Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel better?

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Rachel & Gus

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Has anyone switched from Lantus to PZI and noticed that their cat felt better - had more energy, less depression? I know Dr. Hodgkins believe PZI is the best choice although harder to get.

The better control I've gotten over Gus's blood glucose, the worse his energy seems, plus he has weight gain and just not alert or acting like himself. We have been going steady at around 150 with an occasional high of 220 or low of 78, but mostly just holding steady.

After doing some research - I've come across a lot of people (not cats) who said they felt better after switching from Lantus to Levemir.

My own personal experience - I tried three different synthetic thyroid medications over a period of two years and felt terrible on all of them. I finally switched to natural thyroid (made from pigs) and it was like night and day. I feel great now. My lab numbers on the synthetics were normal, but I felt like crap - depressed, low energy, bloating. Many people have this experience.

Cats can't tell us when they feel bad. We just have to observe there behavior. I'm just wondering if it is possibly the Lantus making Gus feel this way. He seems to feel better and have more energy if I give him less insulin and let his numbers run higher, but of course that's not the optimal thing to do.

Gus's lab work has all been normal.

I've read changing from Lantus to PZI is difficult, but don't know for sure. It's only what I've read.

I've posted in the Levemir and Think Tank as well because I also wonder if some cats feel better on Levemir even though it is a sythetic. If anyone has any feedback, I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Hi Rachel,

I am sorry but the answer is probably ECID. We have had people switch from Lantus to PZi and switch from PZI to Lantus. Some have success, some don't.

I don't think it is hard for the cat to change. For the bean, it is a completely different protocol because there is no shed so it can be complicated at first.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if they could talk and tell us how they are feeling? I so wish I could speak CAT.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Sue - you have no idea how badly I wish Gus could talk. He almost died twice last year and once it was because he was put on Ursidol and stopped eating. Once he was off that medication he returned to normal. If he could have just told me it was making him feel bad then I would have taken him off it right away!

I can only go by what I see and right now I see a cat that is mostly lethargic and not very playful. He just doesn't feel good. I know that, but figuring out the "why" has been the mystery.

Thank you for the information.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Rachel & Gus said:
Has anyone switched from Lantus to PZI and noticed that their cat felt better - had more energy, less depression? I know Dr. Hodgkins believe PZI is the best choice although harder to get.

The better control I've gotten over Gus's blood glucose, the worse his energy seems, plus he has weight gain and just not alert or acting like himself. We have been going steady at around 150 with an occasional high of 220 or low of 78, but mostly just holding steady.

After doing some research - I've come across a lot of people (not cats) who said they felt better after switching from Lantus to Levemir.

My own personal experience - I tried three different synthetic thyroid medications over a period of two years and felt terrible on all of them. I finally switched to natural thyroid (made from pigs) and it was like night and day. I feel great now. My lab numbers on the synthetics were normal, but I felt like crap - depressed, low energy, bloating. Many people have this experience.

Cats can't tell us when they feel bad. We just have to observe there behavior. I'm just wondering if it is possibly the Lantus making Gus feel this way. He seems to feel better and have more energy if I give him less insulin and let his numbers run higher, but of course that's not the optimal thing to do.

Gus's lab work has all been normal.

I've read changing from Lantus to PZI is difficult, but don't know for sure. It's only what I've read.

I've posted in the Levemir and Think Tank as well because I also wonder if some cats feel better on Levemir even though it is a sythetic. If anyone has any feedback, I would greatly appreciate it.
Click to expand...


One of my cats was visibly better all around after switching from Lantus to Levemir. Shadoe was very tense and so so on the BG side of things, but she definitely relaxed and reacted better after the switch to Lev.
It has been said that Lantus stings for many human diabetics, but Lev does not.

I have never used any of the P insulins for my cats, but I know that Levemir made a big difference for Shadoe.... Oliver was like, you changed something?

It may be worth a try to switch to Levemir first because I know that others have realized benefits from the switch as well.

There is a big difference between the ways that P insulins and L insulins work, so it may be worth a try to find some ways to adjust Lantus for you, then if no good, try Levemir, and then try a switch to PZI.
i know of people who have switched from PZI to Lantus or Levemir but nobody switched from one of the Ls to PZI; maybe someone here will speak up if they have made the L to P switch.

