Introducing Myself

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heidi

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Hi,
I just joined the board today. My big sweet, Frodo, (12 years) was diagnosed with diabetes about four weeks ago when I was in the middle of my comprehensive exams (I'm a PhD student in Environmental Economics). I was too overwhelmed with exams, the upcoming holiday, and taking care of my kids to do anything except say yes to everything the vet told me. Anyway, I am also the single mother of twin three-year-old boys trying to support a household (3 people and five cats) on my graduate student assistantship, so my budget is very tight (non-existent). I've spent over $700 already on the testing to find out what was wrong with Frodo, the insulin and syringes, and his first glucose curve/testing, let alone the extra expense of canned food (I switched him to a grain-free store-brand canned food from my local grocery store--yes, I admit I have a masters degree in ecology and evolutionary biology and it was a big "Well, duh" moment for me when I started reading about species appropriate foods . . .). Anyway, I'm dead broke and can't afford anymore trips to the vet except for emergencies. My vet suggested I could learn to home test and that it would be better for my kitty in the long run since he gets stressed at the vet's office. I need to learn how to home test. I need to learn what equipment works well and is affordable. I need to know how I can support my sweet kitty's health. I have a lot to learn!!!

I will say I'm not freaked out about the home testing--just a total newbie. In fact, I'm sure if I hadn't been in the middle of comprehensive exams when he was diagnosed I would have researched things right away and would already be home testing, plus saved myself some money. Oh well. I've been involved in animal rescue for about 8 years and have given plenty of shots and subcutaneous fluids, plus nursed literally hundreds of kittens back to health. But this is a new arena for me.

Thanks in advance for all your help. I'm going to start reading some old threads and have already found a wealth of info.

Heidi
 
You are in the best place possible to get your Frodo back to healthy and in control of his diabetes.

There are tons of ways to save yourself money, so home testing is a great place to save... no need for expensive curves at the vet office and the numbers are usually skewed because of stress on the animal.

For food, you don't need to feed any expensive foods; you can go with any of the pate flavors of friskies, fancy feast or 9Lives, among many others.

What insulin are you using? Lantus, Levemir and Prozinc are good long lasting insulins, but Prozinc must be purchased from the vet I think, and it's not quite as long lasting as the first two.

Plenty of people will be along to help you get set up and answer any questions you may have.
 
Welcome Heidi and Frodo,

Caring for a sugarcat doesn't have to beak the bank and we have lots of tips to help you out along the way...Trust me I know all about living on a tight budget, We have 13 cats two of which are diabetic, one large dog (97lbs) and I'm a full time student so we live off my husband's paycheck as a roofer...thankful right now we are having a mild winter here in Nebraska, but even so weather can cut into our budget when least expected and usually when we can least afford it.

There is a group here called Diabetic Cats In Need that Venita Wood manages that has a financial program that you might want to look into, they can help you with vet costs, testing supplies and insulin. Their website is http://fdmb-cin.blogspot.com/

Not only will testing Frodo at home save you a ton of money it is also the best tool you will have to keep him safe while he is on insulin, and give you much truer numbers than they will see at the vet's since almost all kitties are stressed out at the vet's. BTW my two diabetics haven't been to the vet's since I adopted them for anything other than routine cat things, as diabetes is best managed at home just like it is for human diabetics and we can teach you how.

What insulin did the Vet put Frodo on? And what was his starting dose?

Others will be ppping in to point you in the right direction and welcome you to the FDMB Family, usually I would give you a bunch of links to get you started but you will have to excuse me this evening as I'm sick as a dog and was just headed off to bed, but did want to pop in and point you towards at least one place you might find some help with helping Frodo and not breakng the bank.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
Frodo is on Humulin N, but his first curve today showed that it didn't last long very long in his system. Also, my dose was too low. The vet gave me a prescription for a new insulin called Glargine . . . but he also suggested I could stay with the Humlin N for another two weeks on a higher dose (moved him from 1 unit 2 X day to 2 units 2xday) and do the curve again to see if the dose change makes a difference. That's the plan for now. He suggested I could learn to home test, but he seemed really amazed when I said that's what I wanted to do. He said very few people are willing to do it at home. . . From just the little I've read here tonight, I finally feel like I'm on the right track. I'm mostly on my own to learn how to test though (and what equipment to get), so any advice or links to good resources for learning to test would be greatly appreciated.
Heidi
 
Welcome! I'm pretty new as well. My cat is on lantus (glargine). You can see how much progress he has made by clicking on the SS link in my sig. Best of luck! You may have already read other threads about the humilin. I'm not an expert but I'm sure others will weigh in.
My kitty thinks that the fancy feast and friskies are just fine! Try online for prices once you find something yours likes.
 
