Changing test strips, confused

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Debra Keller

Debra Keller

Member Since 2018
Hello. My 15 year old FIV+ cat was diagnosed a couple of months ago. I have been doing expensive day long BG testing at vets and to save money and get a better handle on the day to day, I'm doing testing at home myself now. I bought the Alpha Trak 2. Used the test strips that came with the kit and used code 23 as it said on the test strip container. I think the original control solution reading was in the mid 120's. I bought the Free Style Lites as they are cheaper as I've read about on here. I don't even know what I'm supposed to be starting at. I know in humans, it's 80-120 for normal but reading online, there are lots of different figures for cats. I have it set at code 23 and solution results are 130. Is this okay? How do I know if my readings are accurate?

Using the strips that came with the Alpha Trak, she's all over the place the past few days, mostly high. I'm working on adjusting vetsulin and food, trying to get it regulated. Feeding Tiki Cat, no carb wet food ($1 a can!) three times a day. She's starving all the time. Calories are about 200 a day at 11 pounds (she's lost weight before she was diagnosed). Insulin twice a day. Should be 3 units each time but raised it by a unit when really high. Trying to feed at 6, 12 and 6 but again, she's starving (or so she tells me). I wanted to be able to add a TBSP of grain free low carb dry food morning and night to keep her feeling full but I can't even get her regulated with just no carb food. Want to get a specific food and insulin schedule. Help!
 
Debra, please set up your signature so people will have that information to advise and guide you. Here is the link on how to do that: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/editing-your-signature-profile-and-preferences.130340/
This will save you time repeating information or other members having to search or ask again. There is also a spreadsheet to record insulin and BG tests: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/suggestions-tech-support-testing-area.6/ The spreadsheet can be reviewed so that members can see what's going on and have data to advise you.
I give Idjit baked or boiled (pressure cooked) chicken breast. It helps keep him feeling full and is a good source of protein while being low carb. I use skinless or remove the skin, then the broth from cooking with water is defatted and added to his wet food. Extra hydration and good flavor. I also dice up sections of the chicken breast, freeze it on a flat pan/cookie sheet and then the bits are stored in a ziplock bag for treats also, besides augmenting his meals. Many of us feed Fancy Feast Classics and Friskies pates, also many of us use a human meter as the strips are more available and affordable.
I am not qualified to advise about dosing, but others will be by and work with you on that. You could also post in the Vetsulin forum, and get response there.
 
Idjit's mom said:
Debra, please set up your signature so people will have that information to advise and guide you. Here is the link on how to do that: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/editing-your-signature-profile-and-preferences.130340/
This will save you time repeating information or other members having to search or ask again. There is also a spreadsheet to record insulin and BG tests: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/suggestions-tech-support-testing-area.6/ The spreadsheet can be reviewed so that members can see what's going on and have data to advise you.
I give Idjit baked or boiled (pressure cooked) chicken breast. It helps keep him feeling full and is a good source of protein while being low carb. I use skinless or remove the skin, then the broth from cooking with water is defatted and added to his wet food. Extra hydration and good flavor. I also dice up sections of the chicken breast, freeze it on a flat pan/cookie sheet and then the bits are stored in a ziplock bag for treats also, besides augmenting his meals. Many of us feed Fancy Feast Classics and Friskies pates, also many of us use a human meter as the strips are more available and affordable.
I am not qualified to advise about dosing, but others will be by and work with you on that. You could also post in the Vetsulin forum, and get response there.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
Debra Keller said:
Hello. My 15 year old FIV+ cat was diagnosed a couple of months ago. I have been doing expensive day long BG testing at vets and to save money and get a better handle on the day to day, I'm doing testing at home myself now. I bought the Alpha Trak 2. Used the test strips that came with the kit and used code 23 as it said on the test strip container. I think the original control solution reading was in the mid 120's. I bought the Free Style Lites as they are cheaper as I've read about on here. I don't even know what I'm supposed to be starting at. I know in humans, it's 80-120 for normal but reading online, there are lots of different figures for cats. I have it set at code 23 and solution results are 130. Is this okay? How do I know if my readings are accurate?

Using the strips that came with the Alpha Trak, she's all over the place the past few days, mostly high. I'm working on adjusting vetsulin and food, trying to get it regulated. Feeding Tiki Cat, no carb wet food ($1 a can!) three times a day. She's starving all the time. Calories are about 200 a day at 11 pounds (she's lost weight before she was diagnosed). Insulin twice a day. Should be 3 units each time but raised it by a unit when really high. Trying to feed at 6, 12 and 6 but again, she's starving (or so she tells me). I wanted to be able to add a TBSP of grain free low carb dry food morning and night to keep her feeling full but I can't even get her regulated with just no carb food. Want to get a specific food and insulin schedule. Help!
Click to expand...

