Jane's switching to oral meds -- glipizide

[Kris & Jane (GA)]

We saw the vet today, and originally, she wanted us to increase to .5BID and shoot in the belly.

She called a few hours later and said she had just done some research and figured out why Jane's not reacting well to the Lantus, which is what she was on five years ago.

Lantus works with a human body's pH, which is ideally 7.4. There's no way to determine Jane's pH, but vet said that because she has CRF, her pH will be way off with an acid buildup, called metabolic acidosis. That will cause the Lantus to be completely ineffectual -- and throw her into the 500s, as we have seen.

Because Jane eats low carb all the time, we're going to try glipizide and watch the numbers.

Please keep your fingers crossed for us.

 

[dian and wheezer]

glip does not work. causes liver damage. post this on lantus and you will be told the same. has nothing to do with janies PH. she just needs to settle in and everyone gave suggestions on how to handle this.
glad numbers are improving and to show that lantus is working, she is not sky high already. give this dose some tome to work. please

 

[OptOut]

Please don't use glipizide. It does not work and it damages organs. Some cats are just very, very bouncy. It sucks, but many of them can level out if you give them time.

I have never heard anybody else discuss your vet's hypothesis on pH. However, it would be okay to try Levemir, which has a pH much closer to Jane's natural pH.

 

[Jess & Earl]

Hi Kris

I can follow your vet's train of thought ... but am far from sure about the conclusion, esp in light of the fact that Jane certainly has shown response to Lantus.

Also ... it is possible to know Janie's pH, through a blood test that your vet probably can't do. (But did they do something called an i-Stat at the emergency hospital?) Generally speaking, though, most cats with CRF/CKD do *not* persist in a markedly acidotic state. I wouldn't worry about this as it relates to the insulin.

 

[Kris & Jane (GA)]

thank you, jess -- i'll stay with the 0.25 - what do you think best? scruff, flank, belly?

 

[Hillary & Maui (GA)]

I recommend shooting the flank.

 

[cjleo]

Yes, use the flank area. It is the best absorption as I understand it.

Also, while the cat eats, I can shoot in the flank area without any disruption of the feeding.

And, really, please don't try glipizide. It is particularly hard on the liver.

Good luck.