8/5 Dino AMPS=178 PMPS=141

[Anita and Dino]

He's never been that high. I gave him 1U after 6 days of .5U. Is that ok?

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

Hi Anita,

High numbers often are caused by bouncing because the cat hit a low number. I think that's what you're seeing tonight. Sometimes high numbers don't mean a cat needs more insulin and this is one of those cases. That's why we say to focus on the low numbers, not on the highs when you're making dosing decisions.

The 1.0u got him into the 20's last time he got it, so I think it's really important you check him again tonight before you go to bed. You don't want him back in the 20's again - that's seriously dangerous territory

One thing that's important, but hard to wrap your head around, is that the low numbers are the most important for deciding on dosing. You want to always KNOW how low the dose is taking him before you increase the dose. The most important number on his spreadsheet in the past few days is the blue 166 last night. I would guess he may have been coming up from a lower number during the day.

I'd encourage you to return to 0.5u in the morning and hold it there until you can do a curve and see how low the 0.5u is taking him.

Here's some more information on bouncing - look in the second post.

You can take down the 911. This is something normal and you'll just have to wait it out. A bounce can last as long as 3 days, depending on the cat.

 

[Anita and Dino]

Ok, thank you so much. Yes, I'll take him back to .5U. You are so right, it's hard for me to wrap my head around that high numbers doesn't necessarily mean more insulin. I will try to remember. Thank you for teaching me and watching out for Dino.

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

You're welcome. I tried to check back with you last night but the board was down.

I think he's pretty bouncy, and maybe not staying long in lower numbers when he touches one. Anytime you can get a test between shots it will help figure things out. I'd try to catch him when he clears this bounce, probably between now and Saturday pm, to see how low he gets, so you can tell whether or not the 0.5u is enough.

If you're around on the weekend, maybe you could get a few more tests in the day cycle.

Many people ask for help on whether or not they should increase the dose until they get the hang of it. If you want help, just put something like "dose help" in your subject line and experienced people will take a look at the ss and help you figure it out.

 

[Traci and Boomer]

Hey Anita,

Just saying hi and checking in on you guys. I'm glad you're hanging in there. The more testing you do, the better. Yes, his ear will be bruised. My Boomer's right ear was always bruised but after a while it didn't bother me because I knew every blood test was getting him closer to being regulated. I would give him treats after the test (freeze dried chicken or deli turkey) and he'd come running to be tested. A lot of cats here would also do that. You wouldn't think that could ever happen but it does.

Keep up the great work.
Traci

 

[Anita and Dino]

Hey Anita,

Just saying hi and checking in on you guys. I'm glad you're hanging in there. The more testing you do, the better. Yes, his ear will be bruised. My Boomer's right ear was always bruised but after a while it didn't bother me because I knew every blood test was getting him closer to being regulated. I would give him treats after the test (freeze dried chicken or deli turkey) and he'd come running to be tested. A lot of cats here would also do that. You wouldn't think that could ever happen but it does.

Keep up the great work.
Traci

You are so awesome. Thank you for checking in.

 

[Anita and Dino]

You're welcome. I tried to check back with you last night but the board was down.

I think he's pretty bouncy, and maybe not staying long in lower numbers when he touches one. Anytime you can get a test between shots it will help figure things out. I'd try to catch him when he clears this bounce, probably between now and Saturday pm, to see how low he gets, so you can tell whether or not the 0.5u is enough.

If you're around on the weekend, maybe you could get a few more tests in the day cycle.

Many people ask for help on whether or not they should increase the dose until they get the hang of it. If you want help, just put something like "dose help" in your subject line and experienced people will take a look at the ss and help you figure it out.

Thanks for that. Yes, let's see how Dino does this weekend.

 

[Anita and Dino]

Hello, would someone kindly review my spreadsheet and let me know if I'm doing ok with Dino's dosage? Thank you so much. Happy Caturday.

 

[purrdydolly]

I think you're ok to go up to .75 but let's see what others have to say. To get more eyes on your post you can add the ? icon to the subject line and perhaps add 'dose ?' in the subject line.