I asked chewy.com if you could use any other strips with the alphatrak and they told me you had to use alphatrak strips. I'm not sure other strips will work with that meter. The strip cost was why I went with the ReliOn meter from Walmart instead. Now they may have just had to say that since it's more accurate but I will let the more experienced people respond!
 
Debra Keller said:
Hello. My 15 year old FIV+ cat was diagnosed a couple of months ago. I have been doing expensive day long BG testing at vets and to save money and get a better handle on the day to day, I'm doing testing at home myself now. I bought the Alpha Trak 2. Used the test strips that came with the kit and used code 23 as it said on the test strip container. I think the original control solution reading was in the mid 120's. I bought the Free Style Lites as they are cheaper as I've read about on here. I don't even know what I'm supposed to be starting at. I know in humans, it's 80-120 for normal but reading online, there are lots of different figures for cats. I have it set at code 23 and solution results are 130. Is this okay? How do I know if my readings are accurate?

Using the strips that came with the Alpha Trak, she's all over the place the past few days, mostly high. I'm working on adjusting vetsulin and food, trying to get it regulated. Feeding Tiki Cat, no carb wet food ($1 a can!) three times a day. She's starving all the time. Calories are about 200 a day at 11 pounds (she's lost weight before she was diagnosed). Insulin twice a day. Should be 3 units each time but raised it by a unit when really high. Trying to feed at 6, 12 and 6 but again, she's starving (or so she tells me). I wanted to be able to add a TBSP of grain free low carb dry food morning and night to keep her feeling full but I can't even get her regulated with just no carb food. Want to get a specific food and insulin schedule. Help!
Click to expand...
I personally am using a human meter, but I have spent some time reading about the alphatrack, specifically the reviews on amazon. The cost of the meter doesn't matter, but when the strips are a buck each, and you're (supposed to be) testing minimum twice a day ... THAT is where the cost is, obviously.

But there is one particular review that says the free style tests strips are the EXACT same as the alphatrack, and considerably cheaper. Read the review
 
Rardito said:
I asked chewy.com if you could use any other strips with the alphatrak and they told me you had to use alphatrak strips. I'm not sure other strips will work with that meter. The strip cost was why I went with the ReliOn meter from Walmart instead. Now they may have just had to say that since it's more accurate but I will let the more experienced people respond!
Click to expand...

I do believe you have to use the specific strips. I hate these because you have to get a blood drop on the side in a specific spot rather than just on the end. The Free Style lite strips are made by the same company as the Alpha Trak ones, so they work the same. I'm just confused as to how they should be calibrated. I guess I can write the company. By the by, Chewy is now offering Vetsulin with an Rx, just happened this month. If I don't have to pay for special cold shipping, it would be a good deal. Paying $65 now from Vet. It's cheaper elsewhere but the shipping makes it the same. Their syringes are more at Chewys though. I use Chewy for my no carb cat food and regular dog food and treats and accessories. They're a great company, prices are actually less than at the store!
 
When my cat was crying that he was hungry all the time on 9 Lives pates, I went from feeding 2 times a day to feeding 3 times a day, then I added zero-carb, freeze-dried meat treats as a post-testing treat/pre-feeding appetizer. He eats more of his wet food, doesn't cry from hunger, and he's maintaining his weight. The good thing is it brings the overall protein percentage of his diet up :)
 
Just so you know, I use alphatrak as well, and while I haven't tried the freestyle lite strips because they didn't sound as reliable to me, I have tested out the freestyle Insulinx strips and found them quite accurate with the Alphatrak. I buy them on eBay for $10-$13/50 strips
92458C73-A708-46DB-B16E-28D015914049.png
Here are the comparisons I've done with alpha and insulinx.
 
I was just looking around on the Walmart website, and saw something that caught my eye. I was curious to see if they had ANYTHING for feline diabetes, and came across something called "Pet Sure" strips for the Alpha Trak 2 meter. They are about 1/2 the price of regular strips. Has anyone ever heard of these, or had experience with them?
 
WOW, they JUST started selling these THIS MONTH, and 60 of them are $22! They are ONLY for the Alpha Trak 1 & 2 meters. I so want to buy these right now, but I will refrain. I want to believe that this is something of a miracle, because I am sick of spending $1 per strip!!
 
Jenna Josie said:
a spelling error on its packaging
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Bad grammar is forgivable, bad spelling is often a sign of a counterfeit product. Don't ever think it can't happen to you. I came home with some brand name computer speakers from a major retailer and while I was out of the house the AC adapter melted into the power bar.
Counterfeit parts on Air Force One? It's happened!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partnair_Flight_394
I use Accuchek strips and a few months ago there was a recall. These are human strips so the "Just a cat" argument didn't fly and there was no notice at my pharmacy. The recall was buried deep in their website and I found it by accident. Just shameful!
 