ETA:
Just curious, but why are you wanting to switch insulin? On looking at Gus's ss, I see that you are getting all the ps tests, and they are all terrific - nice constant blues are numbers that many others would LOVE to have - but I don't see any curves or mid cycle test numbers.

With Lantus and Levemir, dosing is based on nadir, the lowest number around mid cycle, so from your ss, you have none of that data at all, and then the ss stops at end of January, so I can't tell at all how Gus is doing on the 3u dose.

Many diabetic cats lose weight before they are diagnosed, and then when they get onto insulin and a better diet, they gain some weight back. Also, insulin contributes to weight gain, so I don't see much in the weight issue.

I know you are saying you are at a steady 150 but that's your ps values.... you need to see what's happening in mid cycle to know what's really going on .... Gus could be going much lower mid cycle, so it would be a good idea to do some curves when you are home on some day or on the weekend, getting a test every 2 hrs between two shots. You will then see Gus' insulin curve..... if it's fairly flat, then maybe you could try a higher dose, but if he's dropping low in the middle, you sure don't want to give him more insulin!

Another consideration is the age/condition of your Lantus. Some people have found that their Lantus stopped working as well, became weaker, after about a month or so, while others say their insulin lasts them longer. When did you first start using this bottle of Lantus?

What did your vet say about Gus being tired? What testing was done aside from the normal blood panel?
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Two cats that have changed off the top of my head. Most recently, BarnCatsRUs. Rob and Harley also changed from PZI to Lantus and back to PZI. The other one currently on the board who switched from Lantus is Lydia and Sid who has multiple issues. I think Lydia was looking for the flexibility of PZI.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Another user in the forum that changed from Lantus to Prozinc is Denise and Shakes. She normally does not come on until later at night, but she has spoken of the better numbers Shakes has gotten on Prozinc vs. Lantus. Hopefully she will be along later to share her opinions.

Nancy and Payne also were on Prozinc- switched to Lantus and came back to Prozinc.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Rachel
I only used pzi so can't answer the switch question.
My kitty, Bob also had an energy problem but it was caused by low levels of potassium. Have Gus's potassium numbers ever been checked? Maybe all he needs is a supplement which would be easier than switching insulin.
Carl
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

I have a very complex kitty who has gone DKA four times, the last time we went DKA was when we changed to Lantus from PZi because of a new vet, that was a year ago. I have found that ProZinc is much easier to use in complex kitties who need different things but this is my experience.

I loved the L people but found that the inability to EASILY use R with L was a problem for us because we often had ketones and I had a difficult time calculating the shed .... but that is me. PZI is very forgiving and it is easier to move times like on the weekend and add R if needed.

But you are into ECID .... some cats do well with one, some another. I like ProZinc A LOT! After four DKA's and endless ketones, we have settled down nicely and I feel we are well regulated and totally like before the DX for diabetes.

Nancy and Payne .....
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Hi Rachel
I switched Shakes from Lantus to PZI
He was doing horrible on Lantus but I think there are other factors that were i nvolved
I had TERRIBLE vets, the first put him on humilin N and hypoed him one too many times
I begged for Lantus, went to a new vet that would prescribe Lantus for us...
the problem with that vet was that he went by weight
so he told me to start at 3 units (please keep i nmind this is before I found this website)

so I started on 3 units, the first week he did really well but I think that is because of the shed...
after that, It was just horrible...he was unable to walk his neuropathy was so bad, front and back legs...
I wouldnt sleep because I had to carry him everywhere...
he was depressed and I really thought I was going to lose him, and that is when I found FDMB
SOOO...after all the reading I did, It was ..he was either going to die or I had to switch him immediately
I noticed a difference in him in the first week, it was like he was coming alive again,
and slowly he did...to the point he is now jumping again...
so I really did not like Lantus....BUT...
for you, if you are getting great numbers I would think about it
Shaks was not getting good numbers so it was easy
If you switch you would have to start over...and risk high numbers and trying to regulate again..
so there is my long story, and FOR ME and SHAKES...it saved his life...for you and Gus no one knows what could happen
I hope this helps in some small way, although I probably confused you more
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Hi again everyone.....First I want to thank you so much for all of the replies!!! I am so grateful for everyone sharing their experiences and information with me.

