Acro positive

Hello! I am awaiting my Pumpkin's test results and wanted to ask this: in an indicator of IAA when you adjust insulin, see good numbers for a day or two, and then the numbers go up again? This is our pattern for months now. Currently on 8U Lantus. We will see nadirs 88-90 for a day or two and then we won't go under 200 until we up the dose again.

 

I just wanted you to know I saw your message. I have an IAA/acro kittie but that has not been my experience. ECID. I’m tagging @Wendy&Neko

 

With my acrocat, I usually saw no improvement with increasing insulin for a long time- it seemed like there was no change or very little change in his BG with increasing insulin. He even got higher on about the second day after an increase, which I attributed to new dose wonkiness. My boy Darcy didn’t have IAA though- just Acromegaly. Best of luck with Pumpkin! I assume you are getting both tests done - both the IAA and IGF1 test for Acromegaly?

 

Also, do you have a spreadsheet that you can link in your signature?

 

Thank you for your comments! Yes testing for both IAA and acro. No spreadsheet but I test alot! Have it all written down. Anxiously waiting on his results.

 

I am happy to hear that you test a lot. I asked about the spreadsheet because if you need assistance in dosing then your spreadsheet would need to be linked so that people can see it. Moderators cannot give dosing advice without it. If he ends up having either or both of those conditions then dosing can be quite different than standard protocols. I sincerely hope that he will not test positive. He is at 8 units though so something is going on.

 

You can see that a little bit in my spreadsheet, every so often he'd come down for a day or two, then keep going back up. Sometimes we got a good stretch at a dose, then back up. He also has acro though.

 

Sorry for the late reply, been out of town and computer in for repair. Take a look at Neko’s first year. I called the good numbers at first, then going away the “dose going stale”. Of course, if the acro tumour growth is matching pace with dose increases, you can see similar - Neko July to November 2015 was an example of that. Both examples in my spreadsheets.

Getting the test results really helps you know what you are dealing with. Other underlying insulin resistance I have seen produce this effect too, such as glucose toxicity or hear issues, to name two.

 

Positive for acro, negative for IAA. Sad but not surprised. Told my vet about cabergoline. It's her first acro vet and said she would research and call me back.

 

Hi Christine. I’m sorry about the acro diagnosis, but as you said, not a surprise to you.

 

So sorry to hear the results. At least now you have some answers and can figure out how to proceed, and don't have those pesky antibodies complicating things.

For many of us, we were our vets first acrocat. At least that they know of. Neko general practice vet recognized another one shortly after Neko was diagnosed and we learned together. Neko's acupuncture vet realized that a diabetic rescue she had previously was probably acro too. I'm glad to hear your vet is going to research.

At some point, you may want to consider Levemir for insulin. At larger doses, the acid base of Lantus can sting and some cats really notice it. If you see Pumpkin complaining about the shot or walking away, that would be a clue. Note, not all larger dose cats need to be switched.

 

Hi Christine, I think I saw you over on the FB board. Sorry to hear of the acro Dx but welcome to where you will get wonderful help!

 

Thanks for the support! We did get levimir rx and will switch once lantus is gone. Question about cabergoline. Can anyone give me an idea of cost? My vet is notorious for high prices (acro and IAA testing alone was $700) so I want to be able to compare once the vet gets back to me.

 

it’s not something vets have on hand - they have to order from a compounding pharmacy (but I’m guessing you know this after being here.)

My vet ordered 60 mL at 50mcg/mL from Wedgwood pharmacy and I paid $153. This was July 1. Our local compounding pharmacy was going to charge more than that.

 

The cost of cabergoline will also depend on the size of your cat, as it is dosed based on weight of cat. Do shop around, people have seen some variability in pricing. I think most people have been happy with Wedgwood.

 

OH my. That is so high for the testing. My vet only charged about $125 and then there was shipping on top of that since it had to go overnight on ice.

 

I am on the west coast of Canada, quite far away from MSU, and shipping that distance plus tests cost me less too!