Jeddie - back to mid 200s

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

I have to update his SS, but he has been in the mid 200s to low 300s for the past few days (been on .5u for a week or more now). I had family in town this weekend and no time to do spot checks or anything, so I will get some checks in tomorrow.

I really wonder about rebound as he had a good response on the second cycle at the higher dose, then seemed to go higher for a few days and is back to the same poor numbers.

Also, anyone have insulin you know for sure went bad for some reason (handling, temperature, etc.)? When I was in MI in October the fridge there had been turned to the coldest setting and things on the top shelf were freezing. I didn't notice for about 36 hours. The insulin was on a lower shelf and I never say it frozen, but I just wonder about it now. What would the clues be that it is ineffective? Wouldn't he be high/flat with no low numbers?

 

[pamela and tigger]

I have to update his SS, but he has been in the mid 200s to low 300s for the past few days (been on .5u for a week or more now). I had family in town this weekend and no time to do spot checks or anything, so I will get some checks in tomorrow.

Just wondering, with the family visiting and all, how did he did he do with the inappropriate peeing? Do you think the prozac helped in this regard?

I really wonder about rebound as he had a good response on the second cycle at the higher dose, then seemed to go higher for a few days and is back to the same poor numbers.

Sheila, I have to wonder if it is rebound at all and not enough insulin. He has had these occasional 300's before and it wasn't from a dose increase then. You are home to test now, why not try increasing for a while and see what happens? You can always back down again. Of course, you know more spot checks would help to tell the picture.

Also, anyone have insulin you know for sure went bad for some reason (handling, temperature, etc.)? When I was in MI in October the fridge there had been turned to the coldest setting and things on the top shelf were freezing. I didn't notice for about 36 hours. The insulin was on a lower shelf and I never say it frozen, but I just wonder about it now. What would the clues be that it is ineffective? Wouldn't he be high/flat with no low numbers?

I don't know the answer to that. I guess if his numbers are more wonky than usual maybe that is the cause. Do you have any extra carts that you didn't take with you on the trip?

 

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

Just wondering, with the family visiting and all, how did he do with the inappropriate peeing? Do you think the prozac helped in this regard?

I almost (not quite) don't even think about that anymore. He peed on the door the day after I started him on it (mid Aug), again one other time in, maybe, Sept. and then he looked like he was going to try it on the door up in MI. But that is it in 3 months. He doesn't even pee in the bathtub or the boot tray I have one litter box sitting in. He used to do that all the time.

Right now his schedule (shots) is off from the weekend, time change and me being out late last night. Once I get him adjusted back to normal times I can do a curve. I'm planning on some spot checks in the mean time.

Numbers are updated.

 

[Melissa&Paul-Kyle]

could the higher numbers be a touch of stress from the family visiting? If family was not at your place, could J be picking up on stress you are bringing home?

You also mention being off schedule a little- maybe that accounts for the wonkiness?

let us know how he does with the spot checks

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

I see 300s from Gandalf and think the same thing - that he's rebounding from too much, especially when he doesn't seem to come out of them, but lo and behold, he's had a breakthrough at 1.25U - his basic dose. I'm done with trying to outguess the dose and stick with what works - a slow increase if I dropped it for whatever reason (stupidity and stubbornness being my maladies) and arriving at 1.25U. Illka is right - dose is a gigantic ocean liner.

There are other factors which cause 300s - not enough insulin, high carbs, dose changes or schedule changes, the latter of which you have going on. I would only suspect rebound if it's over 450.

I suggest riding out the .5U until you get him back to 12/12 schedule, then re-evaluate the .5U before making any changes.

 

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

No stress from the family, only my sister was at my condo and he was loving the sofa bed being open. I think he slept with her at least one night. She's a cat person (and a dog person, shhhh), and sounds like me, so she isn't threatening.

He is on a 12/12 schedule, its just offset from his meal times. He is getting his shot about 2 hrs after he eats in the morning and 4 hrs after he eats in the evening - or when food is put down I should say. He never eats all his food at one time. Right now we are 10:30/10:30, so I don't have time to do any evening spot checks before bed either.

He figured out how to eat his pill pocket and leave the prozac this morning. Hope that was a one time thing!

 

[pamela and tigger]

He is on a 12/12 schedule, its just offset from his meal times. He is getting his shot about 2 hrs after he eats in the morning and 4 hrs after he eats in the evening - or when food is put down I should say. He never eats all his food at one time. Right now we are 10:30/10:30, so I don't have time to do any evening spot checks before bed either.

