Harley 9/25 SS Opinions Please

[Rob & Harley (GA)]

Harley remains high. I've increased his dose to .6u and now I'm not sure what his ss is telling me.

I've also switched him from a raw diet back to Wellness Chicken because it is so hard to find someone willing to feed raw if I need to be away. Since then I've tried to move him to less expensive foods like Friskies, Sophisticat and Special Kitty and every time I've mixed in the cheaper food his bg spikes up 100 points so back to all Wellness we go.

If I could get some input on his ss I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

Robin

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

Any idea what happened back in July that started these higher numbers? We're fairly new to this dance and still trying to understand all the things that cause higher numbers or climbs. I have no feedback, sorry - too new for that, I'm just trying to learn.

 

[Rob & Harley (GA)]

I don't really know what happened back in July to raise his bg's. There was alot going on back then but nothing obvious.

I've been trying to get back there ever since.

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

Hi Robin,

It seems that raising the dose is the right direction. I noticed back in August he finally had green again at skinny .75U, but then dose was lowered without giving it a chance. Yes, he had green again on .4U, but even the 58 at +2 can be explained if he didn't eat as much, it doesn't necessarily mean too much insulin.

The longer acting insulins take some time to create enough overlap or "shed" to be able to maintain lower numbers. Unfortunately new users sometimes sabotage progress by getting skittish when they start seeing low numbers and then dial back the dose, which causes the progress to halt and even go backwards.

You are increasing at a good pace, perhaps could have stayed at .5U longer, but now that you're at .6U just stay there for several more days and see what transpires. If after 5 days he's not out of the yellows yet, increase again to that skinny .75U and see if he can't get green again.

It might help to remember that the possibility of full blown, symptomatic life threatening hypo is rare on Lantus or Levemir unless a true overdose occurs. I saw your note on 8.22 and I wanted to reassure you he isn't going to crash from a 58 at +2.

 

[Rob & Harley (GA)]

Thanks Vicki,

I know I struggle with PZI brain and try not to let it play into the Lantus protocol, but it is difficult at times.

Can you tell me why his curve yesterday was so flat with his lowest # at PMPS? That concerns me.

Robin

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

Thanks Vicki,

I know I struggle with PZI brain and try not to let it play into the Lantus protocol, but it is difficult at times.

Can you tell me why his curve yesterday was so flat with his lowest # at PMPS? That concerns me.

Robin

Typical sign of getting close to a better dose in my experience. Then today you have "new dose wonkiness." Until a dose settles the changing BGs can be a conundrum for many. We expect to see an immediate result and you're just not going to get that with these insulins.

 

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

Regarding the food, I mix Wellness and Sophisticat for several reasons, but cost and fat content are the main ones. I think Wellness is too fatty and Sophisticat is low quality protein. Probably the carb content is around 5% with the two mixed. That's just a guess based on what I recall from both foods, so don't quote me!

Baby food should be 0% carbs, at least the meat versions. What kind were you using?

Dose: hmmm.... it does look like he needed an increase, but lets see what happens. I look at that 58 followed by "LO" on .4u and it does concern me a bit, but as Vicky said it could have been caused by a combo of things. What is the lowest number on your meter? I think mine goes down to 20 because I got a 26 on my aunt's cat a little while ago. So, lo could be 20 or below and that is just too scary low. Could have been a mis read and a retest could have clarified things a bit (maybe).

If increasing the dose isn't the right direction, his numbers will get consistently worse. If it was the right thing to do his numbers should even out and start to come down slowly.

 

[Rob & Harley (GA)]

The Wellness is too fatty and Harley is gaining back the wight that we worked so hard to get off of him. The Friskies seems to be the worst as far as spiking his bg's.

The baby food was Beech Nut Chicken but I stopped using it when I read a thread on Health that they could have as many as 8% carbs.

The lowest number I've gotten on my meter was a 34, I don't know how low it goes beyond that.

 

[Marcy & Klinger (GA)]

Hi Robin!
No advice....just wanted to lend support. Hang in there. I think the change from raw to canned is playing a big factor into Harley's numbers. Hopefully he'll get into some pretty numbers soon.