9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction???

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Skunky's Mom

Skunky's Mom

Member Since 2014
I'm sorry if this is a misuse of the 911 icon. It feels like an emergency to me.
I just checked Skunky at +2.25 (was a little late getting back) and she is 56. She ate well at a little after her AM shot. I just fed her some Friskies tuna. I am very scared of what is to come with a 56 so early in her cycle.

I am tempted to feed some high carb. I need to go to work, but I have worked from home before and if I need to, I can.

I even skinnied her dose this morning. .9 is just an estimate (it's what I put on her SS) but I did skinny it. Thank God I did.

thoughts?
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56 . What to do?

Low numbers are always scary at first. Test again half an hour after the food to see if her regular food is bringing her up.

Are you home to monitor? Do you have plenty of strips, MC, HC or karo/honey?
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56 . What to do?

I have what I need. maple syrup. . didn't see any need to buy something special. Everything is high carb, I should have got some medium. OK, i will test her in an hour from the tuna.

it's something like 8 or 9%, whereas the turkey and giblets she has been eating is a big lower ( idon't remember right off hand).
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56 . What to do?

Test in half an hour. It gives you a little more time to plan. 8-9% is really MC, but you can mix it w/ a lower carb food if you want something a touch lower. I never went out and got karo either, we have honey so that's what we use.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56 . What to do?

Now she is 54 - 10 minutes from +3. So really, that's no change?

The two high carbs I have are 17% and 21%, according to the catinfo list. I just doubled checked and the turkey and giblets I have been feeding her is 8%.

she's feeling groovy. I'm just so worried about what is to come. Check again in half an hour I guess? She ate quite a lot of the tuna and is now chilling.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56 . What to do?

I also have some leftover dry food. It's probably stale but I bet she'll eat it if I give it to her.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56 . What to do?

Thanks for chilling me out. A little ;-)
Now I need to go back and read the long thing on dealing with low numbers that Julie sent me and refresh my memory!

I love the picture of your Tess so cute!
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56 . What to do?

Yeah that really isn't a change. She isn't in danger zone yet, but you want to keep her from going any lower. The idea is to make them really work to get a reduction, don't just let it happen. That way you know the pancrease is really starting to work.

keep testing about every half hour to an hour. Some cats just need a little MC to bring them up and others need more. When is her usual nadir? Try to avoid the dry food, it takes too long to get into the system and too long to leave. Most wet foods will show an effect in 20 to 30 minutes.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56 . What to do?

Thanks.

Well, her nadir has been running at just about exactly +6 since she started playing in the green grass. Before, it was more like 8.

Ok, I'll test her again in 15 mintues (will be +3.5) and go from there.

I wasn't going to give the dry food unless she started really getting bad.

I guess we don't break out the high carb until she drops below 50?
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56 . What to do?

They dry food isn't going to bring her up quickly, save it for times she refuses to eat anything else. The syrup would be better for a fast boost up.

If MC keeps her above 50 I'd stick w/ that, for us at least, HC is a last resort. Tess just stays up after that. (Thanks on the pix BTW! ;-) ) Keep giving just a little food while she stays low, you don't want her to get too full.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56 . What to do?

Thanks. I just checked her and she's 51, at +3.75 (makes my spreadsheet a little wonky but i'm just putting them in the boxes and rounding up or down)

Yes, I don't want her to pig out on the tuna and then not want to eat if I do have to break out the high carb.
I cannot take many days like this - at least not on work days, not if I want to keep my job!
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +5, 59 Can I lea

You would want to wait to see 2 rising numbers that are not influenced from food
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +5, 59 Can I lea

Very nice surf for Skunky today! When is the last time she ate? Was it HC or LC (or MC)? If you leave, would be be gone for many hours, or would it be short?

You do want to be cautious about leaving a kitty in the 50s. If you do absolutely need to leave, you could over-carb her with HC...while it's not ideal, sometimes taking that approach is necessary.

If you just need to run out for a short while, you could just give her a smaller amount of HC as a security meausre - maybe a tablespoon or so - to help prop her up a little bit without sending her into the stratospere.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +5, 59 Can I lea

Thanks Amy and Trixie.

This is nice? Yikes, I find it terrifying. I liked those nice flat 80s.

Let's see, she hasn't eaten for a while. Maybe 2 hours? I'm about to go test her again we are at +6. She's been eating Friskies tuna which is 9%. usually, we have been eating the turkey and giblets which is 8. I can't imagine what would happen if I could get her to eat something 4%.

I gave her the tuna because I know she will eat it voraciously. I was just going to run to the office for an hour, but then I have to pick up my daughter. We shall see what I see in a minute.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +5, 59 Can I lea

Ah, you WILL get used to it...these are nice numbers, although they are "right on the edge". I agree that 80s are a calmer surf, but upper 50s are good safe healing numbers, too!

It is good that she's surfing, too...that she's held steady despite not eating for a couple hours. So I do think you'll be OK to leave for a bit, but I would definitely give her a little snack of maybe some MC before you go, just for good measure....based on her next test, of course.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +5, 59 Can I lea

She's now 64 at +6.

Phew, makes me feel better. Though weird, considering that is reaching her nadir.

Technically you're not supposed to reduce until they go under 50 right? She got to 51. This was on a skinny dose.

I'm going to have to reduce, I'm afraid. I basically had to miss a whole day of work and my company is not going to go for that happening again. Part of me wanted to not feed her so that she would dip low enough to earn a reduction. That's probably crazy :?

I work from home fridays and mondays so maybe I can just skinny thursday's dose and see what happens. Of course I have to see what happens tonight. One day, I will have to sleep. @-)

Thanks all!

