Chinookie... Off tight regulation...

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ErinElizabeth

Member Since 2013
So we've been doing this for only a couple month and then I was away for a week... Tight regulation was ups and downs, and so much helpful information and helpful people on the message board willing to talk to me and calm me down.
Chinookie did great the week we were gone. Our lovely cat lady neighbor came and gave shots twice and a day but felt uncomfortable with testing.... So we let it go, and of course I worried. But I think the constant tracking and testing and posting was just totally stressing me out!!

To my surprise I came home to a kitty who is playful and alert and eating a normal amount of food! I've started testing again of course, but not as often and not really recording it as closely as before. At his lowest a couple days ago, the meter read 39 and he was meeting me at the door and engaging and following me around.... I thought 39 was too low, so I watched him and he ate and just seemed a heck of a lot more normal kitty than he had been when his tests were 200-300.
Now this week his amps and pmps are reading around 175-200, and he's dropping to between 50-80.
He was only at 97 this morning, so I waited till he ate a bit more and shaved off a little of the 1.25 dose, and he's done great.

So is 39 too low? I think I'm getting a handle on my gut readings as far as if I should hold off or lower a dose or feed more, but I was ready with the hypo kit at 39 and he seemed just fine to me....
 
Hi Erin. Yeah, things are a little more casual around here. :-D

From what you've said, I personally think kitty needs a reduction in dose.

I'm sure there will be others to add their 2 cents, too.

Welcome to relaxed, glad you and Chinookie have come to visit.

Here's to healthy and happy kitties! drinking24
 
You might find this helpful!

Here are some glucose reference ranges used for decision making using glucometers. Human glucometer numbers are given first. Numbers in parentheses are for non-US meters. Numbers in curly braces are estimates for an AlphaTrak.

< 40 mg/dL (2.2 mmol/L) {< 70 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- Treat as if HYPO if on insulin
- At nadir (lowest point between shots) in a long term diabetic (more than a year), may earn a reduction.

< 50 mg/dL (2.8 mmol/L) {< 80 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- If before nadir, steer with food, ie, give modest amounts of medium carb food to keep from going below 50 (2.8).
- At nadir, often indicates dose reduction is earned.

50 - 130 mg/dL (2.8 - 7.2 mmol/L) {80 - 160 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- On insulin - great control when following a tight regulation protocol.
- Off insulin - normal numbers. (May even go as low as the upper 30s (1.7 mmol/L){60s for an AlphaTrak}; if not on

insulin, this can be safe.

> 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L) {> 180 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- At nadir, indicates a dose increase may be needed when following a tight regulation protocol.

200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) {230 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- no shot level for beginners; may slowly reduce to 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L) {180 mg/dL} for long-acting insulins (Lantus, Levemir, and

ProZinc) as data collection shows it is safe

180 - 280 mg/dL (10 - 15.6 mmol/L) {may be 210 - 310 mg/dL for an AlphaTrak}
- Any time - The renal threshold (depending on data source and cat's renal function) where glucose spills into the urine.
- Test for ketones, glucose is too high.

>= 280 mg/dL (15.6 mmol/L) {may be >=310 mf/dL for an AlphaTrak}, if for most of the cycle between shots
- Uncontrolled diabetes and thus at risk for diabetic ketoacidosis and hepatic lipidosis
- Follow your insulin protocol for dose adjustments
- Test for ketones; if more than a trace level of ketones, go to vet ASAP.
 
I have to say, I would test him before each insulin shot, regardless. A co-worker of mine had a diabetic cat that she didn't test and he died from it. Granted that was in 2002, but still, lesson learned.
 
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