Fructosamine test, would you or wouldn't you?

[kay&junior]

HI,

Still working on getting Junior's s.s. on my signature.

His ( vet ) wants to do a Fructosamine test, she said she can come to the house to do it, it would give her average numbers for his glucose over the past few weeks, I told her I could send her numbers if that is what she wants, and also my Glucometer has averages for 7, 14, and 30 days. I know the test is expensive, and I don't have the money. We ( me & DH ) are getting better at home testing, he stays between 145 and 180, eats all wet, does well with urine out and water in. Gets 1 unit Lantus 6am & 6pm. Also takes 3mg of methyl B-12 for his neuropathy in his hind legs, which is helping!!!
She also mentioned doing a liver panel, not sure why. Her visit when he was dx was over 3 hrs long, he was a basket case when she left, he cried, I cried, it was horrible.
If the board thinks it should be done, I will think more on it, just wanted some input. what I have read makes me think I don't want him to have it.
but I am still learning!
thanks

 

[tuckers mom]

For my cats, knowing what their past average is does me no good. Looking at my numbers and seeing at individual times exactly how my cats are, that's what matters.

If your vet requires a fructosamine in order to give you scripts in the future, then I would, but if not, don't waste the money and keep up the great work on hometesting

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

I don't think it's necessary. If you have daily data from both the preshots and nadirs, then you can just average it. Bandit has never had a fructosamine--I think they're a waste of money except at diagnosis.

There's no harm in getting one done, but if you're tight financially then save your money.

I would find out why she wants to the liver panel--if Junior had an elevated value previously you might want to test for that value again to make sure it's improving. If the value was only slightly elevated, I wouldn't sweat it if you can't afford the panel right now, but you might want to get it done when you can afford it. If she wants to do the test for no reason but to check the value (meaning his liver value was fine before), then it's not necessary.

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

If your vet requires a fructosamine in order to give you scripts in the future, then I would, but if not, don't waste the money and keep up the great work on hometesting

Unless I had no other option, I would switch vets if mine required a fructosamine for scripts!

 

[tuckers mom]

If your vet requires a fructosamine in order to give you scripts in the future, then I would, but if not, don't waste the money and keep up the great work on hometesting

Unless I had no other option, I would switch vets if mine required a fructosamine for scripts!

I understand why you're saying this, but if we jumped ship every time a vet didn't do as we do, where would we be?

My vet originally prescribed Tucker 4U of Humulin N BID based on weight. Today the clinic, all three vets, prescribe only Lantus and encourage hometesting. If I didn't bring her the research and force a conversation there may be be a lot of cats in my hometown going to rescue or even being put down.

 

[Hope + (((Baby)))GA]

IMHO the only good a fructosamine test would do is confirm the average with your meter. I was using the old Elite at one point, good averages, then did a fruct. test on both Hope and Mishka. Got only a fair report so went back to my OTU and dose according to that meter and next test done on both they came back as excellent.

Unless you are curious like me I would not bother. Just tell your vet you cannot afford any extra tests unless the liver test needs to be run and I would want a reason and values as to why vet wants it done.

 

[kay&junior]

She does not require the test for scripts, and his liver panel was ok, nothing totally out of whack.

I think I will say no to the test and ask for specifics on why the liver panel.

as always, thanks for being right there!

will work really hard so you can see his s.s., I am proud of his #'s, and yes, I have joined the vampire club, I free hand my needle to his ear!

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

If your vet requires a fructosamine in order to give you scripts in the future, then I would, but if not, don't waste the money and keep up the great work on hometesting

Unless I had no other option, I would switch vets if mine required a fructosamine for scripts!

I understand why you're saying this, but if we jumped ship every time a vet didn't do as we do, where would we be?

My vet originally prescribed Tucker 4U of Humulin N BID based on weight. Today the clinic, all three vets, prescribe only Lantus and encourage hometesting. If I didn't bring her the research and force a conversation there may be be a lot of cats in my hometown going to rescue or even being put down.

Well, I'm not saying jump ship for every little thing a vet might do mistakenly, but I would refuse to pay the money for an unnecessary fructosamine. My new vet said she wanted one around the time of Bandit's insulin refill, despite me having brought his chart with a good few months of daily data. I said absolutely not, but if she'd like I would average the daily numbers in his spreadsheet for her. She said ok, and wrote me the script. I stuck with her--because when presented with a solid reason on why it wasn't necessary, she didn't try to gouge me by holding his script ransom.

Any vet that demands unnecessary testing in exchange for scripts (once I've informed them why the test is unnecessary, because like my vet they might not realize it, or ask for it out of habit) is thinking of money before the cat. I find that sort of thing unethical. That's why I'd switch in that particular situation. Can you imagine if a human doctor held onto a script for your life-saving medicine until you consented to paying his office for a test you knew from your research and other doctors was unnecessary?

As it turns out, Junior's vet isn't requiring it for the script it so it's not a problem! No vet switching recommended here.