9/8 MAX AMPS 89+2.25/85+3.5/73+5/66+6.25/80 PMPS 107+2.5/123+4.75/90

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So I must be doing something wrong. How do people manage to do TR with just 3 tests a day? Look at Max this morning. He's likely to have an active cycle. How would you manage this without more testing? I'd love to know. Would you leave him in higher numbers? I read the advice given to newbies and it worries me. Plus I would love to test less, be able to leave before +5 without worries, and have more of a life. However I would not be able to forgive myself if he went hypo while I was away.
 
I think it all comes down to "know thy cat." Miss Meows usually starts settling into her dose around day 4 or 5. So I have to test her more to make sure she's getting all she needs from the dose. I suppose others know what their kitty usually does so feel confident testing and increasing the way they do. It's always a tricky one for me - just this morning I was going back and forth on whether or not I should go late into work to keep any eye out, or if she'd be safe. It is an active cycle... but with all the data I've collected, I'm pretty confident she shall surf safe today ::fingers and kitty toes crossed:: Trust me, I wish I had that life back too, not having to worry about testing all the time, it's like having a child (and we are pretty adamant about having cats, not kids).
::sigh::
Oh well. She IS our kid so you do what you gotta do. You've been doing a wonderful job! Don't get disheartened. We're all in the same boat and can totally commiserate with you.

::hugs:::bighug:
 
Thanks Gabrielle. I just don't know how people can be told you can do TR with just 3 tests a day. Granted Max is a 'special" case. We are getting close to the two year mark. Some days it's obvious he will have a higher day and less testing is needed but many not so much.

Anyhow, the cardio appointment for DM for today was cancelled. Depending on how the week goes and what info comes back from the heart monitor we will likely go the end of the week.
 
He looks like he's having a beautiful surf right now. Nice and flat green. I think I would be comfortable leaving him. I know your big concern is that he doesn't eat when you aren't there. Wish we could figure out a way to fix that. o_O

His spreadsheet lately is looking just awesome, Elise.

Sending more vines and prayers for your DM. :bighug:
 
It's tricky for me to have to leave if Furball looks like she's going to go low. I usually leave extra food our, or sometimes HC out, and hope she doesn't go too low. I hate to mess up her numbers, but I have to keep her safe.

Nice surfing for Max today. Sending prayers for your mom. :bighug:
 
I did have to wake him at +5 and then he ate some of tge food that was out. I'll start experimenting with not feeding him at +5 to see if he doesn't stop more. Of course that will change tomorrow. His nadir seems to be earlier if he doesn't have a food spike and starts green. For now.
 
Elise, I feel exactly as you do with the TR testing. I think to only test three times a day, you would have to have a cat with very predictable BSLs if you wanted to have them in low numbers and keep them safe. And most newbies don't know their cat well enough to predict an outcome.
If Sheba is having a bounce I can happily leave her for the day. But if she is in low numbers I have to test more often to keep her safe. I also would love to test less.
If Sheba is dropping fast.......I can give her honey and HC and she can still drop further, so I can't confidently leave her and know she will be safe. Once she is at about +7 or 8 I can usually give her some honey and know she will be OK if I have to go out and get kids from school for example.....gone one and a half to two hours. The only way if I am caught in a situation where I have to go out earlier in the day is to abort the cycle.
I have tried all sorts of things with the diet to try and smooth out the curve....
Interested in what others do...........how the cat reacts to the insulin and how they drop makes it different for each person.....ECID
 
Elise and Bron
For more than two months now Gus responds very unpredictably to the insulin. He is mostly high with occasional low cycles. I know he needs more insulin but with bounces and sudden low cycles I am very reluctant to increase to soon. I wanted to follow TR but I don't have guts. I test him more often about five times per day and if I see odd numbers more often. I hope I didn't have to do it but I am so afraid he will go to low. It is all about keeping him safe and comfortable. I have accepted the reality of not being able to go to the remission but I am hoping to get his BG's in better range. Also lack of appetite (anti jinx) is a problem when I am trying to feed the curve it is all up to Gus to participate.

Elise sending prayers and healing vines for DM. Max way to go just about time to give mamma brake.
 
I agree it can be really hard if the cat involved is not a good eater. Fortunately Sheba is a good eater, unless she is unwell and then her appetite just disappears. I think we all have to do what we are comfortable with.
 
@tiffmaxee I wondered the same about TR with only 3 or 4 tests a day - not sure how that can be done. I have not been at this long and I can see that Genghis throws me some curves but I can only say that I am trying to balance out the protocol with the reality of a full time job and my strong desire to regulate Genghis the best that I possibly can. When I first joined I was adamant that I would stick to SLGS as my cautious nature preferred it, but when the better results came with Lantus, I got more daring. It's not perfect, and like Carla, sometimes I have to leave out HC or be less aggressive with dosing which might mess up her numbers, but it's the compromise I have to make. Like Bron's Sheba, Genghis is a very reliable eater, so a timed feeder works in my case, plus I have a pet sitter come late morning to check on her. I can't and don't follow TR to the letter - I have to adjust and be willing to live with higher numbers as my intuition and data dictate. I think it's easier for me and G because we don't have the added wrinkles of pancreatitis and CKD, too.

I was puzzling over Max's spreadsheets - and came to no conclusion except to know you are an amazing mom to him!!!
 
Thanks for chiming in Melanie, Bron, Carla, and Elizabeth.

@elizabeth and gus, I didn't start out homes testing at all. In fact my first posted started with something like please don't beat me up for not home testing. I was going to my vet for nadirs a couple times a week. Then Max was at 60 and my vet had me stop insulin for three weeks. When he had to start again my vet had me test him in his office. I was pretty much doing SLGS but didn't know it. Gradually I became trusting of the wonderful people here and TR followed. With time you will grow more confident increasing more often too.
 
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you know....
i was so lucky....
i was nervous all the time in the beginning....but Shadow proved early not to be dramatic.... she just surfed and surfed....yet I kept waiting for some drama.
only once did she drop low.... even all her decreases were earned by the 7 day method.
so it really does become know thy cat.
now when the eating got wonky, i had to back off in dosing....but each test just confirmed her pattern.
luckily, i just didn't go away for very long so I could always be around....

still praying for your dm....
 
rhiannon and shadow (GA) said:
you know....
i was so lucky....
i was nervous all the time in the beginning....but Shadow proved early not to be dramatic.... she just surfed and surfed....yet I kept waiting for some drama.
only once did she drop low.... even all her decreases were earned by the 7 day method.
so it really does become know thy cat.
now when the eating got wonky, i had to back off in dosing....but each test just confirmed her pattern.
luckily, i just didn't go away for very long so I could always be around....

still praying for your dm....
Click to expand...
Thanks Rhiannon.
 
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