gets very tired after shot -is it normal?

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Dave & Missy

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Missy is just 4 days into injection Lantus 1 unit twice a day.
Her BG readings are very high 23.6/424.8 (just taken)
I stopped for 24 hours because I am worried that after she gets shot she gets very tired. (readings were coming down to a low of 16.2/291.6 -still high but better than now) Full day of curve to follow
The numbers are too high for Hypo -is it normal for them to get very tired after shot?
She is alert & active before shot but she gets tired 1/2 hour after. About 1 hour later she seems to come back to more alert.
I spoke with vet this morning & will continue with 2 shots twice a day. Very shortly to get shot. (and continue schedule)

2nd issue is she is an "intact' 7-1/2 year old female. When symptons 1st appeared she was ravenously hungry & thirst could not be satisfied. -Lots of urinating too (I know these are common symptons) But she also was in heat. The cylce ended and the hunger & thirst & quantity of urine dropped dramatically. This drop happened about the 2nd day after shots began. I have read here massive urine & thirst & hunger happens only in about 12%, But is it normal after shots start to drop off so much? Or is it the heat cycle effect 9or both). She is now displaying the thirst again so I realize the insulin was working & must not stop or this is what happens.

Vet advises give food before shot (Fancy feast reluctantly agreed to (for now) But Missy was not eating whole can at 1 sitting. I was not to feed after shot. (also trying to encorage hunger to eat all before shot)
Does anyone have any guidance for these?

Thank you
 
I can address a few things for you. It is somewhat common for the blood glucose to raise just slightly after shot time because you just gave food and the insulin hasn't had a chance to work yet. Have you taken glucose readings at this time (1/2 hour after)? I am guessing that it will be a bit higher and kitty might just not feel well because of that number.

Also, with lantus, if you stop giving shots - even 1 shot, then you have lost a bit of the insulin shed under the skin. Please know that you shouldn't see too much number change until that shed is full. It will take a few days to fill back up after you start back with the insulin.

As for feeding - over in PZI land we advocate free feeding instead of 2 large meals a day - but I am not sure what the Lantus Land recommends. There might be some info buried in a sticky over in that insulin support group.
 
I'm new to Lantus too, but looks like we both started about the same time. My cat spent the first 2 days on Lantus at the Vet's office, so not sure how he did there. But days 3 and 4 he was VERY lethargic. He seems better today. His readings are also staying very high and we've increased his dose from 2 to 2.5 units this morning. So maybe the lethargy goes away after they settle in to the new insulin a bit.
 
Hi Terri
After last nites very high readings and shot new A.M. pre-shot readings are 13.2/237 the lowest since I began injections. She got tired still but not as pronounced as before. I am only on 1 unit of Lantus twice a day which seems to be the norm when starting Lantus.

Wish you best of suceess with your buddy
 
Hi Dave,

Sounds as if the higher bg numbers along with food are related to the lethargy. Just keep an eye on Missy.

As for food. Yes you should make sure kitty has some food on board, but does not need to be a whole can. Lucky was a free feeder so this is ok too. All you must ensure is that she definitely hasn't eaten about 2 hours before shot-so you get an accuarate bg reading and not an inflated number (bg's can drop quickly once effects of food start wearing off), Then bear in mind when getting spotchecks, so again if you can maybe not an hour around peak, but you want to make sure she has got food when your not around and she drops low, then she can feed herself( most cats but not all will).

If you set up a spread sheet and post your numbers (can get help with this in tech forum) then post daily in Lantus isg, you can get lots of daily support and advice.
Once this dose has been given and held at 1u for 5-7 days, then you need to increase by .25u if numbers haven't moved much.
If for now you post what numbers you have got, can advise when to increase.
If not had much movement in 5 days, then increase, if quite a bit, you'd wait the full 7 to get an accuarte picture.

What your trying toachieve is good numbers without putting kitty at risk of hypo.
 
Hi Dave
Glad to see you and Missy back.
Here is the link for the spreadsheet for her you can set up.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16

With regards to food, too much food at one time makes the pancreas work harder.
What you want to do is give them time to heal so smaller portions throughout the day, we call them mini-meals work very well. You might want to look into a 5 meal feeder so that Missy can have food throught the day while you are at work. It is by Petsafe and they sell it at petsmart or amazon.

How have you been keeping the 12/12 schedule? You mentioned that you were off work for a week to try and settle Missy. Lantus likes conisitency and I remember you saying that 12/12 will be very hard for you to do. I know there are board members that have thes same issue as you. If you can also add to your subject line that you cannot shoot 12/12 you might get some different answers.
 
Thank you for the replies

I will look at the petsmart feeder. I like the idea of maintaining the day long feed but not at expense of high numbers so I still need to test.I am still looking at numbers taken to see if a pattern start to develope. (it's starting to take shape) I still am varying food left out vs pushing 1 solid meal for each shot to see what the numbers show. She is lowest in morning & highest @ nite.
I will not be able to do the 12/12 so I will discuss with vet if I should ratio the shots to maintain same daily volume but adjusted for the time duration.
I have been logging everything to keep track of what is working & what's not. It's a big learning curve for me but it helps me understand her reactions to give a clue as to where she is on the numbers.

I do feed here before the shots but after the BG test to see clearest numbers. I think the lethargy IS due to the food because I have observed carefully & see she gets tired BEFORE the shot but after she eats. (I thought it was just okd guys like me that happened to!)

Still a lot to learn but thanks to all for all appeciated help & guidance
 
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