Lantus Help

[Lkldcatlady]

Could someone please explain (again!) exactly how Lantus should work? I'm not sure what hours are the MOST important to test. I'm seeing every three, every four, only at the 8 hour mark, etc. if I can't test all the time, (i cant) I need to know what is the most important, other than pre-shot. I haven't updated bobs ss, but he is staying very level ALL DAY. He just stays between 300-400 all day long on 2.5 units. I don't want to torture him and poke his ear 10 times a day. I would love to only test him once, other than preshot. Is that possible?

 

[Lkldcatlady]

just updated Bob's ss

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

You have been testing a great deal. And no, that amount of testing is not a "requirement". But just testing at preshot times isn't the best way to go either.

If my kitty were on Lantus, I would get at least one test, probably between +5 and +7 during the AM cycle to try to see the time he should be reaching "nadir". The nadir number is important because that's the one that the dose is determined by.

And I would also try to get a test around +3 in the PM cycle. A good example of how that can be useful is the night cycle on the 12th when he gave you the green number. When that happens early in the cycle, you want to know about it. And do what you did that night by testing again to see if it was going lower. It didn't happen that night, but it could have. Most people call that the "before bed test".

So I think you could get by with four tests a day. And maybe a curve on a weekend day when you can without disrupting your schedule?

 

[BJM]

Pre-shots, daytime nadir on days off, before bed to make sure the cat is OK & you can sleep.

Maybe read the sticky posts at the top of the 2nd section in the Lantus Tight Regulation forum

If he's not gone below 200 during any nadirs (the lowest point between shots) and it has been more than 5 days on his first dose or more than 3 days on any later, adjusted doses, he is due for a dose increase of 0.25 units more.

 

[Lkldcatlady]

ok, thanks- that is helpful. I'm finding it really hard to measure the .25 units. is it just me? I'm using a 3/10cc needle with 1/2 unit markings. I just need to try and get between the 2.5 unit mark and the 3.0 mark, right? Any special tricks to make it easier to make sure he gets the exact dosage every time. Not sure if I'm just going blind, but I'm finding it really hard to see and get it right. it would be nice if that little black thing at the top of the plunger was really thin....

I'm also not really understanding why he went down soo fast that one night. He ate that night just like he does every night - that was really weird. And now I can't even get him out of the 300's.....

 

[BJM]

Magnifiers really help!

- syringe magnifiers
- eye glasses clip on magnifiers (Carson Clip and Flip are great!)
- visor magnifiers for those who don't wear glasses
- free standing magnifiers

Chesk our shopping partner, Amazon, at the link above on this page.

Also, you might put colored water in a syringe to use as a reference for comparison.

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

In case you hadn't seen it, here a picture of what .25u looks like in the syringe: