Is she bouncing???

[Debra Pratt]

So I upped Bitsy’s dose to 1.75 this morning. Preshot this morning her sugar was 430. Then I wanted to check and see how she was doing pre lunch and her sugar was 472 on right ear; out of caution and pure confusion I tested her other ear and it was 422. So either her sugar barely dropped or she went higher following her shot this morning at 7am. Is she bouncing or is this a sign of needing a different insulin? As it stands her insulin only lasts 8 hours if even that before she starts a increase in sugars. I have already been thinking I wanted to change her insulin to Lantus or Levemir as it seems to be a better one then Prozinc. Just not sure her vet will do so and if she did how I will be able to afford the higher price for insulin.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

bump

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Its actually a sign of neither. There's approximately 20% error variance with any test. Once you factor in the margin for error, you essentially have the same number regardless of the test. With numbers in the 400s, the variance is over 80 points plus or minus.

Prozinc is a longer acting insulin. I don't see any indication that it's duration is 8 hrs. What is happening is that Bitsy isn't used to lower numbers and is bouncing. Both Prozinc and Lantus are the recommended insulins for treating feline diabetes. I suspect you're reacting to the bounces as if it is a matter of the insulin's duration. They are two different concepts. (I know, there's a lot to wrap your head around!!)

 

[Debra Pratt]

I am so lost and so confused. I just want the best for this kitty. She has had a rough life and came from an abusive home. I thought I knew what a bounce meant and how to see it. As well as how to determine the length of time the insulin lasts. Yet I guess I don’t. I keep looking at her numbers on the Ss and I see that mostly she comes down around 3-4 hours post shot and by 7-8 hours post shot her numbers are back to being high. Yes there was one day I did not give her her evening shot because I became afraid that her numbers were too low and were dropping instead of rising in their own. Man I am struggling to understand. I have read and reread over and over all the sticky notes and such and still feel lost.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

I remember those days and we were using NPH an extremely hard insulin on cats. I too was daily hourly... It does get better but looks as if maybe Lantus would be a better choice of insulin. I feel so bad for you because I remember that lost feeling.
I decided to throw my trust into all the folks here and while I STILL dont understand most of it... We DID get through it. You will too.
jeanne

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

If you look at yesterday and 9/8, the nadir was at +5 an +6, respectively. Because of the drop from AMPS that was in the 300s to numbers that were in the neighborhood of 100, the size of the drop triggered a bounce. Numbers were back to the 400s by PMPS.

Bounces are not always due to a drop into very low numbers. They can also occur because of the size of the drop or how fast numbers drop. Also, it helps to keep in mind that nadirs are not always at +6. Nadirs can and do move around. My kitty's nadir was usually around +3 except when it wasn't.