Bad days again....Copper

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owlgal

owlgal

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Crap...Fur shot this morning after several bad days. DOn't understand why he was doing so much better on the .8(at least on the ps #'s) and then went up to 1u and he started doing bad again. Now the fur shot thrown into the mix, it messes up everything. Have to start all over again. UGH!!!!

His muscles on his legs are just about all gone. I need to get him regulated soon. He neuro is a slight bit better, but not where he should be at all. Anyone had any experience with the neuropathy? Trying to give the higher end protein food, but he just isn't getting the muscle back. When does it come back?

Lori
 
Did Carl talk about Bob's neuropathy, Lori? If I remember right, he had to give potassium for a while? You might pm him and ask.

I think an increase is a good idea. I know you have been moving back and forth between increasing and decreasing. The last really good numbers were on that one unit cycle after the 1.6. He has been in safe yellows for preshots but you haven't seen many midcycle blues or greens. I think I would try one unit or even 1.2 for a few cycles to see what the numbers do.

See what others think.
 
Hi Lori, is this the product you are using?

When I did a google seach I came across someone that had their cat on 4 pills a day with good success. Apparently what is not used is urinated out. I have Jax on 3 pills a day, on occasion I would give 4 a day and have seen a marked improvement in his neuro.

How long have you had pretty Copper on the pills? Remember, it can take weeks.
I hate to see poor Jax like that too. Trust me, I know how you feel but be patient and hang in there. I have hope that it will turn around for both of us. Don't despair.
 
Thanks for the support.

Sue,

Yes, i've wanted to keep him at the 1u and stay steady, but been very sick the last couple of days and had to rest at nights. So went down a bit on dose at nights so i could sleep and get better. On the mend now, i hope. Had that stupid fur shot this morning, but will start back on the 1u tonight. I hate not knowing for sure if he will react or not or if pancreas is going to kick in. So i will need to stay up at nights to check and i don't rest well. I'm hoping he will regulate soon. He was so close.
Need to see some pictures from Maui so i can destress.... Glad you had a good time!

Lisa,

Didn't know Jax had neuro too. How bad does he have it? Yes, this is what i give him (zobaline). I was giving him 4/day, but his stomach was being irritated from it, so had to back up to 2/day. Will slowly try to get back on at least 3/day and see if it works. He has been on it for about 5weeks now. I'm still waiting back for his bloodwork. Should get it back sometime this week. The rest of his body seems fine and muscles other places ok. Just not his poor legs. SO hard to see. There is a slight improvement, but still bad. Hope Jax gets better soon! You had a good weekend?

lori
 
Pmps @292. This is without insulin all day because of fur shot. Gave .8u tonight so i could get one more night of sleep and try to get over being sick. Will start back on 1u tomorrow am, unless low for some reason.

lori
 
Sorry about the fur shot, we all have done it and usually at a time when either progress is being made or already having a high preshot.
Just remember its one shot.
Henry had problems walking starting about a year ago and was really bad and would walk hunkered down on hocks and had to stop and rest frequently and could not jump on any of his favorite spots like the bed, couch or ottoman. His muscles were wasted too. Just in the past few months hes made an amazing turn around and can jump on the bed again and is up on his toes again.
My vet suggested I take him to an animal accupuncturist which seems to have helped and I did t-touch massage 2-3 times a day on him. Go to You Tube and look up T-Touch massage for cats, also known as Tellington touch. You can watch videos there of how it is done.
 
Lori,
I think I mentioned this before, but Bob was never actually diagnosed with neuropathy. He suffers from low potassium levels, and the main symptom in his case is muscle weakness. If effects all muscles, including the heart. It was most evident in the weakness he showed in his rear legs. He was unable to jump up on any of the furniture that he used to jump on, like a chair, sofa or bed. This went on long after he went into remission, and his potassium is still low/normal. He was given sub-q fluids with added potassium to treat it, and another option is to give him TumilK tablets.
The best thing you could do is find out where Copper's potassium levels are at, and you would do thta before considering giving any potassium supplements. That's because hyperkalemia (too high potassium levels) can be just as bad as hypokalemia. It can cause heart problems.
Bob didn't display muscle "wasting" like you have mentioned with Copper. His legs didn't look all skinny, they just didn't work right. He never walked on his hocks either.
There is a good Think Tank discussion on low potassium, started by Lyresa:
http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=51765 From reading it, there's a chance that just the process of giving insulin may be a cause of low potassium in some cats, and maybe that has something to do with Bob's case. When he was dx'd with diabetes, his potassium was "normal". It appears that dehydration and DKA can also be a part of the reason, and Bob suffered from both of those conditions soon after he was dx'd.
Muscle wasting is also a symptom of hyperthyroid.... has Copper been tested specifically for problems with this thyroid?
Carl
 
