Difference between hypo and lethargy?

Status
Not open for further replies.
bbwyo

bbwyo

Member Since 2017
I have been watching my kitty for a couple of weeks since the fructos?? test came in high. We have not started insulin for a variety of reasons. I have been changing to wet food successfully, almost there. Trying to get home testing down..few issues there BUT I don't understand my cat's behavior.

She is not on insulin but is so lethargic and unanimated that if she was on insulin I would be looking for the Karo. We live in a rural area and have had back to back snow storms so no exercise and she's arthritic so weather may have contributed. Normally she is an active and very engaging cat so this is alarming. She seems to"wake up"and get more active late in the day but after she eats goes back to curled up "sleeping".

We are seeing the Vet on Monday and will most likely be starting insulin. I just want to know how to tell the difference once we are actually treating the FB. When she is out exercising her numbers go down. Don't have much to go on but 278 before eating and 298 an hour after. Since this lethargy has kicked in NO exercise and over stressed from my learning how to test her numbers have gone into 300's.

The Vet has been cautious because she is an indoor outdoor cat (in good weather) and a good mouser and active when she's feeling good. We have been hoping diet would fix things but now I'm thinking its not going to be enough.

I guess I'm just freaking out a little because it's scary when a fur baby isn't herself.
 
Diet is rarely enough. Get going on the insulin.

One of my cats symptoms that I initially brought her in for, besides drinking excessively, was lethargy. Once her numbers were good she was more like her old self.
 
JanetNJ said:
Diet is rarely enough. Get going on the insulin.

One of my cats symptoms that I initially brought her in for, besides drinking excessively, was lethargy. Once her numbers were good she was more like her old self.
Click to expand...
I'm hoping so. appreciate your answer. Once you know it's inevitable you want to start now. Thanks
 
bbwyo said:
I'm hoping so. appreciate your answer. Once you know it's inevitable you want to start now. Thanks
Click to expand...
we are here to support you once you start the insulin. Make sure your vet doesn't prescribe more than 1 unit in the beginning. It seems lately lots of vets have been starting at dangerously high levels.
 
With Jones....he always sleeps with higher numbers. If you think about it, their bodies are working hard to stabilize and heal. No different from us. We beans still worry though ;)
 
bbwyo said:
I just want to know how to tell the difference once we are actually treating the FB.
Click to expand...
Really testing will be your best friend. It's pretty much the only way to say 100%. Your cat will get used to it. Give them rewards afterwards.
 
Definitely be careful of automatically equating lethargy with hypo (even once on insulin). About 11 years ago, we had a kitty that usually presented as lethargic when low and we'd do the Karo thing. Bad news is though, the one time, she was lethargic because she was already high and we unknowingly pushed her BG through the roof with the Karo syrup and it was not good.
 
JanetNJ said:
we are here to support you once you start the insulin. Make sure your vet doesn't prescribe more than 1 unit in the beginning. It seems lately lots of vets have been starting at dangerously high levels.
Click to expand...
I appreciate your support. Hope I'm not imposing too much to update what today brought and ask another question. Seems like I never know what to expect. I'm always up and feed at 5:30. I could tell right away she was feeling better but when I tested her before I fed her she was 339. Fed as usual. She didn't even finish all her food but in an alert normal way AND she was interested in going outside even with the snow. Was out for a while came in wanted to sleep but purring and making biscuits. I tested her 2 hours after I fed her and she tested 281. She's a different cat. The testing went much better today. Question is: shouldn't her numbers have gone up after eating? I know she wasn't real active outside, sat on porch basically. I wouldn't think this was enough activity to make her numbers go down? Guessing this is just reinforcing the "go low and slow" advice. Thank you very much. I'm feeding 3 meals that are as much as possible identical.
 
