Is it safe to give Insulin now? Still learning & unsure.

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LuanneP

LuanneP

Member Since 2017
Hi guys,

I did a 12 hr Glucose Curve on Merry today after increasing his insulin 1/2 a unit on Wednesday so he's getting 1.5 units now (Lantus). I decided to do a curve today since I was home, even though it hadn't been a week on his new dose. His numbers today were:

9:30 am - 16 (pre insulin & food, first time his am # per insulin has been this low)
11:30 am - 18.1
1:30 pm - 17.8
3:45 pm - 12.2
5:45 pm - 11.9
7:45 pm - 10.5 (had a bit of food after this)
9:20 pm - 12.4

Its time for his insulin & meal so is it ok to give his insulin when his # is 12.4?

My vet is usually available via text but it's a bit later now so she may have her phone turned off for the night (she hasn't replied yet). I have written down that if it's lower than 11.1 to feed & retest in 30 minutes (info from this group). So I just want to be sure it's ok to give his insulin at 12. 4 because he's never had a pre insulin # this low. I'm new to all this & still learning. His #s have never been in these ranges before, even his am & pm #s pre insulin were higher on the 1.5 unit dose until today.

For those who don't know, Merry is a foster kitty who arrived here a few weeks ago. He was already on insulin, 1 unit BID, but his diabetes was not controlled. His former person didn't know what she was doing as far as insulin goes & he hadn't seen a vet in over a year since before she took him in. He's been vetted since being in rescue & we did a curve on 1 unit BID which justified increasing 1/2 a unit.

So, I think it's safe to give him his insulin but just want to confirm.

Thanks so much!
 
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I fed Merry 1/2 his food & rechecked & it was 13.6 so I gave him the rest of his food & his insulin. It just worried me because I'm not used to seeing his numbers like that, they're usually between 17 - 20. I guess 1.5 units is working for him but I will definitely check before each injection & do another curve on Wednesday which will be a week on his new dose.
 
It is always good to question a lower than you are used to pre shot number.
If you can get a +2 reading, that would be good. Generally, a +2 reading that is the same as or lower than the shot reading means that you may have an active cycle and should get a +3 test.

It would really help if you could fill in the spreadsheet. If there is a low numbers event, that is the first place that someone will look to get a handle on the situation.

Eventually, you will get used to shooting lower numbers.
 
LuanneP said:
I have written down that if it's lower than 11.1 to feed & retest in 30 minutes (info from this group).
Click to expand...
Just clarifying this for you, if BG is less than 11.1 DO NOT feed and retest in 30 minutes to see if the BG is rising on it's own. Try not to let him eat 2 hours prior to PS test time so the BG reading is not food influenced either. He had a very nice curve today for just having had an increase on Wednesday :). Do your syringes have half unit markings on them? I wonder if he should've only been increased by 0.25U but I know this can be more difficult for some, especially without half unit marked syringes :).
 
Yong said:
Just clarifying this for you, if BG is less than 11.1 DO NOT feed and retest in 30 minutes to see if the BG is rising on it's own. Try not to let him eat 2 hours prior to PS test time so the BG reading is not food influenced either. He had a very nice curve today for just having had an increase on Wednesday :). Do your syringes have half unit markings on them? I wonder if he should've only been increased by 0.25U but I know this can be more difficult for some, especially without half unit marked syringes :).
Click to expand...

Thanks Yong! Sorry for the late reply. I thought if it was low we were supposed to feed to bring the BG up before giving insulin. Still learning here.

I just updated Merry's spreadsheet. The vet increased his insulin to 2u after the curve I did on Aug 28th. Now I'm wondering if we should have waited longer to increase to see if his body was going to get used to the 1.5u dose. She asked me this morning if I wanted to schedule him for a Fructosamine check in about 2.5 weeks since his BG readings have been a bit variable. The rescue group will pay for it since Merry is a foster. Do you guys think the Fructosamine test is worth doing?
 
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