Hello! Newbie here!

[Gizmo's momma]

Hi! My name is Shannon and I’ve been lurking in the background here for about a month. I’ve learned so much wonderful and valuable information! I figured it was about time to introduce myself and my cat. My cat, Gizmo, was diagnosed with diabetes in late July of this year. When she was tested in July, her numbers were 444. The vet suggested I try to see if I could get it under control through diet and have her glucose randomly checked after about a month. I had her checked yesterday and while her numbers had gone down (she tested as 342) they were still high. She will be starting insulin this week. I am hoping this helps and perhaps she will go into remission. I hope it helps her get more back to her old self. I have bought a meter and testing strips. Now to learn how to use it in the next few days.


She has lost some weight which makes her feel bony because she was little to begin with. There are days when she eats all the food I give her and other days she hardly wants to eat but a few nibbles. I’ve been feeding her Fancy Feast classical pate, Friskies pate, 9 Lives pate and Meow Mix pate. Before switching her over to the canned foods, she was drinking and peeing excessively. I was changing her litter box twice a day! Now that I have switched her feeding choices, her drinking/peeing are more “normal”. She had a few days last week that scared me because I thought she was on her way out. She had eaten really good the day before. The next day she didn’t want to eat but a few bites and just wanted held. I knew that something was wrong because she never want to cuddle – she’s quite the diva. She felt cold and I didn’t think she had much time. But the next day she started to recover, started to eat normally. I don’t know if her numbers went low because I didn’t have a meter to test her. I’m hoping that by starting her on insulin that that will help regulate her.


I’ve found this site to be so informative! I know once I start her on insulin this week that I’ll be on this site looking for answers and asking questions. The chart on canned food choices made it easy for me to get her on a low carb wet food diet. I’ve learned a lot in a short amount of time, mostly from this site. Thank you!!!

 

[Idjit's mom]

Good morning and welcome Shannon and Gizmo. I'm glad to hear that you have been reading the information on the board and it has helped. I encourage you to start home testing right away, so that you can get data on what Gizmo's BG is now since the diet change, and then later how the insulin is affecting Gizmo and to help prevent any hypo events. If you are going to be injecting insulin, you need to be testing.
Plus, visit the Novalin insulin support group: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/caninsulin-vetsulin-and-n-nph.19/
and read the sticky: Beginner's Guide to Novalin.
Did your vet prescribe or tell you to use the Novalin and explain how it works? You may wish to post in that forum and get some responses from members who have used this type of insulin.
Other health questions, such as feeding, home testing etc can be posted in the Main Forum.

 

[Gizmo's momma]

I have to get the testing strips today then I am going to make my first attempt at testing. Fingers crossed!

Thank you for the link to the Novalin support group. My vet prescribed it but didn't explain how it works.

 

[Idjit's mom]

I'm glad to hear you will be getting the strips today. Why don't you go ahead and get the spreadsheet going so that when you have data, you can begin entering it. If you have any problems, let someone know, there are members here who are wizard at the spreadsheets. Here's the link to that section: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/suggestions-tech-support-testing-area.6/
Remember the treats for testing, before and after if possible at first. Low carb like freeze dried meats, or pieces of poached or baked chicken breast. What does Gizmo like? Be sure to pick a "testing station" that you will always use, and perhaps during the day, even if it isn't a testing time, take Gizmo and go through the motions..and treat. Good conditioning and reassurance. Don't forget your treat also. If you have not found the section yet on home testing here is it is (In the FAQs forum, in the Index):
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
26 or 28 Gauge Lancets work best in the beginning, no particular brand, lancet device is a personal choice. Then something (cotton ball, cotton pad, folded tissue or paper towel) to press against the ear on the other side where you are poking, to anchor and protect your finger. Then use it to press against the poke site to help prevent bruising.
Read the Hypo information in the FAQs forum, print them out so you have them no matter what, and since you are going shopping for test strips, look at the Hypo tool box and see what you might need to put that together. We had a hypo, I didn't have my toolbox put together, but I can tell you that happened the very next day! I hope you never need it, but it's so comforting to have.
I look forward to seeing a picture of Gizmo!

 

[JanetNJ]

Welcome