? BG is NOT regulated and getting worse with more insulin, help!

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unscented_seahorse

unscented_seahorse

Member Since 2018
Being sick, unpacking from a move, working extra hours, and trying to still sleep and be a human are not excuses for letting my cat's health decline, but I acknowledge that I'm letting them get in the way. However, I know you can actually still live a life while giving your cat insulin... I'm just acknoweldging here that I know I should be better about checking BG more often, and as of right now I'm vowing to do just that.

Okay. With that said, I'd love it if you guys could take a look at Everest's spreadsheet in my signature. He's been in the reds pretty consistently pre-shot, some purples, and only one yellow... But this morning he was black. 528. My vet allowed me to ramp up to 3 units per shot (originally prescribed at 1.5), and with that scary number this morning I did the first shot of 3 units.

I'm confused as to why he seems to be getting worse! Why would he have higher pre-shot numbers when I'm giving more insulin? What can I do?

If it helps, there are 3 cats including him given the following at each mealtime (when I give the shot), which they chow on throughout the day:
  • Science Diet m/d dry (glucose/weight management) - 1/2 cup
  • 1 pouch or tray of wet food with gravy - currently trying to find one they like since these punks won't touch pate at all
Thank you guys for any help, advice, or moral support. This is pretty scary.
 
Hi. What type of insulin are you using? It would be helpful if you could add basic info like that to your signature.

It looks like you are feeding high carb foods which will keep glucose levels higher. Also, without any mid-cycle test results, it is not really possible to determine the impact the insulin is having. If you have only pre-shot test results, you do not know if the dose is too low or too high. Sometimes, a PS result is higher because the cat has gone low during a cycle and that has resulted in a 'bounce' which sends glucose levels higher. So, please try to get some mid-cycle testing in.
 
As they said it would be good to know what insulin you are giving,

Sicence diet m/d dry is very high in carbohydrates (carbs) as is all gravy food, that alone can cause big raises in his blood sugar levels, is good that you are trying to change him to a wet food that will help him a lot in many aspects not just with diabetes, but with diabetes you have to find a low carb food wet food that he likes not just any wet food. This is a link to Dr. Lisa's food list, try to find one that is 10% or less in carbs that he likes and suits you http://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf

Also you've been raising the insulin a little bit too fast and in big increments this could cause you to miss the "right dose" and too much insulin can also look like too little if you can manage some mid day or late night tests it would help figure out what's going on
 
unscented_seahorse said:
  • Science Diet m/d dry (glucose/weight management) - 1/2 cup
  • 1 pouch or tray of wet food with gravy - currently trying to find one they like since these punks won't touch pate at all
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I know the pain of trying to get a little furball to eat what's good for him rather than what he prefers. 9Lives Tuna or tuna with egg or cheese is the easiest to get Bama to eat. It's flaked with a little sauce. He has trouble grasping the concept of taking bites of the pate. Would rather "lick" to ingest which only serves to push it around the bowl. I've tried liquifying pate in a blender or mixing in a fair amount of water or just dropping chunks of it a half teaspoon at a time into his bowl. Makes for long, tedious mealtimes but, at least, he is now off the dry food.
 
I just got a mid-day reading and he's 425 five hours post-shot. I'm using Prozinc. Thank you guys for helping with this, I don't yet know what all information is pertinent!

The wet food they love and will actually eat is Soulistic Moist & Tender pouches, all flavors, which range from 9-15 in the carbs column of that chart. I know the goal is under 10, but is 13 or 15 super damaging? I can try switching to something else (recommendations welcome!) but these guys are just SO PICKY.
 
unscented_seahorse said:
I just got a mid-day reading and he's 425 five hours post-shot. I'm using Prozinc. Thank you guys for helping with this, I don't yet know what all information is pertinent!

The wet food they love and will actually eat is Soulistic Moist & Tender pouches, all flavors, which range from 9-15 in the carbs column of that chart. I know the goal is under 10, but is 13 or 15 super damaging? I can try switching to something else (recommendations welcome!) but these guys are just SO PICKY.
Click to expand...
I must be lucky - my diabetic cat will eat anything but my picky cat will only eat fancy feast, which happens to be approved!
 
If they won't eat pate, the are still some textured foods under 10 carb. (Under 7 is even better). For example fancy feast flaked or chunky chicken.

I definitly think the diet is having a huge impact. If you really want to give some dry, 3 better choices are Young Again Zero carb (Youngagainpetfood.com), Dr elsley's clean protein chicken flavor, or epigen 90. Let dry be more of a supplemental treat and wet be the majority of the diet. BTW, all three companies will send you a free sample of the food if you ask.
 
I didn't get Lilly's BG under control until I switched her to very low carb wet food....either Friskies pate or Tiki Cat...she gets only 5 or less carbs. The Tiki Cat Ahi tuna is zero carbs. Once I cut her carbs drastically, her levels dropped nicely.....it did take a couple of weeks to see a consistent change though. If you look at her chart, when she had a lot of black and red, that was when I was transistioning her to wet food. She didn't like it and was resistant but I just didn't give her any more dry. It worked for her but I know all cats are not the same.
 
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