did Scout bounce?

[Kristin & Scout]

just looking at Scout's numbers from yesterday, I'm wondering if he bounced based on his PMPS? his numbers are so always whacky and inconsistent with his doses.

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

I think the one unit was just too low for the number yesterday. But it was the only choice. You weren't going to be around. And yes, a bounce could definitely have been part of your pmps. He hasn't seen blue in awhile. I like the 2.25 for now.

It is nice to see that he can get lower numbers though. It gives you something to work with.

 

[Kristin & Scout]

update on Scout: numbers have been really good the past couple days- the only problem is keeping them there without continuing to lower!

 

[Rachel]

You have been getting some good numbers! Interesting that he went up instead of down today...wondering what your PMPS will be.

 

[Kristin & Scout]

yeah today confused me too. of course he jumped up as soon as I posted that he was doing really well haha

is there a time frame or anything for his levels spiking in regards to seeing a dog or cat outside? like does it happen instantly and stay up there for a while? or would it take a while to register and then drop off when he's calmed down? I know he loves sitting by the front door and spying on the neighbor's animals so I'm not sure how much that factors in and I feel like he gets really excited when he hears me open the test strip container because he knows food is coming, but wasn't sure how fast it would affect his blood levels.

 

[Robin&BB]

Hiya, Kristin! Was just looking @ Scout's SS - that was a nice yellow this morning! Looks like he may be doing the ol' bouncy-bounce, though - given that his drops midcycle from his AMPS # over the past 2 days are way more than 50%. Hmm ... You may have to start thinking about dropping his dose down a bit (even though I realize you'd rather not have to try that.)
I know it wrecks a good night's sleep, but I'd be interested to see what kind of mid-cycle #s he's dropping down to tonight from that 470 preshot # ... is there any way you could manage a +4 and maybe either a +6 or +7?

is there a time frame or anything for his levels spiking in regards to seeing a dog or cat outside? like does it happen instantly and stay up there for a while? or would it take a while to register and then drop off when he's calmed down?

That's hard to say, as ECID ... Does he tend to spy on the neighbor's animals right before PMPS time? (Lately, around dusk, a young tabby with little white "boots" has been stopping to hang out in our yard. Bat-Bat goes BALLISTIC then: Flying from window to window to watch him; hissing & growling, with her fur standing on end all over, and her tail puffed out down its full length, like a giant bottle-brush. Can only imagine what her BG# rises to at those times!)

 

[Kristin & Scout]

yeahhhh, I'm completely baffled by scouts numbers today. he was doing so well with those low numbers, but when I reduced his shot it seems to not be enough insulin and he stays flat all day.. but now that I hardly reduce it in the slightest, he bounces. I can't find a happy medium and it's driving me absolutely insane.

I had a slight scare today. right before I took his 115 test, we were laying on the ground and he sat up while I was rubbing his belly and he had a bunch of drool stringing out of his mouth. I rushed to take the test and it came back good (I freaked out thinking maybe hypo). I've never seen drool like that from him before but it didn't happen the rest of the day so I'm hoping it's not a bigger underlying issue that's causing his weird numbers. I'm also thinking it might be a upper respiratory infection (because his meow has sounded a little off recently), but he has no other signs of being sick- no runny eyes or nose, appetite is still good.


another thing that I've been questioning- am I making a mistake by only feeding him twice a day? opposed to mini meals. in my opinion, I like doing it that way because I feel like it's more controlled (#s during the day and #s during the night) but everyone on Facebook is telling new members to do mini meals to help the pancreas and I've been shot down when trying to tell people to do 2 meals a day before shooting.

also, in regards to spying on the other animals (besides the birds by the window and my neighbor's cats), my mom has two cats of her own here (they're actually my brothers but kept separate most of the day and during meals in a separte sun room/attached guest house type thing because my mom is allergic) but they typically all get along when I open the adjoining rooms to let them roam the full house. occasionally scout "bullies" them (they're socially challenged and don't realize scout is trying to play with them haha) and sometimes scout ends up stalking them and pouncing and it ends in a mini cat "fight" when the other cat freaks out. I'm not sure how much that has to do with his PM high numbers because I try to separate them late afternoon (to calm scout down) until he eats a few hours later.

sorry for the novel haha but thank you for checking up on us. I've been trying to manage on my own (and praying a lot for help from the big guy upstairs) seeing how scout is constantly all over the place and doesn't seem to follow the norms of other diabetic kitties.

 

[Robin&BB]

sorry for the novel haha but thank you for checking up on us.

No worries, Kristin; I'm not exactly what anyone would call a "brief" writer much of the time when I post!

I had a slight scare today. right before I took his 115 test, we were laying on the ground and he sat up while I was rubbing his belly and he had a bunch of drool stringing out of his mouth.

Maybe Scout was just so relaxed, that ... you know, how some people drool on their pillows when they're really zonked out? Could have just been something like that ... I wouldn't worry unless it started happening a lot, or if he started doing something like staggering around & appearing disoriented in general.

I'm completely baffled by scouts numbers today.

