Re: 9/18 Charlie AMPS 418 +1 367 +9 349 PMPS 317
I am sorry I didn't catch you just to make you feel better but it usually takes me a bit to get Gracie tested and fed and then the others also want to be fed ;-)
I think you did great by shooting....absolutely. And I did mean a +1, not a +11 although I am a huge fan of +11 checks but realize it's tough during the week for those who work.
I am also a big fan of shooting dropping numbers
as long as (1) you have supplies and can and will test because numbers will likely keep dropping until onset and then may drop more, (2) you have the data to know your cat and how they will respond to you shooting a dropping number and to feeding, and (3) it's a safe dropping number to shoot. What is a safe number? It's different dependent on (1) and (2) above. When Gracie was on lantus, I learned to shoot a 50 that she had dropped into. That is not a safe number for many but I knew exactly what I needed to do to keep her safe, I knew what she would do, and I knew that I would check her every half hour if I had to. With time, we will help you learn to shoot lower dropping numbers. For now, it's fine for you to shoot these higher dropping numbers and will help Charlie out BUT....and I emphasize BUT.....you have to know that when you shoot any dropping number, you simply must get no later than a +1 test. Sometimes you need to get a +.5. You have to learn to listen to your data that you've been collecting.
The other thing I said about dropping numbers and clearing a bounce is if the dropping number is a high one and like it was on 9/17 a.m. cycle, the action of the bounce clearing and the action of the shot you are giving is likely to rev up the drop .....just as you saw. So it's important to look at the data and be on top of that with very early testing.
Why are dropping numbers a good thing to shoot if you can do it safely? Because you can take advantage of overlap. On a typical lantus curve, the numbers come up at the end of the cycle and then you have to wait a couple hours until kitty onsets for numbers to come back down. When you shoot a dropping number, numbers usually continue to come down and overlap with the onset of the next cycle so kitty stays in nice numbers. Of course, TR'd cats do this anyway. But again.....shooting dropping numbers can be dangerous if you don't know how to do it, don't know your cat, don't know how to deal with low numbers, etc. So it absolutely must be done with caution and with help from an experienced member if the number you are shooting is 100 or below (higher if it is a really new member).
I'm not seeing any real clearcut examples of Charlie getting a second dip but it would look similar to her a.m. cycle on 8/30. A second dip is where they come down and nadir, go back up, and then come down again at the end of the cycle but not as low as the nadir. The +10/+11 tests are good for seeing whether you have a second dip or not.
