Fifth morning with no AM shot

[supervix56]

Hi everyone,

I feel like LeeLee is doing quite well - her BG numbers have all been in the green, blue, yellow ranges.

I've got her on .5u twice a day...but her AMPS number is low enough that I don't feel comfortable giving her insulin and then leaving the house for 10 hours. So today is the fifth consecutive day where she has not had her AM shot.

Should I be trying her on .25u twice a day? I'll need to find syringes with half unit markings. I had asked the vet, but she said to stick with the .5u twice a day and to even give LeeLee her shot if the pre shot numbers are as low as 8 or 9 (I think that's 144 and 162 for the americans) IF I was going to be at home and felt comfortable with it. Since I'm at work 5 days a week, it's rare that LeeLee gets her AM shot. Would it not be better to just switch to .25u so I could consistently give her her morning shot?

This morning was 9.8 (I think) and so she did not get a morning shot. Haven't had a chance to update her spreadsheet (google docs is blocked at work.)

Thanks,
Erin & LeeLee

 

[BJM]

Until you have a chance to run a curve where you check every 2 hours to see how she handles the insulin for the period between shots, you're being appropriately cautious.

I would not shoot at any lower than 200 (11.1 European), given how low you've measured in the evening/night time.

Here are some ideas to consider:

You might aim for a "skinny" 0.5 where you measure just barely under the line. It may help to get a stand magnifier or clip on magnifier if you wear glasses.

If you are measuring out what she eats, perhaps put down some more food in the evening.

Another alternative is to very slightly increase the carb level of the evening meal to help carry her over the night (many cats go lower at night)

Note: change only 1 thing at a time, so you can see how that change alters your results.

 

[hmjohnston]

Hello Erin and LeeLee!

You've gotten some good numbers there and you are having trouble getting two doses in a day! I second the skinny .5 or, if you think you can do it consistently, draw up only half of what you normally would. You can take a used syringe and draw up that amount and mark it with a really fine sharpie marker so that you have something to compare it to each time you shoot.

Vets probably will not have they syringes with the half markings- you might have to go to a human pharmacy for those.

 

[supervix56]

Thanks for the replies. I'll get to the pharmacy and attempt this skinny .5 you all speak of. :smile:

Hopefully this weekend I can do a curve. I was going to do it last weekend after her morning shot, but both days she didn't get her morning shot...

 

[BJM]

Ask for the smallest U-100 syringes for diabetics, shortest needle (5/8"), narrow needle (30-31 gauge).

When you have a chance, you might put in your signature a few notes, such as what insulin ...'cause I keep forgetting!