Hi all,
Essay incoming! And if anyone has any advice please?
Cohen was diagnosed with diabetes in early February, and I thought my world was falling apart, even though I now know it wasn't. It's a lot to handle, and I must admit, and thank you, for this forum. Reading a lot of it actually got me through that first month, when the uncertainty of the entire situation feels too much, you also have a depressed, sickly cat on your hands too and you are both learning how to handle this thing.
All the information about dosing, and home testing and just pure support for each other is amaaazzzzing! To any newly diagnosed doing home testing, be patient with yourself because it takes some time to get the ear pricking downpat and even experts bugger it up still. I remember the one morning where I stabbed him eight tims and gave up, crying.
So, diagnosed in February. Lantus prescribed, he stayed at the vet for a few days to try and stabilise him, but the little bugger refused to eat so they sent him home. We started with the SLGS method, around the 3 units dose 2x per day we started to see some changes, we hit 3.5 units a month after diagnosis and his body went ah mah gawd! and his BG tanked. Just when I was starting to get used to it all
We found with the vet that our monitor may underestimate by 1-2 points at low numbers, and overestimate by 1-2 points at high numbers, but this was really good to find out. Kudos to our vet though, who was so very open to us doing home monitoring from the get go, though they had never heard of anyone doing that and just being willing to TALK and DISCUSS things until I feel comfortable, to put up with me and my "internet research" suggestions and questions XD. It's appalling and shocking how so many vets have no idea how to handle feline diabetes.
Due to Cohen's fluctuating normal to low BG numbers, he suggested now moving to a more TR dosing schedule. What a guessing game that is sometimes! But it was working, April saw Cohen steady and his dose decreasing, yay! Then....late April, he started having bad diarrhea and vomiting or four days. Couldn't get into the vet, rice and boiled chicken seemed to clear it up. We assume he ate something in the kitchen he shouldn't have.
He then followed that up with some constipation, vet visit (not our normal vet) but no idea. We managed to keep his BG steady during that time, (miracles do happen). and then something went wrong.
His BG is up almost as bad as when diagnosed, his Lantus dosage we have been slowly increasing with not really any change. He had a 7 day course of Metronide antibiotics started 21st May, in case he had any bad tummy bacteria from his upset tummy time. We are now on day 6 after his teeth cleaning as he had tartar build up on the back teeth and some gingivitis, and on day 6 of Amoxyclav antibiotics.
We have had a couple of good numbers in those six days, but mostly crap numbers, with no change in food or situation. Maybe it's too soon? Poor guy is struggling with his high numbers, and so am I, since he is so fidgety and hungry.
His weight has dropped 200grams in the last two weeks due to the high BGs. Lucky he still has some fat on him to lose.
He was tested last week (don't have results) but they advised his liver, kidney and thyroid numbers were very good, as well as his cholesterol. (Basically, if the BG's don't drop soon, the vet don't really know where to go).
So....hi! and thankyou, and does anyone have any advice? I'll be moving him to a 3.5 dose in a few days and fingers crossed. Spreadsheet should be in my signature!
Here's the boy Cohen, once again asking, why are you taking yet ANOTHER photo of me?
Essay incoming! And if anyone has any advice please?
Cohen was diagnosed with diabetes in early February, and I thought my world was falling apart, even though I now know it wasn't. It's a lot to handle, and I must admit, and thank you, for this forum. Reading a lot of it actually got me through that first month, when the uncertainty of the entire situation feels too much, you also have a depressed, sickly cat on your hands too and you are both learning how to handle this thing.
All the information about dosing, and home testing and just pure support for each other is amaaazzzzing! To any newly diagnosed doing home testing, be patient with yourself because it takes some time to get the ear pricking downpat and even experts bugger it up still. I remember the one morning where I stabbed him eight tims and gave up, crying.
So, diagnosed in February. Lantus prescribed, he stayed at the vet for a few days to try and stabilise him, but the little bugger refused to eat so they sent him home. We started with the SLGS method, around the 3 units dose 2x per day we started to see some changes, we hit 3.5 units a month after diagnosis and his body went ah mah gawd! and his BG tanked. Just when I was starting to get used to it all
We found with the vet that our monitor may underestimate by 1-2 points at low numbers, and overestimate by 1-2 points at high numbers, but this was really good to find out. Kudos to our vet though, who was so very open to us doing home monitoring from the get go, though they had never heard of anyone doing that and just being willing to TALK and DISCUSS things until I feel comfortable, to put up with me and my "internet research" suggestions and questions XD. It's appalling and shocking how so many vets have no idea how to handle feline diabetes.
Due to Cohen's fluctuating normal to low BG numbers, he suggested now moving to a more TR dosing schedule. What a guessing game that is sometimes! But it was working, April saw Cohen steady and his dose decreasing, yay! Then....late April, he started having bad diarrhea and vomiting or four days. Couldn't get into the vet, rice and boiled chicken seemed to clear it up. We assume he ate something in the kitchen he shouldn't have.
He then followed that up with some constipation, vet visit (not our normal vet) but no idea. We managed to keep his BG steady during that time, (miracles do happen). and then something went wrong.
His BG is up almost as bad as when diagnosed, his Lantus dosage we have been slowly increasing with not really any change. He had a 7 day course of Metronide antibiotics started 21st May, in case he had any bad tummy bacteria from his upset tummy time. We are now on day 6 after his teeth cleaning as he had tartar build up on the back teeth and some gingivitis, and on day 6 of Amoxyclav antibiotics.
We have had a couple of good numbers in those six days, but mostly crap numbers, with no change in food or situation. Maybe it's too soon? Poor guy is struggling with his high numbers, and so am I, since he is so fidgety and hungry.
His weight has dropped 200grams in the last two weeks due to the high BGs. Lucky he still has some fat on him to lose.
He was tested last week (don't have results) but they advised his liver, kidney and thyroid numbers were very good, as well as his cholesterol. (Basically, if the BG's don't drop soon, the vet don't really know where to go).
So....hi! and thankyou, and does anyone have any advice? I'll be moving him to a 3.5 dose in a few days and fingers crossed. Spreadsheet should be in my signature!
Here's the boy Cohen, once again asking, why are you taking yet ANOTHER photo of me?
Considering his nadir is absolutely all over the place right now, it's super tough, one day this week he dumped 12 points, and other days he rises. But I'll definitely take that into consideration and see if we steady the dose.