Anyone ever shoot with BG in the 50s?

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casanovasmom

casanovasmom

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Casanova has been doing very well lately and a little too well tonight. PMPS he was at 65 which I thought was a little low so I waited 15 minutes then his numbers went down more. I ended up not shooting and now his BG at +14 is 58. I posted over on the Lantus board but didn't get much response so I thought I'd ask over here as well. Has anyone comfortably shot in the 50s before? I was just too nervous to do it without any reassurance.

Thanks,
Laura
 
Laura,

You don't want to shoot unless the numbers are headed up. Casanova's numbers are going down. No, I would not shoot.

I know that Lantus users shoot at lower numbers if they have data, but I have not seen anyone shoot in the 50s.
 
according to your spreadsheet, you've been giving 4.75 units at some pretty low numbers..has this been on the advice of others at the lantus board or on your own?
 
They have said that it was up to me, if I felt comfortable. What I'm wondering now is if maybe my dose is too high? If I can't shoot because of low numbers it really goofs up his body getting the insulin it needs. Any thoughts?
 
on the surface, I think its nuts. But glancing through your spread sheet it doesn't look completely wrong. Honestly, you are in an area few of us should be commenting on. It may well be that what you are doing is right, or you are overdosing your cat and it will eventually become obvious. I think you need someone with some serious dosing experience with lantus....which is the kind of advice you should be getting in lantus?
 
The last shot I gave Baby before she went off the juice.. I shot a 51. With Lantus you are not shooting the preshot #, you are shooting what the #s will be in a few hours. When you shoot low #s, it is important to get a +1 & +2 and make sure you are home to monitor & manipulate with food if necessary. My experience with Lantus is that when you shoot the lower #s they surf or rise, it is shooting the higher #s that there are dramatic drops generally (my observation anyway)
 
I shot the 50s on Christmas Eve, because I was going to be home to monitor. Take a look at my spread sheet for that day. J.D. earned a doseshave that day.
 
I have never given the amount of insulin you are giving to any of my guys. 2 units was tops. Tommy and toby, glip and 5 unit BID pzi, are both on lantus now and do not require anymore then .4 unit. Anything more takes them very low. I gave tommy 1/4 unit at 39bg yesterday mourning and he was at 317 last night. He got .4 unit and was down to 50 this mourning. I gave him .3 unit then and tonight he was 112 so I gave 1/4 unit to see where that takes him. Toby was at 64bg yesterday mourning and I gave him 1/4 unit. That night he was 152. I gave him .4 unit and this mourning he was at 94. I gave him .3unit and tonight the meter said he was at 20. No hypo, just hurried and gave food and have been checking. I would not have thought that toby would have gone that low or I would have given around .2 unit. I always try to keep dosing if possible. Toby will get nothing tonight and depending on what the mourning numbers are, I will have to rethink a new dosing limit. Camille was done to .1 to .15 unit BID and then nothing. I do not have the experience to tell you yes, go ahead, but even at 50, if you were to give 2 units and see where that takes you. Providing that you are going to be around to check for a few hours. You may find that you can lower his dose. Hopefully someone with the knowledge necessary to better guide you will come along. Be carefull with your little friend.

don
 
The goal for most of us who have been using Lantus for some time is to be able to get our cats into normal BG range and be able to shoot low regardless of the current dose that our cat needs. That said, shooting low is discouraged if you don't have the data. It bears keeping in mind that as a cat becomes better regulated, a Lantus "curve" is flat, unlike the curves of many of the other types of insulin. It is because the curve is flat that you can shoot lower numbers. Obviously, it's not "required" that someone shoot low. It is often a matter of knowing one's cat, understanding where Lantus onset, nadir, and duration are in relation to one's cat, having confidence in your ability to manage the curve, and knowing what your options are given the particular circumstances on any given day. I would also note that shooting sliding doses is not supported based on the Queensland Protocol, which is the guideline we use on the Lantus board.
 
casanovasmom said:
What is a sliding dose?
Click to expand...

Sliding dose = sliding scale which is dosing according to the preshot BG value via a predetermined scale. It is possible with the faster acting insulins such as Prozinc to dose with that method, but takes testing to determine how low the dose will take them so the scale works and is safe.

Lantus and Levemir don't work well that way. They are meant to maintain blood glucose levels more stable and need a specific dose to work their best, not changing doses.
 
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