Exciting Update on Biscuits

[Karen & Biscuits]

You folks here are amazing! I wish my vet would listen to me when I tell her about the advice I get here about my diabetic cats but I think she thinks I'm just using Dr. Google and throwing things at my cat to see what happens when that is very definitely not the case.
Biscuits sugar levels have been improving greatly in the past week. I don't know what has changed, but she's responding well to the insulin and I've been seeing her numbers coming down considerably. Monday I had to do a home curve test and proved to the vet that it IS the Hill's Prescription Diet m/d that is causing her sugar levels to rise so much. She challenged me to take the food away and do a home curve test - so I did. And we nailed it! Her sugar stayed within normal levels most of the day. When she did eat the m/d, her sugar shot up fairly quickly. Glucose control???????? I think they need to go back to the drawing board on this one and learn what glucose control really means because this isn't it!
My vet was also skeptical about the methyl B-12 supplement but Biscuits has been on it for 4 months now, every morning she gets it with her breakfast and she doesn't mind it. Today....for the first time in almost a year, Biscuits was walking normally, not on her hocks like before, and she's able to jump on anything now as well. Today was the first day I noticed her walking totally normal and I did a double take because it was like nothing had ever been wrong. That stuff worked wonders for her and since her sugar levels are better, perhaps that combo is what did it. Thank you!!! Thank you for giving me the confidence to try this stuff and give her a chance at healing - because she did heal and she's doing great!
I am so relieved to see this improvement, with both her sugar and her ability to walk and jump. Her rash on her skin is also gone, she's starting to act like the old Biscuits now and I am so thrilled to see that. I have missed that sweet girl so much.
Just wanted to share the good news with y'all! Have a blessed night!

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Such wonderful news!! We love to hear stories like this!

And yes, although the Methyl B-12 will help, until the diabetes is better controlled, it can't help much since the damage is still being done. It's very much a matter of getting the BG down so the supplement can work!

 

[Chris and Checkers]

That is great news about her walking better and her BG improving. This site really is a lifesaver.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

I like reading stories about our sugar kitties starting to feel better.

But I just had to open the spreadsheet since I noticed you have switched from Vetsulin to Levemir. Good move by the way. You might to read the dosing methods we use with Levemir (and Lantus). Levemir dosing is much different than that for Vetsulin. We dose based on nadirs, not the preshots. And generally stick with dosing the same amount AM and PM. 3 units is too high a dose for Biscuits. I might try 2.5 units and see if you can get her to level out. Skipping doses is making her high the following cycle. And since you are skipping because she's too low to shoot, it's one of the indications that 3.0 units is too much insulin.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

What wonderful news about Biscuits! Despite your vet being a skeptic, at least he took the position of "show me the data" -- which is exactly what you did. Perhaps letting the vet know what the carb count is for the prescription food may help.

The methyl-B12 does help. It helps even more once numbers are in a better range. I'm sure Biscuits likes being able to get into trouble now that he's moving around more easily.

You may want to read over the sticky notes at the top of the Lantus/Levemir/Biosimilar board. As Wendy noted, there are big differences in using Vetsulin vs Lev.