Another typically weird Sam day

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KristenP&Sam

KristenP&Sam

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AMPS - 348 (Not bad, been worse, right?)
+3 - 177 (I was feeling so good right here...)
+6 - 345 (I'm sorry, what?)

He's trying to make me gray. I can feel it.
 
thank goodness for hair dye! I'd probably have been prematurely gray about 6 months ago thanks to Charlie if not for that!
 
I was hoping that +6 was a fluke or a meter error. But I guess not. You're sure it wasn't a fur shot? Is the insulin expired? That was you who just got a new vial because your old one expired, right? So that's probably not the problem. Maybe he's just having an off-day. Anything stressful going on around the house today?
 
I don't know either. He is really "interesting" in the different ways he reacts. it's almost that he reacts well to a different dose, but once he settles in, it isn't what he needs. Maybe try going up or down- your choice - and see what you get. .4 or .6 ?

Hopefully Robin and or Joanne will be on tonight and have ideas.
 
I always feel to make sure there's no wetness after I give him his shot, plus I felt it go into his skin this morning. I'm sure it wasn't a fur shot. And the vial is pretty new because, yes, I did just have the expired one.

There's nothing unusual going on at the house, other than I did some cleaning, reorganizing. I work at home and was home all day. All four cats basically spent the day lounging on the different beds or laying in the sun.

I feed them all FF: chopped mixed grill, chunky chicken, turkey and giblets and flaked fish and shrimp. Occasionally, they get a can of Friskies or 9-Lives pate/ground. Their only treats are bonito flakes.

I just don't get it. My frustration level is rising. I want so badly to get Sam regulated and I feel helpless to do it. *sigh*
 
I get your frustration. He just doesn't respond like we usually see. But don't lose sight of the fact, that even as you have been messing with the dose, he is under one unit. You aren't getting any ketones, right?
 
PMPS - 383 At least it came down a little. I feel a little better about that. Stuck with the .5 shot. Tomorrow is another day, right?
 
So sorry you are having frustrations confused_cat

Sending you vibes for some better numbers tomorrow!
Asher says meow!

-d.
 
Sue and Oliver said:
it's almost that he reacts well to a different dose, but once he settles in, it isn't what he needs.
Click to expand...
That's a typical pattern w/PZI if the dose isn't enough - they can get a "WOW factor" on shot 1, but then blah results after that. It's like their bodies adjust and overcome the dose. I can't explain it, but it's normal. Not sure that's what's going on here, but wanted to mention it. With that I have typically seen it as literally shot 1 is good results, then boring results after that.

In this case though, I would go the other way and try 0.4u or even maybe 0.3u. Here's my thinking:

* You got about a 50% drop by +3 today. What you are looking for is something like a 65% drop to the nadir, so if you've got that much drop by +3, that is shaping up a little steep.

* Today's curve looks like a Somogyi rebound curve to me (tho I'm not always right! but that's what I'm seeing). One of the classic Somogyi patterns is to go higher around +9 and then start coming back down by +12. There can be other reasons for a spike like that mid-cycle of course, but my first reaction, especially with a known blue # in the cycle, is to suspect a touch of rebound.

Now, you have middling results on the 0.4 from the other night that counter that, but if it were me I would consider trying a lowered dose for a couple days and see if things improve. You don't know for sure what happened in the middle of that one 0.4 cycle, so it's possible he did hit blues & greens, who knows.

He's tough because he definitely has a wonky factor that gives you completely different results from day to day, so that makes it harder to know for sure what is going on. I still look back to those great results though back on 1/25 when you only shot 0.3 - seems like with him, less may be the way to go.
 
Well it wasn't a fur shot because you got an early (usually indicates too much) decent drop and then a crazy high spike but since his nadir wasn't that low that shouldn't explain the spike. I would usually suspect contraban food or treats.

Maybe if you write in the comments section anything that happens during the day, food fed, amount, treats given, your reasoning on why you did what you did on dosing etc, anything unusual, we can figure it out. Not writing more in the comments is my biggest regret, because now I don't remember why I did what I did and why it worked or didn't work.

Sue is right, it's up to you, but I might try .4u to see what he does with it.
 
I'm willing to try .4 tomorrow. Will let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the feedback and insight. I really, really appreciate it. You guys are the best. You get me through.
 
I forgot to ask. Where are you shooting? scruff, flank, etc. sometimes the shot location can affect the insulin absorbing. Just a thought.
 
I always shoot in the scruff. Sam doesn't seem to have a lot of extra skin, so shooting his flank worries me that I might hit something I shouldn't.
 
Insulin doesn't absorb as well in the scruff.

I don't know about Sam but Harley has some extra flabby skin on his side/flank right in front of his leg. I use the short needles so I pinch up some skin here and there until I find the spot without much fat to make sure the needle goes past the fat layer. You probably already know this but, pinch up the skin to make a tent and shoot at a 45 degree angle into the tent, that way you know you won't hit anything and it lessens your chances of a fur shot.

Someone was trying to teach me to shoot under his arm where there is more extra skin but that only seems to work for me when he has his face stuffed into his food dish.
 
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