Alice 10/3 - AMPS 439, +3 339 and extra shot accident, +6 230, +9 175, PM NS, +3 271

AliceMeowliss (GA)

Member Since 2019
I went back to sleep after I did her 6AM shot. Sleepily asked human to test Alice at +3. Human gave Alice another shot. 3 hours late too. So now she has had 3 units today instead of 1.5....

Can anyone advise on testing times? I.... I just can’t even....... SIGH.
 
AMPS 439, +3/second AMPS 339, +5 or +2 270

How will this affect my shot time and dose tonight? How many future cycles do I need to worry about? Shall I reduce her evening dose?
I am positively livid/anxious. Sigh.
 
I cannot stay with you. What happens now is that you test a lot – starting right now. Then every 30 minutes. If Alice drops suddenly or goes even close to 50, then you start testing every 20 minutes.

It is very important to keep your spreadsheet up to date. People will be checking it frequently. Write "1.5 units" in the +3 column. Where are you in the cycle?

Do you have plenty of strips? MC and HC food? Honey/karo?

Post a 911 if needed. Shorten your thread title so you can add the +3 and +5 plus future numbers to the title.
Something like "Alice 10/3 HELP! AMPS 1.5u 439, +3 1.5u 339, +5 270"
 
Cassandra, I will watch along. You will take good care of Alice.

Maybe going forward (and I know your mind is elsewhere right now) to avoid a repeat of this event, in the morning always put the two syringes you will need for the day into a glass or mug near your testing gear and use them each day. That way you will know if you (or anyone else in the home) have given the insulin.
 
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I'll keep an eye out for you for awhile. Looks like Alice usually hits nadir around +5 or so. Given the 2 shots, you are going to have two nadirs....one around +5 and the other at +8 with both shots in action thereafter for several hours. Given how high BG was at AMPS this hopefully will turn out to be a non-eventful cycle but don't get complacent as they can surprise us.

Where are you now in the cycle? When is next test due?
 
Last test was +5, it’s a few minutes past 5.5, will test again.

Thank you all. I am no longer going to allow the human to administer the shots I think. So many problems following instructions over so many issues.
 
Why not make it a habit to leave out 2 syringes in a cup every night before bed? That way, if one of you shoots and doesn't communicate it, the check would be whether there is one or two syringes in the cup. I was the only one shooting but I still loaded a shot kit with a week's worth of syringes every Sunday night after that PM shot was given so come Monday morning, I could always count the syringes to know if I had shot or not. I also kept an index card with shot times and dose marked on it in the kit as a 2nd check.
 
255 @ +5.6

She has low carb and I have syrup. I usually keep some MC or HC but the syrup does her fine and doesn’t mess with her tummy as much I think as the gravy.

@MrWorfMen's Mom I keep a small notebook with all her stuff. Human didn’t read the notebook line above where I had already done the AM on time, but wrote down the BGL and shot amount. The rule is to always write down the time. Human has.... issues... with instructions. I guess. :(
 
Maybe you should get one of these to put on your fridge door....just put a piece of tape over the word "Feed" and write in "Shoot"
https://www.amazon.com/DYFTD-Did-You-Feed-Cat/dp/B076FLGVZ9/?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20
upload_2019-10-3_12-14-30.png
 
I concur with the 2 syringe plan. You could even wrap a bit of tape around the top end of the syringes near the plunger, marking them AM and PM.

I think labeling them would be a good idea. I labeled all the cans with their carbs values for the longest time until everyone got used to her regular LC flavor. More labeling again! :)
 
Cassandra, what about a white board with colored dry erase markers, make a graph and cross off when you shoot? Or write out shot 1.5U 10/3 AM with a big check mark?
Our white board saves my sanity..DH doesn't remember much of anything, and we both use the whiteboard on the kitchen wall to remind/post messages to each other, etc.

