Gandalf 5/13 AMPS 222 1.2U

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Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

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Steadier numbers at least.

Considering getting him shaved again. His dander is very bad and I comb as much as he'll let me, yet he continues to mat. His longer hairs are not smooth any longer, probably also because he doesn't groom. The dander is a symptom of not grooming I'm told, rather than dry skin itself. Grooming keeps the oils moving, so his skin is dry as a result of no oils. At least I think that's what I understood from the acu vet.
 
Vicky & Gandalf said:
Steadier numbers at least.

Considering getting him shaved again. His dander is very bad and I comb as much as he'll let me, yet he continues to mat. His longer hairs are not smooth any longer, probably also because he doesn't groom. The dander is a symptom of not grooming I'm told, rather than dry skin itself. Grooming keeps the oils moving, so his skin is dry as a result of no oils. At least I think that's what I understood from the acu vet.
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Interesting, makes sense. Since Bill has been home more he brushes Tigger everyday since Tigger will badger him until he does (has to be while he is on the wall outside). He does have noticeably less dander but he still sheds a lot, year round. I just attributed the dander and shedding to the diabetes....it does seem better when his numbers are running lower. It has also been better since he has been on a raw diet.
 
Yeah, that makes sense to me too. Although I did always think it meant dry skin....

Beau's coat is really nice, which flys in the face of his skinniness, soft and thick. Jeddie's is soft and silky and I can not believe how much it has filled out and is still filling out.

Vicky, that dose is .2u less than the peak dose that caused the rebound earlier this week isn't it? Amazing how much a tiny change makes with Mr. G.
 
Yes, .2 different. He's still not getting the drops I'd like to see, more green of course. Thinking of just going to 1.25U, which I can do on the micrometer easily. But this 1.2U keeps him steadier at least.

His PMSP tonight was 293, which may have been result of maybe a half drop less insulin this AM. I was a little unsure where the plunger was this morning, but I get tired of throwing them out, so I went with it. Had just thrown out a drawn dose last night for that reason.

Stayed with 1.2U tonight though since I have to shoot almost +10.5 tomorrow AM.
 
Why are you throwing out doses?! Can't you draw more into it or squeeze off a drop?

I hate to admit this, but I squeeze extra back into the cart (before I withdraw the needle). Sometimes I get a bubble or two that just won[t go away without a few hard raps on the syringe - but something I have to push all the air out and some insulin goes with it, so I stick the needle back into the cart and get some more.
 
Must admit that i selfishly want Gandalf to be shaved again cause he looks so freakin' cute in this tough lion outfit!!!

You guys are touching on a subject that really interests me and i wonder if it should be it's own thread. As of late, i too started pushing insulin back into the cartridge in an attempt to rid air bubbles in the syringe. Then i noticed that those same air bubbles just clung to the sides of the cart. Last, i noticed, and this sounds odd, i know, that when i tried to draw insulin from the cart into the syringe, it would move so incredibly slowly almost like it was thickened. Now i know it's not thicker but it just doesn't fall correctly into the syringe. Am i making sense? The other variable is that it is the end of the cart - although no other cart ever responded like this and i can't help but wonder if it's because i was pushing insulin/air back into it.

Molly's numbers have really sucked as of late and just to rule out the above, i tossed the cart and started a new one. The new cart (same temp as the old cart) fell beautifully into the syringe when i was drawing the dose (not thick, cold or slowed down like the previous one).

Does anyone else push air back into the cart and have you seen a difference in the insulin's properties?

Off to test Molly after giving from a new cart.
 
Michele&Molly said:
Must admit that i selfishly want Gandalf to be shaved again cause he looks so freakin' cute in this tough lion outfit!!!

You guys are touching on a subject that really interests me and i wonder if it should be it's own thread. As of late, i too started pushing insulin back into the cartridge in an attempt to rid air bubbles in the syringe. Then i noticed that those same air bubbles just clung to the sides of the cart. Last, i noticed, and this sounds odd, i know, that when i tried to draw insulin from the cart into the syringe, it would move so incredibly slowly almost like it was thickened. Now i know it's not thicker but it just doesn't fall correctly into the syringe. Am i making sense? The other variable is that it is the end of the cart - although no other cart ever responded like this and i can't help but wonder if it's because i was pushing insulin/air back into it.

Molly's numbers have really sucked as of late and just to rule out the above, i tossed the cart and started a new one. The new cart (same temp as the old cart) fell beautifully into the syringe when i was drawing the dose (not thick, cold or slowed down like the previous one).

Does anyone else push air back into the cart and have you seen a difference in the insulin's properties?

Off to test Molly after giving from a new cart.
Click to expand...

That almost sounds like there wasn't ANY air in the cartridge for it to act like that - does that make sense? Like there was no equalization factor. I had that happen when I used to use PZI vials and we were told to pull the plunger part of the syringe out and stick the syringe/needle into the vial to equalize the air in it. I hope I am explaining that right. That usually took care of the problem. Okay wait, here I found a similar explanation on a human diabetes site:

"Another good trick: Sometimes you'll get vials that the air pressure seems a little off, like from pushing too much/not enough air into the vial when drawing insulin. If this happens to you, you can remove the needle part from the cartridge and insert it into the vial. Works very well! You hear the "pssshhhh" of the air releasing and you're all set! :) I like this trick. I've found that your "air pressure" in your vial is really important when trying to avoid air bubbles."

http://www.tudiabetes.org/group/animasu ... -cartridge

Regarding the L's there have been tons of discussion on this on the old board and it was said that you can contaminate a cart or vial like Vicky said.

Anyway, I always shove the insulin back into the cart when I am trying to get rid of bubbles and I was able to use the carts down to the last drop. They even seemed to get more potent towards the end.

I also did the same with the vials back when I used them in the beginning. I am now using a vial again and we are half way through it. On the other hand Tigger's numbers have been creeping up lately so maybe it is contaminated this time.
 
Ah, how to pull insulin from a cartridge...

I insert with the plunger at 0, then pull back steadily and watch a tiny stream of insulin pour in. I let it fill (I pull to about the 1.5 line) and then push the excess back in to the cartridge. Really no air should be getting in to the cartridge because by pulling quickly on the plunger you've created a vacuum. Whatever air there is gets trapped at the top just below the needle.

Once the needle is pulled out, I don't it should be reinserted to push back any excess - that's what I mean by contamination. You've pulled out a wet needle, exposed it to the air and although the stopper at the end should take care of cleaning the needle, I don't trust that.

But I still push excess insulin back in to the cart, as long as I have not pulled the needle out.

Once I pull the needle out, then I adjust for dose and usually when squeezing off drops, a little air goes out with it. But I don't adjust for dose with needle still in pen.
 
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