It This Normal?

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Angela & Blackie & 3 Others

Angela & Blackie & 3 Others

Member Since 2010
My Blackie's been on Lantus since yesterday (Sunday, July 25), and yesterday I saw a nice steady reduction in #'s. Today, she started at 305, and hasn't really budged since then.

Is this normal for a cat who's just starting on Lantus to have these kinds of #'s?

I'm concerned that I'm going to be seeing the same thing with Lantus that I did with ProZinc. I'm still trying to understand Lantus.

Thank you in advance.
 
It takes a couple of days to fill his shed, meaning it is long lasting and until he builds up enough in his body to keep a good dose going he wont show its true effect.
I am sure someone else can explain it better but not to worry that is normal for the first day on lantus.
 
Hi Angela,

Welcome! If Blackie just started on Lantus yesterday this is absolutely normal. Lantus works differently than PZI, ProZinc. My Napoleon was previously on PZI and I had to get used to this also. Lantus builds a shed under the cat's skin, almost like a reserve. It takes some time to build the shed and then you will start to see a reduction in BG's. The Lantus Stickies section has wonderful information, I suggest you look these over as they have been invaluable for me. Lantus is a wonderful insulin, I promise you will be glad you switched. I definitely am. Best of luck to you and Blackie cat_pet_icon
 
When just starting it is advised to hold the dose for a full week for the shed to build. So, yes absolutely normal. Lantus isn;t a miracle drug, just verra verra good. Patience, we know the waiting is hard.
 
greetings,

I'm new to this site & while I've read all of the stickies & FAQs, I'm still wrapping my head around some of the concepts.
For example, is there a typical duration for "filling the shed"? The Rand tight regulation protocol calls for dosage increases of 0.5 units every three days when the BG nadir is over 300 so that is presumably enough time to see the true effects beyond the "shed"?

Thanks

Steve
 
No typical duration for anything with a cat! If there was, I am pretty sure the cat would find a way to change it! And NOT tell you!
That being said, Each Cat Is Different. It's just like the cat's nadir does not stay the same and may drift.

There are some cats that take till the 6th or even 7th shot to show the effects.
What dose are you at now? Do you have some numbers from your recent tests?
 
Welcome, Steve. I'm also new to Lantus Land, and just recently switched my Blackie over to Lantus this Sunday. From what I understand, and from what I've been told, for a cat who's on Lantus the first time it's 5-7 days for the storage shed to build under the cat's skin.

My Blackie was started on Lantus yesterday (Sunday), and she did a wonderful thing by dropping her #'s slowly. Today, she likes the pink #'s (300's). This is going to be an interesting ride. LOL
 
When you first start w/ Lantus it often takes longer than the 3 days, that's for increases after wards. When we first start it usually takes a week. ECID as they say and you can't count on normal. Tess often took 5 or 6 days to respond to increases even after being on Lantus for quite a while.
 
Ann & Tess said:
When you first start w/ Lantus it often takes longer than the 3 days, that's for increases after wards. When we first start it usually takes a week. ECID as they say and you can't count on normal. Tess often took 5 or 6 days to respond to increases even after being on Lantus for quite a while.
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This is ever so true - and has been the case with Mannie as well.
 
Ok. Blackie's +9, which in fact, is actually a +10 poke (miscounted the +'s) was showing at 355. She definitely prefers the pinks today. Personally, blue is my favorite color, and that's a fact. LOL See what tomorrow brings.
 
Hi Angela, Just be patient and do your best to wait while the process goes at Blackie's own pace. There will be lots of ups and downs. Try to see the big picture as you go along. Look for the forest, not at the individual trees! Good luck with Lantus!

Ella & Stu
 
It is very normal for the curves to flatten out after just starting. For some reason kitties that come off of prozinc tend to drop lower than normal when first starting Lantus and that goes away within a few cycles. This phenomena for us gives credence to some that think that prozinc builds up in the system slightly.
 
Yeah, that would make sense. However, ProZinc wouldn't build up as much as Lantus would, would it?

Analogy: 2 different car engine oils... One's thicker than the other. 1 person puts the thinner oil in their engine whereas the other puts the thicker oil in theirs. The thicker oil would coat better than the thinner one, and wouldn't break down as quickly. (I think, and correct me if I'm wrong here... I'm certainly not a mechanic, either. LOL).

So, with that being said, the Lantus would be the "thicker oil" compare to the ProZinc, the "thinner oil".

I hope that I made sense. LOL And like I said, please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Kelly & Oscar said:
It is very normal for the curves to flatten out after just starting. For some reason kitties that come off of prozinc tend to drop lower than normal when first starting Lantus and that goes away within a few cycles. This phenomena for us gives credence to some that think that prozinc builds up in the system slightly.
Click to expand...

I don't know that there's enough data to suggest that numbers from former ProZinc users routinely drop with a switch to Lantus. When I searched depot insulin, ProZinc doses not have any pharmacology research that suggests it is a depot type drug the way that Lantus is. It is a long-acting insulin, but that is different than a depot drug. So yes, Angela, you are correct -- Lantus does "build" in the system. (I'm not sure I understand your motor oil analogy but if it works for you...) It also helps to remember that every cat is different (ECID). And every cycle can be different. The best suggestion I can make is to be patient. Lantus requires patience.
 
Sienne and Gabby said:
Kelly & Oscar said:
It is very normal for the curves to flatten out after just starting. For some reason kitties that come off of prozinc tend to drop lower than normal when first starting Lantus and that goes away within a few cycles. This phenomena for us gives credence to some that think that prozinc builds up in the system slightly.
Click to expand...

I don't know that there's enough data to suggest that numbers from former ProZinc users routinely drop with a switch to Lantus. When I searched depot insulin, ProZinc doses not have any pharmacology research that suggests it is a depot type drug the way that Lantus is. It is a long-acting insulin, but that is different than a depot drug. So yes, Angela, you are correct -- Lantus does "build" in the system. (I'm not sure I understand your motor oil analogy but if it works for you...) It also helps to remember that every cat is different (ECID). And every cycle can be different. The best suggestion I can make is to be patient. Lantus requires patience.
Click to expand...

I wasn't suggesting that prozinc is a depot type insulin - but it does have a history of not giving a predictable pattern until after a month or two, and more people than me have noticed an increase of duration over time. When I switched there were a few people over in PZI land that warned me about the possibility of a sharp drop the first cycle or two because they had seen it before. This issue is heavily debated in PZI land and yes, there are no studies or pharmaceutical evidence to support it, but it is a trend that has been observed by more people than just myself. There is no "shed" with the pzi insulins, but there is something going on, we just don't know exactly what.
 
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