HappyAmber and GG

Hello all...and THANK YOU FOR THIS SITE!!!

GG was diagnosed last week (June 8, 2010). I just tonight got her script for insulin, she'll be taking Lantus 1u bid.
I just gave her a can of fancy feast, which she was not very interested in, but Mystery (civilian) was...GG sat in her room and just cried at the door instead of eating so I let her out...though just as I typed this she came back out from her room licking her lips, I suppose she did get some of it after all.

Just a bit about GG...

four years ago my fiance and i bought a house...there was a black cat on the back porch (Alex) that was also inside the house before we bought it! Unfortunately she went to the Bridge in Dec 08. She was the house Crone!
In the back yard was the gray and white cat that the previous residents told me was a stray that they fed and called GW (for gray and white...I called her GG cuz i didn't like bush, and now it means "good girl")...it wasn't long before I trapped her, got her to a vet and brought her inside to live with the rest of my fur family. The first 12 months inside the house she hid under my bed, the following six months she hid in the den under a desk, after that she moved into her own room which doubles as my dressing room. Just last summer (after my house bully, Magic, passed due to cancer) she finally started coming into the living room...now she is my number 1 lap cat.
The man and I are having to move from PA to NC due to his job...we have bought a house in NC (which he and the cat loving dog are living in) while waiting for our PA house to sell (which I am living in with my four feline fur babies). When he first heard of her diagnosis he wanted to 'get rid of her' or 'put her down' because we cannot afford two mortgages as it is, plus medical bills for a cat. And when this house is sold and me and the fur babies move to NC, i will be unemployed. I completely understand where he is coming from. But, I can't and wont abandon her or kill her simply because she has high blood sugar! I have sent emails requesting assistance in paying for her insulin and needles ... and I've received a very positive answer!!! I've also sent an email inquiring about test strips for the glucometer that I already have here. The vet and I are going to compare meters so we know how mine reads. Tonight at the vet, mine wouldn't register...her BG is 588 as of last Wednesday! I'm guessing that's why my meter wouldn't register it (kept saying error and there was enough blood) I only have one more strip though.
I've been bopping around on this site since last wednesday, just sucking up information. you really are a life saver! thank you so much for being here for us newbies!
Hope to hear from you soon...and I hope to be able to assist some in the near future!

~Happy and GG

 

hello,
welcome to the FDMB~

A few questions, are you testing for ketones?
588 is pretty high, good idea to be checking for ketones, has your vet mentioned it?
You may also have to consider vet stress on kitties, while at the clinics.
Do you home test at home and do you have any numbers to share?

I'm attaching some links for you, have a look thru the Lantus protocol the Lantus forum follows here.

FDMB HEALTH LINKS
Ketones

Tilly's Protocol: Modified Version
Lantus & Levemir Insulin Depot AKA Storage Shed
Jojo's Hypo Tool Kit
How To Treat Hypo

If money is an issue with meters and strips, and you're located in the U.S, the Walmart meter Relion and strips are very affordable and can be used for felines.
Does GG have any other health issues?

Others will be along to help out, post as much as you can about your kitty, read links provided.

Good luck to you!

 

Hi and welcome.

You're doing great so far, keep going with the food change and I second the Relion meter from Walmart. I've used quite a few over the years. I recently switched to this one to save money. I've doubted the numbers a few times and each time checked it against another meter and the readings were close. We expect a 20% variance, give or take between meters and even with your own meter, you can test within minutes using the same meter and numbers wont be identical. I can't explain why, perhaps it's just how the machine works.

Anyway, the point to all that, you'll save money by testing at home, less vet visits, and you'll be more proactive and hopefully be able to prevent things like Ketones that were mentioned and hypo situations.

Looking forward to hearing more about your furries and sweet GG.

 

Hello, nice to "meet" you and GG.

Make yourself at home and ask lots of questions :smile:
I hope that GG's numbers come down soon.

