9/29 Apollo PMPS 391, +3 277

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Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261

Yellow two days in a row! WooHoo! Apollo is really responding well to the Lantus. His ss is beautiful with lots of yellows and blues. I am so glad to hear that he is getting back to his old self little by little. I never knew how sick Tarragon really was until he started to get better. Playing with toys is a great great sign.

Hope you have a great day!!
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261

Thanks Melissa. Hope you have a great day too.

I really have begun to see a change. He is much more active and seems to just be feeling better overall. I think it's a combination of going onto only wet food and also the Lantus working in tandem. Yeah! :-D
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261

Yeehaw! Great numbers for Apollo. It is so great to see them feeling better and enjoying themselves. We are seeing that with Zener too. Have a great day!
Liz
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261

Hi guys .. yay on another yellow start to the day! Love hearing apollo is doing all wet food and is showing signs of improvement, so encouraging! I won't be around tomorrow so have a great weekend!
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261

It is so nice to see Apollo responding so quickly- go Apollo! :lol:
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +3 102, help?

Just did his AMPS +3 and he is at 102. Anything I should be doing or is he ok at this point?
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +3 102, help?

He's fine. I would get another test at +3.5 and then gauge from there. You can feed a teaspoon (or less) of LC and see if that slows things down and helps Apollo to surf.

I've got to leave in a few minutes. I think there are others who are around. If you need info, this post on handling low numbers has info written out (and it's in the shooting and handling low numbers sticky, too).
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +3 102, +3.5 92, help?

Apollo! U iz duin gud! Don't drop tu lo, that scarez our beans......KT

John - Wow! SEE, we TOLD you it would get better. Apollo is REALLY meaning business now. I'm too new to advise but we rode that train yesterday...those numbers are really good. He's not too low so don't panic! He's in the WONDERFUL zone!
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +3 102, +3.5 92, +4 80, help?

Just did his AMPS +4 and he is at 80.

I know he is in normal range, but I'm getting nervous.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +3 102, +3.5 92, +4 80, help?

80 is still a safe number and he's coming down fairly slow. Just keeping testing....you don't need to food manage this right now.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +3 102, +3.5 92, +4 80, +4.5 75

Yep John - it's SCARY! We just did this dance yesterday. You're still within a wonderful range. Breathe.......it's WORKING right!
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4 80, +4.5 75, +5 65, help

Just did his AMPS +5 and he is at 65. I'm getting really nervous.

Gave him a teaspoon full of LC after +5 test. Should I give him any syrup or anything else?
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4 80, +4.5 75, +5 65, help

you're doing fine! I would test at +5.5 to see if the low carb slowed the drop. If he is still dropping then you might give a tsp of high carb food.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4 80, +4.5 75, +5 65, help

Thanks. Just scares me when he gets so low.

I have flashbacks to when he had his hypo episode while on Humulin N. Long story, but basically I kept giving it to him even though he had been throwing up for 2 days. I didn't know. :sad: We had to take him to ER vet and to be honest it really shook me up to see him go through that.

Question:
Am I understanding this correctly that with this whole process it's a constant adjustment, testing, give LC, or HC carb food when needed to keep him from going hypo? I'm so worn out. Does he ever reach a point where he stabilizes and is "predictable" in how much insulin he is getting. I guess I thought by keeping his food and shot times consistent his numbers would be equally consistent?

I want to take a trip to visit my family, but I am terrified no one will be here to help him if need be. We can hire a vet tech to test, and feed him and give him his shot, but they aren't going to know how Lantus works, and having to constantly adjust and monitor him, etc. Should I just skip the shots for the piece of mind? My mind would be racing the whole time I am suppose to be having fun. I guess I just didn't expect the wild variations we've gone through thus far and expected more consistency. Does the consistency come or is this just how it works?
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4 80, +4.5 75, +5 65, help

Right now, this is hard on you because of both your previous experience and you're still very new to Lantus and home testing. As you gather more data, you'll have a far better understanding of Apollo's cycle and at least some of this will become more predictable -- not all, but a great deal -- and you will be much more comfortable with steering numbers with food. The goal is for Apollo to spend as much time in normal BG numbers as possible (i.e., 50 - 120). This will allow his pancreas to heal. For those cats that don't go into remission, many become tightly regulated. They may need their dose tweeked but generally, they are in a good range. There are other cats who seem to have a pancreas and liver that's in a constant state of debate. My cat is one of those. I don't even blink unless I see a low 30. It's pretty much second nature. The huge value of home testing is that you are able to catch these drops and bring the numbers back up before your cat experiences symptomatic hypoglycemia.