Regarding "ECID" - I don't know what that means? Translation please :)

Gus's numbers are as beautiful as he is. I'm not finished posting all of them in his spreadsheet yet. I still need to post Feb. The problem isn't his numbers. He is very stable and on the Lantus. The problem is as I have increased the Lantus:

He is now lethargic
He has low level seizures - twitching face and fast blinking eyes that only last a few seconds
He is gaining weight the more insulin he gets despite calorie restriction
He isn't playful
He lowers his head like he doesn't feel good.

When I come home he seems great. An hour or two after his shot, he seems like he doesn't feel well.

This is why I question Lantus.

Gus is super sensitive to medication. He almost died after being on Ursidol last year because he stopped eating. Once he was off the drug he was fine. When I went online and did searches, human patients said the drug made them feel terribly sick to their stomach, but cats can't tell you that.

When I did searches about human patients and Lantus, I found that some people just don't tolerate it. I am seeing from a couple people that posted that some cats don't tolerate it well either. Once again, kitties can't talk and tell us what's going on.

Tonight I'm holding off on his insulin for just a bit to observe him and see how he act before I give him his nightly shot.

I am going to talk to my vet, but to be honest, I don't know that she will change him to a different insulin. If she doesn't then I'm considering two other vets. I also have a vet in the family so if worse comes to worse, I will contact him.

Believe me when I say that I don't want to go through the pain of figuring out a new insulin. It took me so long to figure this one out. But I can't have Gus feeling like crap. I've been crying for weeks as I've watched him become increasingly lethargic. He used to race through the house and crash into walls. He would jump on the kitchen counter and be a complete menace. That's the Gus I want back. The crazy obnoxious kitty.

And Carl - thank you for pointing out the potassium levels. I will have those checked if they weren't checked with his last blood test.

Thank you all again. This place is such a great wealth of information.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

ECID = every cat is different.

Don't let the differences in the insulins bother you. There is a great support group here to help, if you decide to switch.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

I notice you mention pancreatitis in your signature. I have never read any of your threads so forgive me if I'm saying something you already know. My cat Thumper was very lethargic, no one could figure out what was wrong with her. She stayed in one room & only got up to eat & go the the LB. Then one day she stopped eating, she was pretty bad off, that's when she was DX with Pancreatitis & believe me it was a bad attack. I really thought I was going to loose her. I think she had pancreatitis all along but it was just "stewing" not high enough for the blood test to show. It also bothers me when you mention the seizures. That is not normal. When was the last time the vet checked him out? Have you talked to them about all that's going on? If you don't get any answers from your vet please move on to another one. I was having a hard time finding another one but I finally did. I also didn't study your SS but are you getting mid cycle tests? Could he be going too low? The seizures really scare me...sorry. I hope you figure out what's wrong with him quickly!
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

It is weird that you said his head kinda hanging low
my husband used to say that but I was too busy
worrying about his legs that I didnt see the head hanging....
it doesnt anymore so maybe that was the Lantus
thank you

Shakes had epilepsy sohe has seizures

I truly understand what you are saying about the way Gus is acting ....
I hate to recommend a change and then ahve Gus go back to bad numbers
but its up to you,
for me it was worth it cause his numbers werent great on Lantus anyway
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Rachel & Gus said:
Hi again everyone.....First I want to thank you so much for all of the replies!!! I am so grateful for everyone sharing their experiences and information with me.

Regarding "ECID" - I don't know what that means? Translation please :)

Gus's numbers are as beautiful as he is. I'm not finished posting all of them in his spreadsheet yet. I still need to post Feb. The problem isn't his numbers. He is very stable and on the Lantus. The problem is as I have increased the Lantus:

He is now lethargic
He has low level seizures - twitching face and fast blinking eyes that only last a few seconds
He is gaining weight the more insulin he gets despite calorie restriction
He isn't playful
He lowers his head like he doesn't feel good.

When I come home he seems great. An hour or two after his shot, he seems like he doesn't feel well.

This is why I question Lantus.

Gus is super sensitive to medication. He almost died after being on Ursidol last year because he stopped eating. Once he was off the drug he was fine. When I went online and did searches, human patients said the drug made them feel terribly sick to their stomach, but cats can't tell you that.

