How to figure out insulin when you are out?

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Hi,

I am having issues figuring out what to do when I am not home for Louie's insulin and bg testing. I am working 1 or 2 days per week and on those days I am out from 7 am until as late as 6/6:30 pm. My dad is willing to feed the cats and give Louie his insulin at 10:30 am but he will not test his bg levels. I was at work today and did not get home until after 6 pm...so that was the first time I tested his bg levels.

I also fell asleep doing class work last night and never made it back upstairs to test his levels after his 10:30 pm insulin. I am really tying but I am finding it so hard to juggle everything.

Hints and tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Laura and Louie
 
Many people work all week and are not able to test, but they get some curves done on the weekend or on days off.
Quite often, I would test my cats, give their shots at 6am, then leave for work. I would not be home until close to 6pm, so on work days, I would test before am shot, before pm shot, and then a test just before going to bed.

Just try to do what you can; I am sure you will be able to get enough info on your days off that will help you with deciding dose.
 
I give J.D. his shot at 6:00am and then leave the house at 7:30am to go to work, and get home (most of the time) just in time for his 6:00pm shot. So, adjusting your shot schedule might help. You are doing such a good job juggling everything on your plate, and are an angel to be helping Louie (I almost wrote Luis :-D ).

You're not on Lantus yet, right?
 
Thanks guy!

Dyana-

I have a vet apt on the 26th and I am hoping to get the prescription for Lantus then. As of now, Louie is still on Humulin N.

I have to leave my house at 7am on the days that I am working, but the days that I am not working, I tend to sleep in (if my children allow it) as I am often up late doing classwork and rarely get even 6 hours of sleep...so I don't want to have to get up at 6:50 am to test Louie and give Insulin when I am not working. There are also days where I am not home at 7 pm so I would be in the same situation. :-( My dad is willing to give the 10:30 am shot...there is just not bg testing. Generally, I have been giving him 2 Units. I figure it's pretty safe to have my dad give him 2 UNITS with his breakfast on the days I am working. Is this a correct assumption?

Also, once I switch to Lantus, is that once a day or twice a day?

I hope that once he is on it, I will be able to get a better handle on getting him regulated.

ooh..one more question. When I first came on here, I was told to feed Louie a few meals a day (I have been doing 3 or 4) and allow him to eat his fill of low carb food at each meal as he is very undeweight (although I do believe he has gained a little weight! yay!) My question is, will this extra food inbetween shots raise his bg levels? Should I have my dad feed the extra meals when I am not home to test him?

Thanks,

Laura
 
horselo285 said:
Thanks guy!

Dyana-

I have a vet apt on the 26th and I am hoping to get the prescription for Lantus then. As of now, Louie is still on Humulin N.
Lantus is a good insulin. I would read the stickies on the Lantus forum, if you haven't already. I know you're swamped as it is with your time.
I have to leave my house at 7am on the days that I am working, but the days that I am not working, I tend to sleep in (if my children allow it) as I am often up late doing classwork and rarely get even 6 hours of sleep...so I don't want to have to get up at 6:50 am to test Louie and give Insulin when I am not working. There are also days where I am not home at 7 pm so I would be in the same situation. :-( My dad is willing to give the 10:30 am shot...there is just not bg testing. Generally, I have been giving him 2 Units. I figure it's pretty safe to have my dad give him 2 UNITS with his breakfast on the days I am working. Is this a correct assumption?
Sorry for the slow post my computer is acting funny.

Once you're on Lantus, you will need to shoot on a 12 hour shot schedule. On my days off, I get up, test, feed, shoot, and then go back to bed. That has to be done even if it's the weekend, or if I stayed up too late the night before. Because I'm a little groggy sometimes when I do this, I have a system where I can tell if I shot or not, if I get up 3 hours later and don't quite remember whether I shot or not.
Also, once I switch to Lantus, is that once a day or twice a day?
Twice a day, ever 12 hours. If you happen to shoot early, it acts like a dose increase and if you have to shoot late it's like a dose decrease. Lantus likes consistancy so the closer you can get to the 12 hour schedule the better.
I hope that once he is on it, I will be able to get a better handle on getting him regulated.
I hope so too :-D
ooh..one more question. When I first came on here, I was told to feed Louie a few meals a day (I have been doing 3 or 4) and allow him to eat his fill of low carb food at each meal as he is very undeweight (although I do believe he has gained a little weight! yay!) My question is, will this extra food inbetween shots raise his bg levels? Should I have my dad feed the extra meals when I am not home to test him?
I'm glad he is gaining a little weight. Good luck at the vet appointment. :-D I would write down how much he weighs at the vet. Hopefully, it won't be too stressful for him cat_pet_icon .
The in between shot meals in the middle of the day, will help to flatten out his curves. I don't know if you've been told this yet, but you want the curve to look like a smile. Sometimes cat's BG numbers will dive down too steeply and then his liver will react and he will then go sky high. That curve would look more like a V than a smile. Feeding Louie in the middle of the day in between his shot times will help his lowest BGs to rise up a little to make the curve flatter. If that makes sense.

Sorry for any typos. My keyboard is acting funny or something :roll: no it's not just me, I swear.
 
Hi Dyana!

Thanks for all the info! I do pretty much have him on a steady 10:30am/10:30pm schedule. But occasionally I end up giving it a bit late (11ish) I will continue to try to keep it at 10:30/10:30. Speaking of which...its nearly time now! I better head up and test him!

-Laura
 
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