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

Hi Anita!

Nice to see you. I think it would be ok too. Notice on 6/23 how he was black at pmps? Look back and you can see the blue 190 at +6 - I'd interpret this to mean that he's bouncing from blue numbers. I'd increase him to 0.75u and try to make sure I got a mid-cycle test in both am and pm cycles, just to be certain how low the dose is taking him.

By the way, go ahead and start a new thread for every new day. Then you can just provide a link to the older post in your initial post of the thread, and people will look back there to see whatever happened before.

 

[Anita and Dino]

I think you're ok to go up to .75 but let's see what others have to say. To get more eyes on your post you can add the ? icon to the subject line and perhaps add 'dose ?' in the subject line.

Sure. I will do that. Thank you.

 

[Anita and Dino]

Hi Anita!

Nice to see you. I think it would be ok too. Notice on 6/23 how he was black at pmps? Look back and you can see the blue 190 at +6 - I'd interpret this to mean that he's bouncing from blue numbers. I'd increase him to 0.75u and try to make sure I got a mid-cycle test in both am and pm cycles, just to be certain how low the dose is taking him.

By the way, go ahead and start a new thread for every new day. Then you can just provide a link to the older post in your initial post of the thread, and people will look back there to see whatever happened before.

Thank you for responding. Ok, .75 it is. Unfortunately I can only do mid cycle tests between AMPS and PMPS on days I don't work. How do I start a new thread? And how do I put the link of my previous thread there? This website is still a bit confusing for me. Thank you.

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

I actually had to do a little looking to figure out how to post a new thread. I haven't done any, I don't think, on this new site. We moved over in January and I just reply to other people's posts. But I found it - You want to start at the main page for the Lantus/Levemir Insulin Support Group (ISG) here.

Take a look at the top right or the bottom right of the whole page and there's an option to "Post New Thread." Click there.

Then you get "Create Thread" and a choice of a "Prefix" and a "Thread Title."

For the prefix, if you have a question click on the question mark. Then people will see it and your question won't get missed. The other 2 options - 911 is for a medical emergency like low numbers or a cat having a hypo and "GA" means "Gone Ahead" or "Guardian Angel" meaning that the kitty has passed away.

For the thread title, we use the format "date, cat's name, last preshot and any tests after that" - so it looks like
"6/28 Dino AMPS 456, +5 350, pmps 492"

You can also include a topic of a question like "dose help?" in the subject line.

Then whenever you have sufficient answers that you are satisfied, edit the thread title to remove the ? prefix icon and the "dose help?" from the subject line. As long as it's visible, people will think you still have questions and will keep checking back.

For your first post, you copy the web address of the previous thread and paste it in the first post of each day. To paste it click on the little paper clip icon in the blue strip over the area you write. Then a new window will open up and you paste the web address into it. Looks like this:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/6-28-dino-amps-456-5-350-pmps-492.139678/

If it's too complicated, just ask and people will help you. Lots of people need help the first little while, so don't worry about that. The "New to the Group?" sticky has lots of good info for helping people get started. Keep asking questions. You might want to bookmark this thread "Where Can I Find?" that serves as sort of an index to this support group information, plus it has some other topics that might be helpful.

It's ok if you can just get tests during the days you don't work. A pm cycle test is probably the most important because most cats go lower at night. Just do what you can - everyone has lives. The more data you have the more confidence you'll have in being able to adjust his dose.

You're off to a great start, Anita! Hang in there - everything gets easier.

 

[Anita and Dino]

I actually had to do a little looking to figure out how to post a new thread. I haven't done any, I don't think, on this new site. We moved over in January and I just reply to other people's posts. But I found it - You want to start at the main page for the Lantus/Levemir Insulin Support Group (ISG) here.

Take a look at the top right or the bottom right of the whole page and there's an option to "Post New Thread." Click there.

Then you get "Create Thread" and a choice of a "Prefix" and a "Thread Title."

For the prefix, if you have a question click on the question mark. Then people will see it and your question won't get missed. The other 2 options - 911 is for a medical emergency like low numbers or a cat having a hypo and "GA" means "Gone Ahead" or "Guardian Angel" meaning that the kitty has passed away.