Well, all this crappy information is just adding to my bad day. It started with seeing pooled blood inside Jerry's ear, thinking I have hurt him, and just a while ago, my SD card said it was damaged for some UNKNOWN reason, and it had hundreds of pictures and priceless videos of Jerry on it. I'm angry & sad.
 
Rain7 said:
I was just looking around on the Walmart website, and saw something that caught my eye. I was curious to see if they had ANYTHING for feline diabetes, and came across something called "Pet Sure" strips for the Alpha Trak 2 meter. They are about 1/2 the price of regular strips. Has anyone ever heard of these, or had experience with them?
Click to expand...
Interesting. They are selling them on Amazon also but no reviews yet.
 
I didn't see it on Amazon. It must have just appeared. They JUST started selling this as of this month. It's a brand spanking new product. I wish it was from a trusted brand that I had ever heard of. They very well could be made in China with some sort of hazardous material...who knows. That's why the blood pressure pill, Valsartan, was recalled. A particular ingredient on the coating, which came from China, has a known carcinogen in it! There's no telling where all of our medications, our animals' medications, foods, etc. come from...very scary stuff. That's what happens when you outsource almost everything.
 
Rain7 said:
Well, all this crappy information is just adding to my bad day. It started with seeing pooled blood inside Jerry's ear, thinking I have hurt him, and just a while ago, my SD card said it was damaged for some UNKNOWN reason, and it had hundreds of pictures and priceless videos of Jerry on it. I'm angry & sad.
Click to expand...

Try the SD card in another device... and back it up immediately if you haven't already. Or turn off the device, turn on and reboot and then reinsert the SD card and try again. If that doesn't work, try rebooting with the SD inserted. I've made these work before...

Before doing anything else, is the SD card locked or in between locked and unlocked?

Sometimes a cat will get some capillary leakage. No big deal, but it can look scary... just avoid that area of the ear, or switch to the other ear for a few days. Or maybe kitty was irritated and scratched a little much...

I've seen stupid spelling mistakes on packaging from major companies that wasn't counterfeit. So maybe everything is OK.

In any case, hope everything is minor and easily/quickly fixed/waited out.
 
Rain7 said:
adding to my bad day
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After two cats and 5,000 pokes I still go right through Noah's ear and get blood on the inside, don't feel bad. I make it up to him with a nice warm and wet paper towel rub. Do you back up your card with a card reader on a computer? I use 3 back-up drives, learned my lesson a long time ago. A good camera or computer store could possibly retrieve those files. I keep a small fire and flood proof safe in the basement with 2 external drives in it. The kind of safe you can buy from Staples for $40.
 
Noah & me (GA) said:
After two cats and 5,000 pokes I still go right through Noah's ear and get blood on the inside, don't feel bad. I make it up to him with a nice warm and wet paper towel rub. Do you back up your card with a card reader on a computer? I use 3 back-up drives, learned my lesson a long time ago. A good camera or computer store could possibly retrieve those files. I keep a small fire and flood proof safe in the basement with 2 external drives in it. The kind of safe you can buy from Staples for $40.
Click to expand...
I throw a backup copy to the cloud, shutterfly, a computer and every so often an external hard drive.
 
Noah & me (GA) said:
Before CD writers were affordable all you could do was run 2 hard drives on a desk top. If anyone wants to reinstall Windows 98 or ME I still have the floppys!
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OMG floppys!!!! Dickson, there are people on the board that don't know what those are. I don't have any laying around any longer, heck, there is no place to put the little darlings in the newer machines. DH still has a game that he won't let go of, Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. We no longer have the tower computer, the joystick etc, but he still has that darned game tucked away somewhere.
 
Idjit's mom said:
OMG floppys!!!! Dickson, there are people on the board that don't know what those are. I don't have any laying around any longer, heck, there is no place to put the little darlings in the newer machines. DH still has a game that he won't let go of, Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. We no longer have the tower computer, the joystick etc, but he still has that darned game tucked away somewhere.
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My favorite old floppy game was Eric the Unready. Lol
 
I am also very curious about this, but reviews are mixed. Some say it works fine, others say large discrepancies.
 
I had paper tape, magnetic tape reels, punch cards, and cathode ray tunes! We used to walk inside the mainframe to rearrange the hardware configuration to change what the computer was doing/correct errors... it was painful and hard to learn to change stuff using software (newfangled PC thingee). Fortran was (and still is) a simple, efficient, elegant program :joyful: And a deck sorter was the very best friend one could ever have back in those days :p

Today, Carbonite backs up everything automatically... and depending on what it is, I might put a copy on a USB, Bluetooth it to my phone, and/or email a copy to myself :rolleyes:
 
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