Sarah and Baby
Member Since 2011
Got home from church and Baby's blood sugar is 29. Fed her gravy food and it's on the rise. Wondering how long to wait for her BS to get up to normal, and what should we do now, as far as her regular shots, etc.
Low BS, handled, but now what?
- Thread starter Sarah and Baby
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Tuxedo Mom
Member Since 2014
I think you may need a dose adjustment, but I am not experienced enough to advise on that. I believe you are using Levemir, so it would be helpful to post on the Lantus/Levemir forum and perhaps add a 911 to your subject line. You will need to keep testing her to make sure her BG is rising after the food influence wears off.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/lantus-glargine-levemir-detemir.9/
Also add some more information...how long Baby has been on insulin, type of food she is eating etc. There are experienced people on that forum.
Good luck!!
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/lantus-glargine-levemir-detemir.9/
Also add some more information...how long Baby has been on insulin, type of food she is eating etc. There are experienced people on that forum.
Good luck!!
Larry and Kitties
Member Since 2009
I would skip the next does or may give 1/4 unit. It is hard to tell where Baby's BG is changing since you do not have an AM preshot reading.
Also, so early into the game I would never have given 3/4 unit with a BG of less than 90
Also, so early into the game I would never have given 3/4 unit with a BG of less than 90
manxcat419
Member Since 2015
Baby has earned a dose reduction of 0.25 of a unit (so down to 0.5 per dose) by going under 50 today. Congrats on the reduction! 
As she's still under 50 on the meter, you need to give some more high carb food and test again in 30 minutes, then repeat as necessary until you get a reading above 50. However, even once she's above 50 you will need to keep testing for a while to make sure she doesn't drop back down as the high carb food wears off. I'm here for the next couple of hours so keep posting the readings up as you get them and I'll guide you on what to do next.
As she's still under 50 on the meter, you need to give some more high carb food and test again in 30 minutes, then repeat as necessary until you get a reading above 50. However, even once she's above 50 you will need to keep testing for a while to make sure she doesn't drop back down as the high carb food wears off. I'm here for the next couple of hours so keep posting the readings up as you get them and I'll guide you on what to do next.
BJM
Member Since 2010
Would you please add Lantus to your signature?
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Editing your Signature
In the upper right corner of the screen, within the dark blue bar, you will see ID, Inbox, and Alerts
Click on your ID.
On the left, under Settings, Click on Signature.
This is where you will put information that helps us give you feedback.
This is where you paste the link for your spreadsheet, once it is set up.
Add any other text, such as
your name,
cat's name,
date of Dx (diagnosis)
insulin
meter
any other pertinent issues like if there are any food issues, history of DKA, hepatic lipidosis, pancreatitis, allergies, IBD, etc.
Click the Save Changes button at the bottom.
Always click the Save Changes button at the bottom when you have changed anything.
Sarah and Baby
Member Since 2011
She's up to 51. I gave her some more high carb food because I hadn't given her anything since the first gravy food.
manxcat419
Member Since 2015
That'll work - she's still barely above 50 so best to get her a little higher anyway I think. And another test in about 30 minutes to see where that takes her to. After that, you should be able to just give her some of her low carb as long as she's rising and then make sure she doesn't slide back down once the carbs wear off.
And another test in about 30 minutes to see where that takes her to. After that, you should be able to just give her some of her low carb as long as she's rising and then make sure she doesn't slide back down once the carbs wear off.
BJM
Member Since 2010
Our standard approach to handling low numbers is to
feed 1-2 teaspoons of high carb gravy (it gets in the blood faster than dry food, or canned)
wait 20-30 minutes
re-test
and repeat until past nadir and numbers are safely climbing at least 2 times in a row.
High carb gravy or syrup can leave the system quickly, long-acting insulins continue having effect for more sustained periods, and you want to be sure that the cat is stable and past nadir before you stop monitoring.
feed 1-2 teaspoons of high carb gravy (it gets in the blood faster than dry food, or canned)
wait 20-30 minutes
re-test
and repeat until past nadir and numbers are safely climbing at least 2 times in a row.
High carb gravy or syrup can leave the system quickly, long-acting insulins continue having effect for more sustained periods, and you want to be sure that the cat is stable and past nadir before you stop monitoring.
Sarah and Baby
Member Since 2011
BS is up to 61.
I have had a can of high carb food on hand since she was diagnosed for this occasion. It is a gravy food, and she just ate all the gravy. (she doesn't like chunks of food
)
My question now is, do I shoot her with 0.5 units at her regularly scheduled time?
I have had a can of high carb food on hand since she was diagnosed for this occasion. It is a gravy food, and she just ate all the gravy. (she doesn't like chunks of food
) My question now is, do I shoot her with 0.5 units at her regularly scheduled time?
manxcat419
Member Since 2015
OK, looks like it will be safe to offer her some of her regular low carb food now. It's absolutely fine that she just ate the gravy - the carbs are in the gravy anyway.
Whether you shoot or not will depend on where she is at pre-shot time. It's quite likely that she'll bounce a bit from that 29 so might well be higher and safe to shoot. Of course if she's going to bounce, you don't want to skip the shot if you can help it because that will just make her bounce higher. But some cats don't really bounce, or they learn not to as they get more used to normal numbers and it looks as though Baby's mostly running in the normal range anyway so she might not bounce all that high.
I have to head out in a few minutes until later this evening, but I will have access on my phone and I'm sure there will be other people around this evening too. How far off her evening shot time are you right now? I can set an alarm to check back in if you want to post up her pre-shot number when you have it and we'll figure out then whether it's safe to give her the dose or whether you'd be better off skipping.
The other thing is if the high carb food she just ate was all you had, you will want to either get some more of that or make sure you have either syrup or honey in that you can add to her low carb food just in case she does drop again.
Whether you shoot or not will depend on where she is at pre-shot time. It's quite likely that she'll bounce a bit from that 29 so might well be higher and safe to shoot. Of course if she's going to bounce, you don't want to skip the shot if you can help it because that will just make her bounce higher. But some cats don't really bounce, or they learn not to as they get more used to normal numbers and it looks as though Baby's mostly running in the normal range anyway so she might not bounce all that high.
I have to head out in a few minutes until later this evening, but I will have access on my phone and I'm sure there will be other people around this evening too. How far off her evening shot time are you right now? I can set an alarm to check back in if you want to post up her pre-shot number when you have it and we'll figure out then whether it's safe to give her the dose or whether you'd be better off skipping.
The other thing is if the high carb food she just ate was all you had, you will want to either get some more of that or make sure you have either syrup or honey in that you can add to her low carb food just in case she does drop again.
BJM
Member Since 2010
She has earned a 0.25 unit reduction in dose. If she is high enough to shoot, you may shoot.
Just an FYI - from going so low, she may bounce. This happens when the glucose drops quickly and/or drops to an unfamiliar number. This triggers hormones which release stored glycogen (glucose) and bring the numbers back up ... and then some. A bounce may take up to 3 days to clear.
Just an FYI - from going so low, she may bounce. This happens when the glucose drops quickly and/or drops to an unfamiliar number. This triggers hormones which release stored glycogen (glucose) and bring the numbers back up ... and then some. A bounce may take up to 3 days to clear.
Sarah and Baby
Member Since 2011
Thank you.
BJM
Member Since 2010
Your signature is set up, your spreadsheet is up. If you would like, you can start posting in the Lantus section. They post once each day and then update the post title as they get any additional tests done during the day, have questions, or observe anything that seems key to the cat's diabetes.
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