Lucy! We're back again for more advice.

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123joan

123joan

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Yesterday Lucy stayed in the yellows, almost the same number AMPS, Mid cycle, and PMPS. Then this morning, she's 150, I had to leave, so I fed both of the starving raving meowing clawing carnivores and did not shoot. I can be back to test later this morning.

What's my new plan?

I am not going to freak out.

Thank you everyone.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub ... utput=html

123joan

Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:40 am
Location: Athens, OH
 
I think we have faced this decision before. If you can change the schedule and shoot again 12 hours after a later shot this am, you can shoot if she has risen over 200. One unit if you will be around or .8 if you are feeling cautious. (the 150 might call for a slight reduction but you are just making headway...). If shooting today wrecks up your schedule, then skip until tonight. And I think reshoot one unit. (let's see what Carl says)

This is encouraging. Not what I was expecting after yesterday's flat numbers, but encouraging. Let's explore with Carl shooting under 200.
 
She is 389, I'm going to shoot, it will screw up the schedule, but I'll work with it. This will be 17 hours after her evening shot last night, and it's been 2.5 hours since she's eaten. I will have to dose .8 since I won't be around for several hours.

You are right that we have faced this decision before. But I'm not comfortable yet with changing it on the fly. I better make a chart based on these numbers and not try to read all these paragraphs, it's my fault for being disorganized.

How long after her dinner tonight do I have to wait to test her BGL in order for the food to not be an issue?

KRAZY SCHEDULE!
 
I usually wait until food has not been available for 2.5 hours before putting much stock in a BG reading. (Food usually shows in BGs from 20 mintues up to a couple hours.)

It's hard knowing what to shoot when our sugar babies throw us curve balls. I've been at this for 8 months and still question myself...but it has gotten better. :-D You'll get there. :smile:
 
I'm sorry, Joan. I didn't mean to suggest that you should know what to do because she had been at those numbers before. I meant we had some history to help making a decision. We do not expect you to get this dosing stuff down. It is hard and complicated and takes time.

I think it would be helpful to have a discussion with Carl included re dosing at lower preshot numbers. You have some history now and can be a little more aggressive with preshots under 200, if you can monitor and you are comfortable with the idea.
 
I thought you meant that I should be able to figure it out myself by now. I felt dumb and blue.

I don't know how to wing it, that's for sure.

Now I've created this bizarre schedule for her today, didn't want to wait until this evening for shot, it would have been 24 hours. But maybe that would have been better.

Most days I'm available to monitor.

How do we go about having the discussion with Carl?

I did have one day smooth sailing!
 
Hi Joan,
Nice AMPS:-) Shooting low preshots requires two things: data, and being there to monitor. You have to be comfortable with it, and you have to know what to do if you see a low number, and there's nobody else around to help.
I think that this morning's number was "shootable" provided you were going to be home to test. I would have suggested halving the dose, so .4 or .5 would probably have been okay. Not saying that you should have done it, just that you could have done it.
Your feeding schedule with several feedings per day is fine. My suggestion would be if you are going to feed, try to get a test just before feeding. Unless you are using a timed feeder and aren't there?
On picking a dose? Base it on whether or not you are going to be home afterwards. If not, play it safe. If yes, then you can be more aggressive.
Carl
 
One other thought...
If you are thinking about shooting on a lower PS, make sure the number is not falling. You can test at +11.5, and then at +12. If it is steady or rising, ok. If it is dropping, you are better off skipping.
Carl
 
Right now the routine is wait at least two hours after they eat, then test. Lucy has gotten used to FOOD right after the test, especially first thing in the morning (5:30 yawn). So if the number is low, I have to withhold the food, right? Then test again in a half hour?

We don't have a regular schedule, other than testing right at AMPS and PMPS, food and shot right after, then second breakfasts, lunch, dinner, and one more meal at night.
WHAT A JOB THESE TWO ARE. We don't have a timed feeder. Other than me.

To be honest, I've never dealt with a low number situation, I have Karo here, but I've never had to deal with an emergency.

If I had shot a lower dose this morning, I would have fed them breakfast afterwards, so I would have had to wait 2 hours to test because of the food. Then how accurate would that data be? Do legal cat treats (Wellness Pure Delights Turkey & Salmon Jerky) influence the BG level, if I give her a couple after her ear poke? I don't want to be lax with testing, nor do I want to be a maniac and test more often than is necessary.

Sorry I'm rambling. This is really hard.
 
Rambling is allowed. :-D

Getting a low number at AMPS and waiting to feed to retest - Poopy is not a fan. He becomes my little ankle biter when not fed right after pokies first thing in the morning. I have to admit, I feel much like a mother with a toddler during these times (and it's been YEARS since I've had a toddler!). Being the mean ole mom, I have to set the rules for what is best for Poopy. While he may not understand it and wants his food, "Right now!", it's what is best for him. :smile: A bonus for him is he gets a special treat for pokies without food following - a raw chicken chunk (he loves them!). No carbs and won't harm his BGs. :-D I have found I can freeze them and pop them in the microwave for 10 secs to thaw and partially cook them. If I've grabbed the treat bowl, no ankle biting but leg rubs as he waits for his treat! If your treats are low-no carb...go for it! :lol:
 
I didn't understand that no/lo carb treats don't change the BGs. My head is swimming! I will try that with the chicken, I just bought some yesterday.

I looked at this thread http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=56423&p=612997
and it says

Pure Delights® Chicken & Lamb 7.30%
Pure Delights® Turkey & Salmon 7.85%

but then those numbers have to be put in an xcel calculator in order to know the actual number. So I still don't understand if I can give her those treats or not. I know I can give them to her, but do they affect her BG if she eats them two hours before test?

I fear I'm obsessing again.
 
It can be confusing. :smile: The best way I know how to explain it...all foods have certain values (calories, carbs, protein, sodium, and so on). Some foods have more of one thing and less than others. Plain chicken (raw, steamed, boiled, baked...nothing added) has 0 carbs. For our diabetic babies, carbs are a huge culprit in raising BGs (why we feed a low carb diet). If we are giving treats that have no carbs, then we aren't adding carbs to the BG levels.

I understand the feeling of being obsessed or obsessive. When our babies are diagnosed with diabetes, we suddenly find ourselves learning a whole bunch of different stuff, and trying to make sense out of it all. We can only learn so much then have to take a step back to make sense of it before learning more. We all learn at our own pace, so don't fret. :smile:

The treats you mentioned have 7% or so carbs. Depending on the cat (ECID), one or two may not make a difference in BGs. In sensitive to carbs cats, one or two could effect the BG. It depends on if Lucy is sensitive to carbs or not on whether they would effect her BGs. If you are going to be trying small chunks of chicken, they have 0 carbs. (I cut the chunks to be about 1/2 inch or so square. The end pieces tend to be flatter on one side and they cook up rather hot in 10 secs in the microwave, so I rinse them in cold water before giving them to Poopy.)

There are also 0 carb freeze dried treats (chicken, liver) if you don't like the raw. Some will boil chicken for treats. I no longer do the freeze dried since some were recalled.
 
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