Left Humulin N out for 4 hours?

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Cindy & Pets

Cindy & Pets

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I wound up accidentally leaving out Tips Humulin N where I normally test her for 4 hours, is it still alright? It was out of sunlight and the room is fairly cold(65-70 degrees), so is it still alright? I also posted this in the Humulin N just in case. I'm really panicked and am unsure if I should go out and buy a new one tomorrow afternoon and skip her morning dose? Or will it all be alright?


Previously:

So, Tip finally cam around and started letting me test her. :) Very well behaved now, I guess she was just getting used to it. :lol: Still having problems getting her to bleed enough, but does not bleed enough for the tester? It's the bayer contour, but it's barely enough of a drop for me to see it. I've tried warming, but that seems to be the only part of the process that she cannot tolerate. Are there alternatives?
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

If you absolutely have to, you can aim for the vein on the edge. It is likely to bleed profusely, so be prepared to blot quickly and keep pressure on for a minute or so to help it clot and not bruise.

What size lancet are you using? The higher the number, the thinner the lancet. When you're just starting out, a 27 or 28 gauge lancet may be your best choice. If you find you need to use the ear vein, a 30 or 31 guage lancet works well without trigger quite as much profuse bleeding.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

I second getting a larger sized lancet--26g are a good size to use. It seems like using the smaller lancets would make testing easier because they'd hurt the cat less, but it's actually the opposite. The cat can't really feel the prick anyway, and they get more irritated the longer they have to sit there and milk the ear for blood, so it's best to use a larger gauge for a bigger drop and get it done quickly.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Sorry for taking so long to respond. However, I can't find where to find the lancet gauge as my mom gave them to me and part of it got colored over by a younger sibling. Is there any other way to find out the size of them?
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

If they are Bayer Microlets, they do not come in a larger size, so you will have to find ones that fit your lancing device if you use it, or any will do if you freehand. Usually the larger lancets are labelled for alternate site testing.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Just for reference, I tested my kitty tonight for the first time using Bayer Contour. She wasn't very comfortable with the pen, i poked her twice between the vein and edge of her ear, and there was no blood at all. I couldn't even see where i supposedly pricked her. I decided to just free hand it. I just took off the endcap so the lancet was more exposed, and i also decided to prick her vein instead(this is how they showed me at the vets initially). well it worked like a charm and didn't bleed much at all, she had no idea it was about to come, and then i took tissue and held her ear for a bit, now there is no mark at all.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Congrats on getting Tip to let you test her!

A really easy weay to get your kitty to bleed is:

Get a baby sock. Fill with rice (about a golf ball worth). Tie off the end.
Warm it in microwave for about 10 seconds until just warm to the inside of your wrist (like testing baby bottle).
Warm her ear for a little bit, rubbing on and off so as not to burn her, then use the lancet, once the ear is warm.
A warm ear bleeds much more than a cold ear, and no need for bigger lancets or hitting the vein.

Happy testing! :)
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Thanks, Linda, I was so proud of her. :)

That's the problem it seems though, she won't let me use the sock, if I try, she'll get upset and not let me. I can try it again tonight though and see if it's really the sock of if just getting stuck with things are finally being routine for her(she was only diagnosed in February).

@Rockstar:
Alright, yeah, I'm using the pen thing to prick her. I'll try it that way and see how she does with that. I'm not particularly worried about her bleeding much, because she's even difficult for the vet, as she has veins as tiny as a kittens, but she's 11 yrs old.

And I'll be looking for bigger ones anyways while I'm at Sams Club as she needs more syringes. Hopefully that'll happen this weekend.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

I had to go to a larger lancet (from a 30 to a 26). Neo is a black cat and it is almost impossible for my poor old eyes to see when we get a blood drop (I have to take my contacts out and get very close to his ear to see it!) The 26 worked very well last night.

Good luck!
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Here's a lancet gauge chart: http://www.walgreens.com/marketing/library/centers/diabetes/lancets.jsp

The lancet device for the Bayer meter is the Microlet 2 and is 28 gauge. 28 gauge is a good size to get blood from a cat's ear with. Are you using the lancet device? Have you tried all the depth settings? Don't be afraid to firmly press the lancet device against the ear while pricking. It helps to hold the rice sock or a folded piece of paper towel under the ear so that you have a firm surface to press against.

