? Check up with Kylee. Frutosamine, was this really necessary?

[Kylee and Her Mom Renee']

My sweet girl was diagnosed two weeks ago. Monday she went hypo. Used honey to bring her out of it. Today Vet did a frutosamine. They said they would call me. They did not put me in a room, but wanted $107.00 for the blood test. Wow. I was having my own heath issues, but I took her in. She is that important to me.

The vet was standing at the desk and before I paid I asked about the syringes I was originally given. I took in both to show him. He seemed to say that that is the standard size. Poo.....so glad I posted here and got the correct ones to use. I told him they were easier to read too. All the time he had this blank look on his face....like she knows more than I do. At that point I felt like I did.
I said I was home testing inspite of him telling me not to. Now today he asked the girl at the desk if he said that? He deigned saying that. It was one of those she said he said conversations....Today he said it was ok to test at home....
I told him I was feeding Kylee througout the day. He said again, only twice a day other wise she will not be hungry....I will continue to feed her as she wants. I am not going to starve my kitty.
He said to keep doing what I was doing. 1unit 2 times a day. Two weeks ago he said 2 units 2x's a day. She thank you again everyone telling me to lower her dose and test.
I got a call back. The test was good. Kylee goes back in 3 months. They comment on the low blood levels on Monday. So was the frutosamine necessary since we knew she has diabetes? Is 3 month recheck a good time to check at the vet again? Do any of you
have Pet Insurance?

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

So was the frutosamine necessary since we knew she has diabetes?

No, it wasn't necessary at all....if you're home testing, you have "real time" numbers in front of you. The fructosamine only gives you an average over the past 2-3 weeks.....it can't tell you if your cats been going from 400 to 40 and back to 400!!

Is 3 month recheck a good time to check at the vet again?

My own cat hasn't been back to a vet for her diabetes since she was originally diagnosed. She's gone for dentals and upper respiratory infections, but when it comes to her diabetes, I drank the FDMB Kool-Aid early. I felt from the beginning that I could trust the people here over the vet. The people here live and breathe this disease 24/7/365....there's no better experience than that!! Book-learning only goes so far!

Do any of you
have Pet Insurance?

You can only get pet insurance if you did it before your animal got sick. There's no pet insurance that will cover a pre-existing condition (and they will find a way to make anything "new" somehow tie in to the pre-existing condition so they can deny it).

I tried to get insurance once (this was before our diabetes diagnosis) They required that I released all of China's vet records to them.....then they said that they'd cover some things, but nothing that included anything that had anything to do with the GI tract because she'd seen the vet ONCE for throwing up several years before. I told them where they could stick it.

 

[Kylee and Her Mom Renee']

No, it wasn't necessary at all....if you're home testing, you have "real time" numbers in front of you. The fructosamine only gives you an average over the past 2-3 weeks.....it can't tell you if your cats been going from 400 to 40 and back to 400!!



My own cat hasn't been back to a vet for her diabetes since she was originally diagnosed. She's gone for dentals and upper respiratory infections, but when it comes to her diabetes, I drank the FDMB Kool-Aid early. I felt from the beginning that I could trust the people here over the vet. The people here live and breathe this disease 24/7/365....there's no better experience than that!! Book-learning only goes so far!

What do you do about insulin if you don't go to the vet for him to write a prescription?.
I am praying she goes into remission.
Now, I am mad.....I didn't think the test today was necessary...plus the girl could not tell what it was for. I asked if it was to check the levels during those past two weeks...she didn't know....asked, came back on the phone and basically said the same thing I did....

You can only get pet insurance if you did it before your animal got sick. There's no pet insurance that will cover a pre-existing condition (and they will find a way to make anything "new" somehow tie in to the pre-existing condition so they can deny it).

I tried to get insurance once (this was before our diabetes diagnosis) They required that I released all of China's vet records to them.....then they said that they'd cover some things, but nothing that included anything that had anything to do with the GI tract because she'd seen the vet ONCE for throwing up several years before. I told them where they could stick it.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

When I needed a new script, I just called my current vet and said "I need a script for Lantus called into 1-800-xxx-xxxx" and they did it.

One of the nice perks about buying Lantus from Marks in Canada (besides the great price) is that they don't require a new script every year. I've refilled mine 3 times since then

When we go in for yearly checkups and stuff, I start by saying "she's on X units of insulin and her blood glucose usually runs between Y and Z" and that's pretty much the end of the conversation. If she does have anything to add or suggest, I smile and nod....and go home and continue doing what I know works

 

[Olive & Paula]

It sounds like your vet might have some memory issues. I would keep doing what your doing.

 

[Jill & Alex (GA)]

Kylee goes back in 3 months. They comment on the low blood levels on Monday. So was the frutosamine necessary since we knew she has diabetes?

No, it wasn't necessary at all....if you're home testing, you have "real time" numbers in front of you. The fructosamine only gives you an average over the past 2-3 weeks.....it can't tell you if your cats been going from 400 to 40 and back to 400!!

In fairness to Kylee's vet...
Given the systematic hypo on Monday and very few BG test results recorded on her spreadsheet, I can certainly understand the vet ordering a fructosamine test. If I were a vet I'd want to know the average BG after a hypo also. There aren't enough home tests to yield that kind of information... yet.

Renee', once you start testing regularly, Chris is right. A fructosamine becomes unnecessary because you'll have all the BG information you need right in front of you.

s 3 month recheck a good time to check at the vet again?

It depends on how you think things are going and if you feel there's a reason for Kylee to see the vet at that time. You can always make the appointment now and cancel later.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Given the systematic hypo on Monday and very few BG test results recorded on her spreadsheet, I can certainly understand the vet ordering a fructosamine test. If I were a vet I'd want to know the average BG after a hypo also. There aren't enough home tests to yield that kind of information... yet.

I agree....I had meant to add that. Since she's not able to test enough yet, it was important information to have this time but if you can start getting more tests in, it will be totally unnecessary in the future

 

[Kylee and Her Mom Renee']

Thank you both very much. I appreciate all the time your time and patience with me.