9/14 no test

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Denise & Sidney

Denise & Sidney

Member Since 2010
I know, I wimped out. After trying and trying yesterday, it just got worse and worse. I could not get a good reading. I was crying, he was crying. Just couldn't do it today. Do you think I have enough numbers to warrant a dose increase? I'm also a little confused on the next higher dose. I've read 1/2 increments but I've seen .25, .50 and .75.
 
I'm too new to give dosing advice, but I just wanted to offer some encouragement. I had trouble with getting blood out of Muffin for a while too, and I felt guilty, like I was hurting her. Hang in there, it DOES get easier with practice, for both the cat and the bean. Keep trying! :RAHCAT
 
i'm too new to give advice also, but i can tell you that the sensitivity of their ears goes away very quickly. only been doing this a month now, but binks goes right to the rug where we test, and purrs while i'm testing him..i think 3 things help...when you are more relaxed after a few times, when they realize that it means treats, and when their ears acclimate. Warming the ear gently also is a great benefit for us.

others can tell you more, but that has been what i've experienced. also, i used the lancet on my finger just to get an idea of how it felt...that helped me relax about the whole process, too.



hang in there...caregiving is a tough process, but a lot of aspects of it do get easier.

celi & binks
 
Denise...can you put Sidney's name in the header of your post and also write AMPS=? so that everyone knows whose post this is? And here is the link to your last condo...was the last time you posted Wed?
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25069&start=0

I am going to include the other previous post too... viewtopic.php?f=9&t=24964

Have you been using a rice sock to warm his ears? I will try to find the link...

Denise...breathe now....try to relax a little. Now, what seems to be the problem with testing? You said you were both crying. You do realize that while giving insulin,it is so very important to be able to test and get the numbers. right? I wish I could say something to help you get past this now.

Maybe this will help: you can do this, you know...you did so well this week.
There is no way we can tell you to increase the insulin if you are not getting those preshot numbers at the very least. You would do well to get a before bedtime check too as well as other tests during the day. Sometimes our kitties pick up on what WE are feeling.
Do you have neosporin to put on his ears after testing?
Do you put pressure on the ear after you get the blood? (that helps stop the bleeding quickly)
A warm ear bleeds easier than a cold one....warm the ear with a warm cloth or massage it beforehand.

You can click on the link for my Shadow and maybe you will see why I believe in testing...it has saved my kitty's life!!! Giving insulin without testing is like driving down a highway at 90 mph with a paperbag over your head.... Please tell me what you are feeling, okay?
 
sorry, we can't advise on dose without numbers. I know you're trying, but we suggest doses according to a protocol that requires testing. We're not vets, so all we can do is go by what the numbers tell us.
 
Denise...I found it!! Take a deep breath and read through this page.. http://www.sugarcats.net/sites/harry/ea ... chor144779
I have found that if I place Shadow on a towel on a desk (I use a table) and I have all my testing supplies right there next to the towel. I test him and give him his shot on the towel so he is used to that area all the time.
I approach him from behind and I kinda lean down over him until he lays down...

I put the test strip into the meter and it beeps...almost like a signal to him that it's time to test.
I kiss his head and pet him and talk to him as I take his right ear in between my fingers...using a folded tissue...I place the tissue under his ear and use the lancet device
(do you have a lancet device?)
I then pick up the meter and get the blood drop while I fold the tissue over the ear and apply pressure.
The pressure stops the bleeding. The meter beeps with the BG and I then put neosporin on his ear to help eliminate the soreness.

The lancet device is quick and is the same pressure all the time. Do you have one of those or are you doing in freehand?
 
Re: 9/14 Sidney, no test

Well, not only did I forget to link the condo, I forgot to put his name. I think I'm regressing :YMSIGH: We did so good for awhile and then yesterday afternoon he decided I wasn't going to do it. I do warm his ear, we have a spot, he gets a treat, etc. I haven't had trouble with getting his ears to bleed the past few days until yesterday. I do pinch his ear after to keep it from bruising. After the fourth different time we had both had it. Today I have just been going to our spot and petting and rubbing his ears hoping we can have a good day of testing tomorrow. I just got frustrated because he had been doing so good. I use the lancet device and have everything laying out.
 