When I did searches about human patients and Lantus, I found that some people just don't tolerate it. I am seeing from a couple people that posted that some cats don't tolerate it well either. Once again, kitties can't talk and tell us what's going on.

Tonight I'm holding off on his insulin for just a bit to observe him and see how he act before I give him his nightly shot.

I am going to talk to my vet, but to be honest, I don't know that she will change him to a different insulin. If she doesn't then I'm considering two other vets. I also have a vet in the family so if worse comes to worse, I will contact him.

Believe me when I say that I don't want to go through the pain of figuring out a new insulin. It took me so long to figure this one out. But I can't have Gus feeling like crap. I've been crying for weeks as I've watched him become increasingly lethargic. He used to race through the house and crash into walls. He would jump on the kitchen counter and be a complete menace. That's the Gus I want back. The crazy obnoxious kitty.

And Carl - thank you for pointing out the potassium levels. I will have those checked if they weren't checked with his last blood test.

Thank you all again. This place is such a great wealth of information.
Click to expand...

When you list your observations, I think a few possibilities.
He is now lethargic
He has low level seizures - twitching face and fast blinking eyes that only last a few seconds
He is gaining weight the more insulin he gets despite calorie restriction
He isn't playful
He lowers his head like he doesn't feel good.
1. lethargic and seizures? Cat's going hypo. how do I know? I don't because there are no test numbers.
2. not playful and lowers head? Cat's got too much insulin and also may be in pain.
3. weight gain from insulin, restricting calories could be starving the cat.

You need to get some tests in, simple as that. When you see changes after an hour or two post shots, TEST! You need to find out how come you are seeing visual changes and so soon after shots.

Until you get some mid cycle numbers to find out what's REALLY happening, there's no point in pushing a vet to make an insulin change.

http://www.cat-diabetes-info.com/Diabet ... izure.html
http://manhattancats.com/Articles/seizures.html

I think if you read up a bit on the causes and prevention of seizures before resorting to an insulin switch.
Maybe if you can find the cause of the symptoms, you can stay with the current insulin.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

I have some mid cycle numbers, but haven't completed my spread sheet yet online yet.
I just did a mid cycle a couple days ago on 3.25 Units Lantus:
159 at 5am
159 at 10am +5
171 at 4pm +11

About four days before that:
195 -7am
183 - 4pm +9

I need to finish filling out the spreadsheet and I will. I am going to take everything into consideration and try to figure this out for Gus's sake. I don't want to freak anyone out about his seizures. They concern me, but he isn't rolling around on the ground. My friend didn't even realize it was a seizure. She just thought he was blinking really fast. After I did some research, it said that it's a small seizure. I didn't notice Gus having these before he began Lantus, but he has been diabetic for 4 years and it makes it difficult to remember what he was like before.

And yes - the pancreatitis is terrible. Gus almost died last year when he stopped eating and was vomiting. The whole thing was horrible. I don't ever want to go through that again which is one reason I have been tightening up his numbers in hopes it would help his pancrease, but like I said, he just doesn't seem to feel good. It's frustrating.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Start B12 shots.
I told my vet how Shadoe was always having problems with p-titis and he said start her on weekly B12 shots.
I got a bottle of B12 from him, the pink stuff, and gave her shots weekly. Her problems were solved and I no longer needed to give her any pepcid either.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Hi Rachel,

It looks like you have a few of these threads going, but I'll post here since Marilyn is currently on ProZinc. You have a big decision to make. I would hate for you to lose those nice numbers that Gus gives you on Lantus.

I can only tell you my experience with Marilyn and Humulin N, Lantus, and now ProZinc. Out of the three insulins, the Lantus made her feel horrible.

The injection definitely “stings”, as opposed to Humulin, and ProZinc. However, that wasn’t why I started researching Lantus side effects. The injection “burn”, as humans have described it, is momentary, and although I felt bad that her injection caused discomfort, she's a trooper, so we kept at it. We were making progress on Lantus, in the form of dose reductions, not in the form of the beautiful “colors” you’re seeing with Gus. Marilyn is a diver, and a bouncer, and is very hard to get a handle-on. However, she worked her way down the Lantus ladder from 2.25 units BID, to 0.75 units BID, and was ready for 0.50 units BID.