owlgal said:
Lisa,

Didn't know Jax had neuro too. How bad does he have it? Yes, this is what i give him (zobaline). I was giving him 4/day, but his stomach was being irritated from it, so had to back up to 2/day. Will slowly try to get back on at least 3/day and see if it works. He has been on it for about 5weeks now. I'm still waiting back for his bloodwork. Should get it back sometime this week. The rest of his body seems fine and muscles other places ok. Just not his poor legs. SO hard to see. There is a slight improvement, but still bad. Hope Jax gets better soon! You had a good weekend?

lori
Click to expand...

Morning Lori,
Yes, Jax has neuro. He was on all hocks at one point and dragging his hind leg terribly. It kept slipping from underneath him. It was soooooo
heartbreaking. Especially since in the past Jax would have no problem chasing my civvie, me or dh around the home. He's an alpha cat and lives up to it. bcatrun_gif

Right now he his back on his toes in the back (still with a limp but much less than before). The methyl is working. Sure, we would be in a better place if he was regulated but he is not. Each day there are small changes but I have to learn patience. I space out the pills. Usually 2 in the am, 1 at night. How are you dosing the pills? All at once or 1 with each meal/snack? Also, I add water to his wet food. Just enough to give it more volume and that gravied effect. The improvements will come. The diabetes did not happen overnight, it took weeks, months at high BG levels to create this damage...the neuro may take weeks, months to be cured of. It will happen but just requires time. :YMHUG:
 
Hey, thanks for the info on the neuro. I know it takes time, just was hoping it would get better sooner. The muscle wasting has just gotten worse since he was dx. Got bloodwork on fri, so they said a week to hear results. They did test him for thyroid a year ago, and was normal. But everything was normal then. The two old vet's i went to originally did not do bloodwork or even suggest it. I went to new vet last week (45min away up a mtn and curvey roads) and he did everything bloodwork wise. Cost me a fortune. I have used most of all our savings to help him get better and still is not there. Ugh! He is worth it though. All my outside family(mother, sister, aunts) and friends thinks i'm crazy to treat him for FD. I don't understand their thoughts. I would never just put him to sleep because i don't have the money or time. He is part of the family. But i really don't care about what they say anyway, but would be nice for the support. My DH said he would never test him or give shot, but supports what i'm doing. That is at least something.

Copper hated the ride tonew vet and his BG was in the upper 300's from the stress. I like the vet, but he wants me to stick to one dose and not go up or down without him knowing. Not sure if i like that idea. But i will do what i have to at the moment and ask later. I'd rather get a slap on the hand, then have a dead cat. He seems pretty good, otherwise. Just not too thrilled with any vet care around here.


Ok, i know i got off on a tanget, but knew you all would understand.

Thanks all for your support. I don't know what i would do without you all! THANKS!!!!!!

Will keep taking it one day at a time!

Lori
 
good morning Lori and Copper

Lori, I get the same thing from my family they tell me that cat only needs one shot !!! well they can kiss my butt :-D thank god callie is not there cat cat_pet_icon thats ok cause all of your family here understands and loves copper cat_pet_icon . what I did for callies legs was (I also give her Zobaline) play with her with a toy on a string , she would stand on her back legs to try to get it , this is good to build back musle cat_pet_icon fingers and paws crossed for a great day for you and Copper as the dance continues :YMHUG:
 
Missed Nadir today and not sure if he got to the blue's or not. BUT, his pmps was the highest he has been in weeks @350. I just don't get it! So, i gave the 1u tonight and will try to catch nadir tonight. Hoping he will get there again. Will probably stay on the 1u for several days and see where he is going. If still high pm and amp's then i think i will head back down. Logic says to go up more, but the high ps are not making sense.

So back tot he drawing board.....

Lori
 
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