Help with Insulin regulation

C

cfranzin

Member Since 2026
Good evening. I have a cat, Luna, started insulin May 1, 2025. I can't get her regulated again. Do I share spreadsheet here? I went from Libre to testing her blood. Her numbers tend to be all over the place and her glucose levels are very sensitive to what she eats. She eats canned food (Fancy feast pate, purina DM pate) and also Dr. Elsey's chicken. I'm not sure if I should be even higher than 3.5 unit/injection or if should be lower at around 2 (am I in a constant rebound?)

Luna's spreadsheet (Carla Franzin)

Carla
 
Hello and welcome Carla to you and Luna. Another way to list the spreadsheet is in your signature, along with other basic information such as the type of insulin, food being fed, type of meter. More details in this post: New? How You Can Help Us Help You!

As you've discovered, the Libre can often give you lows that aren't really that low. We recommend double testing Libre lows with a hand held meter. But now you've moved to the BG meter, it should be easier to follow the dosing method (SLGS) as written. Once you've been a week at the current dose, perform a curve, then evaluate the dose. You may need to increase again. Nothing so far on this dose says it's too high a dose.

Speaking of increases, we make dosing changes with SLGS by 0.25 units at a time, not by 0.5 units.
 
Thank you. The vet suggested since nadir still so high to go 0.5 units up, not 0.25...but I will stick to 3.5 for now. and go up to 3.75units next once i hang here for a while longer.
 
Signature info is in this sticky: Sticky - New? How You Can Help Us Help You!

If your cat eats FF, there's no reason at all to feed the Purina DM. Save your money and buy more FF or other brands of low carb food instead :) Is the Dr Elsey's dry food? There's no need to feed that either. Some diabetics are carb sensitive and even a small amount of dry will keep blood glucose levels too high. Canned food can be left out all day for snacking on. Many people use a programmable timed feeder for this purpose.
 
Dr. Elsey's dry is very low carb. Unfortunately I have a finicky cat and she still wants some dry. This is a compromise. I have a mix of Purina LOW carb pates (including the DM) and I am trying to wean off DM as it's too pricey. Fancy feast Senior pate chicken is high protein and low carb like the DM so I am aiming towards that. Today... she was VERY hungry. No real food overnight. I fed her Purina Canned (mix of DM and FF). That is all. And her blood glucose went from 344 mg/dL to 271 mg/dL in 3 hours. But this cat is so up and down. She would rather STARVE than solely eat canned. I'm trying to find where I can make a signature file.
Help with Insulin regulation
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Hello and welcome Carla to you and Luna. Another way to list the spreadsheet is in your signature, along with other basic information such as the type of insulin, food being fed, type of meter. More details in this post: New? How You Can Help Us Help You!

As you've discovered, the Libre can often give you lows that aren't really that low. We recommend double testing Libre lows with a hand held meter. But now you've moved to the BG meter, it should be easier to follow the dosing method (SLGS) as written. Once you've been a week at the current dose, perform a curve, then evaluate the dose. You may need to increase again. Nothing so far on this dose says it's too high a dose.

Speaking of increases, we make dosing changes with SLGS by 0.25 units at a time, not by 0.5 units.
Click to expand...
Did my signature. I'm really trying to feed her only Purina canned pate's (low carb) and in particular the higher protein ones (Purina DM and FF classic senior pate) but she likes her kibble. Only kibble I allow is Dr. Elsey's dry, chicken. Carb content is about 2%. It's very low. (less than 5%). This morning I only fed canned as she seemed very hungry. and in 3 hours her BG went from 344 to 271 mg/dL. 3.5 units insulin were given at 6 am EST.
 
Air dried raw and freeze dried raw are healthier lower carb alternatives to dry food.

Many diabetic cats need to have small snacks spread throughout the day and even night, much like how Human diabetics often snack between meals. Two meals a day doesn't work for diabetic cats or their tummies. This is where the programmable timed feeder comes in handy.
 
squeem3 said:
Air dried raw and freeze dried raw are healthier lower carb alternatives to dry food.

