Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to sing"

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Dale 'n' Chip

Dale 'n' Chip

Member Since 2012
Been a month since I got the local box of FlexPens and the bill is due. Gotta shell out the big green to pay for it. :mrgreen:

And it's paying me back with some blue and green it's hard to put a price on.

Hate to jinx it (I'm sure Pumbaa will be reading this) but seems like it's for real this time.
 

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Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Sheila & Beau & Jeddie (GA) said:
...He had some great numbers for the better part of two days (3 out of 5 cycles), but he still bounced a bit after them. I'm not sure it was the right time for another dose increase this last time. He was starting to come back down to the number range he was at the day before the first cycle of blues and greens, but then you raised him and today's blues were not quite as low as Monday's blues.

I'd just slow things down now that he is hitting greens.
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You may be right, he just hit blue again after 4 cycles on the reduction. What I was worried about back then was it seemed he got the odd pair of greens right off and then stalled out on each new dose. Had I held 2.5 for 9 days instead of 7, he might have gone blue or green again anyway. But I think Tilly is working for him. I will hold the 2.75 a little longer and see if he grows into it. At some point it will start receding (perhaps fast) and I will be testing enough to be ready for it. If 2.75 isn't quite enough I can return to 3.0.

BTW I'm not especially interested in "Tight Regulation" at this point. All I'm really interested in is "Regulation" period. It seems it may take Tilly *aggressive* dosing to get him there with his apparent level of temporary insulin resistance. But I will do whatever it takes. Looking back I sure wasn't having much (any) luck with Lantus. And I was going way too slow at the very beginning with the reboot to Levemir as well. Considering I was testing so much and could see he was getting almost nothing. Leaving them flat pink or higher for so long apparently only makes the temporary resistance worse. Waiting around and holding the doses too long likely makes them lose ground in such a case, when what they really need is more insulin to bring them down long enough to burn off the resistance. The caveat is it takes ample testing to be able to tell the difference.
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Gotta LOVE those blues & greens! Keep it up Chip! Glad it's working for you!
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

That last *unauthorized* reduction clearly didn't hold.

I may need to return to 3.0, but it's kind of a relief to see that these doses are somewhat stable at least for the time being.
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

I disagree. He was still dropping on the 2.5u. Look at the last cycle on it: PS's in the low 100s, a 98 at +8.... and then you raised it back 2.75u.

I always hold a dose that is still bringing the numbers down.

And I seem to recall you mentioning that Chip needs longer to settle.
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Dale 'n' Chip said:
Hate to jinx it (I'm sure Pumbaa will be reading this) but seems like it's for real this time.
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Hahahaha! haven't had time to read here lately, but wanted to catch up on Chip, and let you all know that I will be ordering Levemir soon.

Suze
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Hey, Chippendale's:

You need to start a daily thread so that I can post how fricking wonderful Chip is doing!!! Look at that gorgeous green surf today! And no bounce in 4 days!

Absolutely beautiful! You've worked SO hard for this!!!! (((HUGS)))

Suze
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Who-hoo!

Greens and blues! Loving it!!!!

Chip likes lev, to be sure.
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

OMG! What absolutely beautiful numbers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Dale 'n' Chip said:
More than 36 hours flatter than a pancreas! :mrgreen:
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Beautiful numbers!!!!

But, geez, Dale, how long has it been since you've slept?????? Take care of yourself, before you have a meltdown like I did. (((HUGS)))

Suze
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

I can fell a light, airy waltz coming on! Dance across the floor as light as a feather!

Great going Chips! Keep it up.
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Chip is pretty active right now and actually doing great. But there are hours when he wants to *sleep in*. I'll get him up and he goes right back to sleep. I use "fly on the string" vigorous playing to wake him up and that works pretty good.

Wish that trick worked on me. ;-)

I sense I have one more chance to get this right, so I'm not leaving anything to chance. Last night I thought he was high enough for napping and we both awoke only to find him dropping too low to shoot. So until I can bring this dose down (without bouncing) I don't see any practical way to do it without testing at least every 2 hours when needed. Until I get more data. Better yet every hour so I can see what's coming. Fortunately he gives at least an hour warning for anything, and it takes an hour to steer the curve.

I want to keep the dose up as long as I can, but that only works with frequent testing.