Basically, I had to make a decision to decrease another quarter unit to 0.50u BID, or switch to a different insulin. If I had a crystal ball telling me she was on her way to going OTJ, I would have stayed the course with Lantus...BUT...if the best we could accomplish was to become “regulated”, and have to stay on Lantus for years to come...well, that wasn’t an option for us. The decision to discontinue Lantus was excruciating, since she could have decreased to such a low dose, but I had to weigh all of the pros and cons, since there was no guarantee she would end up OTJ using Lantus.

Marilyn was on Lantus for 70 days, and during that time, she constantly “squinted” her eyes as if she had a horrible headache. She also hung her head, but I really didn’t think about that until you mentioned it. She did nothing for 70 days, but lie on a bed, and act & look as if she felt like crap; she didn’t want to move. After about a month on Lantus, she was no longer waiting by the kitchen for her shots & tests. I had to go retrieve her from a cat bed, and I started to notice tufts of fur on the bed where she was sleeping. It wasn’t fur that had shed, it was tufts, like you would see after a cat fight. It looked like she was lying in a nest of freshly plucked fur. I thought her fur was falling out in clumps.

Like you, I wished so badly she could tell me what was wrong. So, about 45 days in, it finally dawned on me that Lantus was intended for human diabetics...so who better to “speak” for Marilyn than the humans that are experiencing bad side effects with Lantus? Better yet, humans who had experience using other insulin, in which to compare their Lantus experience.
Mostly, my searches turned up happy satisfied “customers”, but I also found many complaints. I started my searches with “Lantus and Hair Loss”, and it just kind of snowballed from there. Although a few folks actually complained of hair loss, many complained of itching. The itching got my attention since I’m dealing with a cat, so if the Lantus is making her itchy, she could’ve been pulling out her fur, in tufts, while scratching. Once I was aware of this human complaint, I started watching her like a hawk, and sure enough, she was scratching like crazy.

There were also many complaints of headaches, joint & muscle pain (especially in the shoulder & legs), and weight gain (compared to other insulin they used). So just like “every cat is different”, every person is also different. So I had to take the word of the minority of people who felt horrible on Lantus, and attribute their verbal complaints to Marilyn, who couldn’t speak for herself. They were explaining feelings of itching, headache, fatigue, pain, etc., that matched the way Marilyn was looking and acting.

Within a couple days of discontinuing Lantus, I noticed how different she looked in her eyes; they were wide-open, and no longer droopy or squinty. The scratching stopped, but I'm not sure when, it could have also been in the first couple days. Within a week, or two, she was back to “punk slapping” the cat she dislikes (poor Micro :sad: ), quarreling with her brother Wolfy :-D , and making the Pomeranian walk backwards across the entire living room until he’s able to make a run for it :shock: . That was the Marilyn I was missing, and wanting back; the one I can yell at while giggling to myself. She isn’t totally her “old self” like before FD, but she definitely has made some improvement in the “I am a badass” department. She even played with a toy for a few minutes yesterday; something she hasn’t done since last Summer.

So that’s our story. I hope whatever decision you ultimately make, is the best one for you both. Good luck to you and Gus.

Deb
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Gayle -Regarding B 12 - Gus was on Vitamin B12 in the hospital last year and I did them for a short while (3 shots) but after reading this article, stopped. I do not know if this translates to cats, but I'm not taking any chances until I have further proof Gus's kidneys won't be harmed:

http://www.robarts.ca/vitamin-b-dangero ... ey-disease

Also - in humans with pancreatitis, their fasting levels of B12 showed malabsorption, but when they were eating, their absorption was fine.

Deb - Thank you for the detailed email. I'm just sick with grief and worry right now. Gus has been on Lantus for 4 years. He was only at 1.5 units and 1.75 units last year. I let his numbers run slightly higher because my vet doesn't like tight regulation.

Gus was hospitalized in Sept 2011 for pancreatitis, hepatic lipsisdosis, and possibly inflammatory bowel/irritable bowel , UTI, and almost died. Once he was back on track I decided to tighten up his numbers in hopes that it would make him healthier and possibly prevent that from ever happening again. I've also gone through a lot of dietary changes to find a food that doesn't make him vomit. There are only two foods that seem to work.

