Hello from Jetson

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Michelle & Jetson

Michelle & Jetson

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Hello. I'm Michelle and Jetson is my recently diagnosed baby.
Dx on 8/19 and started on Lantus. 3 units week 1, upped to 4 this week
Thanks to all for the great info shared here, as I would truly be clueless without it. Jetson and his civvie siblings Jemma and Suzy have only been fed "lo-carb" food since kittenhood - but never realized the dry stuff could still be trouble. So now they only get wet, mostly Weruva, Tiki Cat, with some Wellness, EVO, and Merrick 5 star for variety.
Jetson is a big boy, and is currently on 4 units of Lantus. I've started hometesting :o but it's not going so well. I'm using the CVS brand meter (it was free with test strip purch) and is pretty straightforward to use. I just can't seem to get the right poke with the lancet on the first try - and then he bolts! I tried the lancet pen, but that was even more dismal. So I've been able to get a few pre-shot tests, but that's it. He's pretty squirmy and doesn't like being held, so it makes the process harder. I feel bad, know I'm hurting him - he cries every time! :cry: he may get over it, but I don't know if I will.
There's so much to learn, and I know I'll find good advice here. So, thanks for being here!

Michelle, Jetson and the girls
 
Hi Michelle,
First thing that struck me was...wow, that's a big dose of lantus!
I'm sure we all would love to see the numbers you are currently getting when you do get a successful test in.

As for the pokie.
Here are a few tips;
Massage the ear, even when you are not testing. Make Jetson feel his ear is the most wonderous thing you have ever seen.
Offer him a treat just for the priviledge of touching his ear.
Warm his ear before testing if you can. I have rice socks you can micro and would be happy to mail you one.
Jetson is NEVER a failure at a test,,,,you are. So he gets the 'good boy, luvins and a treat' no matter how the test goes.
If you tell us where you live, we may have a member not to far from you who would be more than happy to come over and do a pokie demonstration on Jetson for you.
Treats treats treats,,,,did I mention TREATS!
Use a cotton ball when you free hand it and dab the blood spot after you get your take. Dab it pretty forcefully to prevent burising.
ummmmm, have you tried all of those yet? :lol:
One thing I can promise you is it will get easier.
And please explain that HUGE dosage...I'm not liking that.

Lori
and Tom
 
oh, and the outer most edge of the ear is the spot to go for. anything closer to center will hurt alot. just aim for the very outer most edge of the ear.
 
Hi Lori and Tom,

Thanks for the pointers!
I've been using tissue and maybe that scares him more, will go get cotton balls ASAP.

Numbers so far:
8/29:
AMPS @ 7:45a 169
3u @ 8:12a
PMPS @ 7:21p 191
3u @ 8:20p
8/30:
AMPS @ 8:15a 171 but was taken after breakfast
3u @ 8:17a
Got call back from vet on food question - she was insisting on purina dm and I was insisting not. She said ok to my list.
Told her test numbers, she was skeptical I did them right, as am I. She said up to 4 based on tests and last week's curve
(lowest number was @ +4, 348 all others over 440) so...
PMPS @ 7:31p 210
Gave 3.5u @ 7:55p to not shock him with a big jump.
BG @ +3 was 166
AMPS @ 8:00a. 170 Again after breakfast
4u @ 8:05a
PMPS @ 8:01p. 208 After dinner
4u @ 8:10p

I have seen the ss, but computer is fritzing so will get one going as soon as it's fixed.

On testing- I'm using ultra thin lancets. Should I exchange for bigger ones?
On treats- I'm giving treats after. Should I try before too? I'm afraid of giving too much and then he might barf from too full tummy - he's done that 2x already.

Today I'm traveling and hubby hasn't tried testing yet. Do I have him shoot or skip the AM dose?

Thanks so much!
Btw I'm in Boynton beach, fl.
Michelle and Jetson
 
Hi Michelle! Welcome.

3-4u is a lot of insulin for a cat on a low carb, canned diet. Have you completely transitioned to wet food? If so, I am concerned that the dose is too high and if you're in the midst of a diet change this could be very dangerous. Many cats drop 100-200 points once all the dry is gone. The large majority of cats on a low carb canned diet do not need much more than 1u of insulin.

Doses are adjusted based off the daily nadir, or the lowest number in the cycle. This usually occurs about 6 hours after each shot. This number, and a test before each shot need to be taken daily to keep your cat safe and properly adjust the dose.

