Anyone Doing Well on Dr. Hodgkins' TR Method?

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Charlies Mum

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I'm looking for people who are using, and are successful with Dr. Hodgkins' TR method.

Charlie was only recently diagnosed, but I'm using Dr. H's method and still in the adjustment stage. I've been using the YourDiabeticCat forums, but posts are so heavily censored on that site that I can't ask what I need to, and since answers are just as heavily censored, I doubt I'm getting complete answers. It's very frustrating, so I'd like to find some help from people here who are familiar with the TR method and have used/are using it successfully.
 
I've used it in the past. Misty(GA) and Tucker were both on it with BCP PZI before switching to Levemir insulin.

Are you using PZI?
 
You might post your question on the PZI forum since the method is based on using that insulin. There may be someone there who is using it or a modified version.
 
i actually was a client of Dr. Hodgkins' until she sold her clinic here in xxxx and have used her TR protocol. mind you, i never was as obsessive about it as some were but I kinda have the basic gist of it. actually, there's plenty of people here who understand or follow/have followed some form of TR type treatment so you most likely can get the help here you need.

Dr. H's was designed with pzi in mind. with the discontinuation of idexx's pzi the following for that protocol has declined of course. some have tried to use other insulins with that protocol and to be honest, it hasn't went well from what i saw. also, along with that discontinuation and most people moving over to lantus or levemir, you might find that what we call "old-timers" or people who's been at this for a few years will know about it quite a bit simply because they were around during that protocol's heyday period.

there did seem to be some problems at ydc that yes, seemed to send it over the edge too and my understanding is that it is very scarcely populated anymore but i do want to put out there that a group broke off and started another board. i have never frequented it too much so i'm not sure if they are still using dr. hodgkin's protocol or not or who's there or what goes on there but if you are interested it is diabeticcatcare.com

if i can help at all with your questions i'll try but i know there's people here who know more about it than i do even though i actually went to her clinic. LOL!!
 
Hey there Mum,

I'm not aware of any here that are using that "protocol." HOWEVER, there are some here that use or have used what it is based on - "sliding scale." Of course with PZI. But I do not know anyone who does "sliding scale" and sticks to a rigid "protocol."

So assuming you are using PZI then I encourage you to join us over in PZI. The folks there usually start off using a variant of consistent dosing ["start low go slow"] then as you gain knowledge about how you kitty reacts to insulin then [if you want] you can start moving into some sort of variable dosing if you think that may work best for you situation.

The thing is that PZI is a very flexible insulin and once you get a grip on it you will probably end up working out a "protocol" of you own that works best for you schedule and your kitty.

Check out the PZI sticky at the top of that forum. And check out the spreadsheets of various PZI users [you can find us in PZI]. That will help you see how it works.

Also there is an interesting topic in TT about the Hodgkins protocol of sorts:
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=18955

I will be fully honest with you, if you are the type of person that needs a set "protocol" to dose with then PZI and this forum may not provide what you need. Since PZI is so flexible the dosing advice here usually end up being very tailored to the bean's stich and the kitty's needs. I would say that we take a more "nuanced" approach to PZI here.
 
Hi Mum. The folks using Dr. H's protocol moved to a new site. Diabetic Cat Care. The folks are much more welcoming (and not censored) on DCC. Please stick around here as well (we have alot to offer). But you might check out the other site to see whether it might also provide support. There are many of us that are members both places. You have to register there and be accepted there before you can see much.
 
I too have used Dr H's protocol with PZI idexx. My cat wound up having acromegaly but I'm well versed in the use of the sliding scale. The link to your diabetic cat is where most of the people went from YDC. IF you need any help here tho I'd be more than willing to help you. Just let me know. The "protocol" worked very well for my cat altho he had no chance of ever going off the insulin due to his diagnosis. But it is a good protocol to use if you can test often and learn closely how your cat reacts to the insulin. I used it with my new diabetic kitty until switching him to Lantus.
 
