Dosage Advice

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Yeah and what a nice cycle that was. So I would look at that cycle as something to be very aware of. Your range is 250-399 and shoot 2u. You got a 297 and shot 2u and got a really nice nadir. So the next time you get a number in the lower part of that range i.e. 250 and you shoot 2u, you will want to make sure that you are testing at nadir. It is interesting the cycle before that wonderful cycle, you got a 263 and shot a 2u and that cycle looks like it just went flat. So just something to keep track of. If you get a similar number and he she goes flat again, you may want to test a lower dose like 1.75 just to see if her nadir drops lower or if she gives you a higher pre-shot number.

So see how you analyze each number and continue to compare previous numbers with the dose given? It seems a little complex now but it will become familiar to you before too long. Have a great day.
 
Merlin said:
So see how you analyze each number and continue to compare previous numbers with the dose given? It seems a little complex now but it will become familiar to you before too long.
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I hope with time & experience I'll get the hang of this. Can't base much on her BG's prior to Nov. 2nd (before I shaved a few stripes down her back), as I now truly believe she was getting more furshots than I realized & when I did hit the mark, her dosage was too low for her to make any progress. Another bonus to her receiving adequate doses of insulin is, her Ketones have been negative (or almost except for a few times @ trace+) since Nov. 3!! :)

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I always plan to test Abby at nadir in the evening. But we usually fall asleep on the couch & when we wake up, Abby is sleeping as well. I prepare her overnight feedings for the automatic feeder & go to bed.
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
Oh, but that is the perfect time. Give her a quick poke while she is asleep
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Easier said than done when you are farsighted like I am. My reading glasses weren't good enough. I had to go out & buy magnifying glasses, put Abby on the kitchen counter under a bright light, so I could see properly to poke, see the drop of blood & get the test strip to draw it up! If she is sleeping on the back of the couch, a chair or on our bed, there wouldn't be enough light to see what I am doing. :rolleyes:
 
Well, darn. I pictured you two snuggled up on the couch, with your testing supplies right there (and your glasses) and you could just reach over and get it done. You might think about a way it could work?
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
I pictured you two snuggled up on the couch
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When Abby & I are snuggled up on the couch, she is usually laying on my chest as I recline watching TV. She likes to snuggle my face & stick her nose in my ear, LOL! Getting up without waking her would be impossible.

She's much more co-operative now when it comes to testing. I just have to make a point of testing her more regularly in the evenings, even if it's just a few hours after her shot. Some nights I feel like giving her a break, since I've already poked her 3 - 4 times earlier in the day.....
 
Hey Louise - I see that you got a 187 for PMPS. Looks like you updated the sliding scale so since this is a new number, if you could get a before bedtime test in, that would be great. We just want to test out this number/dose to make sure it is the right one and that Abby does not go low tonight.
 
When you insert a row on 1 of the 2 sheets you're OK IF you don't need formulas copied over so that each row on each page is linked to the matching row.
To keep the row numbers lining up, you might add a matching line on the other page.
 
Hey Louise. Sure did have a nicer cycle today. I was looking at your sliding scale and I just noticed we didn't have a range of numbers for a dose of 1.75. The reason why I noticed it was the number you got tonight as I was thinking that maybe a 1.75 would be good for that number. Then that is when I noticed it. So this number, you will want to watch tonight. We may want to add a range like 205-220 - 1.75u and I guess that will also depend on what your numbers look tonight and tomorrow am.
 
Good morning Louise. Any chance you could test one more time and give a dose if you are able to monitor this am? If I remember correctly you shoot early so we may be past that point. When you get a lower number at pre-shot time, you can stall and test in about 30 minutes (still no food given), you can stall several times if the number looks like it is rising. Usually the number has risen to a more comfortable number to shoot. It is always best to shoot something whether it is a reduced dose or token dose because 1) Abby will still get some insulin for the day, 2) so you won't get a very high number tonight (24 hours w/o insulin), and 3) you can test a dose for a lower number to see how she does (only if you are comfortable with that and you have to monitor). You have shot at 167 before on 11/13 (2 units) so that is some data that she probably would be able to handle it although I would reduce the dose. After some data, folks here have shot with numbers as low as 150. If you passed the point where it would mess up your schedule, then this is "food for thought" for the next time.
 
Merlin said:
If you passed the point where it would mess up your schedule
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Cindi, I went back to bed, fell asleep & didn't wake up until now, 4 hours later. She is now 380. I'm going to give her 2u, test later, then see what she is at her next preshot time.
Next time she is around this number at PS, I'll give her a token shot.
 
That is what I did too! That is tested and then went right back to bed. So I think you normally test around 5am/5pm, correct? If so, and you shot at 9am, then normally, you would shoot again in 12 hours from then. So if you were to test at 5pm, then Abby will probably may be low and you may have to wait however since you gave a reduced dose, she probably will not go too low today. If you have any questions, just post and someone will walk you through it. I am glad that you were able to shoot as I hate to see all that you have done so far, that Abby would have been really high today. I bet that the next time you get a lower number, if you just stall about 30 minutes, she would have given you a more shootable (is shootable even a word?) number.

One more thing to consider, because your sliding scale is relatively new, when you get a number that is at the low range of a dose, I would suggest getting a +3 or +4 test just to make sure that dose is not too much. An example would be, if you get a number like 180, we really have not tested out the 1.5u dose out yet so I would make sure that that dose would be given during the day when you can capture an early test and nadir. This number (180) is at the low range of your dose. When ever I have a new number at the low end of a range of numbers, I try to get an additional +3 or +4 test in just to see how Merlin is reacting to it. Also, you might want to add the range for the 1.75u dose to your sliding scale too, so we can test out that dose during the day. Maybe the 2u last night was a little much however your +3 test would have indicated to me that it was probably fine.