Humulin N is rarely used anymore as an insulin for cats because of the short duration and because it is fast acting. Please feed Frodo at least a 1/2 hr before shooting the N insulin. Food has to be on board for that insulin. If you start hometesting, highly recommended and we all do it, then test him first, then feed, wait a 1/2 hr. and then shoot.
 
Poopy and I welcome you and Frodo to the FDMB family! cat_pet_icon And good on you for wanting to home test, and fantastic the vet is all for it!

Diabetes on a budget. :shock: I know the feeling well. :smile:

First, check the newbie kit link at the top of the forum topic page. The last time I looked, it only cost $7 or so for shipping to get you started with a meter, strips, lances, etc. for home testing. Or, hop on over to a Wal-Mart and pick up a Relion meter (one of the most inexpensive and reliable meters out there) and strips (also one of the least expensive out there, and you may need to get the strips from the pharmacist). That will set you back about $30, and adding a box of the larger (smaller numbered like 25-27) lances will set you back another $15 or so. (A saving tip - check places like Ebay for deals on testing strips. Sometimes you can get unexpired and unopened strips for half or less the retail price!)

So, how do you home test?

Shine a flashlight through his ear to see where the veins are.
Put some raw rice in a sock and knot it to micro it, or fill an old pill bottle with warm water, to warm Frodo's ear for testing.
Use something like a folded paper towel, or the warm pill bottle, to place under Frodo's ear to keep the ear from "bending" away from the lance.
Aim the lance towards the outer rim of the ear (it's ok to get the vein from time to time, if needed to get the test)
When the droplet of blood starts to form (if it needs to be bigger, massage the ear towards the droplet) scoop the droplet up on the back of your fingernail.
Hold his ear a few moments after removing the blood to stop any bleeding and to help his ears heal faster.
Test the droplet.
Use a tiny amount of antibiotic/pain relief ointment on Frodo's ears to promote healing (some also use a tiny bit to prep the ear before testing to help the droplet bead).

Easy peasy!

Ok, so it may not be so easy at first. Poopy sure didn't want to sit still while I poked him, wondering what on earth I thought I was doing with his ears. I had to burrito him at first, so he'd learn what I was doing wasn't awful - especially when he'd get a treat after pokes. (Low carb treats, mind you. I found freeze dried chicken cubes in the dog treat aisle, and for a great price, too!) Now Poopy just leans across my lap, purring the whole time, waiting for me to finish so he can have his treat.

It also took me a while to get enough blood to test. It can take time for some cats (rather owners but I'm not admitting to anything!).

Once you've started testing, set up a spreadsheet to record your numbers. If you would attach the spreadsheet to your signature it will be available to all who can help when you have questions. And you will have questions! :-D

When to test, you ask? Before meals (AMPS and PMPS), if BG is 200 or above, feed, then give shot. If below 200 BG, ask on the board for some assistance. It also helps to get a BG somewhere in the middle (+5-+7) of the cycle (when using a long lasting insulin like the vet is suggesting you to switch to). The one you are using now is a fast acting, fast depleting insulin so it doesn't last very long. :cry: The longer acting insulin is given twice a day, at 12 hr intervals.

Any help you need, ask away! There's so many helpful, friendly folks here who have been exactly where you are and are great about sharing experiences!

Welcome again! cat_pet_icon
 
Hi! Chicken Little and I welcome you. We are new also. You are at the right place! I have learned soo much from everyone here. Yes, click on the link at the top of the page - I received my newbie home test kit for $6.80 from Rebecca (the webmaster) She is awsome! She did not even wait for the money !!! She sent the kit right away. It had everything needed to get started. I have not done a test on Chicken Little yet however I did test myself and a few co-workers let me pratice on them. Its not that hard at all! I started feeding Fancy Feast since it is easy to pick up at the grocery store. Both my cats like it. The number one thing I have learned from everyone on this site is to BREATHE!! It gets better!!
 
Frodo and Heidi~ welcome!
Wanted to chime in and say this is the best place to be and will offer you sooo much support and information that you could pass up expensive vet visits for curves once you get a meter.
If you get one from this site or go to w.m. and get a cheaper test strip meter (relion micro is what I use), just home test ~ please.... Not only is it less expensive, but you know what your Frodo is doing with the insulin you are using.

Also foods, my girls (2 of 3) eat the same thing.... raw I make at home and sop. cat from pet smart, f. feast and friskies (all very doable with the $$) with low carb >10%.

