Is it harder to regulate going from Humilin N to Lantus?

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Donna & Doogle

Donna & Doogle

Member Since 2011
I was just wondering is it harder to get a cat regulated that was on Humilin N for awhile and then changed to Lantus? I noticed some others on here that have cats that were on Humilin N for about 6 months and then changed to Lantus. I noticed on their SS that the doses seem to be higher that most here. I was just wondering because Doogle was on Humilin N for 9 months before we changed to Lantus. Doogle is doing ok but he has higher preshots than the rest of the day.

Donna
 
The insulins work differently and the user has to learn a different way of managing it. Perhaps that is part of it.

Also, there isn't a 1 to 1 relationship between how much N to dose becomes how much Lantus to dose, so there will be an adjustment period while titrating to the optimal Lantus dose. During that period, glucose levels may be quite elevated.
 
Well Doogle has been on Lantus for 6 months now and hasnt gotten above 3.75u (and that wasnt for to long). But I saw another here with a kitty that was on Humilin N and changed to Lantus 6 months later (been on it for 5 months I think), seemingly healthy from what I can read and they are up to 8u! Its just a thought that maybe if you cant catch diabetes right off with a great insulin like Lantus, it takes longer.
 
The best chance for remission with Lantus is for newly diagnosed cats that haven't been on a different insulin before the Lantus. I think the study quotes "84%"?

But, there isn't a window on remission. Yes, the odds might drop the longer a cat remains in non-regulated numbers. But the chance is never "zero". It really does depend on the cat. My cat went OTJ in about 10 weeks. I've seen it happen quicker than that, and I've seen cats for insulin for years go into remission. Some go into remission more than once.

Fortunately, you've switched from Humulin to Lantus, so you've increased the likelihood that Doogle can "get there".

Just glancing at your spreadsheet page 2, I'd say Doogle is still a "bouncer" and the black AMPS looks like a bounce off that 109 the night before. And it's possible he might have to go up to 3.25u if you don't see better numbers soon. I just wish I understood where that 31 came from on Dec. 5th when he was down to 2.5u because he had a few good cycles on that dose back then.

Carl
 
Ahh - but when on Humulin, was the kitty on low carb? Being tested? Fat/ThinM pancreatitis/hepatits/renal other issues?
Is there a possibility of a high dose condition such as acromegaly/IAA/Cushings and have tests been done for those?

Dosing is multifactorial, so without a table of data & some serious number crunching, its a bit hard to infer (I do health research)
 
Doogle wasnt on LC when he was on Humilin N. I had no idea and neither did my vet (I have actually taught him a few things since finding FDMB and changing to Lantus). Doogle is healthy besides the diabetes. As for the 31, I have no idea........LOL. He does that......he will go good for a bit and then boing! Maybe I need to take him in for a basic checkup (he hasnt had one since getting on lantus in the end of June). I am planning on going up to 3.25 this weekend when I can be home and help test with the DH. Thanks for yalls input. Sometimes I just get discouraged and feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
 
Donna --

I think Carl's point is highly relevant. The probability of remission decreases with time. So if you look at remission as your outcome, if a cat's already been on N for several months, that's what amounts to lost time (unless the cat goes into remission on N).

I also suspect that there's the learning curve for the caregiver to consider. These are two very different types of insulin. You have to think about Lantus and dosing in a different way than with N. As a result, it can take a while for the caregiver to develop the expertise necessary to use Lantus effectively which can result in less than ideal numbers after a switch from N to Lantus.
 
Ok, it was just a thought. Funny thing today, a friend of mine at school has a diabetic kitty. He told me about it a little over a year ago. He was on Humilin N and did not test at all. I told him about this wonderful place and he was like, eh (he is the type that KNOWS it all). He said his cat got changed to Novilin just recently and then over the holiday break, he woke up with his cat meowing, salivating and couldnt walk. Got it to the vet and his BG was 21! So they kept him overnight and watched him. And according to him he is now no longer diabetic. I find it hard to believe but I guess its possible.
 
It's possible, but he's very fortunate that his kitty is still alive if his BG went down to 21. Had he not brought him in to the vet, he might have slipped into a hypoglycemic coma and died.

Carl
 
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