I didn't know you gave the shot a couple of hours after he eats. Is this a new thing? I know you know what you are doing, which makes me wonder about this all the more. I must be missing something here obviously. I don't understand letting the food have that much of a head start before giving insulin.

confused_cat

He figured out how to eat his pill pocket and leave the prozac this morning. Hope that was a one time thing!

I hope that is a one time thing too! I wonder if the prozac has any taste to it at all? Tigger sometimes gets the pill pocket off his Denamarin, but it is usually accidental because I don't think he minds the pill itself.

 

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

The food/shot thing....

I have to feed them when I get up. The dishes are empty and they are clamoring. They are also used to eating at about 6:30-7:00pm when I used to get home from work. However, I had several late evenings over the past 3-4 weeks and the evening shot couldn't be given before 11-11:30 pm. I knew I was going to keep having late evenings on and off so I left both shots at the 11-12 time, but still had to feed earlier. I suppose I could just jump him to a 9/9 schedule with a lower dose or trying the split dosing that Vicky uses.

I am not doing something I think is "right", just trying to manage my schedule versus his. It seems like every time I get him back on schedule, I have a late evening and its all screwed up again.

Had to pill him this morning. He refused the pill pocket again. I actually think its the pocket he has stopped liking, not that he can taste the pill.

 

[Melissa&Paul-Kyle]

Had to pill him this morning. He refused the pill pocket again. I actually think its the pocket he has stopped liking, not that he can taste the pill.

not sure of your dose, but my DebraAnne takes 1/4 pill of phenobarb with meals...I simply drop it the food dish ( I make a big dish and scoop out two tbsp's per cat at each plate) then when it comes to her I scoop only enough to swallow/hide the pill with ( pea sized) then after I SEE that she has eaten the pea sized w/pill 1/4, I give her the two tbsp's of her food and go on to the others.

If Jeddie gets more than 1/4 pill, maybe cut it so it is easy to mesh in with the wet food?

good luck- hope something works since the prozac has helped him so much!

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

The food/shot thing....

I am not doing something I think is "right", just trying to manage my schedule versus his. It seems like every time I get him back on schedule, I have a late evening and its all screwed up again.

That is exactly the time and reason to do split doses!!!!

I have little doubt that his numbers are messed up due to those schedule changes. And FYI - I don't necessarily change feeding times when doing splits either. He gets food at the first shot and I even make sure his feeder goes off prior to the later evening shot, so the batch of food is available about +8 to the later AM shot, just in case there's a dip about peak time. That's the main thing that's different with feeding.

The only thing I can tell people about split doses is to try it and see what happens. Proof is in the pudding, so to speak.

 

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

I honestly don't think the pill in food would work. There has been two times (once in pill pocket, once when pilling) that he apparently tasted the stuff and it made him droll and froth at the mouth. I am finding that a really quick pilling is working. I just have to get it way back in his throat so he can't taste it.

Vicky, you are probably right. I am hesitant to do split doses. I am not sure why. Maybe it is the keeping track of three shot times versus two. I can get so wrapped up in my illustration jobs that I totally forget. So, if I do the morning routine and then "go to work" I will probably forget to do the second shot. I know that's lame.

He was 132 this am (tested/shot right after he finished eating). He was low 200s tonight.

He also peed on the front door today. Sigh......

 

[Melissa&Paul-Kyle]

geeze...I'm sorry Jeddie peed on door again today...gads. Maybe it is just a minor setback and he will get back to things normally again.

I wonder if the day he missed the pill not eating it in the pill pocket effected him? maybe it was that and this is just a minor stumbling block.

If you are interested in the split dosing, can you set your cell phone alarm to remind you to do the second shot?

Do you have to do the split dosing with the PM shot, too, or just the AM shot?

Good luck with it all...IMO, the last few numbers are not too horrible....

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

I honestly don't think the pill in food would work. There has been two times (once in pill pocket, once when pilling) that he apparently tasted the stuff and it made him droll and froth at the mouth. I am finding that a really quick pilling is working. I just have to get it way back in his throat so he can't taste it.

Vicky, you are probably right. I am hesitant to do split doses. I am not sure why. Maybe it is the keeping track of three shot times versus two. I can get so wrapped up in my illustration jobs that I totally forget. So, if I do the morning routine and then "go to work" I will probably forget to do the second shot. I know that's lame.

He was 132 this am (tested/shot right after he finished eating). He was low 200s tonight.

He also peed on the front door today. Sigh......

Maybe set an alarm for the second shot time? Not sure what else would help you remember.

Sorry about the door. Maybe he needs a small dose increase of the Prozac? Not sure how you find out what's safe with that. Is it dosed by weight? Or maybe since he's not eating the pill pockets he's not getting all of a dose.