Acromegaly ??

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Sandra Wosk

Member Since 2022
My newly diagnosed cat has only been on insulin for two months.. now they say she has this disease ... the choice is so expensive almost 7000 dollars for 1 treatment( and more treatments after that) ... vet also says that if they reassess the insulin dose she will have a good quality of life without it..... We are so confused.. they say she is not a good candidate for radiation or brain surgery.. yet they are saying this drug could work... no guarantees of course but it seems to me all they want is more money.. they haven't really shown much compassion for our baby girl.. I don't want my baby to suffer .. but if her heart and liver are not good what then? Can anyone help with this question before we have to make the big decision?
 
I will tag @Wendy&Neko for you as she is very experienced with acro.
In the meantime can you tell us has your kitty been tested for Acro?
What insulin and dose is you kitty on?
What was the date of diagnosis?
What type of food are you feeding?
 
Here is the link to your first post here: https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-here.265955/ Waving "Hi" to you and sweet Purrty from the lower Mainland.

I am surprised you have a diagnosis of acromegaly so soon after starting insulin. Usually it's suggested to wait at least 73 days after starting insulin before getting the test done. On what basis did they decide she has aromegaly? How old is your kitty? My girl Neko also had acromegaly, and she had radiation therapy which helped greatly. Since then, a drug called cabergoline has been tested and shown to help a lot. Is that the one they mentioned?

Sandra Wosk said:
he choice is so expensive almost 7000 dollars for 1 treatment( and more treatments after that)
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What treatment were they talking about? Surgery and radiation can cost that much. And you need to travel to get it. Surgery is either Washington State or New York, none in Canada. Radiation therapy you can get in Calgary, and there might be a new one in Victoria. The medication is a lot cheaper, unless they are talking pasireotide, which no one gives to their cat because it costs too much.

Sandra Wosk said:
but if her heart and liver are not good what then?
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Has she had a heart exam?
 
Purrrty is a nine year old spayed female.. she had a feral/farmyard mom who was killed in a road accident so I am told, but she was brought to me at 5 weeks old.. She was only just diagnosed with Diabetes two months ago, but her numbers just weren't adding up to the vet.. the insulin she is on is called Basaglar ... glargine... 4 units twice a day.. they did a blood test and sent it off.. vet said no radiation recommended or surgery.. In Canada lots of things are not available. She has also not had a heart exam. No access to some things here on Vancouver Island without travelling many kms to get some place. On top of that Purrrty is now not eating anything.. she refuses food .. She was eating Fancy Feast but she won't eat that anymore.. tried every food available here.. no go.. she is not interested.. she was eating some kibble but not any more .. The vets want to do more tests but to be honest we are disabled seniors and I love my furbabies but we are already in debt way over our heads.. With no big income we are scraping by .. just... as for the drug I don't know what it is called they never told us just that it was over $7000.00 dollars for a three month supply and that she will be on it for life.. we can not afford $20 grand a year for this.. we just don't have it.. so in the end we have decided that we can't watch her suffer anymore.. she cries lots now.. so sadly we will do what is best for her and let her go.. but I do thank you all for the caring.. No one else here does... xxxxx.. Sandra...
 
Sandra Wosk said:
She was only just diagnosed with Diabetes two months ago, but her numbers just weren't adding up to the vet.
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Do you have the numbers that were not "adding up"?
Sandra Wosk said:
the insulin she is on is called Basaglar ... glargine... 4 units twice a day..
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That is a good insulin. 4 units is a little high but by itself does not indicate acromegaly.
Sandra Wosk said:
they did a blood test and sent it off.
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Do you know the specific blood test and the results? The test is likely the test for insulin like growth factor (IGF-1).
 
The reason we are asking so many questions is that a lot of vets are unfamiliar with acromegaly, much less treatments. We have seen people getting wrong diagnosis, so want to verify the blood test done and the value of it. For treatments, there is a drug called cabergoline, that is given either once a day or once every two days, which is way cheaper. Your vet was probably quoting pasireotide, or Signifor, that is so expensive that no one gives it. Cabergoline is the most popular treatment given here, but relatively new, and very reasonably priced. Radiation therapy is more expensive, and available in Victoria.
 
The tests they took were as following.. 1 in house chemistry
2.. IDEXX insulin like growth factor. I don't know about the drugs.. They only told us of 1 option and it was over 7000 bucks for three months.. I would not say that was a reasonable price .. NO other drug offered... and unless we give the drug they recommend at that price they don't really give us any thing else..but keep asking us to go back and reassess.. tired of re-assessing and getting and causing my baby more pain as she doesn't travel well and is sick there and back.. Each time we go back its so expensive.. and we don't get to see vet.. only a tech...
 
You should demand to see a vet. A tech is fine for taking blood, but not for treatment decisions. Tell your vet you want to try cabergoline instead. If your vet needs convincing, print off a copy of the paper I attached to post 6 of the following thread. https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...betes-mellitus-and-hypersomatotropism.259213/
Giving the vet the paper will show him/her that you have been doing your research. It is a much cheaper option and effective in many kitties. We've seen other vets do minimal research and suggest that people give pasireotide, which is probably the expensive one suggested to you.
 
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