Cinco AMPS 200, AM+3 93 Why high PS?

[Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey]

12/11 Recap:
.75s units 2x a day
AMPS: 194
AM+3.5: 104
PMPS: 195
PM+3: 141
PM+5: 97

Cinco got the all-clear at his dental recheck yesterday, so no more mouth rinsing! Yay! :RAHCAT Vet Tech Jodie cleaned his ears a little more thoroughly than I could and said he should be good to go. I'm to check them in three days.

We are baffled about the higher pre-shot numbers we've been seeing lately. I thought giving him a +9 snack would bring them down, and it seemed to be doing that, but suddenly they're up and flirting with yellow! Can't think of anything else going on that would cause the increase. He's eating like a horse and moving around and behaving better than normal (for him). I know it's the post-shot numbers that matter most, and he does come back down to green or near-green, but I wonder if I should be trying to figure this out or just go with it?

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

I was going to suggest you maybe add a drop or two and make it a "straight" .75u dose. But Cinco has dropped a hundred points in 2-3 hours lately when you have been seeing the high blue Preshots.
You have a lot more experience with this than I do, and you know your kitty. The only thing I can think is maybe split the meal that you give at shot time into two portions, maybe at AMPS and +2? That might let you up the dose a smidge, and let him drop more gradually towards nadir? (straw-grasping?)

Carl

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

i like carl's idea of changing your feeding schedule - although i don't know how you're feeding now - but some cats do really well with food at preshot, +1 and +2. you don't increase the food, just try putting it early in the cycle to flatten it out.

 

[Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey]

Thanks, Carl and Julie. Actually, Carl, I wouldn't say I have a lot more experience. I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree and a lot of what the true veterans say on here goes over my head. I think it's been more luck than anything else, plus a LOT of great advice from LL that has kept Cinco doing as well as he has.

Right now, Cinco gets a small meal (about a tablespoon or so) with his AM shot, and a larger meal (about 1.5-2 oz) when I check him anywhere from +2 to +4 (depending on when I get up - I'm not a morning person). At night, he gets his full dinner (around 2 oz) with his PM shot, and a small snack (usually some bonito flakes) when I check him (again, anywhere from +2 to +4 or later, depending on what's going on). Not the most regimented feeding schedule, I'm afraid. We feed Friskies and Fancy Feast pate only. His scheduled shot time is 6:30 am and pm. Other than what I've mentioned, he gets snacks at 12:30 am, 3:30 am, 12:30 pm and 3:30 pm. These are usually a small handful of bonito flakes and/or three or four bits of freeze-dried salmon. He is ALWAYS hungry and I'm trying not to overfeed him, so I give him the smallest amounts I can get away with. The vet says he is not overweight but should not gain any more. He is not a terrible active cat. This has been keeping his weight pretty steady for months.

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree and a lot of what the true veterans say on here goes over my head.

Tricia,
Anybody who has given a single shot of Lantus or Lev has way more experience than I do. Don't sell yourself short. I'm not even in the string of lights on the tree. ;-)
I used PZI, and didn't follow any sort of protocol.

It looks to me like the way you are feeding already is what I had in mind, and I think what you are doing with food and timing is the way to go. The only other thing I could think of is manipulating the carb levels instead of the timing. But if you're feeding only Friskees and FF pates, I'd stick with those as well. That's what Bob ate while he was on insulin and they worked for him.

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

i think i'd try eliminating the food at 3:30 - everything after +6 (except for pokey treats) and I'll bet you see that preshot come down.

we encourage feeding at +9 when a cat is nearing remission, because it can stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin and that can bring down the preshot. but at this stage for Cinco, it might be actually driving up the preshot numbers. lantus is at its weakest in the later hours of the cycle, so having carbs come into his system at that point might explain the higher preshots. the insulin is waning and doesn't "take care" of the carbs well at that point.

it would be worth trying!

don't sell yourselves short! i think you're both being too modest.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

I agree with Julie about taking away the +9 meal and I d also try, as much as possible, to feed the same way a.m. And p.m. Consistency often helps.

Looking good!

 

[Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey]

Thanks, Carl, Marje and Julie.

I was feeding that +9 snack because of a suggestion Sienne made some time ago, but you're right, Julie, it was when we thought we were headed for remission. I will eliminate that feeding, which I'm sure Cinco will protest. He really is a little pig! :razz:

I truly can't say enough how wonderful this board is to bounce things off of. I think I'd lose my mind if I didn't have such helpful people to "talk" to about this.

 

[Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey]

BTW, I think Cinco read the post about feeding at +2, because right at that time he showed up at his "feeding station" and sat there, like a little cat statue, waiting to be served! I can't think how he managed to get on the computer and see that! :lol: