Meatball 8/9 AMPS 541 - constant bouncing?

[meatball_mommy]

8/7 Condo

Hi there,

After our episode dropping low a couple of nights ago we went down to 1.75 units and, per usual, Meatball just continues to have blacks following anything green or blue. Perhaps I just need my patience pants, but watching his body react to the insulin and numbers is making me feel like we're worse off on Lantus or, frankly, insulin altogether. I don't have much data but the two curves done at the vet's office were completely flat. Pink mind you, but it would seem to me the body is better off staying flat then bouncing all over the freaking place. To have his liver getting panicky just doesn't seem to be something that's going to be good for very long. Is this just a matter of me waiting it out? In 7 weeks it feels like, not only have we made literally no progress whatsoever, we're worse off than when we started. I'm half tempted to take him down to .5u or off completely and get his body back to a steady state and try again. Thoughts, reactions? Thanks!

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

I think when you decreased Meatball's dose as much as you did, it's not so much a bounce that you're seeing now but not enough insulin -- or a combination of the two. It may have made sense at the time to go to 1.75u. If the numbers are still this high at PMPS, I'd be thinking about increasing Meatball's dose to 2.0u.

Taking Meatball off of insulin or to that low of a dose will probably leave him in high numbers. Given that you weren't home testing when the vet ran the curves, you have no idea where Meatball's numbers were other than during those 2, 12-hour periods. He could have largely been in red or black numbers just as easily as in pinks. Most of our cats were diabetic for some time before we realized there was something wrong. As a result, our kitties' bodies become acclimated to being in high numbers. Those higher ranges become their new "normal." This is what's termed glucose toxicity. This may be in part why Meatball is bouncing or it just may be that he's a bouncy kitty. From seeing lots of spreadsheets and hearing people who have been as frustrated as you're feeling, all I can tell you is that reducing the dose won't help. You'll likely end up with Meatball at a higher dose than he is now and you'll have wasted a great deal of time. You might take a look at Elian's SS. He's a bouncy kitty and is doing great right now. It took a while, though.

 

[Deb & Wink]

Less or no insulin is not the answer for Meatball. My crystal ball says he needs to go back to 2U in my opinion.

Yes, he has some times in the blues and greens and that let's his pancreas heal. If you were to stop the insulin entirely, he would need an even higher dose when you start back up. No insulin and he would start to exhibit the excess peeing, excess thirst, extreme hunger again. And his organs would slowly accumulate damage.

Better to keep him on the insulin.

I know how frustrating this can be. Bounces are hard to wait out and perplexing, but they will continue to happen until they don't anymore. Meatball is leading this sugardance, we are simply following in his footsteps, and we don't always step the right way. He is doing the cha-cha-cha and we were expecting a slow dance.

Please, stay the course and keep giving Meatball his insulin shots.

Patience pants coming up. In all the colors of the rainbow for you.

 

[Lkldcatlady]

Not that I have any idea what I'm talking about, but looking at his ss, he did look better at 2 units - maybe he just needs to be on that dose a little longer so he can get used to those green numbers.

It's frustrating, isn't it?? I completely understand because I can't figure out what Bob is doing either - sometimes what is going on just doesn't make any sense. Well, Deb got out the patience pants for you - I hate the patience pants, but I guess they serve a purpose.

I wish you luck with Meatball's dose and bouncing.