Bella starts her insulin/Lantus

Status
Not open for further replies.
BellaCat

BellaCat

New Member
Hello I am brand new to having a diabetic cat. Bella is 10 years old and has just been diagnosed with diabetes. Her script from the vet is 2 units of lantus/2 x a day as long as her numbers are over 150. I am understanding that Lantus needs to start at 1 unit for about 5 to 7 days and then build up to 2 units if needed. I started her for her first maybe 2 shots on 1 unit but her numbers didn't seem to change much. So in my heart I felt I should up it to 2 units as the vet had originally scripted. I have noticed her numbers improving but would like to hear what others opinion or findings with their own cat(s) have been on Lantus. I am going to go back to 1 unit (2X if needed) for the next 5 to 7 days.

Thanks for any and all help!
Cheryl Lynn Moore
 
Hello Cheryl and Bella!

I see that you're home testing, that is wonderful!! Its even more wonderful that you're testing before each shot! I really can't offer you dosing advice (I am far from an expert), but I can tell you that Lantus dosing is based on kitty's nadir (the lowest point in the cycle). Most kitty's have their nadir around 6hours after getting insulin but it varies by up to two hours (so as little as 4 hours or as much as 8 hours in some kitties).

I encourage you, if you have not already, to join the Lantus support group here: viewforum.php?f=9

There are many wonderful stickies available there about dosing and handling Lantus (literally every single thing my original vet told me to do with the Lantus vile was WRONG) and other information as well as so many wonderful people there who are very knowledgeable and might be able to help you or give you some advice. They really helped Willy and I get onto the right track!!!
 
Hi Cheryl Lynn,

Congrats on being pro-active about testing Bella's BG levels!!

I do think it is best to stick with the 1U starting dose for 5 to 7 days. It takes time to build up the "shed" (see discussion here). It also takes time for you to build a history of Bella's reaction to the 1U, so that you don't get into situations as you did the morning of 5/28, where you were uncomfortable giving her a shot at 99. (Discussion about being data ready to shoot low numbers is here.)

Also, as discussed here, the next increase would not be to 2U. It would be to 1.25 or 1.5U, depending on her nadirs (the lowest BG reading during her 12-hour cycle).

You are doing great, Cheryl Lynn!!
 
Hi Cheryl! And welcome.
I don't have any experience with Lantis, my kitty gets PZI, but in case you haven't read about it anywhere, let me tell you that DIET has as much play in kitty's health and wellness as does the insulin. If you haven't done so already, I would seriously consider switching to an all wet, low carb diet. Here is a list that will help you make a good selection. Lots of folks here like the Fancy Feast, but my girl prefers the Friskie's. Remember, no suace or gravy varieties. http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodNew.html
Please keep in mind that with a proper diet, kitty's numbers WILL GO DOWN, so use caution when making the switch. Since you are already home testing, you will see this and you won't be shooting blindly and giving kitty insulin when it's not needed.
Diet change ALONE has caused my kitty to go from 9 units twice a day to 0 units! Yes, diet all by itself put my kitty in remission. And it was the folks on this board who taught me that and guided me along the way.

Good luck, and keep us posted!
 
Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and well wishes to Bella & myself! Yes, she is really responding well to the 1 unit of Lantus. She is only requiring one unit of Lantus a day and it usually is in the early evening or very late afternoon that I see her numbers start to rise and administer the Lantus at that time. I am so excited and praying she does go into remission and just needs the wet low carb/high protein food diet. I have switched her totally to wet food (I am using Fancy Feast classics). She has probably been on the FF diet (no dry at all!) for the past 3 weeks. I see that she is responding so well! If she continues in the path she is going I may not have to even give her more than 1 unit of Lantus and then maybe 0 Lantus....just the change of diet! Go Bella pancreas GO!!! Believing for a healed pancreas for Bella!

Cheryl Lynn
 
Great news for Bella! and for Mum :-D

My Cheeky is a very lucky girl because her switch to wet food only was pretty abrupt, and if I hadn't learned the knack of home testing just as her numbers suddenly started coming down I would have blindly given the 2u Lantus as prescribed and she would have been in real trouble. The food itself has made an incredible difference and I'll never feed any cat of mine dry food ever again.

You're doing great and good luck for OTJ soon!

xox
 
Hi Cheryl Lynn,

i really encourage you to read the stickies and visit the lantus forum that others have recommended.

i glanced over your spreadsheets and it seems like you are giving lantus at different times of day? is that correct? lantus needs to be given twice a day, 12 hours apart (ie 8 and 8).

here are the stickies for some information if your are new to lantus: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18139

the lantus protocol used: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1581

they are incredibly helpful and there is much more detail to be found in the lantus forum. there is alot of information, but you are already two steps ahead because you are home testing, recording data in the spreadsheet, and on low carb food, which is awesome!!!! props to you! keep reading up and learning more.

i echo what Stephanie said, swing by the lantus support group as well.
 
Hi Cheryl Lynn & Bella-

Welcome! Great work with the home testing, spreadsheet and food switcth! I second what others have said...check out the Lantus Forum....tons and tons of help and great information there. Read all the stickies at the top - very important stuff!

With that said, Lantus is really intended to be shot twice a day, 12 hours apart. I'm not a dosing expert, so again, you may want to bop over to the Lantus Forum to ask for dosing advice over there. In a nutshell, you want to figure out a dose that you would comfortable shooting twice a day. Once one of the experts takes a look at your spreadsheet, you may find that - just for example - Bella may only need .5 unit, twice a day. But by shooting only once a day, you're not getting the full benefit of how Lantus works.

Again, welcome, and I hope to see you over in the Lantus Forum!

Amy
 
CL--

Bella's reaction to wet food is AWESOME!! Way to go Bella!!

You are doing a great job, CL, with testing and treating Bella. We try to keep "newbies" here on the health board until they understand the basics of feline diabetes. How and why hypos and ketosis happen, how to treat a hypo, how to test for ketones, the effect of food and infections on a cat's diabetes, acronyms like SID, BID, PRN--basics like that. For basics, look at the applicable announcements and topics on the Health Links Forum. There is, for example, the FAQ. Also, reading the posts of others on the Health Forum is a great way to learn.

Absolutely, do read the stickies on Lantus. That is basic to Bella's care. And do start posting there to meet that community and to get dosing advice when you feel that you have conquered the basics. But if you feel you need to stay on Health, that is fine too. There are plenty of folks here who have the ability to observe and advise.

It is true that twice/day (BID) dosing is best for getting a cat regulated on Lantus. You can see whether cutting Bella's dose to .5U BID will work as well as the 1U SID (once/day) or PRN (as needed). The more you can keep her between 80 and 120 mg/dl, the more her pancreas can heal.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top