Here is a desktop model, if you don't have space or can't fix something to the wall
 
@Idjit's mom we have whiteboards but they turn out to end up rather ignored or overlooked for the most part, so I just write her current dosage up on it. All her meals and meds are done in the bathroom. Maybe a digital clock would help so it is easier for human to think about what time it is. I mean honestly, the second shot and test were written in the notebook literally the line below where I wrote the 6AM data down. So if someone doesn’t look at what’s in front of them..... there’s not much I can do perhaps but ask human to refrain from giving shots in the future. Or at least not in the mornings.
 
She is up after about 25 minutes, from 230 to 235, had LC small snack, should I still test every 30 min, or maybe try every 45 min? She does only have one testing ear and it gets sore after a lot of pokes in a day.

I figured she always wants food so I can keep giving her snacks.

@Sue and Luci I think that’s the rule I am about to institute. It’s been nice to have a little backup sometimes but the human has been confused about instructions for pretty much anything lately. It’s time to change who does what!
 
Oh my! I hope Alice will be ok...I have a 'one shooter' rule in this household...very few exceptions to this rule...as in the other human NEVER messes with the insulin.

Looks like so far, so good...Hang in there...
Same here. I'm so possessive of Tina's care, that I started to get upset at DH last night for simply giving her a snack (while I snuck in a ten minute nap) - I thought he might have put too much food in her bowl. On the other hand, I was proud of him for testing her when I was gone once. He's even offered to give shots, and I'm stubbornly refusing.
Excellent luck to you, getting things in line Cassandra. We will be watching Alice kitty.
 
+7 is 249 and she isn’t hungry right now. But she is staying stable. I think I am going to skip a 30 minute test for the sake of her ear, and test again at +8. Does this sound reasonable to anyone else?
 
@Tina Marie and Jan I am rather possessive of most of her care most of the time. But after the no sleep for a month+ post DKA adventure, I became grateful for the bits of relief I received. I’m going to have to change that now!
I get upset when my feeding instructions are not followed either. All 4 cats have different little needs. Yesterday I gave what I thought were simple instructions to feed each cat a quarter of a can while I was gone to some afternoon appointments. I came home to find neither of the girls had been fed (they need it the most), and one quarter of a can was split between the two big ginger boys. :facepalm: I can’t even begin to understand how those instructions went wrong. :banghead:
 
It sounds ok by the look of things so far to wait an hour, but someone else might think not! It turned out great that she was so high this morning, but this isn't the end of those cycles!

Oh my goodness I know! I think an hour for now while she digests that full belly, but I will be checking in repeatedly through the day and night regardless. Once she is under 200 I think I’ll be more concerned about a possible sudden drop.
 
Cassandra, I think you are ok with waiting to the +8. Remember MrWorfmen'sMom said the second nadir would probably be about +8. Looks like Alice usually hits nadir around +5 or so. Given the 2 shots, you are going to have two nadirs....one around +5 and the other at +8 with both shots in action thereafter for several hours. Given how high BG was at AMPS this hopefully will turn out to be a non-eventful cycle but don't get complacent as they can surprise us.

Alice is probably wondering why you are interrupting important nap time, and offering all the extra food. :)
She's doing well, my dear, and so are you. Deep breaths, eat something, drink your water. Listen to some calming music or better yet, come over and do my laundry to "just keep busy, yanno".
 
@Tina Marie and Jan I am rather possessive of most of her care most of the time. But after the no sleep for a month+ post DKA adventure, I became grateful for the bits of relief I received. I’m going to have to change that now!
I get upset when my feeding instructions are not followed either. All 4 cats have different little needs. Yesterday I gave what I thought were simple instructions to feed each cat a quarter of a can while I was gone to some afternoon appointments. I came home to find neither of the girls had been fed (they need it the most), and one quarter of a can was split between the two big ginger boys. :facepalm: I can’t even begin to understand how those instructions went wrong. :banghead:

There is nothing in the world wrong with trying to get some assistance - I hope I didn't sound like I thought otherwise! I'm in awe of people who have real help in the house. I'm sorry yours let you down. That's what I'm scared of, and why there would be some emergency before I'd give away my sole right, ha!!
 
