Day 3 OTJ trial - going well

NoahFL

NoahFL

Active Member
@Deb & Wink @JanetNJ Max’s day 3 of the OTJ trial is going well. Numbers are coming down gradually AND I was able to get a urine sample and we’re negative for ketones and glucose. :bighug:

Last night I actually caught him playing with his toys. I haven’t seen that in a long time!
 
Go Max! Stay low Max! Go minimum, Max!

If you are able to test at +3 or +4, when you get that blue pre-shot, that will let you know that Max's pancreas is working, if the BG level stays low and doesn't shoot up with the food being digested.

Looking good so far.
 
NoahFL said:
Getting lower with every day. Do you think his feeding schedule is ok? AM, 5 hours later, PM, 3-4 hours later.
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This is how I'm feeding mine. I feed both kitties at 6am, then I have the feeder to go off at 1100am, then I have the feeder to go off again at 3 (this feeder bowl is empty, just so Tucker doesn't eat 2 hours prior to me getting home) then test shot and feed at 6pm
NoahFL said:
Thanks! It’s definitely a roller coaster. This site has been so helpful in getting Max to this point. There is a point of anxiety every time I test him. I hope you get some greens soon!
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I hope that Max can stay OTJ for a long time now! Its so amazing and it gives me hope! WOOT!!
 
I think I’m driving my husband crazy. Tonight at PMBG, Max was 111 and I had that look of fear. My husband seems to think I’m overthinking it, but tonight was different than his normal downward trend. Then I started thinking the meter can be 15-20% off so he could still be going in that downward trend. Rechecking at +3. I know it’s still in the normal range, but I can’t help but feel some anxiety.
 
NoahFL said:
Then I started thinking the meter can be 15-20% off so he could still be going in that downward trend. Rechecking at +3. I know it’s still in the normal range, but I can’t help but feel some anxiety.
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Relax, enjoy the lower numbers.
Recheck at +3 to see if his pancreas is kicking in, and making some insulin to counteract the food he eats.

Ummm, but Max isn't on insulin. And Prozinc is one of those in-and-out insulins, so there is no insulin "depot" or storage area that holds extra insulin beneath the skin, in the subQ layer.

So low numbers can't mean hypoglycemia.
Lower is good, very good.

Even if Max tests in the 40's or 50's or 60's or 70's or 80's, that is normal.
Nothing you need to do, to bring his BG levels back up fast, since there is only the insulin his body is producing. No chance of overdose, no chance of hypoglycemia.

No worries dear. Or at least, there should be fewer worries. Flagging appetite, ketones. Not much else.

p.s. I keep forgetting to ask, or perhaps you said already and I simply forgot. Is it likely that Max will need more steroids, for whatever reason caused him to need steroids in the first place?
 
Deb & Wink said:
Relax, enjoy the lower numbers.
Recheck at +3 to see if his pancreas is kicking in, and making some insulin to counteract the food he eats.

Ummm, but Max isn't on insulin. And Prozinc is one of those in-and-out insulins, so there is no insulin "depot" or storage area that holds extra insulin beneath the skin, in the subQ layer.

So low numbers can't mean hypoglycemia.
Lower is good, very good.

Even if Max tests in the 40's or 50's or 60's or 70's or 80's, that is normal.
Nothing you need to do, to bring his BG levels back up fast, since there is only the insulin his body is producing. No chance of overdose, no chance of hypoglycemia.

No worries dear. Or at least, there should be fewer worries. Flagging appetite, ketones. Not much else.

p.s. I keep forgetting to ask, or perhaps you said already and I simply forgot. Is it likely that Max will need more steroids, for whatever reason caused him to need steroids in the first place?
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So the fact that he was 76 at +4 AMBG, but 111 at PMBG is nothing to worry about?

Max has developed allergies (the vet thinks). Last year he started losing the hair on his legs and lower back, so he was given a steroid shot. This year, he started losing his hair again and actually was breathing loud, almost a wheezing sound, so he got another steroid and antibiotic shot. His hair never grew back though but the wheezing stopped. Prior to the steroid shot I was trying Zyrtec and it wasn’t helping. The other day I started hearing that slight wheezing sound again. I don’t ever want a steroid shot again though.
 
NoahFL said:
So the fact that he was 76 at +4 AMBG, but 111 at PMBG is nothing to worry about?
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Nope. Nothing to worry about. Normal fluctuations in the BG levels.

