colours on spreadsheet and timing of insulin

[Peggy & Clawdius]

I am pretty new and my head is just whirling with information. I need help with two things in particular though.

1. I first got a pet glucometer but when I researched I couldn't get the strips for it and then I found this site where most people use human meters anyway. Wasted my money but oh well, better that I learned early. I got a Contour Next One free when I bought the strips for it. I am setting up the spreadsheet again, the World human one this time, and I just don't know what numbers (colours) are good, better watch, needs action (and what would that be?), or get to a vet asap. I know it's probably being anal but I'm a teacher and I would feel better knowing.

2. I am right now feeding Clawdius and giving him his shot every 12 hours. The problem is, I am about to start a job where I will have 12 hour shifts with a 1 hour drive each way. It won't always be that long a drive but right now I am caring for my dad at his home. How do I work Clawdie's feedings and shots? I thought about getting an automatic feeder so he (and his brother) can have a snack while I'm gone to tide them over but what do I do about his insulin? There is no one here that can do it. Is the 12 hours between shots an absolute?

I am really stressing over this and would appreciate any help anyone could offer.

 

[Sarah&Soph]

The main purpose of the colors is to help you see the trends and patterns in the data and most of the colors are kind of arbitrarily set in increments of 100. The colors you’re aiming for are blues and dark greens but really what you’re wanting to do is 1) keep their BG under renal threshold as much as possible, which for most cats is somewhere around 200 (11.1) and 2) keep their BG as much as possible in normal range which is 50-120 (2.7-6.6) on a human meter. A number under 50 is going to show up as a lime green - these are what we call take action numbers, where you should start feeding some higher carb foods to try to get the BG up some. It gets a little more nuanced depending on which lantus dosing method you choose to follow, but that is the general gist of the spreadsheet

As for your second question, a lantus user will have to answer that one better for you but I do know the 12/12 schedule is fairly important for that insulin

 

[Peggy & Clawdius]

The main purpose of the colors is to help you see the trends and patterns in the data and most of the colors are kind of arbitrarily set in increments of 100. The colors you’re aiming for are blues and dark greens but really what you’re wanting to do is 1) keep their BG under renal threshold as much as possible, which for most cats is somewhere around 200 (11.1) and 2) keep their BG as much as possible in normal range which is 50-120 (2.7-6.6) on a human meter. A number under 50 is going to show up as a lime green - these are what we call take action numbers, where you should start feeding some higher carb foods to try to get the BG up some. It gets a little more nuanced depending on which lantus dosing method you choose to follow, but that is the general gist of the spreadsheet

As for your second question, a lantus user will have to answer that one better for you but I do know the 12/12 schedule is fairly important for that insulin

Thank you for your help. This is all so confusing at first!

 

[Sarah&Soph]

Yes I remember being super confused when I first started using the spreadsheet but I’m sure soon you will be an expert at it! After you actually start using it, it’s actually pretty simple to understand and really helpful

 

[Peggy & Clawdius]

As for your second question, a lantus user will have to answer that one better for you but I do know the 12/12 schedule is fairly important for that insulin

Thanks, I finally figured out how to get to that forum and have posted my question there. Here's hoping someone can help because I really need this job. Maybe I can convince them he's my therapy cat? lol

 

[Sarah&Soph]

Thanks, I finally figured out how to get to that forum and have posted my question there. Here's hoping someone can help because I really need this job. Maybe I can convince them he's my therapy cat? lol

Lol! We’ll let the lantus experts give the final verdict but depending on what they say, another consideration would be to switch to Prozinc which is an in-and-out-insulin. Lantus is going to be the top choice of insulin, but Prozinc tends to have a little more flexibility as far as needing to shoot a little early or late. But they may be able to help you work out a way to make your schedule work for lantus