Max...high # this a.m.

[MayBTheresHope]

Okay, I know you guys said to start over at .5u, and I will starting tonight. I wanted to see what implementing other changes would do to his numbers first and thus didn't want to adjust the dose just yet. The main changes were no food 2 hrs before AMPS and after PMPS and taking the reading before I fed him anything (instead of during his meals). I am also trying to get him on a set eating schedule. Last night, he was mid 300 at PMPS (like he has been for the past few days on 1.5u). This morning, though, I got a 430 reading. He has been acting like he is starving to death, but before, I was letting him graze up until the time of the shots, so maybe that is why. I fed him 4 small meals yesterday (1 can Purina DM and 2 cans of FF Classics). Any comments? Should I still reduce the dose right now or wait a few more days and get more numbers? I just don't want to make too many changes at once and not know what is affecting what. Also, not sure how accurate my readings prior to yesterday have been, since I've been letting him eat up until test time.

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

How long has he been on only wet low carb? Sometimes their numbers change overnight; sometimes it takes a week. If you just changed food, I think you could wait a few days without changing the dose, or moving it down to one unit, if you want. Be sure to have the ketone strips ready so you can get some ketone tests in when you lower the dose.

I am wondering about your higher number this am, though. Wonder if he went lower overnight and this is a bounce? It is a little strange that he was floating along in the yellows and then suddenly the red. And his pattern has been lower amps than pmps. Did anything else change? I would have thought doing the test before eating should have given you a little lower number, not a higher one. Hmmmm. Can you get some numbers today to give us a clearer picture of what might be happening?

 

[Doug N Libby]

Good morning, Sandy -

Yes, you should still plan on reducing to .5u. I know sometimes you'll hear advise that sounds opposite of what seems right in your head...believe me. ;-) But, that the way this crazy dance works. Too much insulin and too little insulin can look the same on the SS - I keep telling my husband that and he gives me this 'you're nuts' look. :lol: If you haven't already done so, it might be beneficial to scroll through the posts and see what some of us have been through. Several people went too high with the dose too fast and missed the 'right' one. Then, they had to start all over, again.

I would say, listen to everyone's advise. Read as much as you can. But, in the end, you have to make the call of what you'll do with your cat because you have that responsibility.

Have a great day -

Libby (and Hershey, too!)

PS Clearly, Sue and I were posting at the same time; I always defer to her

 

[MayBTheresHope]

How long has he been on only wet low carb?

A bit over a week, but he was getting only DM dry and canned for a week before that. Still, I know the dry=carbs.

Be sure to have the ketone strips ready so you can get some ketone tests in when you lower the dose.

I'm so confused...I thought the ketone strips were for when the dose is high to make sure that the insulin isn't bring BGLs down too low to cause ketoacidosis?

I am wondering about your higher number this am, though. Wonder if he went lower overnight and this is a bounce? It is a little strange that he was floating along in the yellows and then suddenly the red. And his pattern has been lower amps than pmps. Did anything else change?

Just what I mentioned in the original post. DH gave him the insulin last night, so maybe he gave a fur shot and didn't realize? Or maybe he injected into the muscle? But that is the only thing that I can think of. I might just get Max shaved just so that I can make sure the insulin is going in and where!

I would have thought doing the test before eating should have given you a little lower number, not a higher one. Hmmmm.

Again, I'm so confused...thought that the highest numbers of the day were AMPS and PMPS b/c insulin has worn off and BGLs would be elevated.

Hmmmm. Can you get some numbers today to give us a clearer picture of what might be happening?

Testing at 1:45 (AMPS +6) and again for PMPS. Going to do a night curve Friday night while DH and DD are visiting DH's parents.

Yes, you should still plan on reducing to .5u. I know sometimes you'll hear advise that sounds opposite of what seems right in your head...believe me. ;-) But, that the way this crazy dance works. Too much insulin and too little insulin can look the same on the SS - I keep telling my husband that and he gives me this 'you're nuts' look. :lol: If you haven't already done so, it might be beneficial to scroll through the posts and see what some of us have been through. Several people went too high with the dose too fast and missed the 'right' one. Then, they had to start all over, again.

Clearly this is a lot more complex than I thought it was. Vet wants to increase to 2u and I've gone against him with the 1.5u. Even the company said to start between 1 and 2u for a 14.5 lb cat. Uggghhhhh....so frustrating! :?

 

[kse]

Just one quick comment regarding the statement ...Even the company said to start between 1 and 2u for a 14.5 lb cat.

Insulin dosing is not based on weight. My cat Kitty weighs 9 pounds and get 9 units a day on a tid dosing schedule. I have another cat that weighed 12 pounds and got as little as .25 units twice a day and went OTJ! There are many factors that influence how much insulin a cat needs...but, weight is not one of them.

 

[Rob & Harley (GA)]

The Prozinc website suggests starting at 1 unit, that was standard practice here as well with all insulins but recently Lantus and Lev started suggesting starting doses at .5 unit to 1 unit.

Many Prozinc kitties are being managed and regulated at doses less than 1 unit so starting at 1 unit could already miss his ideal dose and be too high, we just don't know.

Yes, this is a complicated dance and sometimes seems backwards, too much and too little insulin can look exactly alike, but the more data you gather with bg testing will help clear that up once his history on doses is in his ss.

Higher carb food can be managed with more insulin and low bg's can be managed with higher carb food. The less stressful of the two would be to manage the higher carb food so if it were me I would lower the dose first and tweak the food second.

Hang in there, it really does get easier.

Robin

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

I would have thought doing the test before eating should have given you a little lower number, not a higher one.

Sorry, I was confusing here. I meant lower than the numbers you saw when you fed before testing.....

Be sure to have the ketone strips ready so you can get some ketone tests in when you lower the dose.

When you lower the dose, there is a chance that you might be giving less insulin than he needs and his numbers could go high. We can't be sure until we see some numbers at the lower dose. Just in case, to be safe, we test for ketones when reducing. Higher numbers + bad appetite = ketones. We aren't planning to see that at all, but we aren't vets. When we advise you to lower the dose, we want to keep your kitty as safe as possible.