Hi! Let me introduce U.

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theresa

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Hello everyone!

So pleased to have found this site so full of information. I have been lurking for a bit and am so pleased there are so many experienced people here in regard to this disease.

My cat, U, (11 years old) was diagnosed as pre-diabetic in March with a glucose reading of 381. They said get him to drop some weight. I worked on that - but it wasn't the reduced food that got him to drop some weight - it was the diabetes. I sure wish they had told me about low carb food. But thats in the past now.
In late July, I take U in for a cough and I suspect diabetes as his drinking increased - as well as his urine output. Now the vet labels him as diabetic - his reading was 421. By that time he is home and I am feeding him low-carb food. When we go back again to learn about insulin and testing, his number had dropped to 328. So we do a week more on just low-carb food, but his numbers sneak back up into the 380s.
For the first insulin administration, the vet wants to keep him for the day because he has been eating so poorly. While there she gave him one unit of Lantus - his number dropped to 245. U comes home and I start insulin treatment. I do one unit, once a day - but his numbers on testing soar back up to 390s.
On Wednesday, I started doing 1 unit, twice a day. I do my first glucose test tomorrow and it will be interesting to see the number.
Besides the normal stress and worry everyone experiences when facing this disease in their pet, my biggest concern is the glucose testing. I just can't do it. I have watched all the videos, read the articles, but just can't seem to hit the spot on the first attempt. Right now, that is a source of huge frustration and I just dread doing it. I know it is so important and has to be done. How long does it take to master this?

Thank you all! This site/forum is priceless in terms of learning about feline diabetes.
 
Welcome Theresa and what a wise choice to give him his shots twice a day. (b.i.d.) and feeding low carb food.

You can learn to test, did you learn to give shots ..... I hate blood, needles, all of it but I have a cat that needs shots 3x a day, (t.i.d.) and I test before each shot. You can learn to do anything and you love your sweet boy, that's what makes the difference.

Also if you post with your location, not street address but city, state we may have a member close who would be able to help.

The best place to re-post would be in the Lantus group in the insulin support groups. (ISG) They have condos, that is what they call their posts :) Put in the subject line new to Lantus/diabetes need help .... or something like that. They have all the experts in your insulin and can guide you on dosing and just about everything else.

Good luck and you'll be fine.

Nancy and Payne
 
Welcome Theresa and of you too sweet U,

Don't get to frustrated with the home testing, it is very rare that any of us got blood on the first few tries, and even now after having not one but two diabetic cats, I have to poke a couple of times to find that precious little red bead...it happens to all of us. Testing is like everything else new that we learn, it takes practice, practice, practice. You didn't learn to ride a bike as a kid without training wheels or someone running behind you to hold you up, and well probably not without a few spills either, I know I certainly didn't. You didn't even learn to run as a baby without learning to first crawl and then walk...but you knew it was what you wanted to do, so you pulled yourself up on the furniture, and took those first shaky steps...right? Well it is the same thing with learning to test U, right now you are in that hanging on to the furniture and taking those first shaky steps. :-D

As Nancy has suggested letting us know where your general location is (just city & state) we may have a member somewhere close to you that can be your training wheels. :-D And if not let us know what part of it you are having problems with and we all have our own tricks and tips to make it easier for you..Some of the top ones would be...
1) make sure you are warming up U's ear. You can whip up a rice sock real quick by putting about 1/4 of a cup of plain white rice in a sock and knotting it, then toss that in the microwave for a few second or putting a wash cloth in hot water, wringing it out and sticking it in a plastic baggy. Heating the ear will get the blood flowing better.
2) Make sure you are backing his ear with something really firm so the lancet isn't bounding off the ear, I personally just use the same rice sock, so I don't have to change position.
3) Try a bigger lancet, the lower the number the bigger the hole it makes..most meters come with 30-32 gauge, great for people, not so hot for kitty that are new to being tested. Look for the ones that say for alternate testing sites, those are usually around 26 gauge and work better when you are just starting out. Also if you are using the lanceting device and it has a depth setting, set it for the deepest setting. Don't worry too much at first if you go all the way through, they will survive.
4) Try taking a flashlight and looking at the ear with that behind the ear so you can get a good look at exactly where that vein is that runs around the edge of the ear and then aim between that and the outer edge of the ear.
and lastly what really helped me when I was learning, is to aim low on the ear, just right above that little double flap of skin, and I found when I was first starting it helped to take the cap on the device off and half free hand it, and have device it. I could see where I was aiming better that way but could still use the spring action of the device to do the poking.
If you are free handing it, try a 45 degree angle instead of straight on.

Good luck and welcome to the Sugar Dance!

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
I have to be honest with you - patience is the key. While Cedric was on Lantus for a month before going OTJ, I still have issues testing the BG. He is very patient - I put the treat containers in front of him so that helps! I still have trouble. Sometimes I get it on the first try and sometimes I might have to prick him 10 times. It doesn't really hurt them, it just annoys them.

While i burnt the rice sock I got from Lori (I put it on a napkin in the micro and I think that was a no-no), I have goen back to using the heating pad in this toy:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... lmdn=Brand
I heat this for 25 seconds and get his stuff out while it is heating. I then get the lancet ready, put in the test strip and hold the pad to his ear. he's not crazy about that part, but if I do it right & well, that's when I get the blood quickly. If we were still doing this 2x a day I would be better at it. But Cedric hasn't had insulin since May 21.

Don't worry aobut it. The worst part is once you get the blood (especially if it is small) is to stop shaking so you get that blood on the darn strip! :lol:
 
Welcome Theresa and U! You are off to a great start! It will take practice to get the testing underway. It took us about a week before we actually got a drop of blood big enough to test with. And that was with the help of a wonderful FDMB mama who came over to show me a couple tips and help me out. The folks here are very supportive and very much into paying it forward. Most (if not all) of us would be happy to help a newbie in our area.

I agree that the keys are a warm ear and a fat lancet (26-28 gauge). And treats. Lots and lots of low-carb treats. Whether the test is successful or not, make sure to give U a treat. You want him to associate the testing with good, happy things!
 
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