Glucose at 60

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oneoftenthousandfists

Member Since 2013
Im new at this, and only been giving my boy Lantis for maybe two months. He has seemed fine until about a few weeks ago. It seemed when I didnt give him one of his shots or let more time pass between the two (twice daily), he was feeling better than when I had him at twelve hrs apart. So he started coming to me when he wanted his shot and it seemed to work fine. But a few days ago he hasnt seemed well, so I started him back on 12 hr shots, and got a glucometer (which the vet discouraged but I dont care what he says about that). He was testing at 100 range the last few days before his insulin, so I skipped the shot. I would give him his next meal then test again. If it was low I gave him his shot. Maybe I have this backwards, but its going down. Today it went from 74 before his insulin (after he ate) to 60 after the insulin. I quickly fed him gravy food, but he didnt want it, so I tried kitten food, which he gobbled. Idk if thats good or not, but I figured as long as he eats something to bring it up. Im out of test strips, and snowed in. Now I have to shovel out to go get more (remember Im new to testing and only was able to get a 10 with the meter as the pharmacy was closed). I am so unprepared for this, my vet didnt even show me how to give the insulin from the bottle (the awesome CVS pharmacist showed me). I am not wanting to even ask the vet, since he did not want me to test at home in the first place, didnt prepare me for low episodes, or anything. Just gave me the RX and said they'll take care of you at the front. There was a little more to it, with the weekend trial of insulin and so forth, but I dont know what to do. I know to find a new vet, asap. But as in, today, as I shovel out.... is 60 too low, should I have given insulin at a reading of 74? Do I give him maple syrup now while I go get more strips? It will be at least a few hours, its waist deep in some parts of the driveway... can someone help? He's 9 yrs old and the shots and testing dont bother him one bit, I couldnt be prouder of my baby boy! I want to take care of him and Im ashamed of myself for not being able to to help him through this! I feel like Im failing him, he shouldnt have to go through this....
 
Normally at 74 when you are just starting out with testing you would not give insulin at all (200 is the usual no shoot number),

Can you leave food out for him while you run to get more strips and then test again.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
want to take care of him and Im ashamed of myself for not being able to to help him through this! I feel like Im failing him, he shouldnt have to go through this....
Click to expand...

You're NOT failing him at all. And now you've found the best site on the web to find other people who can help you get through this.

What I didn't see, but might have missed, is what the dose amount was that you gave him.

Carl
 
Thankyou both for responding. He eats canned food, as dry is not good for his digestive system, but I feed him anytime he seems to be at a low, like not his usual self. He also will overeat to the point of throwing up with dry food. His Lantus dose is .90. I went ahead with a little maple syrup on his gums, and hes been sleeping. The huge problem - our whole street is snowed in! we cleared the driveway but can't get down the street, its up to or knees (walked down to the stop sign). We hoped to shovel a path to drive out, as we dont have a snowblower, but theres no way of shoveling the whole street with two shovels. So, we will have to just wait this out and keep him close. Thanks again for the replies and Im gonna keep combing this site for anything that may help him. I feel like the nitwit mother that should know better, but I just dont. I have medical issues of my own, and dint think to ask "what if". I just thought giving him his shots would make him feel better. Now I know. I would rather go through this myself than put him through this, its not fair to him. But all I can do is keep him comfy and let him be cozy in his quiet place until he levels out. I hope the maple and extra food is all ok to keep giving him. Im also assuming no more insulin until I can test him again... I just dont know until I talk to the vet.
 
I wouldn't give him any more insulin until you can test him and then you will probably need to lower the dose some.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
Now no beating yourself up, you have been doing the best you could with what information you had to go on at the time. And being snowed in isn't going to last forever either, so as soon as you can get out, just go get more test strips and grab an extra pack as backups. Now you know you may need more than you expected to, so just stock up as you can, no harm, no foul.

At least you have a meter now and can start testing him on a regular basis and once you start getting your own numbers we can help you understand what they mean and how to adjust his dose accordingly.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
How is he doing today?

In my signature link, there are some Secondary Monitoring Tools. You may find these helpful in caring for him and we'll find it helpful when you tell us how the 5 Ps are.
 
We shoveled out, got his strips and hes testing at around 73, and I havent given him his shot since yesterday. I wont give him any until I talk to the vet, which I wasnt able to do. We had drs appts today and all the shoveling (street still isnt clear, we went through anyway) it wasnt a huge emergency today. He is way better, hanging out with us and being his old self. He's still a little bit sleepy (hard to tell, he not an active cat) but his eyes are bright and alert and his breathing is deep and steady. He's eating well and wants company, so these are good signs to me. Tomorrow is a good day for me to make some calls to his vet here at the base, and the one off base (who diagnosed him) and for sure find a new vet who knows more. I also want to get a curve reading or whatever that is called, so I'll be looking at that in a few minutes and doing that tomorrow, but Im not expecting accurate results, as he isnt well regulated right now. But since he hasn't had insulin since yesterday, maybe its a good thing. Cant be bad anyway. Just won't rely on that, knowing his situation. Anyway - I want to thank all of you for your responses and for caring about us without knowing us at all. Figaro is my life, my whole world (my husband knows it and isnt happy about it, but he loves us anyway). He has been there for me through so much and I would crumble without him. I am going through a lot now as it is, But I would gladly take on anything else so he wouldnt have to have this.

But thank you for caring and being there to support people like me who dont know any better, but Im trying!
 
Okay he hasn't had insulin since yesterday and he is still testing 73? Right? Hon not only is he well regulated, he just very well be in remission and diet controlled. This is a very good thing.

What you need to do now is just keep testing him through out the day...heck run your own curve just pick a day that you can test him every two hours. But if he can remain in normal numbers (40-120 on a human meter) for 14 days without insulin with most of those days in the double digits..then we would declare him OTJ (off the juice).

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
I think you are doing just fine by your cat.... YOU decided to test when the vet said you don't need to test, YOU are caring better than the vet.
All the numbers you are getting are non-diabetic numbers, so for all you know, he IS regulated because your tests are giving you great numbers.

Curve is easy; just test every 2 hours and record the numbers and times.
You don't need to make any changes to how, when, or what he eats - your curve numbers are to let you know if all is working well or what changes you need to make.

If you have not given insulin since yesterday, and he's got numbers in the 60s and 70s, you may not need to give him any insulin. If you go 7 full days without giving any insulin, and all his numbers are under about 120, you have got yourself a DIET CONTROLLED diabetic.

Again, thank goodness you started testing; otherwise, you would have been giving insulin to a cat who did not need any shots! You are doing just fine by your cat.
 
Keeping fingers and paws crossed for you. He is doing great! :thumbup

I so hope it works for you and your boy!

Big Hugz! :YMHUG:
 
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