effect of this shot

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dosgatos

dosgatos

Member Since 2010
Hi, just want to check my understanding. If Lev is like an "ocean tanker", the effect of an AM shot does not show during that day or the evening, or the next day, right ? Then if I changed the dose to .15 and I read lower numbers during that day does not mean it was the effect of .15, correct? It is nothing to do with this or these particular dose(s) but with the whole building up through consistent dose/ time wise approach with the same amount minimum of 6 cycles that has effect..? Always 6 cycles? Or you can increase/decrease without waiting 6 cycles...in what situations? Reduce when you read below 40 or 50. OK. Increase ..?
 
Hmmmm... it's not an exact science. Lev proceeds like an ocean liner, most of the time. Usually things run along smoothly with little change, or with a slow building change. But sometimes the change can be sudden. If you get a sudden drop or begin to have numbers going lower and they go too low, then you should drop the dose on the next shot.

To me, too low is below 50, but for others it is 40. It depends on your comfort level and how your cat responds to low numbers.

Often, it will take about 6 cycles for a dose change to really show its effect. That's just an average amount of time. You may see some change sight away, but not the "full" change that will develop over several days. Some kitties can take longer for a dose to settle. In general, if you raise the dose faster than that, you may skip over the optimum dose.

Does that answer your questions?
 
Thank you, Sheila. If you see above 300 all day for 2 days (4 cycles) with the current dose, would you still wait to raise the amount until 6 cycles is over?
 
Hi Mami,

The importance of waiting the minimum of 6 cycles is to see if the dose will settle (body adjust to new dose, shed builds, etc).

If you are not getting hypo numbers ( 40 - ) or riding way high (500 + ) it is suggested to hold for that minimum time before changing dose so you really see how that certain dose is doing. If yiou change too quickly and don't see the true settled action of the dose, you may pass the optimal dose.

However, since kitty is in the hohger numbers, it is also suggested to be testing for ketones. (we mentioned that before- the ketostix)

hang in there! :thumbup
 
Please please hold the .3U dose a few more cycles (2 days at least). Although the numbers are 200s/300s, they are steady, there is no swing and since coming off that 363 when you raised to .3U he has had less than 50 points between BGs! That is what I want to see when I say you're looking for steady numbers.

Since you are using such small doses, what is necessary to produce a lower flat curve is just a tiny adjustment. But you have to hold the .3U for a bit longer to see how well it will work and also to bring down and not have to work against a swing.

From earlier, he had green numbers on your fat 3U. My assumption is that other factors, such as not consistent dosing (at these doses, even a half drop can make a difference in stability) prevented him from leveling out, and then he'd have a swing and the dose was not able to maintain stability.

He's had enough lows and swinging on .3U for us to think that's too high, but until it produces a low, it looks good for now. And you really can't judge by numbers that are 3 months old - their insulin needs can change due to illness (which he's had, even if he's not afflicted now) or food intake.
 
Thank you, Melissa and Vicky. Yes, I am intending to keep the .3 for a while. I raised the amount from .25 to .3 before 6 cycles so I wondered if I might have made another mistake. Would you have done that as well? Or would you always keep the same dose for 6 cycles minimum?
 
for what it is worth, in this case, I would have raised him back to .3u without the full "settle" time. Why? For two reasons: 1) he had good numbers on it before with only the one really low number - this makes it worth trying again, and 2) because he was sitting in the 300s too long for my comfort. But what we keep posting are guidelines and our own experience.

You will learn what works best and IS best for Akane as you gather data and watch him and see how he acts at certain numbers. For instance, Melissa reports that PK acts "paranoid" at really low numbers. Beau used to get a little spacey. And a lot of cats act like they feel crappy (like they have the aches and pains of flu) when they are really high - third eyelids showing and all that.
 
Thank you, Sheila. To see him staying 300's for .. how many days? worries me a lot even though he is not +500. Worry for pancreas, kidneys, liver.. perhaps because I saw he was quite well regulated before the switch.. I know I need to get used to it but this is just my honest feeling. I check ketone every few days and it has been negative but.. holding the dose that used to lower his bgs well but now keeping him in 300's is kind of worrying and hard.. Perhaps I will increase a little on 29th morning.
 
I thought I dosed him the same .3 last night but his BGs were better that cycle... So I tried to draw to the same point as yesterday this morning and dosed him to see if he could stay in 200's again. It could have been .3 and a bit more..?
 
Thank you, Sheila! Akane threw some better numbers after worrying weeks so I was very happy! :) I think I will raise a bit more on 1th..
 
He's doing pretty well. I like the 200s preshots much better. As long as you increase a very tiny bit, you and he should be fine. You get enough spot checks you will catch him if he goes low on an increased dose. I think it's now a matter of bringing up the dose to level his BG out as lower numbers.

Happy Birthday, Mami! dancing_cat
 
Thank you, Vicky! I raised the dose a tiny bit and stated in the spreadsheet as .3++. It may be called .4 skinny ? as it looks like so.. I am now using BD syringes so it may be different from .3 fat or .4 skinny in the beginning of his journey when I was using Monoject. Anyway, a tiny bit added to the previous dose.
 
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