You can also try a different lancet device. Some work better than others. The local pharmacy will have a couple different ones and lancets. I like the AccuChek SoftClick.

My cat didn't like the sock so I insead made a square of of cotton fabric, kind of like those floppy catnip square toys, and filled it with uncooked rice. A 3 inch square is big enough. I used a small spoonful of uncooked rice inside the bag which was plenty. I just folded the square over the ear for a couple seconds and then poked with the lancet device.

Some people use a small pill bottle filled with hot water to warm the ear. Others use a hot damp washcloth.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Hi!

I was passing by and thought I'd add that after warming the ear and preparing yourself...you need to pinch the ear...gently...above and below where you want to prick...(or at least one of the two). This will trap the blood in the area you want to get a bead. It is similar in theory to when a human gets blood drawn, that they use that rubber thingy on your upper arm to pool the blood a bit.

Sometimes, even after doing that, you have to push/squeeze a bit around the bead area to build the blood droplet :smile:
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

It may help to use some neosporin ointment (not cream) with pain relief a few minutes before poking. Just put a small dab on, wait, the wipe off. The oinment part helps the blood bead up; the pain relief part helps reduce the annoyance of pricking the ear.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Tip is a black cat too, what I do to see the vein(and the one time I did get a little blood, but not enough for it to register) is I use a light under her ear, but that doesn't exactly provide a lot of support to be able to actually get it.

Yes, I've even tried deepest depth setting. I can try to have a folded paper towel under it after I've positioned the lancet device right.

I'll try some other methods to warm the ear and hope she accepts it.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Finally got it right today. She was very unhappy about it though. ): And it was unfortunately after eating, but it was before her shot, it was at 190. I'm not sure if that's good or bad?
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Sayania said:
Finally got it right today. She was very unhappy about it though. ): And it was unfortunately after eating, but it was before her shot, it was at 190. I'm not sure if that's good or bad?
Click to expand...

190 is an ok number :smile: As long as you get a bg reading before the insulin it is ok. It's ok if youu cat eats right before you test or even while you are testing.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Alright. :) At about what point would be a good point to not give her insulin? She was diagnosed in Feb. with about 375, since then, going steadily down using Humulin N, she's up to 2.5units, canned food, and I only gave her half tonight because I didn't have an hour to watch her.

And good. Usually I can't remember quick enough in the morning before I go about the routine to set her and her sister down food.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Now that you're getting testing accomplished, if you put the readings in a spreadsheet, we'll be able to give you feedback.
And, we have instructions on doing that here

Humulin N lasts roughly 6-8 hours in a cat, which means that if you give insulin every 12 hours, there are 4-6 hours when the insulin is mostly gone. If you have to stick with Humulin N, picking up the food after 8 hours helps keep the glucose from skyrocketing up during that period. Alternatively, if you can switch to a longer, more gentle insulin such as Lantus, Levemir, ProZinc, or PZI, the full 12 hours is covered more evenly.

One important thing to do is test at the nadir, or lowest point between shots. This will be at roughly 3-4 hours after the shot using Humulin. Knowing how low the insulin takes the cat is important for adjusting the dose. You don't want it to drop below 40 at the lowest point. Since you are just starting out and learning how your cat handles insulin, we recommend you not shoot if a pre-insulin test is below 200 (5.5 world). As you gain experience and collect data on how your cat responds, that number will be gradually lowered.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

Oh dear....but she seems okay from just 1.5units this time, rather than the 2.5 she usually has? I'll just keep that in mind for next time she's below 200. But I do shoot when she's at 200?

And I'm starting the spreadsheet now.
 
Tip isn't letting me test her anymore

So seems like I'm back to square one with Tip again. She's folding her ears and growling at me every time I go to test her, even though I've reassured her and pet her and given her treats after every time I test, successful or not. I've even used the neosporin. Is there anything I can do to get her to let me test her again? I've even tried to stay as calm as possible when I go to try.
 
