Adjusting dosage time?? What do I do?

[HelloKrystie]

Hello!
I just found out NOW! that I need to work this weekend and will not be home to administer my cats insulin at his normal times. Currently he gets his insulin every 12 hours between 630 and 7. In order for me to give him his insulin at somewhat normal intervals I would need to administer his insulin between 3:30 and 4 over the next two to three days. Can I safely adjust his dosing times by 3 hours?
His numbers are decent, but tend to have minor fluctuations where I have skip a dose once a day sometimes.
He is due for his pmps in about 30 minutes. Should I test and try to skip, and then test him again at the new 3:30am time to see if he would need a dose of his insulin? (I tried like hell to get a +11 on him 30 minutes ago...didn’t happen today)

Any advice is helpful!

 

[Nan & Amber (GA)]

I would not shoot 3hrs early, no matter what. That's just 9hrs after the previous shot, and you could get too much overlap of insulin action.

Since ProZinc is an in-and-out insulin, I think your best bet is to skip the dose before the required time shift, so when you start on the new time, it has been 21hrs since the last shot. He might be a bit higher than usual by then, but he'll settle back down...

 

[Nan & Amber (GA)]

In other words, just what you were planning to do, I think....

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

I agree with Nan Skipping the shot before you need to shift the time and then shooting at the new time should work.

 

[HelloKrystie]

Thank you @Nan & Amber (GA) and @Sienne and Gabby (GA).
Pmps was 108. A 25 minute stall gave us 102. So I would be skipping his dose tonight, which makes this a little easier. I’ll definitely check him at his “new time”.

Deb and Juls has suggested an OTJ trial, maybe this is it!

 

[Juls and Billy]

It will be interesting to see what his AMPS is. Might be a good time for that trial after all. And since you need to work this weekend, might be safer too. You don't have to worry about hypos when there's no insulin.

 

[HelloKrystie]

I was going to try the otj trial on a weekend when I could closely monitor, but I guess it isn’t really that necessary. You’re absolutely right...no insulin, no hypo. I didn’t even think about it that way. Thank you, that’s a bit relieving.

 

[Deb & Wink]

Not sure that Sirius will "pass", be successful on the OTJ trial but give it a shot.

OTJ Trial Guidelines (These are the criteria we use when following an OTJ Trial.)

Here are the instructions for an OTJ trial: If on Lantus or Levimir, depot has to drain first before trial starts, about 3 days or 6 cycles. No depot with in and out type insulins (NPH, Vetsulin/Caninsulin, Prozinc). The trial starts when numbers are in the range of a healthy cat (50 - 80 mg/dL), but under 100 overall... with only occasional readings in the 100 - 120 range. Start the trial on the next green pre shot.

If you are posting in the Lantus/Levimir forum, please start a new thread each day which says ‘[Cat name] OTJ trial Day 1 BG xx’ (where xx is the BG reading for that cycle PM), then day2,3 etc. If you are posting in the Main Forum, we don’t require you or need you to do that separate post for each day. In fact, if you have never posted before over in the Lantus/Levimir forum or use a different insulin, you are fine staying in the Feline Health (Welcome & Main Forum). Or in the specific ISG (Insulin Support Group) for your insulin. We’ll cheer you on!

1. Test at your normal AMPS and PMPS times. Feed multiple small meals throughout the day as much as possible (small meals are less likely to overwhelm a newly functioning pancreas). The morning test is now called the AMBG. The evening test is now called the PMBG.

2. If your cat is green (0-99 mg/dL human meter, 0-130 mg/dL pet meter, 0-5.5 mmol/L) at your normal test times, no need to test further until the next "PS" time, just feed small meals and go about your day. If the numbers are blue or higher (100-199 human meter, 130-230 petmeter, 5.5-11 mmol/L), feed a small meal and test again after about 3 hours. Food raises BG's. So if the number is lower 3-4 hours after a meal, then the pancreas is working!

3. Your cat may have a sporadic blue number. Don't panic but post before you decide whether to shoot so we can have a discussion.

4. After 2 weeks, 14 full days, if everything is looking good, we have a party!

Sometimes, the trial doesn't work the first time and we have to give a little more support by starting the cat with a tiny dose of insulin again. I had to do that with Wink. We simply start the cat back on a tiny dose of insulin to support the pancreas with healing for a bit longer. Our goal is a strong remission and it's better to be safe now then sorry later that you rushed it. With just a little more time we will probably get that strong remission we are looking for.