When I travel, I have a vet tech that comes in x2/day to shoot and feed. Gabby will not permit anyone but me to test. I lower her dose so she's in a safe range. That's really the only way to handle travel issues unless there is someone staying in your home who can monitor.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4.5 75, +5 65, +5.5 65, help

Thanks Sienne. I guess I just wasn't fully prepared for the major fluctuations in his numbers. It's like each day (and night) after the shot it's a new adventure. Is he going to be high, low, big drop, little drop, no clue. I'm not even totally comfortable leaving the house each day. My sleep is sporadic, I don't know if I can keep this pace up. My family is starting to lose patience with me having to be there 24/7 for Apollo. I shot Humulin N for a year and never checked his BG once (Not good I know). But this is starting to take a toll on me and my family. I didn't think I would have to monitor this so much. I guess I didn't fully expect the unpredictability. I figured if you give X amount of insulin u get X reaction. Doesn't seem to be any consistency at this point. Does it become consistent eventually or is this just the way it works?
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4.5 75, +5 65, +5.5 65, +6 66

Hey John:

Sienne asked me to check in on you. He's surfing now!!!! Great news!!! I wouldn't be surprised if he heads up in a little bit. How's he doing on the pokeys?

eta: just read your condo. I know it is tough and you don't get a lot of rest. We've been at this a year and there are two of us doing it but we still get exhausted. I haven't seen my mom in two years. Sometimes it just takes a bit of time for them to get a little more consistent. But ECID and it's a learning process. At first, it is very erratic but as you build data, you'll be able to predict more his patterns. Hang in there.

LL mantra: it's a marathon, not a sprint. Hugs!
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4.5 75, +5 65, +5.5 65, +6 66

:YMHUG: :YMHUG: :YMHUG: it will get better, or at least you will get used to it. Apollo has a nice surf going and you are controlling it just w/ LC food so far. :thumbup

Part of what is happening is that his pancreas may be starting to heal, as it does it may start to produce his own insulin and his need for Lantus will diminish. You will begin to see overall trends in his cycle pattern as well as the daily one. Knowledge is power, testing helps us so much to understand this dance.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4.5 75, +5 65, +5.5 65, +6 66

Hi John!! You're doing great with Apollo. I know how you feel when it finally hits you when you realize your life has to be put on hold while you deal with FD. The good news is, when Apollo gets more regulated, which will take a bit of time, you will be able to go out to dinner, go to the movies, and hang out with friends and family. But, unfortunately, your life won't be the same as it was pre-FD. You have to be much more flexible with your plans....going to dinner earlier or later, postponing if Apollo's BG sinks, etc. You'll also get more sleep once you have more data because you'll be able to somewhat predict what's he's going to do at certain points in his cycle. The first month of following the protocol with hometesting and shooting every 12 hours is the hardest because that's your time to get into a rhythm and try to convince those around you that you're NOT crazy for doing this for a cat. All I can do is emphasize that it DOES get better, much better, and to just hang in there.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4.5 75, +5 65, +5.5 65, +6 66

Marjorie and Gracie said:
How's he doing on the pokeys?
Click to expand...

Getting better. He still fights me a bit, but I think that was partly my fault as the first time we started testing I wasn't exactly the best at using the lancet. I have slowly improved on getting a good tiny poke the first time.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4.5 75, +5 65, +5.5 65, +6 66, +7

Good....and look at that wonderful +7!! Great job today, John!!!

Apollo looks like he's going to actually give you a very nice lantus curve!!!

Now take a breather....and grab a nap. You can probably wait a couple hours to test.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4.5 75, +5 65, +5.5 65, +6 66, +7

Hi John! Great job with Apollo!

I wanted to share something with you about Humilin N. It is a terrible insulin because it causes hypos and you can not control it. I was on it for most of my life until Lantus came out. I can't imagine having to give that insulin to a cat even if you home tested because it is unpredictable. Lantus may seem that way as well but I think it is a much gentler insulin with fewer extremes. Just hang in there and give yourself and Apollo time to adjust. I have been giving Morgaine Lantus since June and am still learning about her patterns but I see them more and more clearly. Yesterday I had to be gone all afternoon and so I adjusted her dose a little and gave her some HC food to ensure her safety and I didn't worry about her at all because I knew her patterns and knew she would be okay. You will get there and I do think Apollo will become more stable. This is all new to his little body and his liver seems to be reacting. It will get better.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +4.5 75, +5 65, +5.5 65, +6 66, +7

Rosalie makes an excellent point. Just think how much better Apollo is doing already. Wasn't Apollo on some huge dose of N? You're giving Apollo a modest dose and have changed his diet and his numbers are looking great!
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +5.5 65, +6 66, +7 101, +8.5 131

Just did his AMPS +8.5 and he is at 131.

