? Day 2; so far, so good!

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SwedishLiz

SwedishLiz

Member Since 2023
Hi, everyone!
Freya is doing well so far. She’s not at all bothered by the insulin shots, albeit we haven’t received the cat-specific blood glucose monitor that we’ve bought but it should arrive soon.
We live in rural Sweden (Freya is a Swedish rescue) so access to food such as Bozita or Mjau is not an issue - both brands recommended by the vet as low-carb, as long as only pate or jelly. Having said that, access to Lantus for cats does appear to be an issue, but we’ve now pre-ordered & intend to order online in the future.
Freya has always loved her treats, so we have bought a bag of diabetic biscuits but she’ll only be getting a few every now & again, and only after her blood sugars have stabilised!
We have 5 other rescue cats so juggling the food may be an issue, but so far, Freya has seemed to know which is the ‘good’ food for her as she’s shown no interest at all in any of the others so fingers crossed she’s not as daft as I look!
Thank you all for any/all help!
 
Your previous post ( intro post ) I see you were asked to set up your signature it's information we need to know about Freya and spreadsheet if you ever need help about dosing and to track her BG to see how the insulin is working and how low she's dropping
I see it was suggested to lower the dose on your intro post which I linked below
You may want to re read your list from yesterday :cat:

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-member-freya-says-a-cautious-

hello.273788/

If you can also tap the like word that is to the right when someone repkys back to you, just so we know that you have read it.
I would also add to your signature you are from Sweden

Bron gave you some links in blue , how to set up your signature and other helpful info
If this makes it easier for you

To set up your signature which you will see is at the end of everyone's post in gray, click on your name up top and then tap on the word signature and add this information
  • Add info we need to help you:
    • Caregiver & kitty's name
    • DX: Date
    • Name of Insulin (do not include dose or frequency)
    • Name of your meter
    • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
    • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
    • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
    • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
    • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
    • Please do not put any information about your location in the signature for security reasons. If you wish to add your country location, please add it to your profile.
Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' button at the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information.

Take a look at mine


We also use a spreadsheet to track our cats BG so we know how the insulin is working and how low they are dropping so we know when to either increase or decrease the dose
We adjust the dose by 0.25 units at a time . We don't adjust the dose by going by the Pre Shots

About the spreadsheet
AMPS - means AM Pre Shot the first test you take in the AM ,you need to withhold food 2 hours before testing so it's not food influenced

Units is where you would put how much insulin you gave
+1 is one hour after giving insulin if you were to test then that's where you enter his _BG number
+2 two hours after giving insulin. ditto
+3 and so on until you get to PMPS - PM pre shot withhold food 2 hours before testing

+1 same as you do for AM cycle

We don't give times because we are all in different time zones that's why we use the + numbers
I'll give you the link to set it up , if you have trouble just ask and we have a member who will gladly do it for you


You can look at any members spreadsheet to see what it looks like, it's at the end of everyone's signature just tap on it

How to set up our spreadsheet
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-create-a-spreadsheet.241706/

If you have trouble setting it up just ask we have a member that will be happy to do it for you
 
Last edited:
I don’t remember if we mentioned this before, but you don’t need a pet specific meter. Most of us here use human meters as the test strips are much cheaper and you go through them fast.

not sure what the diabetic biscuits are, do you know the carb content in them? Again, any low carb treats are fine like real chicken, turkey, tuna and any freeze dried treats too. Minnie also loved her treats so she got freeze dried chicken, shrimp and minnows, Bonita flakes, and baby food with her probiotics
 
Thank you for this info - I will research the cost of the test strips.
The biscuits are Royal Canin Veterinary Diabetes; high protein, low carb, apparently.
I’ve yet to work out the exact carb content as Freya isn’t going to be getting any until
her sugars are under control, but she loves her crunchy sweets so very much, we
couldn’t deny her entirely. I’ve yet to find a dried meat/fish treat that she likes, but will
obviously persevere given her current situation.
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Your previous post ( intro post ) I see you were asked to set up your signature it's information we need to know about Freya and spreadsheet if you ever need help about dosing and to track her BG to see how the insulin is working and how low she's dropping
I see it was suggested to lower the dose on your intro post which I linked below
You may want to re read your list from yesterday :cat:

