Just started Home Testing w/Kushi

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Joe & Kushi

Joe & Kushi

Member Since 2011
Kushi was just recently dx and put on Lantus. I started home testing yesterday, and since I can't seem to get the spread sheet working I will put up the numbers and any advice will be appreciated.

04/02 @ 7:57am 222 dosed 2 units
4:30 pm 93
7:55 pm 239 dosed 1 unit

04/03 @ 7:50 am 355 dosed 1.5 units

I am going to test her again @ 10:00 am

just need some advice... not sure about any danger of Ketones at the last level. Kushi seems fine. perhaps I should take her back up to two units as Rx by vet?

Joe
 
Hi Joe and welcome to Lantus Land.

Sorry that the spreadsheet is being a problem. If you post a note in the Tech Support center, someone will be able to lend you a hand.

Let me suggest that you take a look at the starred, sticky notes at the top of the Board. There is a huge amount of information contained in the notes and the links that are embedded in the posts. If you look at the Tight Regulation sticky and the links to the formal versions of the dosing protocol we use, you will note that you generally want to give the same dose of Lantus at AM and PM shot times. Lantus dose is based on the lowest part of the cycle, the nadir, not on your pre-shot blood glucose test. Lantus likes consistency. If you routinely keep changing the dose, you will see weird numbers. Especially at this stage in the process, you need to pick a dose and stick with it for 5 - 7 days for the depot (we refer to this as the "shed') to form. This is a reservoir of Lantus that allows the insulin to be long-acting and more gentle than other types of insulin.

Because Lantus dosing is based on the nadir, it's important to get at least one test each cycle in addition to your AM and PM pre-shot blood glucose test. Especially during these early stages, getting tests at 3, 6, and 9 hours after your shot is important. (We refer to your pre-shot tests as AMPS and PMPS. You then test at +hours -- 2 hours after your test is +2. We're all in different time zones so it helps to have a shorthand with respect to time.)

The initial dose of Lantus can be based on a cat's ideal weight. The formula is: initial dose = ideal weight in kilograms x 0.25. Most cats fall into a range of 1.0 to 1.5u as their starting dose. Doses are then usually increased in the amount of 0.25u. It's very helpful for you to be using U100 insulin syringes that are marked in half unit increments.

From the Tight Regulation sticky:
WHEN FOLLOWING A TIGHT REGULATION PROTOCOL WITH LANTUS OR LEVEMIR...

* Kitty should be monitored closely the first three days when starting Lantus or Levemir.
Blood glucose levels should at least be checked at pre-shot, +3, +6, and +9.
More monitoring may be needed.

* It will be necessary to test kitty's blood glucose levels multiple times per day.

* Learn the signs of and how to treat HYPOGLYCEMIA and prepare a HYPO TOOLBOX.

* Test regularly for ketones and know about DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS (DKA).

* Use U-100 3/10cc syringes with half units marked on the barrel for fine dosing.

* Feed a high quality low carb canned or raw food diet.

* Feed small meals throughout the day. Some kitties adapt well to free feeding.
Click to expand...

Just to walk you through the sticky notes:
  • Tight Regulation Protocol: This sticky contains the dosing protocol that we use here. There are also links to the more formal versions -- the Tilly Protocol developed by the counterpart of this group in Germany and the Queensland/Rand protocol developed by Jacqui Rand, DVM and published in one of the top vet journals.
  • New to the Group: Everything you wanted to know about this forum and more. Info on our slang, FAQs, links to sites on feline nutrition and to food charts containing carb counts, how to do a curve and the components to look for, important aspects of diabetes such as ketones, DKA, and neuropathy, and most important, info on hypoglycemia.
  • Handling Lantus: how to get the maximum use from your insulin and what to not do with it!
  • Lantus depot/shed: This is an important concept for understanding how Lantus works.
  • Becoming Data Ready: What data you need in order to be able to work toward remission or tight regulation.

Please ask questions and let us know how we can help. I hope you'll post regularly so we can see Kushi's progress.
 
just saying welcome to you and kushi! good job getting the home testing started. if you have any trouble getting blood for a test, say so - people have a zillion tricks to help it along.
 
Hi Joe and welcome to lantus land!

Sienne has given you excellent advice and lots of important reading. Nice post Sienne. Post daily and ask any questions you have. You'll find lots of caring people here to help you along. It will make Kushi's Diagnosis less stressful finding your not alone too.

Great job in learning hometesting! Hope you can get Kushi's ss up and running soon. Like Sienne said post in the Tech forum and somebody will be able to help you with that.

Good luck and let us know how your doing.

jan and sara
 
Thanks for all the posts....I have started my SS so hopefully it will appear when I post this. And thanks especially to Sue&Oliver for walking me through the set up this morning! I have so much to learn and will start making a list of questions. :smile:
 
Morning Joe and Kushi and welcome to LL!! It's great that you are home testing and you will find many of us are testaholics :lol: :lol: It will help Kushi's ears if you put a little Neosporin pain relief ointment on them after the pokeys and the ointment, not the cream, will help bead the blood up if you don't get it all off.

Just a quick note on our daily condos. Each day we start one condo for our kitty. As we test, we add the data. So you would open a condo each morning and in the subject line put (as an example):
4/3 Kushi AMPS 198
When you take the next test, reopen your same condo, go to the FIRST post of the day, click on the "edit" button, add the new test in the subject line and hit "submit". It would look like this:
4/3 Kushi AMPS 198 +2 188
Keep adding the tests like that. If you want to write something in the big text box, then you have to reopen the condo and hit "post reply". Just remember, each time you want to change the subject line, you have to go back to the FIRST post of the day and click on "edit" there. You can also add things in the subject line such as questions, so for instance:
4/3 Kushi AMPS 198 +2 188 Dose ??

For the evening cycle, just reopen the same condo, go to the first post, click "edit" and delete from AMPS on and enter the PM cycle:
4/3 Kushi PMPS 100
and so on. That way folks can see how she's doing as she progresses through the day without having to open the condo every time and look at the spreadsheet...it's a nice, quick check. We usually link the condo from the day before and put it in the current condo and do a quick well cat report because our kitties are much more than just a BG number. Let us know if you need help with linking the previous day's condo.

So...lots of info for you today but you'll get it really fast that you'll amaze yourself!! Good luck and ask us questions..we are all here to help each other.
 
Good morning (at least here in KC, just barely!), and welcome to Lantus Land!! You've already gotten tons of wonderful advice on getting started, so I'm just popping in to say hello! I would encourage you, as you get your sea legs, to read our condos and spreadsheets... you'll learn how different cats react to Lantus, see our struggles and know you're not alone, and also get a good laugh, as we find around here that humor makes the sugardance of feline diabetes so much easier!!

Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday. You have taken the first steps to getting Kushi back to good health, and here you will have even more tools and support to make that happen more quickly!!
 
Hi Joe and Kushi and welcome!
You've got lots of reading to do and have gotten a ton of good advice, so I'll just say WELCOME TO LANTUS LAND!.

I tried to open your spreadsheet, without success. Check the URL again. Something may be missing in the link (only part of it looks like a clickable link).

Ella & Rusty
 
hello Joe and Kushi....welcome to Lantus Land!
Wanted to add, nice job on the spreadsheet and the curve, like the blues :-D
It's gonna get easier, just hang on tight and post when you can with your updates.
 
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