There is a big difference between her protocol, and the people at YDC who push it. My suggestion would be to work with the folks here and at the new site to figure out what works best for you. The best thing about our site is that :
a. FDMB is a place where differing opinions is 'allowed' and provides for peer review, something not allowed at YDC
b. we have people who know about almost all different insulins
c. we have people who know about many other medical issues
d. we are nicer :)

There have been huge issues between the YDC site and this site in the past...luckily those are long past :-D
 
Thank you everyone. That sort of response is exactly what I was looking for: lots of people with lots of ideas and suggestions (without any hostility, censorship, or criticism). Thank you. I definitely like this site a whole lot better than YDC. The only member I've dealt with over there is very nice and helpful, but I have received long sarcastic emailed diatribes from the board administrator, and some unfriendly emails from the moderators. That sort of treatment combined with the censorship (they even censor FACTS in favor of spreading wrong information-- like ALL dry foods are too high in carbs, when in reality Evo makes a dry food that is only 7% carbs-- less than most of the canned foods they promote). I was even censored for mentioning that I noticed Charlie eats more when his BG goes too low. It makes me wonder how much of what the person helping me over there hasn't been able to say because she was also silenced by the TDC Gestapo. I can't even IM her to say "thank you, but I'm moving to another forum."

Enough of my whining :YMSIGH: (just had to get it off my chest).

I have signed up for the diabetic cat care forum, and I will also hang around here and take advantage of the expertise of the good people in the PZI forum (have already met a few). I think I'm just frustrated and very anxious about Charlies health-- perhaps in too much of a hurry to get his BG down to normal, healthy numbers. In my haste, I tried again with Dr. H's scale, and I find it's too high, and any "normal" numbers I get are followed by very high rebound numbers. (MUST teach myself to be more patient).

Thanks you everyone, and very nice to meet you all! :-D
 
You have good instincts :-D

The censorship and the rest over there is dangerous, and has led to some very serious incidents.

But enough about them, let's help YOU :)

Jen
 
Charlies Mum said:
they even censor FACTS in favor of spreading wrong information-- like ALL dry foods are too high in carbs, when in reality Evo makes a dry food that is only 7% carbs-- less than most of the canned foods they promote).
Click to expand...

No dry food is good for cats. It's not just the carb content. Dr. Lisa's web site explains why http://www.catnfo.org Even a grain free low carb dry such as EVO can still keep blood glucose levels high. There are members here who have noticed a big jump in bgs after their cat got into dry food. Some people do feed a piece or two of grain free dry food as a treat and see no noticable difference in bgs.

If you must feed some dry, then the insulin dose may need to be raised to counteract the carbs. I think a few cats have gone OTJ while on dry food.

Just my two cents :smile:
 
that's the problem i had too when i was doing that program. i couldn't and still can't shoot more than twice a day during the week due to work and would shoot three times a day on the weekends or days off and when i did, Mousie would bounce all over the place if i adjusted the dose with every shot. but i have to say i did see a lot of people that it did work for back then too.

once i went to twice a day consistent dosing shots, she leveled out and ran pretty steady all the time substantially under 200. mind you, i've since changed to lantus now since you could get a bunch of it for free last year and Mousie is a Type 1 diabetic (aka: 99.9% chance she will never come off insulin) so remission is not my big goal. i have to consider long term problems if she gets out of control since she was diagnosed so young so bouncing around a bunch on the replacement for idexx's pzi is not an option for me i didn't think.

but if idexx was still making their pzi i'd probably still be using it as I loved it's flexibility. I never had much faith in the compounded pzi's and prozinc hasn't been around long enough yet for me to even consider it based on the results i've seen with it, so for now we stick with our lantus, which doesn't work with dr. h's protocol in my personal opinion.

soooo, which pzi are you using? if it's the new prozinc, what i've seen is that it seems to take a while for it to start working very well. either way, i'd probably consider holding a steady dose for a week or so just to see if that works better for you too, rather than adjusting the dose all the time.
 
Charlies Mum said:
I have signed up for the diabetic cat care forum, and I will also hang around here and take advantage of the expertise of the good people in the PZI forum (have already met a few). I think I'm just frustrated and very anxious about Charlies health-- perhaps in too much of a hurry to get his BG down to normal, healthy numbers. In my haste, I tried again with Dr. H's scale, and I find it's too high, and any "normal" numbers I get are followed by very high rebound numbers. (MUST teach myself to be more patient).
Click to expand...

Hmmm, I 'think' that the scale has been scaled down on the new forum from the former scale at YDC. At least the last time I checked. I did Dr. H's TR for a number of years as well and always thought the scale on YDC was a little high for some newly diagnosed cats.

I know quite a few people on the new forum and if you decide to go that route they will help you out as well as people here that are familiar with it. I think it is a good protocol for people to try for their newly diagnosed cats, but only after they have gotten to know the insulin first and then switch to TID dosing if they want to get more aggressive.
 
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