Eleanor - High & I Need Help

[Julie and Eleanor (GA)]

I guess no one will be able to help because Eleanor's SS is not up to date. I've been very ill, still am and dizzy and I get vertigo when I focus my eyes any length of time and I have an awful time with Dial- Up and the SS, have to reload and reload and keep focusing on it.
But I'm going to ask anyway - because I need help.

Eleanor was going along in the 160-240 range with an occasional higher or lower.
On Sept 20 her ear was painful. Took her to the vet on the 21st.

He diagnosed her with an ear infection, bacteria and some yeast. He said he could treat just the bacteria with oral antibiotics, but had to treat the yeast with ointment, he said all the yeast treatments have steroid and gave me Quadritop which is antibiotic and antifungal - to treat both the bacteria and yeast and said he didn't think it would raise her bg much. Also gave liquid Orbax antibiotic which she has had before with no rise in bg.

9/21 AMPS 340 two hours after getting home for vet, a normal stress increase for her. Started Orbax.
+6 261 Started Quadritop
PMPS 280 should have been way down from stress increase
+6 210

9/22 AMPS 267 Orbax
+6 271 Quadritop
PMPS 296
+6 234

9/23 AMPS 339 Orbax
+7 296 Quadritop
PMPS 305
+6 309

9/24 AMPS 297 Orbax
+6 295 Skipped Quadritop
PMPS 314
+6 281

9/25 AMPS 326 Orbax
+6 97
+7 122
+9 166
PMPS 312 I was expecting a bounce
+6 317

9/26 AMPS 307 Orbax
+6 197 I thought she was clearing the bounce
PMPS 297
+6 248

9/27 AMPS 379 Had thrown up furball just prior, always goes extremely high when throws up.
Orbax
+6 281 Should have come way down from vomiting.
PMPS 381
+6 258

9/28 AMPS 323 Orbax
+5.5 291

When I stopped the Quadritop it was because I felt it was bringing her bg up too high. I was going to start her on Zymox w/o steroid but I wanted her numbers to come back into the pre vet visit range first. I thought since the vet said he could treat the bacterial infection with oral antibiotics - which she is having, it would be ok to wait. Her ear is no longer painful and she is no longer fussing with it.
I do not know what to do.
Is the higher bg a result of her drop to 97 on the 25th?
Should I lower her dose?

I don't know what is happening or what to do.

Thank you.

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

Just a couple of thoughts from looking at the numbers.

You noted on 9/26 that you thought the 197 was the bounce clearing. I don't think it was, because her next numbers were higher, and no Quadritop had been given so I don't think that was behind the rise. I think the bounce just hadn't cleared yet.

I'm not sure the Quadritop is the culprit behind the overall higher numbers. I think the infection is the root cause.

How much longer is she supposed to be on the Orbax? The ear soreness might appear to be gone, which is great, but there still may be an infection that hasn't disappeared completely, and the numbers may stay a bit higher until it's gone.

I don't think I would advise dropping the dose until you see an indication from her numbers that it is the right way to go.

I don't have any experience with any of the medications you mention, so I am not sure if they would affect BG levels. Maybe a recheck at the vet to make sure the yeast is gone? If not, you might have to continue with the Quadritop. I think that evidence that the infection is cleared would be an overall lowering of her numbers, at which time you may find that the dose needs to be lowered. But if an infection is present, and you lower the insulin, then you might run into a problem with ketones, and you don't want anything to do with that. Do you test for ketones regularly?

Carl

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Julie

I'm sorry you have been feeling so poorly and Eleanor has been sick.

I agree with Carl...I would not reduce her dose. Sometimes when they are fighting infection, they need a little more insulin. But keep in mind as the infection resolves, BGs can come down.

Sending you both healing vines.

 

[Julie and Eleanor (GA)]

Thank you Carl and Marje -
I was wondering if I should increase her dose a tiny bit but don't know because of the drop to 97, then the bounce - I'm not supposed to increase on a bounce, right?

I thought the drop to 97 could be because the steroid was no longer in her system...

Carl, her numbers weren't higher until she went to the vet and I started the meds, that was why when they stayed high I thought it was from the meds rather than from the infection.

She has two doses of Orbax left.

I don't know if I should start her back on the Quadritop, try the Zymox or what.

I have no money and can't take her back to the vet for a recheck which I know is what I need to do. He also is insisting on doing complete bloodwork, which she just had in June and there is no possible way I can afford.

I do check for Ketones and she's had none, but DKA is why I am so worried about this.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Quardritop contains:
Triamcinolone acetonide is a synthetic corticosteroid providing rapid and prolonged symptomatic relief upon topical administration. Inflammation, edema and pruritus subside and lesions are permitted to heal.
I have treated my diabetic Twigie with Animax which contains a steroid and her BG skyrocketed. I ended up using Conofite for her yeasty ears.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Julie

I know it's very difficult for you to update her SS but I am, unfortunately, a visual kind of person. It's so hard for me to giving dosing advice based on a list of numbers. I've tried and I just can't put it into perspective.

If you need help with it, PM me and I can add the numbers to her SS for you, ok? Then I can give you some advice.