The most amazing thing is he never learned to eat treats and doesn't. We've done all this with no treats and no alarm. I doze like a zombie with one eye on the clock and always seem to wake up just in time, antijinx.
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Well, there is no way I could do that - or Beau who was easy to test (for example). No way could I have done it with Jeddie. Even when I sert an alarm it was torture to drag myself out of bed to test.

Chip must think of the playing as a form of treat, lol!
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

WOW!!!!

Sneakers used to get tested that much- when she was starving and ate every hour or two :lol: Now she lets me sleep until my own personal litter box call comes- usually b/n 2 and 3- which is nicely around her nadir time :roll: .

She gets some lov'n while I wake up enough to test her and she gets food. She, too, never really cared much for treats- she will like them for a day or two and then they loose their novelty.

I tried setting the alarm to ring on the hour... I slept through the first 3 hours :lol:
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Oh my gosh! Look at your SS!!! I've been away too long - CLEARLY!!!

Looks like Chip wants to have a party soon!!! WOW! Great job!!! Guess I need to check in more often!

Keep up the AWESOME work!
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Holy moly! Look at those dose reductions!

I think Chip just got jealous of Max's OTJ party and wants his own party...NOW!!!!

I hear Dale muttering, "I just want some sleep. That's all. Just more than 45 minutes of sleep at a time."

:RAHCAT for Chip, and :YMHUG: for Dale!

Suze
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Thank you for posting this. Chip's numbers give me hope. We are just switched to Levemir less than two weeks ago. My kitty Gus is a complicated case, but I'm still holding out hope even though he bounced into the 400s for the past few days. Its so hard to see those numbers. We are just aiming for the blues and yellows - no greens for us because of his pancreatitis and IBD - however we are a long way off from blues and yellows right now. I'm just hoping we get there. Chip's progress is inspiring so thank you again for giving us hope because when I get so stressed and upset, I need something to believe in - that things will get better for us. Your post did that.
I wish you and Chip much more continued success!
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Hey Chippendale's: I thought we had stopped Pumbaa and Chip from communicating and attempting to have similar numbers? Just a little bump in the road for Chip. He'll come back down quickly. In the meantime, take advantage of his higher numbers and treat yourself to a good sleep!

Suze
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

What a beautiful block of green! I have to second Sheila....there is NO way I could test that much!! And Miss wouldn't go for it either, altho she is super easy to test. She gets tired of the pokies by the end of one curve. What an awesome job!
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

I hope you've got some help with all that testing. I know for certain I could never do that many tests! Although I think my body went into a rush when Grayson saw a string of green! :mrgreen: Only took him 9 months to get there!!!

It never ceases to amaze me the love and dedication the people here have for their kitties! Thank you for loving Chip enough to do all that you do!

Lu-Ann
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Grayson & Lu said:
I hope you've got some help with all that testing. I know for certain I could never do that many tests!
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Nope no help. :razz:

But it's funny you say that. I was just sitting here having a pity party because I botched a reduction which didn't hold and Chip apparently lost all (or most) progress. I may need to go all the way back up and start over. Months later and thousands of test strips... not to mention all the manhours. And poor kitty. :YMSIGH:

Before you posted that I was looking over Grayson's SS and was wondering how you test him so much day and night. Juggling a lot more dosing (and other) issues than I am. And you also go to the office and still manage to test him every two or three hours day and night? And I noticed you are also up testing every hour in the middle of the night when he's mid green, he won't eat and you are trying to bring him up. About three nights (and days) in a row with no sleep and I become a basket case.

You must have good help because you've been doing this a lot longer than I have.

I know it's irrational but what choice do we really have?
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Nope, no one here but me either. Fortunately, I live 5 blocks from work, and although I generally keep an 8-5 schedule, I have some flexibility and can pop out, test and be back in 10-15 min, depending on where I park. And except for a few days each month, I can do those little pop-outs when I'm at a good breaking point. I also come home for lunch almost every day, so that enables me to get one or two tests there as well. If I really work it out well, I stay later to offset the time popping out, but that way Grayson isn't swarming me waiting to be fed (shot time is 6:30).

As for the overnights, if you looked through both the ProZinc and the Lev SSs, you 'll see I had only seen a handful of greens before the last few weeks. When they started coming, it was like I was a beginner here again! I'd set the alarm for every hour to see, knowing that Acros don't always increase for food. And when he wasn't eating well, let's just say, that was a first for him, so there was a lot of stress. Not sure I would've been able to sleep if I'd wanted. But any cat that gets to be 22# hasn't usually miss too many meals! ;-) And fortunately (I guess) he was able to be "upped" with some dry Kitt-N-Kaboodle - which he'd normally sell his soul for!