For the thread title, we use the format "date, cat's name, last preshot and any tests after that" - so it looks like
"6/28 Dino AMPS 456, +5 350, pmps 492"

You can also include a topic of a question like "dose help?" in the subject line.

Then whenever you have sufficient answers that you are satisfied, edit the thread title to remove the ? prefix icon and the "dose help?" from the subject line. As long as it's visible, people will think you still have questions and will keep checking back.

For your first post, you copy the web address of the previous thread and paste it in the first post of each day. To paste it click on the little paper clip icon in the blue strip over the area you write. Then a new window will open up and you paste the web address into it. Looks like this:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/6-28-dino-amps-456-5-350-pmps-492.139678/

If it's too complicated, just ask and people will help you. Lots of people need help the first little while, so don't worry about that. The "New to the Group?" sticky has lots of good info for helping people get started. Keep asking questions. You might want to bookmark this thread "Where Can I Find?" that serves as sort of an index to this support group information, plus it has some other topics that might be helpful.

It's ok if you can just get tests during the days you don't work. A pm cycle test is probably the most important because most cats go lower at night. Just do what you can - everyone has lives. The more data you have the more confidence you'll have in being able to adjust his dose.

You're off to a great start, Anita! Hang in there - everything gets easier.

You are awesome. Thank you so much. I still have a ways to go before I get the hang of this but I learn a lot from people like you. Tell me, how can the mom of a diabetic cat ever go on vacation? How do you guys do it, if you do? Seems it would be very expensive to have someone qualified care of their baby if you don't live with someone.

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

Yes - you can go on vacation. We hired a vet tech from our vet's office to come and give punkin his dinner, test and shoot him (about $15-20 per visit) when we wanted to go out of town in the evening. You may find you have a friend who would do it. We also took punkin with us on a couple of trips, including from Oregon to Colorado to get his acromegaly treated. That was 4 days of driving plus another 5 days in Colorado in a hotel. Cats are pretty portable. If you have to leave him, we can help you figure out a "vacation dose" that is less than his regular dose - high enough to keep his blood sugar sort of decent, but not the regular dose that might send him into low numbers.

A timed feeder is also worth its weight in gold. At the top of the Lantus/Lev page the first sticky is about working full-time and following Tight Regulation. Lots of tips in there apply for vacation trips too.

 

[Anita and Dino]

My niece got married on Saturday and I was the only family member not present. Of course since it took place in Germany where she and my sister live the air fare and the addition of the cost to have Dino in the right hands would have been way too expensive. I might have gone if not for Dino's health but a trip to Germany is usually no less than 10 days. Oh well, Dino is my responsibility in good times and bad. I love him so much.

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

It shows! There is a special bond that is created by taking care of a diabetic cat. As hard as it was, I wouldn't have given up one moment of the 2.5 years that punkin was diabetic. It's a burden, but it gives an amazing relationship that you'll probably never have with any other pet.

Hopefully by the time you have another family holiday, things will be more settled and you'll be able to go. There have been quite a few members here who traveled as part of their job, and there are strategies for keeping the kitty safe while you're gone.

 

[Traci and Boomer]

Hi Anita. Just wanted to say that really sucks about missing your nieces wedding. I missed a Christmas Eve once because of Boomer, but that's not a wedding. Going on vacation is tough. If I lived near you I'd help! The vet tech is a good idea. I had a my landlord give my first diabetic Calvin his insulin. Back then I wasn't testing (!!) only giving the insulin dose per my vet. My landlord had cats too and was very nice/curious about giving the shot - it was a good match. He didn't have to do any testing - that's definitely a more advanced skill. If you stick around here you may get some ideas and meet people in your area that you can swap cat sitting with. Happy 4th.
See you on Insta.

 

[Anita and Dino]

Hi Traci, that's great you had a wonderful landlord. I have a friend who had 7 cats and she was nice enough to watch my cats while I was in Germany a few years ago. At that time though Dino wasn't diabetic. It's more complicated now. Happy 4th to you, too!