If weight is determined by starting dose, then it should be .25u per kg of ideal weight. That means if your cat is supposed to weigh 14 lbs (not what he actually weighs), then the starting dose still should have been only 1.5u, not 3u. Doses should not be raised by a whole 1u, but instead .25u-.5u increments, depending on the daily nadirs. Here is a link to the dosing protocol: http://felinediabetes.com/Roomp_Rand_2008 dosing_testing protocol.pdf. I've also attached an article that stresses the importance of dose adjustments via home monitoring vs. vet monitoring. I would print both of these out and bring them to your vet. Doses should not be adjusted based off tests at the vet's office because cats blood sugar shoots through the roof while they are at the vet because of stress. Dosing based of those numbers is dangerous because once the cat gets home, his blood glucose drops back down and he's now being overdosed, which can be very dangerous.
 

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Michelle & Jetson said:
On testing- I'm using ultra thin lancets. Should I exchange for bigger ones?
On treats- I'm giving treats after. Should I try before too? I'm afraid of giving too much and then he might barf from too full tummy - he's done that 2x already.

Today I'm traveling and hubby hasn't tried testing yet. Do I have him shoot or skip the AM dose?

Thanks so much!
Btw I'm in Boynton beach, fl.
Michelle and Jetson
Click to expand...

Sorry, I wanted to say that first before I got to your questions!

Bigger lancets work much better. I use 26-28g lancets for Bandit. I have a lot of trouble getting the ear to bleed with 30-33g lancets. The cat will not notice the difference, so don't worry about it hurting more.

A treat after every test, whether the test is successful or not, is a great practice because you cat will eventually associate the testing with them and be very cooperative with you. Bandit used to fight me tooth and claw and now he runs to be tested and purrs the whole way through.
 
One more thing--I know I'm throwing a lot of stuff at your right now--but when you get a chance check out the stickies in the Lantus forum: http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/index.php. There's a wealth of information about the insulin that you're using, and a lot of people there that have years of experience with dosing cats who give wonderful advice. Would you be able to set up a spreadsheet to collect your numbers? There are instructions here: http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207&start=0 (If for some reason the template won't copy because it's been weird lately, here's the workaround: http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=50130. Once you get your spreadsheet up and running, you can post to the Lantus forum for dosing advice. The people there have helped guide hundreds of cats into remission, including my own.
 
Hi Michelle, and welcome to you and Jetson.
I want to say just one thing, because it's the only advice I feel qualified to give. It gets easier! Honestly! I was frazzled in the beginning because my Jessie girl was so feisty and I was so frustrated. I could not imagine that she would become so cooperative. But now, she jumps right up on the counter and lays down when she thinks it's time! Imagine that! I can't take any credit for the change. It was all her, and it happened overnight. They are so intuitive, and Jetson will come around too. Yes, finding a special treat certainly helps. Also, using a pain relieving ointment while massaging his ear may help. It does help the blood bead up and even the smallest drop gets sipped up in the strip.
What used to be a long, stressful chore taking hours to accomplish now is a 15 second bonding situation.
I have to run out to work, but I will come back tonight and see how you made out.
This is the best place, and everyone is here to help you.
 
I agree with Julia. Try lancets that are a lower number gague. I use 28 gague from Target (they have caps on them). I have a relion micor meter from Wal-Mart that was $9 and the strips were $20 for 50. Cedric went into remission after a month on Lantus with a diet change. he was 17.6lbs in April at dx and was 15.14lbs on 7/29. I feed him canned only now, mostly Wellness and Evo. I was giving him Blue Buffalo Wilderness dry (it's grain free, high protein low carb), but when i took that away on 5/19, his numbers dropped 100 points or so. Two days later he was normal. He gets 4 small meals a day, and an auto feeder delivers up 2 of those meals each day, since I work 7 days a week.

My step mom bought Cedric one of these, and I use the heating pad to heat his ear:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... lmdn=Brand
i place the treat containers in front of him, get my stuff ready while it's heating, then get to it. Do I still have problems, yes, but note I only test him about twice a week now. You can do it, with some patience 9and better lancets).

Note I need to update his spreadsheet with his numbers from earlier this week, but I have a good excuse (rescued a stray today, finally). Note he never got more than 2.5 units of lantus at a shot.

Welcome and good luck!
 
doombuggy said:
Note he never got more than 2.5 units of lantus at a shot.
Click to expand...

Cedric is a great example of what can happen to insulin need with a diet change! He was eating a mix of low carb canned food and lower carb dry food, and when the dry food was removed completely he went from needing 2.5u of Lantus to 0u of Lantus overnight!
 
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