The nights he was green, I was home recovering from a back injury. That enabled me to get some sleep during the day as well, so that helped. Although I was pretty limited on taking the muscle relaxers for my back, as I needed to stay coherent for him.

Yes, it's what we do. And I thought about it last night as some friends had a cookout, then a bonfire. We were all sitting around the fire, everyone had something good to drink, I had a cup of water or some hot cider... but especially when he's got the potential to drop his massive dose in one cycle (which we've already seen), I've GOT to be paying attention. I didnt' take it lightly when we went to CSU for his treatment; I certainly can't let hanging out with friends trump his care. I left halfway through the cookout to test/shoot him. Again, close-by, so that made it doable. Other opportunities to socialize w/ friends get passed over. One co-worker was having a big party for her husband's birthday... from 4-8 pm... over an hour from here. I just couldn't go.... it was that simple.

If you ever start questioning your own reasons, you may want to think of it like this: We're here for +/- 75 years. They're here, if they're lucky, for about 15. If we've got the ability to make those years good for them, then why not? They bring us so much joy. My mom always says, "You can't take it with you; and you can't send it ahead!". And what better choice is there, than someone you love, furry or otherwise, to spend your money on? Never question your commitment to Chip. You're rewarded with his love!
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

An update for the new year. :mrgreen:

I've come full circle, after nearly 3 months I'm back to the hard earned dose where Chip apparently went off the rails first time down the dosing ladder, after breaking through on Levemir.

I mean the dose where I totally went off the rails. :roll:

I did finally take Lu-Ann up on the invitation to go exploring Lantus Land. Actually I didn't go there to socialize. I went in search of expertise in the fine art of Tight Regulation, for Chip's sake. Since Tilly TR (or even beyond) is clearly the only dosing regimen to achieve results and ultimately regulation for Chip, after dabbling in alternatives. Color me a dyed-in-the-wool TR true believer, a former doubter now donning full TR-freak garb, now obligatorily spreading the gospel far and wide.

Certainly a whirlwind, the Lantus Land TR experience. But I haven't been kicked out yet for keeping up barely 3 full condos a week. ;-)

I finally feel like I'm getting somewhere sustainable. And Chip is clinically (and even by the numbers) back to himself, over 16 pounds, plush coat and feeling his oats nearly all the time. No small miracle, that.

A Levemir TR miracle. The colors are really starting to sing. :mrgreen:


Grayson & Lu said:
...The nights he was green, I was home recovering from a back injury. That enabled me to get some sleep during the day as well, so that helped.
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Looks like Grayson is seeing his own miracle continue!

That is a lot of green he's been seeing too.

Looks like everyone is doing relatively well.

Isn't it amazing to see all the hard work paying off. :cool:
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

I am loving it!

So pretty to see- I'm absolutely loving it :-D :mrgreen:
 
Re: Chip 9/1 Delvaux: "I have always wanted my colours to si

Dale 'n' Chip said:
An update for the new year. :mrgreen:

...I did finally take Lu-Ann up on the invitation to go exploring Lantus Land. Actually I didn't go there to socialize. I went in search of expertise in the fine art of Tight Regulation, for Chip's sake. Since Tilly TR (or even beyond) is clearly the only dosing regimen to achieve results and ultimately regulation for Chip, after dabbling in alternatives. Color me a dyed-in-the-wool TR true believer, a former doubter now donning full TR-freak garb, now obligatorily spreading the gospel far and wide.

Certainly a whirlwind, the Lantus Land TR experience. But I haven't been kicked out yet for keeping up barely 3 full condos a week. ;-)

I finally feel like I'm getting somewhere sustainable. And Chip is clinically (and even by the numbers) back to himself, over 16 pounds, plush coat and feeling his oats nearly all the time. No small miracle, that.

A Levemir TR miracle. The colors are really starting to sing. :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

So glad everything has been improving for you guys! Yes, Grayson too has found his way to "regulation". I don't know that I ever anticipated him having SUCH good numbers. I'm sure the SRT is a big part of it, but I too credit the Lev. We never saw this kind of progress prior to the switch.

Hoping things continue to improve for both (actually ALL) of us!
 
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