Moving to Lantus Next Week: Best Group for a Novice?

[Critter Mom]

Hi all,

After Saoirse's pancreatitis flare-up she is back on insulin again. At the moment, she is temporarily being treated with token doses of Caninsulin but she starts on Lantus next week at a dose of 0.5 IU BID for one week.

I'm sorry if this is a numpty question, but I'm not sure of the best insulin support group to join. I'd welcome any recommendations and advice about the difference between the Tight Regulation group and the Relaxed Lantus group and the differences in the approaches of both. (I have looked at the group info stickies but I can't find anything to explain the differences - sorry if I've missed it.)

At the moment, Saoirse is on cyproheptadine for appetite, metoclopramide for nausea, and I am having to feed her very small meals once an hour to help with the pancreatitis. She also received a long-acting antibiotic this morning. Do any of these factors have a bearing on which group would be best to join/follow?

I'm feeling very lost and nervous about this. I'd be very grateful for help and advice.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

The people who join the Tight Regulation Forum are those who wish to follow the Tight Regulation Protocol. It is the only scientifically researched and published protocol for treatment of diabetic cats. The general requirement for following TR is the ability to test at least 4 times a day, one at each preshot time and one other time mid cycle. From your spreadsheet, it looks like you could easily meet that. Those that follow the Relaxed Forum are those for whatever reason (work, life) cannot follow the protocol and they generally follow the Start Low, Go Slow approach. Kitties have also gone into remission using this approach.

One of the benefits of the TR Forum is that it is a lot busier. We have a number of people with a good understanding of pancreatitis (and cats with pancreatitis) and because it's busier, there is most often someone else logged on 24 hours a day should you need help. Have you read Marje's post on Pancreatitis? Of course one of the downsides to the TR forum is that it is busier, but we do keep an eye out for new people and follow their progress.

Good luck with the change in insulins - I hope in makes a big difference for you and Saoirse.

 

[Critter Mom]

Thanks, Wendy. That was a great help. I'm glad that I can meet the requirements for the Tight Regulation Protocol. I've got PTSD and agoraphobia so I'm home all the time and should be able to meet the testing requirements. I was concerned that Saoirse's current dietary regime might preclude her from following TR. it's good to find out that this is not the case.

I have read Marje's post on Pancreatitis. With the PTSD it's difficult to assimilate new information because it messes up memory consolidation and I need to review things over and over again before they stick. It's great to have all that information in one place.

Thank you for the good wishes. I hope it makes a difference for my little one, too. Again I will say how glad I am that I found FDMB. It makes the world of difference not to be alone with this, and I'm so grateful for all the help and support.

 

[MollynSkooter]

Greetings!

I MAY be biased, only because they have helped me get Skooter (who has IBD) off dry food and onto wet and go from 5U twice a day to .5U twice a day, but the Tight Regulation group, IMO is the way to go!

Skooter and I have had success beyond anything I ever could have imagined with this group and now, what once seemed like an impossibility, (getting OTJ), may be a possibility!

Sure hope to see you over there! There is a great deal of knowledgeable, patient people (if they can deal with me, they can deal with anyone!)

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Mini low carb wet food meals are perfect for a healing pancreas and Lantus. We do try to feed the majority of food in the first half of the cycle as that's when the insulin is most effective, but some cats are grazers so that's what you have to let them do.

 

[Critter Mom]

Great to hear about Skooter's terrific progress on TR, Molly. :smile:

There is a great deal of knowledgeable, patient people (if they can deal with me, they can deal with anyone!)

Erm ... there might be a pair of us in it soon!

 

[Critter Mom]

We do try to feed the majority of food in the first half of the cycle as that's when the insulin is most effective, but some cats are grazers so that's what you have to let them do.

Before the flare-up, Saoirse's only symptom of pancreatitis was excess stomach acid if she fasted for more than 2-3 hours. She used to be able to eat larger meals and that left a few hours fast at the end of each cycle while the Caninsulin was at its weakest effect. Historically Saoirse has never been a big meal eater: put a big bowl of food down and she'd still only eat a little at a time. At the moment, much as she would sometimes like to eat a little more at times, her system can only tolerate 8g of food with a little broth at any one sitting. Hopefully when she feels better I'll be able to adjust the portions and timings a bit to work better with the action of the Lantus, but I think I'm stuck with a grazer. cat_pet_icon