BTW.... Teresa and Poopy are newbies tooo and just look at her go with her information! lol! loooove that! Did I mention about paying forward... this is great!

Wont be long, and you will be doing the same! WE all do! Hang in there and ask many questions, breathe and dont forget to just give love hugs to your Frodo!
 
hi!!!! Watch this video :) It was how I learned how to do the pokes. I am really lucky that Garland is easy to test. I dont even need to warm her ear. I just freehand the lancet (no device) , aim for the edge of the ear and when the drop forms put the meter up to it. Done. Good luck! Garland is on Lantus too. Its a great insulin!

How to Hometest
 
Hi hi!

Kitten and I (and my husband...he got jealous when he saw that I didn't include his name on my screen name....lol), are really new as well. Everyone here is so welcoming and helpful and can give some really awesome advice no matter what your questions are. Home testing is getting there for me. Kit is great, he just sits there....although he's terrified of the meter, not the poking, which right now is really making me wonder why.

You've gotten some awesome advice already, and hopefully you're realizing that it's totally doable, just gotta get the routine down. I'm amazed at how much I've learned in such a short time, and you'll be there before you know it!
 
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. I've contacted Rebecca and have a newbie test kit on the way. Until then I have two decisions to make. The curve Frodo did at the vet's office on Thursday showed that his body was reacting positively to the insulin --two hours after the dose he was at about 400 (sorry don't have the exact numbers), then he dropped to about 250 after four hours, then he was back up in the 400s again at six hours. This tells us that his dose was too low and didn't last long enough, right?

My vet wrote me a prescription for Lantus, but said to stay on Humulin N at a higher dose if I wanted for another two weeks and do another curve. I'm assuming from what I've read here that I should go ahead and get the Lantus (I have a friend whose cat is on Humulin N so I can pass on the extra to another sugar baby)? I can fill the script tomorrow morning.

What about dosing? He was on 1 unit of Humulin N (actually the vet prescribed 2.5 but I changed Frodo to a low carb diet at the same time I started the insulin so I decided to be conservative). My vet told me to raise the dose to 2.5 whether I stay on Humulin or switch to Lantus. This seems like too much. I won't have the meter for a few days still to test. . . Would you suggest 1.5 (or maybe 2.0 when I'm home to watch him?). Now that I know more about diabetes, I'm a little freaked out about giving him too much.

Thanks,
Heidi and Frodo
 
then he was back up in the 400s again at six hours. This tells us that his dose was too low and didn't last long enough, right?
Click to expand...

Not really.....what it shows is N insulin just doesn't last long in kitties. Increasing the dose could lower him down more but it is not going to extend the duration and it also might bring him down too low if you increase by too much. Hopefully you can get the Lantus soon and get him started on it. Be careful increasing that N insulin until you can hometest.
 
Look at you go! Woohoo! Already have your newbie kit ordered and switched to low carb wet! Woot! :RAHCAT

The low carb wet can surprisingly lower a kitty's BG by itself, so upping an insulin dose may be premature. Hard to tell without the home BG tests. When Poopy went back to the vet's for a check, they said to double his dose. I was terrified to do so because my home testing wasn't going well at the time and hypo is a scary thing for me...especially if I couldn't be here due to work. So...I stayed at the original dose and watched Poopy like a hawk.

Once home testing became fruitful, I slowly started adding .2 at a time to Poopy's dose. The reason we raise the dose slowly is to be sure we catch the right dose. If we jump too fast, we could miss it, not to mention possible hypo. So far we've yet to reach that double dose amount and have hit some really good nadirs (the lowest point of BG between shots). I hate to think what would have happened if I had doubled his dose! (Where's the shivering kitty icon?)

The Humulin N can bring down BG numbers but wears off quickly. For me, it's like this insulin acts as a jet...gets you there quick with a short ride, even if it dips in the middle of the ride. With diabetes, you really want the kitty on the bus...a nice slow ride through the valley before cresting the hill again, lasting the 12 hours between shots. With the right dose, it would look like an inverse bell curve, with the higher numbers at beginning and end to be around 200 or so, and the bottom numbers being around 50-120 (normal BG for a non-diabetic cat). Make sense? Lantus is longer acting and suits the inverse bell curve better than the short acting N.