Sienne and Gabby said:
Rosalie makes an excellent point. Just think how much better Apollo is doing already. Wasn't Apollo on some huge dose of N? You're giving Apollo a modest dose and have changed his diet and his numbers are looking great!
Click to expand...

Yes, he was up to 10 units twice a day of Humulin N. I really think the change in diet and Lantus is helping him tremendously. I'm just having anxiety seeing him dip so low and needing me to be there 24/7 as a safety net with food to prevent a hypo. I would have thought that if he was on the proper dose of Lantus he would NEVER get even close to hypo range unless something else went wrong, like he didn't eat, threw up, etc? Does that make sense?
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +5.5 65, +6 66, +7 101, +8.5 131

Awww...but John.....it's finding the "proper dose" that is part of the key. However, cats are not so easy to regulate. I think he and you have done stellar today.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +5.5 65, +6 66, +7 101, +8.5 131

John,
It was about +7 yesterday into this quickstep dance when I began questioning the change to Lantus. At least with Humulin, I knew it was short acting and would 'wear off' quickly instead of having to worry about the 'on board' insulin still acting....I was SO tired. Hang in there, today I'm not even wishin' for that N. This IS the way to go.....

Kudos for your care!
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo AMPS 261, +5.5 65, +6 66, +7 101, +8.5 131

It can be tough when a cat first hits their breakthrough. You get used to high and flat (and so do they), but often once a cat hits a breakthrough, they will go through a series of dose reductions fairly quickly. Things really do settle down after that, at least for most cats. Look at some spreadsheets of the cats that have been here a while and you'll see that progression on most of them. Hang in there!
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo PMPS 391

not bad. A bounce is to be expected right now (Apollo is just trying to get used to green numbers). He seems to clear his bounces very quickly, so I bet he'll be back down to blue (or even green) in a cycle or two. I would grab a test before bed just to be safe.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo PMPS 391

John - my vet had me giving my Kitty 10 units twice daily, no testing. I don't know humulin, but I know what that's like.

I think the fact that Apollo is reacting to Lantus this way is very positive. You can't blame his system for bouncing around. It has no idea how to handle normal BG. So it will take time for his liver not to panic and bounce. I believe it will.

So this is not forever. Your work is going to pay off. Hang tough.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo PMPS 391

And ps, it's very anxiety provoking to go through these bounces! But 65 isn't a hypo number, it's a HEALTHY number. You just don't have the data yet to know what to expect. When you have more information about how he reacts, it will be less stressful.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo PMPS 391

Hang in there John, you are doing great! I am still learning the dance and most importantly, that I never get to lead! :lol: :lol: :lol:
It has been a big adjustment for us to accept our lives have to be more flexible because Liz and I are big on control! I believe Zener is teaching us one of those life lessons with his FD. And we have good days and then days when we are pretty down about it all. Still, when we see how much better Zener is feeling, it keeps us keeping on and doing so gladly. My co-workers think I'm a little nuts, but then they thought that before Zener developed FD, so now they have "a reason" to explain my "uniqueness". :lol: :lol: :lol:

The only (knock on wood) symptomatic hypo we had with Zener was when he was on Humulin N. Fortunately, he responded well to karo on his gums and after that episode my vet convinced me home testing was the only way to go. Although she wasn't very knowledgeable about Lantus, she was an advocate for home testing. I was the reluctant one (it was before I found FDMB). It's been almost 6 months since that happened but I still get weak in the knees when his values get in the greens. :oops:

You are doing a wonderful job and I know Apollo appreciates your loving care and kindness.
 
Re: 9/29 Apollo PMPS 391

65 is a wonderful #, actually. You're doing great, John!!! Keep up the excellent work!!

Just remember that it may take a bit for Apollo to get that breakthrough. I know. Blackie's now on a downhill slide, and has had 3 reductions since September 12th. She was diagnosed March 13, 2010, which makes her a long term diabetic. Now, I'm trying to keep her from going too low. :lol:
 
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