Many diabetic cats need to have small snacks spread throughout the day and even night, much like how Human diabetics often snack between meals. Two meals a day doesn't work for diabetic cats or their tummies. This is where the programmable timed feeder comes in handy.
Click to expand...
i do give freeze dried chicken breast pieces as a topper. And she definitely eats small meals throughout the day. She doesn't do well on just two meals. This is the profile on Dr. Elsey's. Much better than Purina Pro Plan DM. Dr Elsey's Clean Protein (Dry) | CatFoodAdvisor
 
squeem3 said:
Air dried raw and freeze dried raw are healthier lower carb alternatives to dry food.

Many diabetic cats need to have small snacks spread throughout the day and even night, much like how Human diabetics often snack between meals. Two meals a day doesn't work for diabetic cats or their tummies. This is where the programmable timed feeder comes in handy.
Click to expand...
So I definitely notice ... if Luna goes TOO long without eating she eats a meal really first and then she'll vomit. Her stomach does much better on smaller meals...like 4 ...
 
You can get dishes that are called slow feeders that make them take their time eating. The scarf and barf is not uncommon.

If you can copy that link to the spreadsheet and paste it into the signature, then it'll always be there and you won't need to keep including that link.You don't need to put "blood glucose levels all over the place" in your signature - that's a kitty default.🤣
 
Wendy&Neko said:
You can get dishes that are called slow feeders that make them take their time eating. The scarf and barf is not uncommon.

If you can copy that link to the spreadsheet and paste it into the signature, then it'll always be there and you won't need to keep including that link.You don't need to put "blood glucose levels all over the place" in your signature - that's a kitty default.🤣
Click to expand...
Ha ha! Can you check now? I did have my spreadsheet in the signature ...
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Signature looks good!
Click to expand...
Thank you Wendy! I see you are Canadian. So am I (even though i'm in the USA). My parents are still in my childhood home in MIssissauga. My mom also has a diabetic cat, Max. Anyway, can you look at my spreadsheet? Dinner, BG test and shot will be around 6 pm. I'm not sure how long to wait to try to go up from 3.5. I know her nadirs are not in the 100's at all. (mg/dL for me ... ).
 
Freeze dried raw and air dried raw are complete diets unlike freeze dried treats which are just that, treats.

If you find that your cat vomits if she goes too long without food, try adding more snacks of canned food.
 
cfranzin said:
I'm not sure how long to wait to try to go up from 3.5.
Click to expand...
Your signature says you are following SLGS for dosing, which you have to if feeding dry food. SLGS says you stay with the same dose for 7 days, unless she goes under 90. You are 4 and a half days into that week. There is a possibility she went lower than 190 on the night of the first. Hopefully over the next 2.5 days she'll stop bouncing and you'll see again how low she can go on this dose.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Your signature says you are following SLGS for dosing, which you have to if feeding dry food. SLGS says you stay with the same dose for 7 days, unless she goes under 90. You are 4 and a half days into that week. There is a possibility she went lower than 190 on the night of the first. Hopefully over the next 2.5 days she'll stop bouncing and you'll see again how low she can go on this dose.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Yes...I am going to stick on 3.5. Too many changes and I want her stabilized a bit. She is eating a lot more canned today BUT.... you are correct...I have to stick to SLGS since she is eating kibble. Even though the kibble I am feeding her is about 5% carb. It's a really good product.
 
cfranzin said:
Thank you. Yes...I am going to stick on 3.5. Too many changes and I want her stabilized a bit. She is eating a lot more canned today BUT.... you are correct...I have to stick to SLGS since she is eating kibble. Even though the kibble I am feeding her is about 5% carb. It's a really good product.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't do TR unless she were completely on canned and I had one of my four Libre's here on her...Libre and blood testing. The libre is good for patterns in the night or when I'm not home.
 
Good morning. Can someone look at Luna's numbers? I'm on 3.75 units. So some breakthrough but I think it may be a rebound. I haven't used the Libre since I learned how to test blood glucose but that prevents me from missing possible nadirs and trends.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top