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-member-freya-says-a-cautious-

hello.273788/

If you can also tap the like word that is to the right when someone repkys back to you, just so we know that you have read it.
I would also add to your signature you are from Sweden

Bron gave you some links in blue , how to set up your signature and other helpful info
If this makes it easier for you

To set up your signature which you will see is at the end of everyone's post in gray, click on your name up top and then tap on the word signature and add this information
  • Add info we need to help you:
    • Caregiver & kitty's name
    • DX: Date
    • Name of Insulin (do not include dose or frequency)
    • Name of your meter
    • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
    • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
    • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
    • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
    • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
    • Please do not put any information about your location in the signature for security reasons. If you wish to add your country location, please add it to your profile.
Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' button at the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information.

Take a look at mine


We also use a spreadsheet to track our cats BG so we know how the insulin is working and how low they are dropping so we know when to either increase or decrease the dose
We adjust the dose by 0.25 units at a time . We don't adjust the dose by going by the Pre Shots

About the spreadsheet
AMPS - means AM Pre Shot the first test you take in the AM ,you need to withhold food 2 hours before testing so it's not food influenced

Units is where you would put how much insulin you gave
+1 is one hour after giving insulin if you were to test then that's where you enter his _BG number
+2 two hours after giving insulin. ditto
+3 and so on until you get to PMPS - PM pre shot withhold food 2 hours before testing

+1 same as you do for AM cycle

We don't give times because we are all in different time zones that's why we use the + numbers
I'll give you the link to set it up , if you have trouble just ask and we have a member who will gladly do it for you


You can look at any members spreadsheet to see what it looks like, it's at the end of everyone's signature just tap on it

How to set up our spreadsheet
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-create-a-spreadsheet.241706/

If you have trouble setting it up just ask we have a member that will be happy to do it for you
Click to expand...
 
Thank you, I’m having some difficulty navigating this website but have finallymanaged to update my signature
(more by luck than judgement)!
With all due respect, I will be keeping Freya’s insulin regime as prescribed at least until Friday (her next
vet appoinment) until/unless she goes hypo but I will be sure to question why it’s so high.
As a human diabetic, I use something called the ‘100/500’ regime to work out how much insulin I need to take.
Is there the equivalent for cats? It’s a calculation so you know how much effect the insulin is having on your BG
so can adjust your insulin accordingly.
Freya’s syringes only allow for 0.5 unit doseage adjustment, plus I’m registered blind so need to have them
pre-loaded before my husband leaves for work (he works away 4 days a week) so this will be tricky for us to
navigate, but Freya is worth it!
Spreadsheet et al to follow in due course.
 
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SwedishLiz said:
Thank you, I’m having some difficulty navigating this website but have finallymanaged to update my signatur
Click to expand...
Hi we don't see your signature it should be at the end of your posts in gray letters
Do you see mine and other members
It is not supposed to be in the information section when we tap on SwedishLiz
Would you like some help ? We need the info about Freya at the end of your posts.
The answers to the quextions that I posted above
I am going to tag Bhooma to help you out since you are registered blind ( so sorry )
@Bandit's Mom
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Hi we don't see your signature it should be at the end of your posts in gray letters
Do you see mine and other members
It is not supposed to be in the information section when we tap on SwedishLiz
Would you like some help ? We need the info about Freya at the end of your posts.
The answers to the quextions that I posted above
I am going to tag Bhooma to help you out since you are registered blind ( so sorry )
@Bandit's Mom
Click to expand...
Apologies! I hadn’t seen your signatures as not enough contrast for my limited
vision. Having said that, I haven’t even managed to find Settings on the left side of the
screen which will allow me to access my signature! I’ll admit now - I’m going to struggle
with this website/forum as I have to use black screen to have any chance & I can’t see that option
offered here. Also, I’m more than aware that this has now become more about me rather than
Freya & that was never my intention…
I’m happy just to lurk in the background & learn everything I need to from your
conversations if that would be ok? Sorry if I’ve raised anyone’s stress levels unnecessarily!
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
since you are registered blind (
Click to expand...
. The least I can do is copy this for you where you have it typed in your profile/information


My name is Liz & I’m registered blind so don’t find navigating new (complicated) websites very easy so please be patient with me! I live with 6 rescue cats. One of my rescues, Freya, was diagnosed as diabetic on 2nd February 2023, diagnosis confirmed the next day after Fructosamine test had been carried out. Lantus, twice daily, has been prescribed plus a diet of low carb wet food. I am currently awaiting delivery of a cat-specific BG monitor so can’t post the name or spreadsheet link yet. Freya currently has no other health issues.
 
