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? Frankie dosing advice needed in 1 hour
- Thread starter Sue484
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manxcat419
Member Since 2015
It's really up to you whether you feel you're ready to shoot that low and if you've got plenty of lancets, test strips and high carb food in case you need it. As you're using Alphatrak, that 113 is still a fairly low number (though definitely shootable once you're confident with monitoring and handling low numbers, which you've done a few times already). Unfortunately, I can't stick around for the whole cycle for you today as I've got things I really need to get done. Hopefully there will be more people about later on who will be available if you do shoot the full dose - I know you can handle the lower numbers, but it's always nice to have someone else around for moral support even once you know for sure what to do next! Your other option of course would be to shoot a reduced dose, though it certainly looks as though you're doing more than enough monitoring to catch a low number if he heads that way (I'm just looking at your spreadsheet and wondering if you ever actually get a chance to sleep)!!
Amy&TrixieCat
Member Since 2011
I'm at work so I unfortunately can't stick around...I'm wondering, though...did you happen to retest that 97? With the blues leading up to it, it is likely a good test, but it can be a good idea to retest when you get "odd" numbers.
Also, if you do shoot, do you have lots of strips and high carb food, and are you able to monitor through the cycle?
Also, if you do shoot, do you have lots of strips and high carb food, and are you able to monitor through the cycle?
Shiloh & Rhonda (GA)
Member Since 2015
Sue484
Member Since 2015
Thanks everyone but I decided not to shoot. At shot time, he had gone down slightly to 6.1 (110) so I stalled for 30 minutes and he was down to 5.4 (97) @manxcat419 was right about when do I sleep so I'm hoping I can tonight!!!
manxcat419
Member Since 2015
I think that was a good decision. 
That 97 on Alphatrak relates to somewhere around 63 on a human meter - that would have been a very low number to shoot! I'd go with enjoying getting a break for tonight and catching up on some sleep - we all need a break now and then to recharge our batteries. I hope you can get a really great sleep tonight knowing that Frankie's going to be safe.
That 97 on Alphatrak relates to somewhere around 63 on a human meter - that would have been a very low number to shoot! I'd go with enjoying getting a break for tonight and catching up on some sleep - we all need a break now and then to recharge our batteries. I hope you can get a really great sleep tonight knowing that Frankie's going to be safe. 
Sue:
The numbers you have been getting are essentially the same. Frankie has been surfing. There's up to 20% variance with any number. So a 97 is really somewhere in the range of 79 to 115. If you plotted this out for all of the numbers, you'd see there's considerable overlap. It tends to look like a larger difference on your SS because you're seeing both blue and green numbers.
One bit of information you don't have in your signature is whether you're following Tight Regulation or SLGS. With TR, the goal is to shoot lower numbers. However, regardless of the dosing method you're following, at some point, you need to get used to shooting progressively lower numbers. Tonight may not have been the night or if your schedule can afford for you go be off track, you could shoot at what would be +1. On the other hand, if you're sleep deprived, that's a consideration, as well.
Please keep in mind that you're likely to see high numbers tomorrow.
Just an FYI, on Frankie's SS, the last few tests aren't showing up. You need to widen the cell. You can also stack numbers in a cell if you're testing at multiple times within an hour. You have to manually color the cell, though. Gabby's SS will give you an idea of what i'm talking about.
The numbers you have been getting are essentially the same. Frankie has been surfing. There's up to 20% variance with any number. So a 97 is really somewhere in the range of 79 to 115. If you plotted this out for all of the numbers, you'd see there's considerable overlap. It tends to look like a larger difference on your SS because you're seeing both blue and green numbers.
One bit of information you don't have in your signature is whether you're following Tight Regulation or SLGS. With TR, the goal is to shoot lower numbers. However, regardless of the dosing method you're following, at some point, you need to get used to shooting progressively lower numbers. Tonight may not have been the night or if your schedule can afford for you go be off track, you could shoot at what would be +1. On the other hand, if you're sleep deprived, that's a consideration, as well.
Please keep in mind that you're likely to see high numbers tomorrow.
Just an FYI, on Frankie's SS, the last few tests aren't showing up. You need to widen the cell. You can also stack numbers in a cell if you're testing at multiple times within an hour. You have to manually color the cell, though. Gabby's SS will give you an idea of what i'm talking about.
Sue484
Member Since 2015
Well, I think I know what happens when Frankie skips a shot now. It seems his pancreas is not working at all, so it seems I can shoot him when he's in low numbers. I think this is the third time he hasn't had a shot and this has happened every time. I am following TR and it is in my signature. I have stacked the numbers in my spreadsheet which is why they are not showing in the US version, I just forgot to colour code. I'll do that now.
manxcat419
Member Since 2015
I'm not sure that his pancreas isn't working at all - that number could well be a combination of a bounce from the greens and the effect of a skipped shot. The two combined could send him that high. Though, I agree, for the sake of keeping him level maybe shooting a half dose the next time he has a lower pre-shot than you're comfortable giving the full dose at if it's also a cycle you can monitor might not be a bad idea to see what effect that has on him - the last time you gave a half dose he seemed to do quite well on it so that might be the better option next time around. And at the same time, if skipping got you the sleep you needed, sometimes we all need to do that - it's very difficult to stay healthy so you can look after Frankie if you're constantly exhausted yourself.
julie & punkin (ga)
Member Since 2011
yikes, i see that 605! I think that's not just from the skipped shot, but also from hitting green earlier and that causing a bounce.
You always have the option of giving a partial shot instead of just skipping.
Also, as Sienne suggested, you want to work yourself up to shooting everything over 50 since you're following TR. Giving the full dose into normal numbers can make a huge change in gaining control of blood sugar. There's a couple of things you can read to prepare for it - because once you've gotten to a dose that has given you a green preshot, you're likely to have it happen again.
Take a look at the Where Can I Find? post here, look in the lower portion for "Shooting Low", and for the post called "Tight Regulation Protocol, Myths Debunked: Shooting a Dropping Number." On the Shooting Low post, take the time to look at the spreadsheets that are linked and notice what happens in the cycle following the person shooting a green preshot. Just look across that row and notice how the blood sugar holds flat.
Also on the yellow sticky that's called "Shooting and Handling Low Numbers" There is a section on dealing with low preshots and becoming data ready.
It's all a great learning experience. Now you've seen demonstrated what happens when you skip a shot following a green preshot. You'll have another chance to see what happens when you shoot a normal number. But don't look back - sounds like you needed the sleep tonight. Tomorrow is a new day!
You always have the option of giving a partial shot instead of just skipping.
Also, as Sienne suggested, you want to work yourself up to shooting everything over 50 since you're following TR. Giving the full dose into normal numbers can make a huge change in gaining control of blood sugar. There's a couple of things you can read to prepare for it - because once you've gotten to a dose that has given you a green preshot, you're likely to have it happen again.
Take a look at the Where Can I Find? post here, look in the lower portion for "Shooting Low", and for the post called "Tight Regulation Protocol, Myths Debunked: Shooting a Dropping Number." On the Shooting Low post, take the time to look at the spreadsheets that are linked and notice what happens in the cycle following the person shooting a green preshot. Just look across that row and notice how the blood sugar holds flat.
Also on the yellow sticky that's called "Shooting and Handling Low Numbers" There is a section on dealing with low preshots and becoming data ready.
It's all a great learning experience. Now you've seen demonstrated what happens when you skip a shot following a green preshot. You'll have another chance to see what happens when you shoot a normal number. But don't look back - sounds like you needed the sleep tonight. Tomorrow is a new day!
Sue484
Member Since 2015
Oh I did need that sleep. Trouble is I got 5 hours and I am so conditioned to waking up I did and then couldn't sleep again!!! Also I now know that he hasn't changed much since pm +9 to AMPS which was 589 so maybe thee is a tiny bit of his pancreas working. I can live in hope. Next time I will give a reduced dose. What is the absolute so shoot limit on TR though? I don't really want him dropping to below 5 (90) as I know he will never go OTJ.
manxcat419
Member Since 2015
The absolute no shoot limit (once you know your cat and how he reacts to you shooting a low number) on TR is 50. But you have to work towards that - I don't think anyone would expect you to shoot a number in the 50s at the moment. You have to be ready and data ready to be able to do that with any confidence at all. And the first few times you shoot a low number, you really want to make sure there's someone here who can stick around in case you need some help (or just moral support) if he does drop low.
I hear you on needing sleep! After Rosa went OTJ I was still waking up at 6am for weeks (and I'd maybe been sleeping 4 hours a night most nights in the weeks before that, so it wasn't as if I didn't need a little extra) - I'm gradually making it a little later some mornings, but it's surprising how quickly we get conditioned to having to wake up at a certain time even without anything like enough sleep!
Never write off the chance of him going OTJ - there was a cat on here earlier this year who went OTJ after (I think) 5 years - it was certainly a long time. So, you never know what might happen in the future.
I hear you on needing sleep! After Rosa went OTJ I was still waking up at 6am for weeks (and I'd maybe been sleeping 4 hours a night most nights in the weeks before that, so it wasn't as if I didn't need a little extra) - I'm gradually making it a little later some mornings, but it's surprising how quickly we get conditioned to having to wake up at a certain time even without anything like enough sleep!
Never write off the chance of him going OTJ - there was a cat on here earlier this year who went OTJ after (I think) 5 years - it was certainly a long time. So, you never know what might happen in the future.
Sue484
Member Since 2015
So, the 50 limit is on a human meter isn't it? That would be 68 on AT. That equates to 3.7 on my understanding of numbers. I wasn't far off that last night so I feel a bit better about skipping the shot now. I felt awful when I saw that 605 early hours of this morning after him doing so well all day. Hopefully he will recover as quickly as he did a couple of days ago from another skipped shot. Anti jinx.
manxcat419
Member Since 2015
Yes, that's on a human meter - 68 is about the equivalent on Alphatrak. You did just fine skipping the dose - Frankie will get back on track soon enough and he'd likely have bounced anyway so you'd probably have seen a high number by this morning even if you'd given a shot...and that could well have been a high number after a sleepless night testing him! The best thing to do is to just put the skipped shot behind you and start over fresh today. 
Sue484
Member Since 2015
Thanks @manxcat419 I feel much better now. I keep forgetting he will bounce!! Plus I had a decent sleep, so all good here again and the guilt has gone.
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