.

This isn't making sense to me, and I'm kind of scared.

Yesterday, AMPS - 317; 202 @ 5.5; PMPS - 283

Today - AMPS - 304; 73 & 94 @ +5 (I did twice bc I thought the 73 was wrong); 70 @+7. Why would there be such a big drop? And why would two back-to-back testings vary so much - one is 73 and one is 94??

I won't be able to test her at this point until right before her shot. What number range would I not give her a shot?

Coco is acting totally herself.

Does this wide swing happen when just starting Lantus?

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Why would there be such a big drop?

1U may be too high a dose for her but without more tests, there's just no way to know for sure what's going on. We do want them in those dark green numbers but with her starting so high, that's a pretty big drop for so early with Lantus. It might be better to start with .5 twice a day and get some tests at different points in the cycle (especially early in the cycle) to see what's going on. They are perfectly safe numbers though!

And why would two back-to-back testings vary so much - one is 73 and one is 94??

All meters are allowed a 20% variance so even if you test the exact same drop on the same meter at the same time, you can get different numbers. Those are within the meter variance.

What number range would I not give her a shot?

At first, if you get a PS of under 200 you should stall, don't feed and test again in 20-30 minutes to see if the number goes up without the influence of food. Use that time to post here with a clear subject line like "STALLING! NEED HELP!" ....when somebody answers to help you, you can go back and edit your subject line and just do it normally.

As you gain more experience and test data, that "stall point" will come down.

 

[Michele and Coco Chanel]

Okay. Thank you!

I'll have to see if I can find syringes with 1/2 unit marks.

I was thinking with the two-hour spread from +5 to +7, it would start to creep up just because the starting number was so high. Her poor ears are one nonstop bruise. :-( Okay. I'll quit complaining. Sheesh. Thank you again for all the help!!

To add to this, I am leaving food out all morning, from 5:00 to noon. Morning she eats some Stella & Chewy freeze dried raw and FF pate. I give her just enough S & C that she, for the most part finishes that so it's not sitting out.

Coco has never eaten all her food at once. She is a grazer. I pick up stale food and give her a little more S & C for lunch, not much, and pick everything up by 2:00, when my work schedule has me at home, so she will be hungry for dinner.

I've read two different opinions, only feed 2x a day or small meals throughout. I have another cat with the same eating pattern. I don't want to deprive her of food because she is so picky right now and I don't want her losing more weight, which is one of the reasons I took her to the vet. Is this okay?

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

I've read two different opinions, only feed 2x a day or small meals throughout.

most of us feed multiple small meals instead of 2 big ones. Not only is it easier on the pancreas to deal with small meals, it makes kitty a lot happier too! Also, if the glucose drops too low, most cats will go looking for food so it's good to have some down.

Just no food for the 2 hours immediately before shot time..otherwise she can eat when she wants to

 

[Michele and Coco Chanel]

Thank you for the feeding info!

Her BG is 325 at PMPS. How can it go from 70 at the 7 hour mark to 325 at 12 hours? Wow. Isn't that a huge swing?

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Isn't that a huge swing?

It's probably a bounce. Bounces happen when 1. they drop too low, 2. they drop too fast, 3. they drop into numbers their body isn't used to anymore (or any combination of all 3). The liver releases stored sugars and hormones to bring the BG back up to where it's used to being. Bounces can last up to 6 cycles so all you can do is wait until the bounce clears.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Why would there be such a big drop?

Many reasons:

• Cats tend to go lower at night so you will need to get at least a +2 each night and/or a before bed test to see where she’s headed. If she dropped lower, she would bounce back up today.
• Not enough food on board at the appropriate time to work with the insulin.

It is typically much better to feed food equal amounts through the first few hours and through onset at +2 to work with the insulin. With Lantus, you want to test at +2 as often as possible, day and night cycles. If it is lower than or similar to the PS, you will likely have an active cycle.