@Idjit's mom , sure, but I’ll have to bring all my laundry too. Hahahaha. How about I do your laundry and you clean my house? (I promise I’d be getting the better deal. Lol!)

@Tina Marie and Jan , I have appreciated the help at times but the human has made repeated mistakes. It’s a really mixed bag. There is some adhd and other factors that seem to make following instructions.... tricky. :(
 
+8 205.... should I definitely skip her shot tonight? I’m wondering if I will need to fast her at +10. What about a reduced dose like half a unit?

Ideally I’d like to be out for a bit today if I can safely leave. I can have someone else here to do feeding but no testing.

She had been running high so much lately, it’s not the worst time for her to get a double dose. But of course I’m worried about later, like those middle of the night effects and such. I’m sure I’ll be up every 2-3 hours tonight when I usually sleep!
 
If you want to shoot tonight, your PMPS would be based on the time of the 2nd shot. You could give the dose 30 min earlier in order to move your shot time. However, I don't know how the change in shot time will effect your schedule over the next several days. If you do skip, you can get back on schedule tomorrow morning (and you can sleep). I'd only be concerned about skipping if there's been an issue with ketones.


 
Cassandra, so sorry this happened. We have seen it before, it happens. Be vigilant which you are. Hopefully it will be a non event.

As far as the other human, it sounds like there are some memory or mental deficits. Has the issue been discussed with a doctor?
 
If you want to shoot tonight, your PMPS would be based on the time of the 2nd shot. You could give the dose 30 min earlier in order to move your shot time. However, I don't know how the change in shot time will effect your schedule over the next several days. If you do skip, you can get back on schedule tomorrow morning (and you can sleep). I'd only be concerned about skipping if there's been an issue with ketones.


Honestly I haven’t gotten a ketone test in awhile and I’m not sure if my ketone strips are still good anymore. She hasn’t lost weight and her muscle tone is looking really good, but she has been shedding glucose in her urine again some lately.

And I see what you are saying about the schedule. I suppose skipping would be better then because otherwise her nadir would be way after midnight and that’s too much of a mess!

Cassandra, so sorry this happened. We have seen it before, it happens. Be vigilant which you are. Hopefully it will be a non event.

As far as the other human, it sounds like there are some memory or mental deficits. Has the issue been discussed with a doctor?

We are uninsured. Medicaid was not expanded in Oklahoma when the Affordable Care Act went into effect. Our governor then was awful. I agree there are some issues, but I attribute it to the ADHD and anxiety and if anything else is going on with human, no severe emergent symptoms have presented themselves (yet). Finding health care is an ongoing process for the human and myself both! There’s a clinic for certain types of services (will treat anxiety and such), but nothing for medical. A frustrating world we live in sometimes when we need things! I’m still trying to figure out how to get my chronic recurring pain and fatigue diagnosed too.

You know I was contacted twice in a week by people looking for help for their epileptic dogs and there’s no organization for that. If you google help for seizure dogs you get a ton of websites to help epileptic humans get support animals, but no support for the animals in need. Thank goodness for DCIN, or we would have been so lost, Alice would not be here right now.
 
+10.1 was 163, +10.6 was 162, I am going to feed a good LC meal and ask the secondary human to kindly provide some extra food and I am going to visit a family member for a bit to destress from about a million things. I think she is not declining quickly enough at this point for me to panic for a little while.

Thank you everyone for your support!!!!


My PJ loves to tear the cardboard scratchers to pieces and throw the pieces around.
That sounds like what my bunny would do if he got a hold of one. Haha.
 
I did end up visiting some family for dinner and it was a relief for a few personal reasons to get out for awhile.

What would normally be +3 from PMPS is already 271. Sigh. She’s been running high lately in general.

I’ve been thinking about her slightly elevated kidney and liver values a couple weeks ago, and if I should try to lower the phosphorous content in her diet or other related things? I was getting to be sooooo nervous while I was away!

How will I trust anyone to watch her while I am gone for a whole week later this month? Oh my goodness.
 
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