Once you get the Lantus, be sure to post in the Lantus group about dosing. :smile:

Keep up the great work! Woohoo!
 
hi heidi! welcome to you and frodo!

lantus (glargine) is a good insulin. here's a little bit of reading on how to take care of it before you start. it's expensive enough that you want to take care of it. Lantus - Info, proper handling & Storage

start there. you can look at the yellow starred stickies at the top of the Lantus TR forum. you'll want to learn how to home test, get a spreadsheet set up (there is a link for our template Lantus/Levemir, New To Group? Start Here) and make sure you've got Frodo (love the name - there's a Samwise here too) completely on low-carb canned cat food.

there is a formula for starting dose on lantus here: Tight Regulation Protocol. how much does frodo weigh?
Using a weight based formula for determining a starting dose of Lantus or Levemir:
the formula is 0.25 unit per kg of the cat's ideal weight
if kitty is underweight, the formula frequently used is 0.25 unit per kg of kitty's actual weight
if the cat was previously on another insulin, the starting dose should be increased or decreased by taking prior data into consideration
Online Calculator for Converting Pounds to Kilograms
Click to expand...

Glad you found this site - we'll give you a hand to help frodo get back to himself as quickly as possible.
 
Welcome to FDMB!

While it 's been a long time, I remember comps -- and I'm very glad to be on the other side of them. It's a stressful time for sure. However, I'm not sure there's ever a good time to find out that your cat has diabetes. The community here is very supportive so just let us know how we can help.

I'm glad you have a meter enroute from Rebecca. One thing to consider is that she is probably sending one of the brand name meters. Strips are less expensive if you purchase them on-line. (I use a Bayer Contour meter and get my strips on EBay, Amazon, or other places depending on where it's least expensive.) The Walmart Relion products are the least expensive as others have noted.

The formula that Julie provided is correct IF you are planning to follow the Tight Regulation Protocol for Lantus. In actuality, unless your cat is either tiny or huge, it will work out to around a starting dose of 1.0u. I would not encourage you to start Lantus at 2.5u. Unlike Humulin N, Lantus is a long-acting insulin and the action of the insulin is cumulative. It's pharmacology is very different than N. In addition, if you're transitioning your cat to a canned food diet, I would not raise the dose until you see how Frodo's blood glucose levels respond to the change in diet. Insulin needs can change dramatically with the change in diet.

Just a head's up about Lantus cost. It's much more expensive than Humulin N. You can purchase Lantus from Canadian sources -- it will cost about half of what it does in the U.S. Also, most of us buy Lantus in the Solostar pens vs. in vials. While the cost for a box of 5 pens is more than the cost of a vial, you also get more insulin. If your vet wrote the Rx for the pens, you can also call around to see whether the pharmacies will sell a single pen. (It should cost around $40.) Often, a hospital outpatient pharmacy will sell single pens. Because you will refrigerate the pen, it should last far longer than what the manufacturer states.

There's a ton of information in the starred, sticky notes at the top of the Lantus board. You may want to take a look at the information so you can orient yourself and even ask any questions you may have before you start using Lantus. An overview and links are as follows:
  • Tight Regulation Protocol: This sticky contains the dosing protocol that we use here. There are also links to the more formal versions -- the Tilly Protocol developed by the counterpart of this group in Germany and the Queensland/Rand protocol developed by Jacqui Rand, DVM and published in one of the top vet journals.
  • New to the Group: Everything you wanted to know about this forum and more. Info on our slang, FAQs, links to sites on feline nutrition and to food charts containing carb counts, how to do a curve and the components to look for, important aspects of diabetes such as ketones, DKA, and neuropathy, and most important, info on hypoglycemia.
  • Handling Lantus: how to get the maximum use from your insulin and what to not do with it!
  • Lantus depot/shed: This is an important concept for understanding how Lantus works.
  • Lantus & Levemir: Shooting & Handling Low Numbers: What data you need in order to be able to work toward remission or tight regulation as well as information if you have a low pre-shot number or a drop into low numbers during the cycle.
Please let us know how we can help.
 
Sienne, what are some Canadian sources? I got the large bottle, and I might get the pens if I need more. Fingers crossed--maybe I won't, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it! How does the pen work? Does it make it easier to measure accurately with small doses?
My lantus says use in 28 days but I've been careful to refrigerate and not contaminate it. What has been your experience?
 
there's quite a bit of information on how to take care of the lantus on two of the links sienne and i gave you - the one on Lantus care and the one "new to the group."

if you already bought a vial, you may be able to use it for quite a while if you take care to not let it get contaminated and keep it cold. i wouldn't worry about ordering more at this point - you're probably set for a while. just educate yourself on taking care of it so it lasts - some people have had it go months, some people only get a month, just depends.

if you do get to the point of buying more, some pharmacies will sell you just one pen. i pay $41 for one pen. most pharmacies want to sell you the entire pack of 5 pens, though, so you may have to call around.
 
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