I think i will take my butt to work now!
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Very nice +6!

Technically, yes...they need to drop below 50 for a reducie. But sometimes life circumstances dictates otherwise. It is certainly understandable that your place of employment might not be thrilled about too much missed work for low BGs!

If you do decide to reduce, the one thing you want to do is be consistent with the dose, always shooting the same amount. In other words, shooting a reduced dose on days that you work and shooting a higher dose on days that you're home could, and probably will, result in wonky numbers.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Thank you Amy. The part about being consistent with the dose, I did not realize.

I get really nervous about trying to guesstimate the .75 . . I always wondered if that is why sometimes her days were better than others, before we went up to 1u. I should get some calipers.

I should have tried -and I may still - some paired tests with my old Relion Confirm, which read higher.

I want her to be healthy, and I really am hoping for remission, but, I do have to keep my job, and my health. I've felt like a zombie the past two days. I have an interview at +2.5 tomorrow and I will have to be away for a while so I may try reducing tomorrow. I'd rather not have to have a long pajama party tonight but I might be able to handle that!
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Yep, Lantus definitely likes consistency, so you want - for the most part - shoot the same dose. There ARE times when shooting a reduced dose is called for, but ideally you want to be as consistent as possible.

Sleep does become a challenge for us beans, but you eventually do figure out what works best for both you and your kitty. After all, you won't be any good to Skunky or anyone else if you are in a constant state of zombie-ness and/or out of a job! Keep asking questions, though...we are here to help make all of this as easy as possible.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Thanks Amy.

I do have one question, though only somewhat related.

Are 50s better than 80s? Are 60s better than 70s, etc? Are lower numbers absolutely better? Or are they all just as good once you get to a certain point? Are 60s more likely to lead to OTJ than 80s, etc?

I think I am going to reduce to .75 tonight, and see what happens. If it fails, we'll go back up, maybe to something in between. I'd be happy with something in between .75 and 1, if only I felt like I could be consistent with it.

I've always been one who needs a lot of sleep - I need my full 8 hours or at least 7. In addition to having a sugar cat, I'm a single mom to a 2 1/2 year old. Who desperately loves her kitty. So I have a lot to balance.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Fantastic cycle today! :mrgreen: All numbers in the normal range are healing. So, the 50's are no better than the 90's. Personally, I'm a fan of the 80's. If you reduce tonight, just keep an eye on the numbers and if Skunky doesn't get back to greens soon, you may have to increase back up again.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Thanks Wendy!

I am SO GLAD to know that! :-D

That's my plan, if she doesn't stay green we go back to the 1, or maybe something like .9. maybe i need to find me some calipers!
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

I like those greens that don't scare me to death! If I have a choice :mrgreen:
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Good luck with the reducie! I vividly remember how hard it was to balance work and kitty once Jersey decided she liked green. We actually did reduce once even though she hadn't gone below 50 on the dose. She kept flirting with the line, and I wanted to err on the side of caution. She held the reduction well. Of course, she also decided at that point that she didn't care about the protocol, and we ended up reducing rapidly after that. Dumb ol' cat. ohmygod_smile

Anyway, I definitely feel for what you're going through right now. I had wished for so long that she would get into healthy numbers, and then it was absolutely exhausting when she did (and I didn't even test near as often as I should have). And then I felt guilty for being exhausted when so many other kitties couldn't even seem to hit the good numbers....This dance is just really, really hard - no matter what stage you're at.

Come on, Skunky. How 'bout surfin' in the 80's like Wendy mentioned?
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Sometimes when a cat's pancreas begins to heal, it's more like you grab your hat and hang on for the ride. It's hard to be in charge. And like shelly said, cats on an OTJ mission can sometimes skip shots and recover right away.

I agree that it was ok to reduce to 0.75u tonight. I suspect it's not going to slow her own much and you'll see green soon anyway. If you have to leave for work, etc, leave plenty of food for her. Takee a look at jersey's ss in shelly's signature. Once a newly diagnosed cat goes all green like skunky, they are healing . It's intensive but likely to be short term.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Thanks everyone for all the good info and encouragement.

I'm about to go get that PMPS in about 15 minutes.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

PMPS 93

Hmmm. I'm a tad bit surprised it is that high, considering how little she has eaten in the past several hours.
Surely she couldn't be bouncing?

haha.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Oh, I know lots of folks who would give their right arms for a bounce of 93!! She's still surfing those greens, and looking pretty amazing!!
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

thanks Amy! I'll still be getting up a lot tonight. . . :shock:
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Amy&TrixieCat said:
Oh, I know lots of folks who would give their right arms for a bounce of 93!! She's still surfing those greens, and looking pretty amazing!!
Click to expand...

I'm one of them. :lol: :lol: Sorry to leave , others were here and I had class. The AM dose is wearing off now that counts for a lot of the end of cycle rise. Nicely done today.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

My God. A +2 of 66. I figured that couldn't be right and it didn't look like enough blood anyway. so I retested and got a 59. Quite the discrepancy.

I'm gonna average them for my spreadsheet ( i think that's what I've read to do).

My my, it is going to be a long night. Hooray for the reduction. I guess I'll have to get a +4 @-)

Maybe she IS on a mission :mrgreen:
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

Looks like a mission to me. Sending sleep vines your way, one of my daughters needs 10ish hours of sleep every night. She slept more than any baby I've known-20hrs/day as an infant. Which sounds great except that I was stuck at home all that time. Kinda like having a diabetic cat. Lol.
 
Re: 9/3 Skunky AMPS 81 +2.25 56, +3.75, 51, +6 64 Reduction?

It's definitely looking like Skunky is looking to get off the juice. All green even with a reduction.
 
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