NoahFL said:
The other day I started hearing that slight wheezing sound again. I don’t ever want a steroid shot again though.
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But if Max has trouble breathing, he may need something to help him.

Member @Juls and Billy talks about using Zyrtec and a non-steroid rescue inhaler in this post. Thought you might want to read it.
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...n-and-weight-loss-update.224406/#post-2512334
 
Looked at Wink’s SS again. I bet 3/12/2013 was a great day for you two. Gave me happy tears. Nine more days to go. Sounds like you and Wink had a special bond. Foster fails are the best. I’ve had several and I’m sure I’ll have more. I love Wink’s name btw. :)
 
So funny story, but not funny.

I checked Max’s urine and he was negative for glucose, but the ketone strip has a very very light pink (in between trace and negative). Puzzled and wondering if the strips were correct, I have my daughter go on a strip and low and behold she has a small amount of ketones. Even more puzzled, I check mine and I’m negative. So being the anxious person that I am I pull out my human blood meter and check my daughter and she’s normal. Phew. I’m guessing she was a little dehydrated after getting off work.

I did add some water to Max’s PM before bed snack (1tbs FF) to help flush those trace
Ketones.
 
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NoahFL said:
So funny story, but not funny.

I checked Max’s urine and he was negative for glucose, but the ketone strip has a very very light pink (in between trace and negative). Puzzled and wondering if the strips were correct, I have my daughter go on a strip and low and behold she has a small amount of ketones. Even more puzzled, I check mine and I’m negative. So being the anxious person that I am I pull out my human blood meter and check my daughter and she’s normal. Phew. I’m guessing she was a little dehydrated after getting off work.

I did add some water to Max’s PM before bed snack (1tbs FF) to help flush those trace
Ketones.
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You have to catch it at exactly 15 seconds with those strips. Another reason I prefer the ketone blood meter. Adding lots of water to the food is always a good idea. I usually full the can about halfway with water for each meal. She's a grazer so when she drinks it and walks away I often as even a little more
 
JanetNJ said:
You have to catch it at exactly 15 seconds with those strips. Another reason I prefer the ketone blood meter. Adding lots of water to the food is always a good idea. I usually full the can about halfway with water for each meal. She's a grazer so when she drinks it and walks away I often as even a little more
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I use a timer now to ensure it’s exactly 15 seconds.
 
@Deb & Wink So, my Chewy box came in the mail yesterday, the box was damaged and the strips were missing. So, broke out the human meter and he’s at 50 BGPM. Cause for concern? He’s doing SO well.
 
NoahFL said:
@Deb & Wink So, my Chewy box came in the mail yesterday, the box was damaged and the strips were missing. So, broke out the human meter and he’s at 50 BGPM. Cause for concern? He’s doing SO well.
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Nope, that 50 blood glucose level is NOT a concern, since Max is not on insulin.
In fact, you WANT to see low bg levels.
Anything between 40-100 is pretty normal for a human glucometer.
I even had a non-diabetic cat that tested in the 30's a couple of times.

That BG of 50 is highlighted in neon green on the SS, because you are using the SS setup for the pet meter, like the Alphatrak. There are formulas behind the scenes, that color code the cells, based on the type of SS you selected and initially set up. That automatic formatting for the color thinks that any number <68 for a pet meter is cause for concern. But no insulin, so you can relax. :)

Keep testing with the human meter for now, and make a note of that in the Remarks column on the SS, over to the right hand side. If you would be so kind.

Does that help?
 
:):):):):)
Deb & Wink said:
Nope, that 50 blood glucose level is NOT a concern, since Max is not on insulin.
In fact, you WANT to see low bg levels.
Anything between 40-100 is pretty normal for a human glucometer.
I even had a non-diabetic cat that tested in the 30's a couple of times.

That BG of 50 is highlighted in neon green on the SS, because you are using the SS setup for the pet meter, like the Alphatrak. There are formulas behind the scenes, that color code the cells, based on the type of SS you selected and initially set up. That automatic formatting for the color thinks that any number <68 for a pet meter is cause for concern. But no insulin, so you can relax. :)

Keep testing with the human meter for now, and make a note of that in the Remarks column on the SS, over to the right hand side. If you would be so kind.

Does that help?
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Yes, thank you. Still not getting too excited, but feeling hopeful. :)
 
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