He's a real puzzle lately, that's for sure! One of the things I was thinking about: He's had a lot of changes to adjust to over the past month (the move, adjusting to a new living space with other cats nearby, his "mom" being away for a week, etc.) - I know that Bat-Bat is a real creature of habit and she can really stress out when there are changes in her routine; maybe it's just taking him a while to settle in/ settle down? When I think about kitties, I think about how similar it is to having a baby who's about 12 to 18 months old: They don't talk, so it's not like you can sit them down and explain these things to them that they may find confusing or upsetting, you know what I mean? Just want to ask this, before I forget: Are you 100% sure he can't sneak into anybody else's food when you're not around? (I keep remembering that time he scarfed your pizza...)

another thing that I've been questioning- am I making a mistake by only feeding him twice a day? opposed to mini meals. in my opinion, I like doing it that way because I feel like it's more controlled (#s during the day and #s during the night) but everyone on Facebook is telling new members to do mini meals to help the pancreas and I've been shot down when trying to tell people to do 2 meals a day before shooting.

I even asked my vet about that whole "healing the pancreas" thing: He just rolled his eyes, smiled & shook his head. I was told that unless a cat has other health problems - in addition to diabetes - that would require feeding a bunch of smaller meals daily, that mini-meals add no significant benefit. When you think it through: Diabetes happens when the pancreas isn't doing its job - it basically "falls asleep/gets lazy." So how exactly would mini-meals help a pancreas wake up? I wonder if we humans are the ones who "teach" our cats to become grazers - in the wild, they do not normally eat like cattle or buffalo, grazing throughout the day. Our barn cats would go catch a big juicy mouse or a small rabbit in the morning, chow down & then sleep most of the rest of the day, then maybe go hunt down another one at dusk. When I look back on the days when I was free-feeding Bat-Bat mostly grain-free, organic "healthy" kibble (ha!) I have to admit I was doing it more for my own convenience rather than concern for my cat's health! And I was overfeeding her, too - she ended up ballooning up to 18+ lbs. No wonder she ended up a diabetic; I was a dope! (Heck, most humans overfeed themselves nowadays; look at the sharp rise in obesity and diabetes in the U.S. in recent years: We're even seeing type 2 diabetes in children now - this was unheard of 20 years ago!) While I can understand the need for mini-meals (+ a timed feeder) when someone can't be around to monitor, as there's a risk of an unsupervised kitty going hypo, otherwise the "giving the pancreas extra time to heal" argument for a cat with no other health complications doesn't really wash with me. But again, that's just my own personal take on it; people are entitled to feed their own cats however they want, regardless of my opinion. (Gee, aren't you sorry you asked now? I never shut up!) All I can tell you, Kristin, is that Bat has always done just fine on two big meals a day since she became a diabetic. And I did try splitting her daily rations into four equal meals daily for a while - only after she was down to a tiny dose of insulin - just to see if "keeping her more even" throughout the day would be helpful - but is wasn't, not in her case. The only time she ever gets a tiny snack now (1/8-2/8 can of FF, all of 0.375-0.75 oz) is right after nadir when she's had a dose of insulin. But whenever she can skip doses, she get zero snacks. Ok, I'm hopping off my little soapbox now & going to bed. (Ha, I just wrote you a novel back!)

 

[Kristin & Scout]

thank you so much!

I feel a lot better about his meals now. I'm actually surprised at how little he actually needs at mealtimes! we're down to 1 1/4 cans each meal and his weight has been holding steady just under 14 lbs. I'm not sure if I should keep reducing or if this is a good amount of food to keep him at. My brother even made a comment at how healthy Scout has been looking recently compared to his obese days and his skeletor days (right before he was diagnosed haha)

But now, I ask for prayers. Pray for my sanity, as well as my cat's dumb ass who decided to secretly devour an entire cupcake after his dinner tonight (on a night where he didn't get any PM insulin!!!). His numbers have been waaay better as of late, so naturally he has to find a way to mess it all up! freaking Scout.

 

[Rachel]

I'm not sure about the food. Is 14 lb his idea weight?

Oh Scout!!! Guess he wanted to have a party today! I feel your pain...my (non diabetic) cat decided to take a slice of pizza from my plate the other day when I ran upstairs for a sec. I didn't even realize at first because he took it into a corner...only when I heard him chewing did I figure out what was up!

 

[Robin&BB]

Pray for my sanity, as well as my cat's dumb ass who decided to secretly devour an entire cupcake after his dinner tonight (on a night where he didn't get any PM insulin!!!). His numbers have been waaay better as of late, so naturally he has to find a way to mess it all up! freaking Scout.

Scout, you adorable BRAT ... quit finding ways to drive your mama crazy! Guess both pizza and cupcakes have to be kept under lock & key at your house, Kristin. I know how frustrating this can be; i.e., having to do a clean sweep of the entire kitchen all the time. (Bat-Bat is such a little "vacuum cleaner" as relates to the tiniest crumb of anything edible in the house, so I feel your pain.)

we're down to 1 1/4 cans each meal and his weight has been holding steady just under 14 lbs. I'm not sure if I should keep reducing or if this is a good amount of food to keep him at.

Does this mean he's getting 2.5 cans per day?
Refresh my memory here, Kristin: Which brand & formula(s) food is Scout getting/what size are the cans? (3 oz or 5.5 oz can?)

I'm not sure about the food. Is 14 lb his idea weight?

This is a very good question Rachel posed. Can you snap a current picture of Scout - from above him, when he's standing - and post that for us? Would help us (to be able to see a shot of his body at present from that perspective, I mean) to come up with a good answer to your question about food.