theruss
Member Since 2012
Hi all,
I'm just checking back in because I finally started 'Diabetes Dandy' on Lantus. I've been snooping around the boards on and off. You guys are THE best resource, hands down. Thank you for your time, and I hope someday I will be able to contribute at the same level.
I decided to switch Dandy to Lantus from ProZinc back in July (due to price, availability, and hopefully results), but also decided to use up the remaining ProZinc (vs. throwing it away). Anyway, last week I decided that we've used enough of the ProZinc, and that I would have time to do some extensive home testing this week, so we started on the Lantus (Pen) on Friday afternoon.
A Little History:
Dandy is a 7 year old, 15lb puss. He was put on the juice (ProZinc) in July 2011.
Prior to July 2012, Dandy was still eating prescription dry and wet food (Purina DM). He was up to 6u BID of ProZinc (over the course of a year). Each subsequent increase of dosage did not seem to be having much effect, so I decided to get him off dry food completely and roll back the dose (based on advice I got here...
). Over the last few months, I slowly rolled the dose up to 3u BID of Prozinc. We've been getting numbers in the 200s and 300s pretty consistently (very flat curve), with a few 100s and 400s sprinkled in here and there. I also started home testing back in July, and while I have skipped a few days here or there, I've mostly kept up with it.
The Present:
I started administering Lantus on Friday, 10/12/12. Based on the fact that 3u of ProZinc still had him in the 200s and 300s, and since I would be home to monitor him and take frequent BG readings, I decided to start him around 2.5u of Lantus and work from there based on results. (I've been struggling a little bit with the new-to-me half-marked syringes, so in my SS you'll see 2u the first couple doses, then 3u with a bubble. I'm hoping it'll work itself out in a few days.)
Dandy gets fed 2.5-3oz of low carb wet food (Fancy Feast/Friskies Classic Pate) 4-5 times a day, usually at 6 hour intervals. (Breakfast with AM shot, lunch, Dinner with PM shot, midnight snack, maybe an extra treat or snack if he's bothering me extra hard). He's never had a problem with appetite, and will eat anything...
Around the time we switched to Lantus, we also switched BG meters from the ReliOn Confirm to the ReliOn Prime due to the cost of testing strips. The numbers seem to be in the same ballpark.
So far, we seem to be almost exactly where we were with the ProZinc. I'm thinking I'll let it go for another few days, and then maybe notch up the dosage a touch. I was starting to think he might be insulin resistant...but I've done an independent study, and his BGs are definitely higher if I skipped a dose or two. Not sure what that proves...but it at least seems to indicate that insulin has SOME effect on him...
This week, I am working from home, so I will be able to do home testing every 2-3 hours. After that, I will be able to test at AM/PM shots and before any additional feedings, sometimes more on the weekends, if necessary.
I'm happy to accept advice on dosage, strategy, etc...
Extra Dandy Trivia
- Dandy lost 7/8 of his tail and half a fang before we adopted him. Their whereabouts remain a mystery.
- In August 2012, in 3 short weeks or so, Dandy learned to use a human toilet for his own business.
- Dandy has an orange older brother (not blood related), Rhubarb, in Buffalo, NY. We drive up for one week a month to visit him.
Thanks again for all the support!
R & D
(Russ & Dandy)
I'm just checking back in because I finally started 'Diabetes Dandy' on Lantus. I've been snooping around the boards on and off. You guys are THE best resource, hands down. Thank you for your time, and I hope someday I will be able to contribute at the same level.
I decided to switch Dandy to Lantus from ProZinc back in July (due to price, availability, and hopefully results), but also decided to use up the remaining ProZinc (vs. throwing it away). Anyway, last week I decided that we've used enough of the ProZinc, and that I would have time to do some extensive home testing this week, so we started on the Lantus (Pen) on Friday afternoon.
A Little History:
Dandy is a 7 year old, 15lb puss. He was put on the juice (ProZinc) in July 2011.
Prior to July 2012, Dandy was still eating prescription dry and wet food (Purina DM). He was up to 6u BID of ProZinc (over the course of a year). Each subsequent increase of dosage did not seem to be having much effect, so I decided to get him off dry food completely and roll back the dose (based on advice I got here...
). Over the last few months, I slowly rolled the dose up to 3u BID of Prozinc. We've been getting numbers in the 200s and 300s pretty consistently (very flat curve), with a few 100s and 400s sprinkled in here and there. I also started home testing back in July, and while I have skipped a few days here or there, I've mostly kept up with it. The Present:
I started administering Lantus on Friday, 10/12/12. Based on the fact that 3u of ProZinc still had him in the 200s and 300s, and since I would be home to monitor him and take frequent BG readings, I decided to start him around 2.5u of Lantus and work from there based on results. (I've been struggling a little bit with the new-to-me half-marked syringes, so in my SS you'll see 2u the first couple doses, then 3u with a bubble. I'm hoping it'll work itself out in a few days.)
Dandy gets fed 2.5-3oz of low carb wet food (Fancy Feast/Friskies Classic Pate) 4-5 times a day, usually at 6 hour intervals. (Breakfast with AM shot, lunch, Dinner with PM shot, midnight snack, maybe an extra treat or snack if he's bothering me extra hard). He's never had a problem with appetite, and will eat anything...
Around the time we switched to Lantus, we also switched BG meters from the ReliOn Confirm to the ReliOn Prime due to the cost of testing strips. The numbers seem to be in the same ballpark.
So far, we seem to be almost exactly where we were with the ProZinc. I'm thinking I'll let it go for another few days, and then maybe notch up the dosage a touch. I was starting to think he might be insulin resistant...but I've done an independent study, and his BGs are definitely higher if I skipped a dose or two. Not sure what that proves...but it at least seems to indicate that insulin has SOME effect on him...
This week, I am working from home, so I will be able to do home testing every 2-3 hours. After that, I will be able to test at AM/PM shots and before any additional feedings, sometimes more on the weekends, if necessary.
I'm happy to accept advice on dosage, strategy, etc...
Extra Dandy Trivia
- Dandy lost 7/8 of his tail and half a fang before we adopted him. Their whereabouts remain a mystery.
- In August 2012, in 3 short weeks or so, Dandy learned to use a human toilet for his own business.
- Dandy has an orange older brother (not blood related), Rhubarb, in Buffalo, NY. We drive up for one week a month to visit him.
Thanks again for all the support!
R & D
(Russ & Dandy)