Valkommen, Liz! It sounds like you have started off well, finding this forum for information, and getting things organized with low carb canned food and some of the preliminary info has been shared already. To answer your previous question,
SwedishLiz said:
As a human diabetic, I use something called the ‘100/500’ regime to work out how much insulin I need to take.
Is there the equivalent for cats? It’s a calculation so you know how much effect the insulin is having on your BG
so can adjust your insulin accordingly.
.
Click to expand...

Cats metabolize insulin differently than humans, so no, there isn’t a regime exactly like what you have worked out for yourself. What we follow is what the data tells us, which is tied to assessing how the insulin is working. One of the benefits of testing at home is that you can get a feel for how your cat responds to the insulin and with that data can get an idea of some of the basics like:
  • Onset - the length of time before insulin reaches the bloodstream & begins lowering blood glucose
  • Peak/Nadir - the lowest point in the cycle
  • Duration - the length of time insulin continues to lower blood glucose
To make things more interesting, we have a saying which is « every cat is different » (ECID), meaning that how your cat responds to insulin and carbs will be different than mine, so as you gather data, it will help you gauge how the insulin is working for your cat. As you get settled in, please ask as many questions as you’d like, there are many people here who are happy to offer suggestions. No pressure, there is a lot of information available, so just let us know how we can help guide you and Freya in this journey :)

What we do have are some guidelines for dosing that we follow here, if they haven’t been shared already, the dosing methods for Lantus:
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...-low-go-slow-slgs-tight-regulation-tr.210110/
 
SwedishLiz said:
Apologies! I hadn’t seen your signatures as not enough contrast for my limited
vision. Having said that, I haven’t even managed to find Settings on the left side of the
screen which will allow me to access my signature! I’ll admit now - I’m going to struggle
with this website/forum as I have to use black screen to have any chance & I can’t see that option
offered here. Also, I’m more than aware that this has now become more about me rather than
Freya & that was never my intention…
I’m happy just to lurk in the background & learn everything I need to from your
conversations if that would be ok? Sorry if I’ve raised anyone’s stress levels unnecessarily!
Click to expand...
@Bandit's Mom
I see Bron asked you to help Liz with her signature and SS.
Liz is registered blind , you might have to explain to her where she has to go to enter the BG numbers
Just wanted you to be aware of this
Thanks Bhooma
@Bandit's Mom
 
Last edited:
Christie & Maverick said:
Valkommen, Liz! It sounds like you have started off well, finding this forum for information, and getting things organized with low carb canned food and some of the preliminary info has been shared already. To answer your previous question,


Cats metabolize insulin differently than humans, so no, there isn’t a regime exactly like what you have worked out for yourself. What we follow is what the data tells us, which is tied to assessing how the insulin is working. One of the benefits of testing at home is that you can get a feel for how your cat responds to the insulin and with that data can get an idea of some of the basics like:
  • Onset - the length of time before insulin reaches the bloodstream & begins lowering blood glucose
  • Peak/Nadir - the lowest point in the cycle
  • Duration - the length of time insulin continues to lower blood glucose
To make things more interesting, we have a saying which is « every cat is different » (ECID), meaning that how your cat responds to insulin and carbs will be different than mine, so as you gather data, it will help you gauge how the insulin is working for your cat. As you get settled in, please ask as many questions as you’d like, there are many people here who are happy to offer suggestions. No pressure, there is a lot of information available, so just let us know how we can help guide you and Freya in this journey :)

What we do have are some guidelines for dosing that we follow here, if they haven’t been shared already, the dosing methods for Lantus:
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...-low-go-slow-slgs-tight-regulation-tr.210110/
Click to expand...
Thank you. ]As Freya is a grazer, I’m wondering whether Tresiba may be a better option for her (I use Tresiba too!). Let’s see what her BG is at the vets
on Friday, but as she’s still sleeping in her ‘poorly corner’, I’m guessing that she’s not quite there yet…
 
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