HELP....Calley's AMPS was 430

[Kris10mo]

What the......???? Calley has never been in the 400's except at the vets and that was way back in May. She has never tested above 320 since I've been testing at home.

She also vomited A LOT sometime overnight....but it was brown....so maybe food related. I am wondering if she didn't get into the bag of dog food? I will go to Walmart today and get a plastic bin to keep the dog food in from now on so little miss sneaky can't do that...IF SHE DID. I don't know for sure.

So obviously Calley got insulin this morning.

Help.....what do I do? How much insulin do I give? She is not letting me test her without a lot of wiggling and such. Ack

 

[MommaOfMuse]

You hold the dose for a week. The Lantus has to build up in her system before its fully effective. Because it has to form a shed. Each shot will build on the next one. Lantus isn't instantaneous like N it works over time. Which is why its better for cats that have a high metabolic rate. Its very common when starting or changing doses to see higher numbers as the shed adjusts. AND if she got into the dog food 400s is very likely. Dogs need lots of carbs so most of their foods are in the 30-50% carb rate. A couple kibbles is little feeding a sugarcat a candy bar. Of course it will also cause them or any cat to puke.

I have a civie that's a fiend for my dog's dry food if he gets even a mouthful will vomit like an erupting volcano.

Patience Grasshopper, we'll get her down but we'll do it safely. I purposely started her low so we can bring her down gently and get her off the roller coaster. If she's feisty and wiggly she's still feeling pretty good.

The key to compliant testing is low carb treats. While you're at Walmart pick up a couple tins of nice stinky sardines (water packed only) put those in an air tight container in the fridge. Then when you want to test shake the container in her general direction or open slightly and wave under her nose. Pick a word or phrase that you want to use at test time. Here its Ears for Maxwell, Hey Lover Boy for Cassanova and Sugar check for Autumn. It can be Eggplant if you want just something for her to associate with the pokes and reward.

Now that you have her attention with the whiff of her new tasty treat and given the command. Either have her follow you or pick her up and carry her to her testing spot. Give her a tiny taste of the treat, close container but let her see it so she knows there is more coming. Test while awaiting the meter reading give her another bite. Then release her and put the treats away until next test time.

Cats are creatures of habit...kinda like kids. If you test at the same times and in the same place each time and she is rewarded for going to that spot before you know it she'll either be waiting for you or leading you to that spot when she hears the treat container shake. Autumn and Cassanova now remind me when its test time.

Mel and The Fur Gang

 

[terri1962]

Kristen,

As for the vomiting you can give Calley 1/2 a tablet of Pepcid, I buy the generic Famotidine at Giant Eagle which is really cheap. 1/2 a tablet is 10 mg once a day. If she is throwing up in the morning I would give it as late in the evening, every evening. She may have a little bit of IBD. I read somewhere you could hear her stomach gurgling?
I used to have to give it to my Arthur as he would do the same thing, I could hear him gurgling and he would throw up about every other day.
Do not give Pepcid Complete, only the regular Pepcid.

Terri

 

[tibbs5]

kristen
trust these folks. using treats for the testing really does work. mine hating the testing too in the beginning but being consistent is key. test in same place and use the treats as reward just like they told you. it really did work with Tibbs. hang in there. you're doing great. cats just take alot of time to get used to new things.
nadine

 

[MommaOfMuse]

As promised my best attempt to explain the Lantus/Levemir shed

Think of a funnel...now without corking the little end you are trying to fill up that funnel so the water stays even with the top while its still running out of the bottom. If you pour too much or too fast it overflows (hypo) if you don't pour fast enough or enough the level at the top sinks. (High BGs). The water only remains level if the right amount at the right rate goes in the top at the same rate it goes out the bottom. The top of the funnel is Tibbs BGs, the water in the funnel is the insulin and the funnel itself is the shed. So when you increase the dose you've have raised the top of the funnel to make a bigger funnel but it's still running out of the bottom at the same rate it was. However this funnel magically adjusts the hole at the bottom to match the top hole. But while it remolds itself his BGs either stay high or go even a little higher. A phenomena we affectionately call New Dose Wonkiness. Once the top and bottom of the funnel magically adjusts then the BGs stabilize again.

Regardless the insulin you just shot into Tibbs' funnel isn't what is running out the bottom. That is what was already in the funnel. Each shot builds on the previous until the rate going in the top matches the rate out the bottom.

Because of the type of insulin Lantus is when you inject it, very little is in a useable form for Tibbs to use right away. Lantus forms little crystals under the skin that has to melt before they become effective.

Does that help or have I confused you further?

Mel and The Fur Gang

 

[MommaOfMuse]

Insert Calley for Tibbs since obviously I originally wrote it for Tibbs and his mom lol

Mel and The Fur Gang