Odiesmom

 

Hi All...we thank you for your posts and welcomes! I have just now given GG her very first dose/unit of Lantus! wish us luck. it's 9:20 pm. Unfortunately I do not have any test strips...oh, i lie, i do have one and i will see if I can get a reading in an hour...but then i'll have to wait till the weekend and I'm going to go and buy that Relion w/100 test strips at walmart. Money is a huge issue at the moment, and I have contacted someone thru a link on this site and she is going to send me ketone test strips (with instructions, i hope) and some more lancets. I do have the one touch ultra meter but the strips are expensive...i figure its cheaper to get the relion, at least its something. I definitely want to do home monitoring with her, especially because we'll be moving with only a 30 day notice (at the very least) and I don't yet have a vet in the Greensboro area. If anyone knows of a good one who doesn't charge an arm and a leg for five animals...I'd love to hear about it. Our house is in Randleman, NC. I really wish I could just come back to PA to my own vet, but the 8 hour ride would cause terrific stress on everyone, including the 'beans'.
Thanks again for the links and warm welcome. GG and I sure do appreciate and are comforted by the fact that we are not alone in this.
I'm really hoping to see a whole new cat once her numbers are lowered.

Peace,
Happy and GG

 

Since her first dose was at 9:20 pm tonight...can i still give her a dose between 7 and 8 am tomorrow morning?

also, 4 days of next week and the full week after I will only be home once a day...is it ok to just go to one shot a day during that time? I figure one is better than none. but if I have to I can see if I can get someone over to my house in the early am to give her a shot.
I have a previous engagement (work! and i so need money) and can't really get out of it.

Thanks...I'm sure I'll be asking more questions as time goes on and we figure things out.

 

Ok, so i used up my last test strip and it read "error"...it did that at the vets the other day too. I'm wondering if my meter is whacked.
I'll just wait till the weekend and get a Relion and start testing her with that.

what a bummer. I was hoping to be able to see some numbers tonight.

Is it possible that her numbers are too high to register?

I'll be on tomorrow evening, i'm sure...

good night everyone. and thanks for being here.



PS...what is OTJ?

 

Do you still have the instructions that come with the meter? It should say whether a high reading would read "Error" or whether it would say "Hi". Mine would say "Error" if I did something like not get enough blood, but say "Hi" if the value was too high to register.

OTJ = Off The Juice ... when they go into remission and no longer need any insulin :smile:

Odiesmom

 

Thanks Odie's Mom...i dont' think i do have the book any more...but i will look around. I know i had enough blood in it this time...

thanks for the reply and the OTJ meaning...I have read the "jargon" thread, couldn't remember what otj was... ;-)

 

Lantus works best on a 12/12 schedule, so if you dosed at 9:30pm tonight you'll want to stick to as close as possible to twelve hours later, I see ur low on strips, when you get them, you'll want to be sure to do a preshot test before you give insulin.
Dosing once a day is not recommened, again - this is something you can ask in the Lantus forum. If there's a way around it, ask in the Lantus forum for thoughts and to see what works for you.

Please read the link I gave you previously on how lantus works.

Eventually you will need a spreadsheet to track your kitties BG numbers, you'll want to catch at least a couple of spotchecks in between cycles or when you can.
When you have some time, see about setting up a spreadsheet using Google documents - its free to use!
Spreadsheet Instructions

Going off the juice wont happen overnite, you're going to need patience and perserverance and just by you being here shows that you are taking control of your kitties health! :razz: ....tracking BG numbers is important for determining dosing, less or more.

Prepare yourself with low carb, medium and high carbs foods, anything with gravy is good for medium and high carbs should you catch a low number.
Fancy feast is an excellent choice for low carb foods. Good choice!

To get an idea on % of carbs, check Janet & Binky's "old list" for Fancy Feast listings.
Janet & Binky's Food Charts

Good to you and hope to see you posting often! Remember there's always someone here!

 

Thank you Ronnie and Luna...

I did put a call in to the vet to ask to be sure about the shots...and no, it is not a good idea to only do one a day, especially because she's not even regulated yet. Soooo, while I'm doing these 'overnight' i'll just have to get up an hour early and get to my house in the morning to get ready for work and give her her morning shot.

I should have a meter no later than friday, so I can start logging and do a spreadsheet by the weekend.

Thanks again.