I'm new and need help.

[annie langevin]

I am starting BG testing at home. How often do I need to BG test? I am only comfortable adjusting ogdens insulin dose of my vet tells me to. I want to do BG tests at home and report to my vet so that she can help me adjust the insulin. What is the best way to start at home? Should I do a BG curve for a day? Or two? Or just one and call my vet and reports my info? I am reading the info on how to but asking works best for me. I haven't yet come across the info I'm asking. Thank you for any help you can give me.

 

[BJM]

We always test before we shoot.
We test around the nadir, the lowest glucose post shot. This is often sometime between +5 to +7 hours post shot, depending on the insulin.
We suggest new insulin users not shoot below 200 mg/dL on a human glucometer unless mid-cycle test data shows it will be safe.
As you collect test data, you can lower that to 150 mg/dL on a human glucometer when mid-cycle test data show it can be safe.

Vets often over-prescribe the initial insulin dose; if you've been advised to give more than 1 unit AND change food at the same time, you should have Karo syrup on hand in case your cat develops hypoglycemia.

 

[annie langevin]

Ogden gets one unit. We were on one then a little less than one now one again. He is feeling pretty good I think. He is 17 so he is old and it's hard for me to know what is "him being old" and what is his illness. But I know he isn't sick sick like he was the night we almost lost him (day after thanksgiving). He is on lantus. Thank you for your info. I want to do a curve and report it to my vet to see how he is doing, if he needs a change. I am still learning how to test. I tried to do one lastnight and messed up. I have allot of helpful tips to help me now. I am not sure if I should do a 4 hour or 2 hour curve. I called my vet too late to ask. I don't know if I'll ever feel comfortable deciding myself if I want to adjust his insulin, I would like to report my results to my vet and have her decide.

 

[BJM]

There are 2 protocols we have written up here for using depot insulins such as Lantus and Levemir in that forum here.

A depot insulin doesn't immediately go to work when injected. Lantus forms small crystals under the skin which dissolve and release it to work. Levemir binds to a blood protein and as it disconnects, it goes to work. When you give the next shot, there is usually some insulin from the prior shot waiting to be used.
This is why the same initial dose is given for 5-7 days and the nadirs are monitored - the overlap effect builds up over time. As you test mid-cycle, you'll be able to see if the glucose level is going down the way you want it to, neither too low (for Tight Regulation: below 50 mg/dL on a human meter, 68 mg/dL on an AlphaTrak; for Start Low, Go Slow: 90 mg/dL on a human glucometer), nor not enough (nadir over 150 mg/dL on a human meter, 230 mg/dL on an AlphaTrak)