9/2 Tink AMPS 580, +1=493 *sigh*

[JenM]

Yesterday: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=124562

:YMSIGH: I know the bouncing is "normal"... but angry(2)_cat


We got into blue again last night - he COULD have even slipped into green, though I doubt it since he had a full meal at +4, which was the lowest number I caught. Still... sometimes he doesn't get much of a food spike (while other times he gets a BIG one - from the same food)... so who knows. Hard to find nadir when every cycle is so vastly different. :roll:

Tink's on his own today, so hopefully he doesn't come down too fast. Maybe I need to set up a nanny-cam. Of course then he'd probably just start spending his days under the bed. ohmygod_smile

 

[tiffmaxee]

Max hangs under the bed a lot too. I know first hand how maddening the bounces are but there's nothing we can do but keep on truckin. I hope it clears gently but soon.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

I know it's frustrating. But you have lots of us who understand the frustration and empathize.

You are doing a great job of testing! But I'm not sure if we've explained to you about the +2 test. It's a good indicator of how the cycle might play out.

If the +2 is much higher than the PS, it's likely to be a quiet cycle. If it's the same or similar to the PS, it's likely to be an active Lantus cycle. If it's much lower than the PS, you should expect a very active cycle with perhaps an early drop.

I bet he had a pretty good drop last night by +2. I have found that big, fast drops cause harder bounces than low numbers so that is why I think you are seeing these numbers today. They don't have to drop low....it's the amount and speed of the drop that can get them. Throw in a lower number and it can do a whammy on them.

I'd suggest a +2 test every cycle that you can get one. Then you can start to manage his curve when you see an early drop.

 

[JenM]

Yes, I have found the +2 quite helpful and generally try to get them - though looking at my data, I see I've missed them the last couple days.

Unfortunately, I can't get a +2 in the morning. I wake up / shoot at 6am and have to leave the house just after 7am. The only way to get a +2 would be to either change my work schedule, or change my shot schedule and start getting up at 5am. Neither option is terribly appealing as both options would require me to essentially waste an hour of my day doing pretty much nothing (I dont need 2hrs to get ready for work, but wouldn't have time to actually get anything else done).

I will be sure to start getting +2s on the PM cycle though.

Now, regarding "steering" his cycle... I understand how this works - but would I want to be steering the cycle even before he starts seeing a lot of green? Just to avoid the sharp drops? It seems counterproductive to steer him into less of a drop, when we still need lower numbers... although I DO see the value of trying to get to those lower numbers in a more gradual way. So... I guess that's my question... should I be more concerned with keeping the drop gradual than I am with getting him into the right range?? For instance, had I steered him last night... he probably wouldn't have gone as low... but also wouldn't have probably bounced... Am I answering my own question here? HAHA. I guess I just hadn't thought about the need to steer as I tend to think of that in regards to hypo events... but this makes sense. Let me know if I'm answering myself incorrectly. :lol:

 

[Sandy and Black Kitty]

Hi there

Ouch! That AMPS is hard on the eyes. . .

What's the WCR? Appetite OK, all Ps in place?

I agree with Marge that the +2 test is a good indicator.

I have no personal experience to share around using food to prevent dives since BK was not a diver. We just swam in a sea of relentless pink, for what seemed like an eternity - it was 6 months before we saw one single green cell and an entire year before he tasted HC :roll:

Many folks around LL do use feeding techniques to prevent steep dives and can chime in with hints and experience.

I have found that big, fast drops cause harder bounces than low numbers so that is why I think you are seeing these numbers today. They don't have to drop low....it's the amount and speed of the drop that can get them. Throw in a lower number and it can do a whammy on them.

Also throw in the length of time spent at lower numbers, which can cause or contribute to bounces.

With the exception of the AMPS yesterday, all you caught both AM and PM were yellow and blue.
That looks like a first since you started Lantus.
That's a milestone - progress - a very good thing

 

[JenM]

WCR is normal. I used to be able to tell when his bgs were in the 400+ range... but lately he's been just fine even in those ranges. I do still notice extra perkiness when he's in the low blues, but I dont notice the "blah" I used to see in the higher ranges. Maybe it's because he isn't spending as much time there?

He's one of those cats that purrs instantly when you pick him up. His play comes and goes, but he was wrestling last night. Mornings are usually pretty quiet in the play arena (well, 2am not so much... but 6am they're usually asleep). :lol: Haven't noticed any random pooh presents the last few days either (those had become frequent - I think he was a bit constipated or maybe hairballs were taking the wrong elevator...).


Yes, I'm definitely seeing a better TREND overall than we have been. It's just these bounces!!!

I think I'll try steering when I can, to avoid those big drops and see if we can get these bounces out of here! Tink will DEFINITELY appreciate the extra food. I need eyes in the back of my head just to make dinner. Turn to stir a pot and turn back around to find him scarfing down whatever vegetable I just finished cutting up. ohmygod_smile For a cat, he sure likes his veggies!

So... when steering... how much food should I be giving him? He puts on weight easily - although he's on the lower side of ideal currently, since we've been unregulated for awhile now. He's still getting about 6 oz of Wellness daily, split between 4 meals (AMPS, +4, PMPS, +4). He was gaining weight on this amount during his OTJ run, but has been very slowly losing weight since we lost remission. I've thought about going to 6 meals - but those super small servings just seem to make him hungrier. He just looks at me like "Really?? You call that a MEAL???" :roll: