Gandalf 5/1 AMPS 252 1.3U

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

I forgot I should have done a split dose this morning, so unless I can get something arranged at work, he'll have to go for 14.5 hours today. Sigh.

I started my Hyper-T civie Tigget on her methimazole last night. 2.5mg SID. Vet told me we'll start that low and test her in 2 weeks to see how that works. She may have to go BID, which the fact that we're starting SID is eerily reminiscent of when I started Gandalf on insulin SID and I'd bet not going to do the job. We'll see, completely different thing I know. I appreciate that she wants to start her so low.

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

+14 312 ~ 1.3U

Not horrible for +14. I'm sure he won't drop much tonight though, which should allow me to shoot earlier tomorrow, like +10 at least. I may split the doses at +10/+11. I can't be here in the afternoon.

 

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

I think Jeddie and Gandalf are having the same numbers these days, but Jeddie is a bit higher. He is off schedule and I need to get him back on, I was thinking of doing split dosing tomorrow. He has to move back by 2 hours. Can I just shoot a half dose at +10 and the other half at +12 and then shoot a whole dose at +12/10?

As for the methimazole dose, that is a half tablet, right? I really think that a starting dose should not be more than a quarter tablet, bid - and yes, bid is going to work better than sid. Sid dosing won't cause the same swings in thyroid that sid insulin dosing will, but I would be concerned with that starting dose causing adverse reactions. Look for vomiting and skin irritation, I think. Beau has not had those types of reactions to it, but Charlotte started vomiting after less than a week on that same dose. My vet said to stop the med for two days and restart. Same thing happened, only sooner, so we stopped for two days and started at the lower dose. When she still had vomiting we dropped her to a quarter tablet sid, because you can't really get lower than that with the tablet form. When THAT didn't work, we switched to the transdermal cream.

 

[Melissa&Paul-Kyle]

Vicky- if your gut says that starting SID is wrong, and Sheila is talking about how BID works better, why not talk tot he vet about lowering dose and giving BID? Or some dose adjustment that would allow the BID dosing?

Maybe take a general poll on other HyperT kitties and see what "most" do and works for them.

Good luck with all this- I am sure you'll get it all sorted out in short order. (((hugs)))

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

I think Jeddie and Gandalf are having the same numbers these days, but Jeddie is a bit higher. He is off schedule and I need to get him back on, I was thinking of doing split dosing tomorrow. He has to move back by 2 hours. Can I just shoot a half dose at +10 and the other half at +12 and then shoot a whole dose at +12/10?

Yes, that's the way I do the split doses to get back to an earlier time. It seems he's high enough that it should be safe. If you can get a spot in around nadir time to the first dose, that might be good. The main thing you run in to with earlier shots is too much overlap from the previous full dose.

As for the methimazole dose, that is a half tablet, right? I really think that a starting dose should not be more than a quarter tablet, bid - and yes, bid is going to work better than sid. Sid dosing won't cause the same swings in thyroid that sid insulin dosing will, but I would be concerned with that starting dose causing adverse reactions. Look for vomiting and skin irritation, I think. Beau has not had those types of reactions to it, but Charlotte started vomiting after less than a week on that same dose. My vet said to stop the med for two days and restart. Same thing happened, only sooner, so we stopped for two days and started at the lower dose. When she still had vomiting we dropped her to a quarter tablet sid, because you can't really get lower than that with the tablet form. When THAT didn't work, we switched to the transdermal cream.

It's actually a whole, hard-shelled pink tablet. She said that's the smallest it comes in. Maybe they have different resource for tablets, I don't cut it or anything. $9.37 for 30 tablets, I can't complain. So far so good - no puke at least. I'm watching her water intake, which MAY BE slowing down. Vet is most concerned about her kidneys, so I have to take her in for CBC, T4 and USG tests in 2 weeks. I think that's also why she wanted us to do SID to start, if I understood her right. I may jump to conclusions sometimes because I know more than the average pet owner, so I'm 2 steps ahead when she tells me clinical stuff and I may gloss over some of what she says.

The university internist she spoke to said the combination of T4 result plus clinical signs is why we should treat. Duh. I knew that a year ago. I hope this is soon enough to keep her going for a couple more years. For 18 or older, she's very spry, but that could also be result of the Hyper-T. She reminds me of Melissa's McHissy-Fit or however she so eloquently describes her CRF cat. Tigget smacks the younger ones around!

Thanks for caring about Tigget as well as Gandalf dancing_cat

 

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

The main thing you run in to with earlier shots is too much overlap from the previous full dose.

What if you gave a little less at that previous full dose?

Well, the meth (lol) that you have is obviously different than what I have, and showed you when you were here. Mine is so easily divided into quarters just with my fingernails. Just keep an eye on her, I guess. Also, it takes at least a month on the dose for the hormones to settle and give you a true idea of what the dose is doing. Although, checking the renal values in two weeks might be a good idea.

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

The main thing you run in to with earlier shots is too much overlap from the previous full dose.

What if you gave a little less at that previous full dose?

Hmm, well then yeah, less overlap, but you run into compounding the changes in shot times with less insulin - seems to throw everything all helter-skelter.

Like a lot of things we do here with Lev, it may be worth trying with Jeddie. Again, he seems high enough that the split doses at +10+12 won't send him to the basement.

Well, the meth (lol) that you have is obviously different than what I have, and showed you when you were here. Mine is so easily divided into quarters just with my fingernails. Just keep an eye on her, I guess. Also, it takes at least a month on the dose for the hormones to settle and give you a true idea of what the dose is doing. Although, checking the renal values in two weeks might be a good idea.

I'll stick with the vet's recommendations on recheck for now. I'm not flying as blind with this as I was with diabetes in the beginning, but I am already noticing less water drinking and this is only day 2. She didn't eat a lot this AM, but not highly unusual for her. She'll act hungry, then not eat what I give her. I assume that if the Hyper-T was masking renal problems, I'd be seeing more drinking now, not less, so I take the less drinking as a good sign.

 

[Michele&Molly]

I'm sorry i don't have any advice to offer - i am not familiar with Hyper-T. Definitely a good sign that water intake appears to be decreasing though. Can you weigh her? Maybe weigh yourself and then weigh yourself again while holding her to see if weight is increasing? I think you said you have a baseline weight right?

Gandalf's +14 ~312 is not bad at all! Go go Gman!

Give everyone over there hugs from me :RAHCAT (you do realize that the cheerleading cat should be my siggy right? I crack myself up!).

 

[pamela and tigger]

Vicky, what about some probiotics for Gandalf with all the ab's he is on and will be on with his upcoming dental?

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

Vicky, what about some probiotics for Gandalf with all the ab's he is on and will be on with his upcoming dental?

He gets F-Biotic in his food almost daily. I gave him extra when I thought he was constipated (you could be right - could be from ABs) and it gave him diarrhea, which it says it can do if too much is given, so cut back. I try to sprinkle it on at least half his meals daily.