bbwyo said:
I appreciate your support. Hope I'm not imposing too much to update what today brought and ask another question. Seems like I never know what to expect. I'm always up and feed at 5:30. I could tell right away she was feeling better but when I tested her before I fed her she was 339. Fed as usual. She didn't even finish all her food but in an alert normal way AND she was interested in going outside even with the snow. Was out for a while came in wanted to sleep but purring and making biscuits. I tested her 2 hours after I fed her and she tested 281. She's a different cat. The testing went much better today. Question is: shouldn't her numbers have gone up after eating? I know she wasn't real active outside, sat on porch basically. I wouldn't think this was enough activity to make her numbers go down? Guessing this is just reinforcing the "go low and slow" advice. Thank you very much. I'm feeding 3 meals that are as much as possible identical.
Click to expand...
what kind of insulin is it? Vetsulin/canisilun starts working in about 2 hours.
 
Yong said:
Have you started insulin yet? I know yesterday you said you had not started it yet. Setting up your signature can help us answer your question before repeating basic ones covered in the signature :)
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/editing-your-signature-profile-and-preferences.130340/
Click to expand...
Sorry it's taken so long to reply and have not set up spreadsheet. Going there next. We will be starting insulin (vetsulin) on Wednesday afternoon. (11:00 Monday MST now). I have been testing kitty for about 3 weeks now and transitioning her to wet diet, she's pretty much there. Weight seems to have stabilized, general condition is better, drinking less water and more normal pee patties. I have been testing before feeding and 1-2 hrs. after feeding and I don't see a spike between the two and sometimes there is a slight lowering BUT I live in a rural area and have been taking her out for walks after feeding and between the testing times. She is an indoor outdoor cat so when she has higher readings I am guessing she's eating something when I'm not watching. I have always been around animals and have thought I understand their behavior. This diabetes is somewhat baffling. Some days she seems just fine but sometimes I know immediately it's not a good day. I am around her most of the time and sometimes the changes are very rapid. My Questions: 1. The Vet said she will do a glucose test on Wednesday before we start the Vetsulin. She said diabetes treatment is based on averages. She has used Lantus but found it to be expensive so she has switched to V. Kitty is "borderline" so she is saying we will start with the 1 unit dose. From my reading it seems that the Levemir has been described as being more "gentle" /over lapping effects? The warnings on Vetsulin seem to have been removed since I get error messages when trying to retrieve but it seems that Vetsulin is more a canine med? My dilemma is how to know whether to tell the Vet I want to start on Levemir? The pharmacy says Levemir can only be purchased in 5 pen boxes at $462 a box. Is it worth the additional cost? and additional heartburn in questioning my Vets advice. I really like my Vet and she makes housecalls...great since I live about 25 mins from next Vet. 2. From observing her behavior only it seems like something "sets off" diabetic reaction when she is outside but even if she ate several mice the caloric content shouldn't be so high as to cause a b/g episode more so than a regular feeding so is it possible something else may be contributing? Thanks I'll head over and set up a spreadsheet now.
 
bbwyo said:
Sorry it's taken so long to reply and have not set up spreadsheet. Going there next. We will be starting insulin (vetsulin) on Wednesday afternoon. (11:00 Monday MST now). I have been testing kitty for about 3 weeks now and transitioning her to wet diet, she's pretty much there. Weight seems to have stabilized, general condition is better, drinking less water and more normal pee patties. I have been testing before feeding and 1-2 hrs. after feeding and I don't see a spike between the two and sometimes there is a slight lowering BUT I live in a rural area and have been taking her out for walks after feeding and between the testing times. She is an indoor outdoor cat so when she has higher readings I am guessing she's eating something when I'm not watching. I have always been around animals and have thought I understand their behavior. This diabetes is somewhat baffling. Some days she seems just fine but sometimes I know immediately it's not a good day. I am around her most of the time and sometimes the changes are very rapid. My Questions: 1. The Vet said she will do a glucose test on Wednesday before we start the Vetsulin. She said diabetes treatment is based on averages. She has used Lantus but found it to be expensive so she has switched to V. Kitty is "borderline" so she is saying we will start with the 1 unit dose. From my reading it seems that the Levemir has been described as being more "gentle" /over lapping effects? The warnings on Vetsulin seem to have been removed since I get error messages when trying to retrieve but it seems that Vetsulin is more a canine med? My dilemma is how to know whether to tell the Vet I want to start on Levemir? The pharmacy says Levemir can only be purchased in 5 pen boxes at $462 a box. Is it worth the additional cost? and additional heartburn in questioning my Vets advice. I really like my Vet and she makes housecalls...great since I live about 25 mins from next Vet. 2. From observing her behavior only it seems like something "sets off" diabetic reaction when she is outside but even if she ate several mice the caloric content shouldn't be so high as to cause a b/g episode more so than a regular feeding so is it possible something else may be contributing? Thanks I'll head over and set up a spreadsheet now.
Click to expand...
When you test he before feeding, has it been at least 2 hours since her last meal?

There is a Canadian website that many of the ppl.on here order there insulin from. It's insanely cheap. Lantus is $100 a pen at my pharmacy, 5 pens are $169 at this Canadian website. It is extremely reputable. I will try and find the link. Don't let money be a factor on what you choose, especially when you can find it so cheap :)
 
GinnyBarr said:
When you test he before feeding, has it been at least 2 hours since her last meal?

There is a Canadian website that many of the ppl.on here order there insulin from. It's insanely cheap. Lantus is $100 a pen at my pharmacy, 5 pens are $169 at this Canadian website. It is extremely reputable. I will try and find the link. Don't let money be a factor on what you choose, especially when you can find it so cheap :)
Click to expand...
Here it is.
https://rxcanada4less.com/
 
GinnyBarr said:
Here it is.
https://rxcanada4less.com/
Click to expand...
I have been feeding 3x daily 5:30 12:30 7:30 in the process of changing diet and waiting on final diagnosis. My g/b readings are at this point a way of learning how diabetes manifests itself. The problem is that she is an indoor/outdoor cat and I'm not sure what she eats outside. I try to keep an eye on her but it's hard to tell unless I find some remains. I agree that cost should not be a factor. I will try the Vetsulin and watch her closely. There is a lot of good information on the different types of insulin and seems like many are doing well on Vetsulin. Forewarned is forarmed? I guess it will depend on what issues arise with the Vetsulin what the next option will be. Lantus and Levemir are appealing because they are called more gentle...I like that but N2CA! Hoping she will bounce back. Really really appreciate all the help.
 
bbwyo said:
I have been feeding 3x daily 5:30 12:30 7:30 in the process of changing diet and waiting on final diagnosis. My g/b readings are at this point a way of learning how diabetes manifests itself. The problem is that she is an indoor/outdoor cat and I'm not sure what she eats outside. I try to keep an eye on her but it's hard to tell unless I find some remains. I agree that cost should not be a factor. I will try the Vetsulin and watch her closely. There is a lot of good information on the different types of insulin and seems like many are doing well on Vetsulin. Forewarned is forarmed? I guess it will depend on what issues arise with the Vetsulin what the next option will be. Lantus and Levemir are appealing because they are called more gentle...I like that but N2CA! Hoping she will bounce back. Really really appreciate all the help.
Click to expand...
Of course. Everyone has always helped me here when I've needed it. Idk what I would do without this group. Definitely check the Canadian website. If you want to try Lantus, the price is really good. As an anxious person, I like Lantus, because it enters the body slowly. Idk anything about Vetsulin, but I've heard great things. You can always switch too :)
 
GinnyBarr said:
Of course. Everyone has always helped me here when I've needed it. Idk what I would do without this group. Definitely check the Canadian website. If you want to try Lantus, the price is really good. As an anxious person, I like Lantus, because it enters the body slowly. Idk anything about Vetsulin, but I've heard great things. You can always switch too :)
Click to expand...
Yes thinking the same thing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top