Don't worry...it seems like I went through the same thing. I was doing just fine then one day it all seemed to get 10x harder. Trouble even started jerking when he felt the syringe touch his fur. Pretty sure I may have given myself a partial insulin injection one day nailbite_smile We had a rough few weeks, but then it all went back to being ok. Trouble's left ear bleeds way easier than his right. Maybe you need to find the "sweet spot on the lucky ear." :-D
Tomorrow will be a new day and you will get back on track--we've all been there!

Come on Sidney, quick stressen your momma out!
 
Hang in there Denise, it DOES get easier. I never quite got the hang of using the ear- Kazi gets her BG tested via her paw pad. I don't know what your kitty's temperment is, Kazi is a pretty chill cat and happy to lay upside down in my lap. I found snagging some blood from her paw pad to be MUCH easier. In the beginning it did take me a few tries - now I get it on the first poke every time. :-) You might also look for a 32 gauge lancet- they have a smaller lancet and that means less pain, so your kitty will be less annoyed if you have to give it a few tries.

For now, I would keep your current dose - we need more numbers than you have right now to make a good educated decision.
 
Re: 9/14 Sidney, no test

Thanks for all the encouragement and help. I have found the sweet spot a couple of times on his right ear. I kept thinking maybe it got sore from me using it. I can't seem to get hardly any out of his left ear. Even though his is only getting 1 u bid, I can tell he feels so much better than when he was getting 3u. He spends most of his time with the family now instead of sleeping in his room or under the bed. Maybe that's why he was so uncooperative yesterday. I know this is something that has to be done, so I will do it. What are the most important times? I know the am & pmps. I guess I just need to do the every two hour thing.
 
Have to agree with Sienne. Jez's right ear is worthless when it comes to testing. Always have to use the Left...
Debie & Jezebel
 
I always used Muffin's left ear too, until one day the sun was shining thru it and it looked to be pretty bruised. So for the next couple days I used the right ear - it took extra pokes the first few times, but now it bleeds a little better. Still not as good as the left one, but good enough so I can use it from time to time to give the left one some healing time with neosporin.
 
If you would like to do a curve, maybe try getting a test every three hours during the cycle. Mark the BG numbers down in the appropriate box on your SS and the following day, you can get alternating hours.

There is important information in the starred stickies at the top of the page. The following is taken from the first one "New to the Group" It is just a guide and the numbers may not correspond to the explanation for your kitty...but it is a guide at any rate:

Learn how YOUR kitty is responding to insulin:
Onset - the length of time before insulin reaches the bloodstream & begins lowering blood glucose
Peak/Nadir - the lowest point in the cycle
Duration - the length of time insulin continues to lower blood glucose
How to do a Curve

Example of a typical curve:
+0 - PreShot number.
+1 - Usually higher than PreShot number because of the last shot wearing off. May see a food spike in this number.
+2 - Often similar to the PreShot number.
+3 - Lower than the PreShot number, onset has started.
+4 - Lower.
+5 - Lower.
+6 - Nadir/Peak (the lowest number of cycle).
+7 - Surf (hang around the nadir number).
+8 - Slight rise.
+9 - Slight rise.
+10 - Rising.
+11 - Rising (may dip around +10 or +11).
+12 - PreShot number.
 
Be sure to always get the AMPS and the PMPS because those are the time you will be giving insulin. You should also get a before bedtime check each night. By doing a curve, you will see by the numbers when the nadir or peak time is for the insulin action. It will be the lowest number ...each kitty is different and each nadir may or may not change.
If you can get a few tests in tomorrow it would be great. Try for the curve, but even if you can't do it all for some reason, any spot tests during the day will be good data to have.

You are warming his ear and you have the lancet device...you are all set now!
I wish you well with it! :mrgreen:
 
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