Ashley - 8 Days at 1.5 & Still High Numbers

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djacks1128

djacks1128

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Hello All,

So I've been giving 1.5 U to Ashley for 8 days now and her numbers are still quite high. It has also been two weeks since I stopped feeding the dry food. Shouldn't I see lower numbers by now? Should I increase the dose again?

As far as the ketones. I thought I was seeing negative for a while and now it seems to be showing a trace again. I think maybe I should bring her in to see the vet?

Thanks,
Sheryl & Ashley
 
I agree a vet visit is in order if you are seeing ketones, you definately want to stay ahead of that.

We usually hold a dose for 3 to 5 cycles/days depending on who you ask so go ahead and increase by .2 or .25 units depending on which syringe you are using. U40 syringes go up .25u, U100 syringes go up .2u.
 
We usually start seeing action from the food in 3-7 days. At 1.5 weeks it is time to start increasing especially at the numbers you are at and that you have gotten at least some some mid-cycle tests. If you have the option yet are short on time I like the +3 and +6 mid-cycle numbers. Also I often see that keytones are attributed here to not enough insulin.

I'd try to make the dosing incriments on the smaller side. I would think that with the U40 syringes, that it looks like you may be using, .25u would be just about the smallest practical increment. If you were using U100 syringes then I would say at the most .2u increments between 1 and 2u.

I forget where we lest off lat time with you so please excuse me if I cover territory we covered before.

I do recommend you put together a profile [which is accomplished much like the spread sheet] - instructions can be found in the Tech Support forum. This will help us have the basic info on your kitty at a click and you can also put more info in there so that we don't ask you 1000 times the same questions. :smile:

Did we cover the syringes with you? Do read about using U100 syringes in the PZI sticky. They help many here get small and more consistent dosing increments.

Also you might want to read my list of things that I think of when a cat has wonky numbers:
viewtopic.php?p=77223#p77223
I don't think you are at "wonky" quite yet but the list is a good thing to keep in mind to eliminate potential sources of problems. Is you kitty an indoor only kitty? How your kitty's dental condition, has your vet remarked about it at all, when the last time it had a dental? The answers to this might be good to put into your profile you make. And again the keytones would seem to indicate not enough insulin.

Keytones can frequently be assisted by the administration of SubQ fluids. Your vet can give you a lesson and you can do it at home. Ask for SubQ tips if you end up doing that/pursuing that.

EDIT: In the mean time do make sure to add water to her food. It shouldn't be soupy but it should be thinner.

Hope I covered enough territory here and did not annoy you with repetitious questions.
 
On the keytone thing, I'm not a pro on that. So I do not know just how far one can push it before one should be getting the vet involved. If you do not get a satisfactory answer in here on the keytone issue then do post in Health. And do make sure to add water to the food as I updated my last post with.
 
I'm having technical difficulties with the Profile. I created one with "Coolification", got the code and am trying to paste it into my profile. I went to User Control Panel, Edit Profile. Now, i'm not sure which feild to put it in. I tried the "Interests" field and said the text is too long. Occupation field, same thing...
I don't see a general Profile text box. Help!
 
You have to paste it into a new google document file. Not a spreadsheet but a document. I think you need to set the document up at HTML or something like that??
 
Crap...I just wrote another whole post and lost it somehow.

OK so i just received the U-100 syringes yesterday with the half markings. I have to admit, I'm really nervous to try these because the numbers and lines are so small. I know once i do it, it will be fine, but i have to get over this fear.
I've been shooting 1.5 U with the U-40 syringe. I don't see a 1.5 U-40 dosage on the conversion chart, but lets say i want to increase it anyway. Should I shoot 4.0 or 4.5 with a U-100?
 
LOL I just had to read the PZI sticky. Anyway, do make sure you have the conversion chart printed out and posted somewhere obvious - like your fridge.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/insulin-conversions.htm

LOL when you say shoot "4.0 or 4.5" it makes me a little nervous. We usually say what we are going to "shoot" in real units not what is marked on the syringe or we say that we are filling the syringe to a marking of X. So, to shoot 1.5u of U40 insulin in a U100 syringe you would fill the U100 syringe to 3.75 [between the 3.5 and 4.0 marking]. If you want to shoot 1.6u then fill the U100 syringe up to the 4.0 marking on the u100 syringe. When the syringe has the needle pointed in the air the very tippy of the black plunger head should be at the very "top" of the line. Every line on the U100 syringe [except the 0 line] corresponds to .2u - that helps the math a little if you just count lines - or at least that helped me.

Many here find the use of "reader" glasses helpful. If you don't have any you can get them cheap at the dollar store.

Take your time, check check and triple check. Or in manly terms - measure twice cut once.

The site has been acting funky lately. If you get to en error page after you hit submit, just hit the refresh button on your browser.
 
What Gator said. Please print out the conversion chart. I have mind taped to the side of the fridge and I check it every single time. Every single time so I don't make a mistake. Sorry but every single time.

If you want a small increase you could draw the insulin to the 4 mark that would be 1.6 units until you get the hang of it.

Believe me this does get easier.

Hang in there.
 
That is what i did for tonight's shot...brought it to the 4 mark. So 1.6 U. I also printed the chart and have it up on the frig. Checked and checked and checked...and checked again.
Her BG seems to go up sometimes in the evenings after her shot. Anyone know why that is?
 
The onset for Prozinc is about +2 or +3 so their bg's will continue to rise during those first few hours, it's not unusual.

Nadir will move around in the beginning until they start to get used to the insulin then it will usually become later in the cycle and stay there.

I know that 1.6u is a small increase but just getting used to a new routine is huge so hold this dose for a few cycles and we will see how it is working and go from there. With Prozinc small increases can give big results.
 
Do come back and post in here. It seems lately we have some folks that kind of drift off for days/weeks then are like "my cats not improving!" [a situation that happens actually quite frequently]. The more you post in here the more attention you will get and the more we will get to know you. Don't let a week pass then post back in here OK? :smile: Come back in 3 cycles [1.5 days] max. Create new topic if you like in the format the most do here. I'm not a format Nazi but they do exist on this board [but I think we are pretty kick back here in PZI]. :smile:
 
Yes...I'd like to post here as much as possible to ensure the best communication. I really do appreciate the support and knowledge here.

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday is that Ashley seems to have pooped on the floor yesterday, down in the living room, which is very odd. She has been pooping A LOT lately...it's like the food goes right through her. She's just never goes on the floor.
 
It could be the food change, sometimes it takes their system some time to get used to something new and she's probably still not feeling that great.

Harley's poo was a little loose at first and quite aromatic.

Yes please do come back as often as you can, I always felt that the more eyes watching over Harley the better off he would be.

Robin
 
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