Gus has never been the same since he was hospitalized. However, I also increased his insulin dose over the past 6 months, and as I've done that, he seems less energetic which is why I question the Lantus. Also my own experience with thyroid meds makes me wonder.

It could be something else that is wrong with him that the labs don't show. I just don't know. I'm trying to figure this out.

It has been recommended to me by someone I know with a diabetic cat to have Hypurin imported as that's what she is using after using Lantus. She said her cat is doing well on it. I have a vet in my family that might import it for me, but I'm still not sure if that will be the answer or not.

This is so frustrating. I'm making myself sick because I don't know the answers. I'm not eating or sleeping without taking a pill and I know that I'm not any good to Gus when I'm a mess like this, but I feel so overwhelmed and I don't know the right answer. I don't know if I should pack Gus up and take him to my cousin's husband (who is the vet in our family - but is Indiana and I live in Chicago) or do I take Gus to the Cat Hospital in Chicago or go to Dr. Royal who is a holistic and traditional vet or go back to my old vet who I've been with for years?????

I don't know what to do and I feel overwhelmed.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

Just one more update - I spoke with my mom and she said that she doesn't recommend the vet in our family for chronic problems like diabetes so I guess that narrows things down.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

I had not heard that Vit B is harmful and cannot find any mention of caution on Tanya's site
http://www.felinecrf.org/nutritional_requirements.htm
Although Vitamin B is commonly referred to as if it were a single vitamin, there are actually a number of B vitamins. These are essential vitamins, which means that they cannot be manufactured in the cat's body, so must be obtained from external sources (from food or a supplement).

B vitamins are water-soluble, so are often lacking in CKD cats, who lose much of their Vitamin B through urination. Cats who are not eating much will also probably not be taking in enough B vitamins.

B vitamins are so important for CKD cats that there is a separate page about them.

Link to the B Vitamins page on Tanya's site.
http://www.felinecrf.org/vitamin_b.htm

I am not sure what B12 you were giving or what Gus was receiving at the vet office, but the 10ml vial of methyl B12 I have is pink in color and has helped both of my cats a great deal - they do not have any known kidney issues, so I rely on the info on Tanya's site as do many others.

Please read over the info on the above links and also study the rest of her site to gain much valuable info which can help your Gus.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

It sounds like you and Gus have had a very difficult time with lots of varied ailments. And you have done lots of things to try to help him.

Have you posted your city and state on Health and asked if anyone has an FD vet they think is great? Another set of eyes that know about FD might be a first step. And you could get his/her advice about a possible insulin switch.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

I went to the Cat Hospital this morning because I know a couple people who really like this place. I went without Gus and explained everything to them and of course broke down crying while I was there. They got Gus in today with a vet that my friend had taken her cat to. I was very impressed with the level of knowledge and care we received. Gus was treated so well. They were so loving and it was the lowest stress vet visit we have ever had. He was head butting and cuddling with the vet and the techs/nurses.

The vet said that Gus does indeed have a lot going on and she agrees that she thinks he is in pain. She said his arthritis or pancreatitis could be causing pain, but she isn't sure. She is putting him on pain meds for a week and we are going to see how he does. She will go over the labs when they get those back as we did a complete panel and urinalysis today.

We are staying on Lantus and reducing the dose for the moment. She said we might change types of insulin or the dose later. Gus has a lot of other ailments and tight regulation isn't something she thinks works for him because of the underlying problems and she spent a long time explaining why but I'm not going to write it all out as I'm so tired right now. She also said that Gus isn't ever going in remission and I know that. I just want him to have a good quality of life and to be happy. She hopes that reducing the dose will help him lose weight. We are just going to see. Everything is in baby steps at the moment and she will know more when his labs come back.

Regarding that Vitamin B study - I talked to her about it and she told me to go back and re-read it to see if it was oral vitamin B's that they were giving the people in the study because she said that isn't the same as the injectables. I'm so exhausted right now, but I will re-read the article later.

Thank you again to everyone who has posted and helped us. This place really is a life saver when things are overwhelming.

I will keep everyone updated on how things are going. I just feel so much better after going there today and I'm hoping Gus feels better soon too.

Have a great weekend everyone.
 
Re: Anyone changed from Lantus to PZI- Did your cat feel bet

I am so glad to read this, Rachel. The vet sounds great and now you have a plan and some support.
 
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