Re: Tip isn't letting me test her anymore

What helps sometimes when it's a colder morning, or when my kitty just hasn't been bleeding, I give him a part of his treat in front of the portable heater I have. Then I poke, and give the rest of the treat in front of the heater. Also, doing two shallow pokes side by side along the ear can form a bigger blood bead. Lots of luck with your kitty. Maybe you can find a treat that'll help.
 
Re: Finally testing Tip, but not bleeding enough?

thebigfuzz said:
Hi!

I was passing by and thought I'd add that after warming the ear and preparing yourself...you need to pinch the ear...gently...above and below where you want to prick...(or at least one of the two). This will trap the blood in the area you want to get a bead.
Click to expand...

The blood in the capillaries on the external edge of the ear flows mostly upward (or so I'm told), and I find it helpful to gently rub (fingers pinched around both back and front of the ear) in an upward direction from midway on the ear's edge, up to just below the pricked area, as I'm waiting the few seconds for the bead to form. (It also helps keep my cat from shaking off the drop.) Also, getting the drop of blood while it's a bit smaller but still beaded up (i.e., before the surface tension is broken by the surrounding fur) is usually easiest, as the test strips suck up the blood by capillary action; one the surface tension breaks, you actually need quite a lot of blood to get it all the way into the test strip.
 
Re: Tip isn't letting me test her anymore

She doesn't seem to bleed much when I hit the vein, so that doesn't seem to be the problem anymore. But she keeps folding her ears and hissing and growling when I get near her with the lancet device. I pet her and give her treats, any solution to get her to be okay with testing again?
 
Re: Tip isn't letting me test her anymore

Have you tried the neosporin ointment with pain relief?

Apply a dab.
Wait a couple minutes.
Wipe off.
Test.
Treat.
if desired, clean any residue off with isopropyl alcohol followed by a plain water rinse.
 
Re: Tip isn't letting me test her anymore

I have not yet, she's yet to let me try again. Should I just try to ignore her dislike for it? Or is there a way to get her to be fine with it again without force or ignoring her thoughts on the issue?
 
Re: Tip isn't letting me test her anymore

You may need to burrito wrap her in order to test. And maybe give yourself 3 unsuccessful tries and stopping and treating.

Also, if you are free-hand using the lancet, I found it helpful to brace the ear with a folded cotton tissue with one hand (my left), then gently rock my lancet-holding hand (my right) in and out of the ear to prick, followed by gently tugging the sides of the hole apart with my fingers to open up the pricked hole a bit. It is a little less aggressive maneuver than a forceful stabbing motion, so probably less irritating.

Because she is a black cat, it may be easier to see and test on the underside of the ear, rather than the out side.
 
Re: Tip isn't letting me test her anymore

Here's a pretty good video on 'how to' stick the ear. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NTvGq8xMeU
I always used makeup remover pads behind Crash's ear as I didn't want to accidentally stick myself.

And the burrito: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXyrKSJT ... re=related

Hope Tip gives up the blood soon. Maybe try pretending like you are going to stick her, then do everything except stick her. Maybe she is wary of the noise and needs to get familiar with it.
 
Re: Tip isn't letting me test her anymore

Alright, I'll look at both of those videos later when I have more time. And I'll have to try rocking it back, because I've tried both pricking her manually(cap off the lancet device and pricking her with it exposed, partly because I have shaky hands and it's easier on me) and by fully using it. I'll try to pretend stick her with it if the method to rock it back doesn/'t work and hope she'll get warmed up to it again.
 
So is humulin N that I accidentally left out for 4 hours in 65-70 degrees in that specific room, it's still fine, right?
 
Please start new posts for new topics. I find it confusing to open one topic and find different content underneath for most of the thread.

Four hours may or may not be OK. Just have to try the regular dose and see. And if not already on stable dosing, you won't be able to tell, so just need to hang in there and be consistent. It may be slightly reduced in potency but still useable. If so, just be sure to note that so when you start a new bottle, you reduce the dose to accomodate the standard potency.
 
Alright, I'm sorry. It's just I saw 1 of my other topics already on the front page and wasn't sure if it was okay or not to start a new topic.

Oh good....I was really worried that it would be completely unusable. I'll keep that in mind. I've still yet to get testing down, so hopefully I'll get that down very soon so that her bG doesn't get too high.
 
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