Oh my, the tweaking continues....you are doing great at testing and gathering some very good data. Good job!
 
Merlin said:
Oh my, the tweaking continues....you are doing great at testing and gathering some very good data. Good job!
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Thanks Cindi!
It seems like we have a few days while the waters are calm, I shoot almost consistent doses & Abby does well. Then she has a "burp" with a low PS BG. Not that I'm unhappy about her BG being low but it messes up her schedule, when you have to stall, then lower her dose. When I lower the dose, her next PS BG is higher than usual. But inspite of that, Abby is doing well. She's gained weight, ketones have been negative for 3 weeks & she is becoming her old self again.

BTW, I'm in need of new syringes. Up until now I've been using U-40, 1/2", 29 gauge. I want to switch to U-100, 5/16", 31 gauge. I have the conversion table & have read this thread: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/what-brand-of-insulin-makes-a-31-guage-needle.138286/

Is there anything else I should know before I switch?
 
My Relion U100 syringes are 3/10 ml cc, 31 gauge and the length is 8mm. It has a short needle and I get it at Walmart. I am hoping that someone will chime in on what is available for you in Canada. I think you will like the U100 syringes.

I am so glad that Abby is doing well and I have noticed that lately that her ketones have all been negative (anti-jinx). Such a great improvement and I like not seeing any red and black numbers here lately....big improvement.

Louise & "Abby" said:
When I lower the dose, her next PS BG is higher than usual.
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So knowing some that she sometimes throw you a little lower number, and with the data that you already have, then maybe you can add just a little more of a dose the next time, so she doesn't go as high at the end of the cycle. But of course you will want to monitor and feel comfortable of doing this.
 
Merlin said:
I am hoping that someone will chime in on what is available for you in Canada.
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Please, if someone would chime in who lives in Canada, what brand of U-100 syringes you buy. The closest Walmart to me is about 1.5 hrs away. But we do have a Rexall & Shopper's Drug Mart close by.
 
Louise & "Abby" said:
Please, if someone would chime in who lives in Canada, what brand of U-100 syringes you buy. The closest Walmart to me is about 1.5 hrs away. But we do have a Rexall & Shopper's Drug Mart close by.
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@Brashworks - any chance you can help Louise? She is looking to find the best place to buy U100 syringes. Thank you.
 
@Merlin for sure! Hi Louise and welcome!

Shopper's definitely carries BD Ultra Fine II 3/10 mL syringes. They have an 8mm needle that is 31 G. They also have half-unit markings - make sure to ask for that. They are in a purple and yellow box and look like this:

Screen Shot 2015-10-16 at 7.56.54 PM.png


I like them a lot but be warned, the markings can be very inconsistent. I use a dose ruler designed specifically for these - if you go to my spreadsheet there is an orange bar halfway down with the link to the German Katzen site I found them at (referenced in the message boards).

I don't know if Prozinc works like Lantus in terms of consistency but if it does you could also draw up a dose with coloured water and use it for reference when you shoot.

Hope that helps and good luck with Dear Abby....
 
Brashworks said:
Shopper's definitely carries BD Ultra Fine II 3/10 mL syringes. They have an 8mm needle that is 31 G.
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Just got back from shopping & bought just the type of syringes you recommended at Rexall. Only difference is the ones I bought are 6mm. I'm going to try them with Abby's next shot.

Brashworks said:
if you go to my spreadsheet there is an orange bar halfway down with the link to the German Katzen site I found them at (referenced in the message boards).
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Thank you, I will check it out.
 
Awesome. So on your SS you will still need to report the dose as if you were using the U40 syringes (not the U100 dose) because you are still using a U40 insulin. Holler if you have any questions regarding the U100 conversion table.
 
Merlin said:
Holler if you have any questions regarding the U100 conversion table.
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Just to make sure I have this right. For example on the conversion table for 2.5u (the most frequent dose I've been using recently), it doesn't show 2.5, but 2.4 & 2.6. The conversion for those units shows 6.0 & 6.5. So half would be 6.25. I have put a red dot on the photo below. Would that be about 6.25?
InsulinSyringeScale 2.jpg
 
Louise & "Abby" said:
Just to make sure I have this right. For example on the conversion table for 2.5u (the most frequent dose I've been using recently), it doesn't show 2.5, but 2.4 & 2.6. The conversion for those units shows 6.0 & 6.5. So half would be 6.25. I have put a red dot on the photo below. Would that be about 6.25?
View attachment 17518
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I haven't gone to the U100s yet, but it almost sounds like for that dose, it would be easiest to use a U40 syringe with half unit markings - that is what I use
 
@Louise & "Abby" your marking looks good. I understand that the depth of the plunger bit itself = 0.1 if that helps. See the photo:

Screen Shot 2015-11-23 at 7.32.05 PM.png


Note this is only for BD syringes with 8mm needle, but you get the idea. I know what you mean about the nearsightedness - I remember Julie (Julie & Punkin GA) saying she used 2 pairs of high value readers and a headlamp. I mean, why not look as goofy as possible? :p:p But seriously, I used two pairs of readers and it really helped, but I'm not sure of your Rx.

Edited to add: OMG do Abby and Genghis ever look alike!!! Genghis has some odd coloured spots in her eyes that Abby doesn't but they could be sisters!
 
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