My hands smell like insulin

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nora

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Kali goes back to vet mid-day Wed. for glucose level check. I am not yet testing her at home, very new to this. While she is tolerating the injections with less stress than I expected, she is a squirmy worm and I can't always tell if I'm getting the insulin into her skin. Altho I don't feel anything wet, sometimes afterwards my hand that tents or rolls her skin smells like insulin. Is this an automatic sign that I'm not getting any into her? The vet said if I'm not sure, I should not give her another try, so then I worry all day or all night that she hasn't had any insulin. Thanks for any info.--Nora and Kali
 
It is not an automatic sign that you didn't get ANY in her. It may not have been the full dose though. But since you have no way of knowing how much went in, the vet is correct. Better that she be a little high for a little while than for her to get too much insulin.
 
nora said:
Kali goes back to vet mid-day Wed. for glucose level check. I am not yet testing her at home, very new to this. While she is tolerating the injections with less stress than I expected, she is a squirmy worm and I can't always tell if I'm getting the insulin into her skin. Altho I don't feel anything wet, sometimes afterwards my hand that tents or rolls her skin smells like insulin. Is this an automatic sign that I'm not getting any into her? The vet said if I'm not sure, I should not give her another try, so then I worry all day or all night that she hasn't had any insulin. Thanks for any info.--Nora and Kali
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Hi Nora, that is one of the most frustrating things about shooting, when something like that happens. It happens to all of us, even the peeps who have been doing this for a lot longer. Is your cat a long hair? My vet's office shaved two little spots to alternate injection sites for me to see where I was shooting. That really helped me in the beginning. Bubba still wiggles from time to time and I just recently had a "fur shot" But, I can tell you this, when I had the smell of insulin on my hands and or his fur after the shot, he wasn't a lot higher in numbers the next cycle, so, some did get in him. As much as you want to reshoot, don't, because there is always the chance of overdosing them. Better to be high for a cycle than a hypo event. We can only do what we can do. :bighug:
 
Hi Nora,

My vet close-clipped a patch of fur for me so I can see the spot I'm injecting clearly. This allows me to see the syringe has emptied out in her tented skin before I withdraw it. I also got taught to rub the skin in that area first and talk/sing to her to get both her and me calm and I put the tube of high protein treats near her to sniff, so she knows a treat will come if she behaves! I think our nervousness about injecting at first can make us rush it and likely make our kitty skittish too. Get your vet to go through the injection process again with you to reassure you? My vet did a couple of practices with me using saline solution that really helped.

I'm still learning to home test Blood Glucose too, but as advised by @BJM I'm using these Secondary Monitoring Tools like keeping a diary of observations, keeping an eye on water intake/urine output and using Keto-Diastix. As Rhonda advised you, I know it's definitely better to undertreat, rather than risk giving a double injection which might lead to a dangerous hypo. Best wishes, Trish
 
Yes, never shoot again. I thought I had done a fur shot just recently, as my fingers were wet and I smelled insulin. That day, he went into hypo numbers, so earned a decrease too.
 
Thank you all so much!! Once I start home-testing, I'm sure I'll feel more informed about how much Kali is getting. It's reassuring to know that even some of you veterans have off-days sometimes, altho I'm sure that is frustrating and stressful for you, too. When we go on Wed., I'll ask Dr. S to shave a little patch for me even tho Kali has short hair. As I've said, she's a skinny minnie and I'm afraid I'm either not getting the needle in or I'm going all the way thru. This morning, she was especially not in the mood. So far, her eating and drinking has been well within what I consider normal for her (not excessive like it was before) so that is reassuring.

I do believe I project my doubts and hatred of my own diabetes onto my kitty's condition. While I don't use insulin, I use several oral meds and one injectable and my sugars seem to be completely unpredictable. I have low thyroid, and for 20 years now, I take synthroid once a day and have no worries. That is a condition I can live with comfortably. My diabetes seems like an unreliable and insolvable condition. I've read that it is unpredictable particularly in cats, too, which frightens me. You've all experienced it, I'm sure: everything goes along fine with food, habits, and insulin dosages and then suddenly a butterfly farts halfway across the world and there's a crisis. It seems I'm in the anger stage. Of course I'm not angry at Kali and I try to calm myself before coming near her, but no doubt she senses my emotions.

I'll avail myself of some videos of injecting and perhaps ask a vet tech for some more tutorials. Your support means a lot!
 
nora said:
You've all experienced it, I'm sure: everything goes along fine with food, habits, and insulin dosages and then suddenly a butterfly farts halfway across the world and there's a crisis.
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At least you've still got your sense of humor!! That will help along the way with this sugar dance.

You are very right - diabetes is a constantly moving target. We do what we can do. Control what we can. Adjust for what we can't control. We want to "fix" our cats. But diabetes doesn't work like that. And it's not a insert 'x' amount of insulin will always get you 'y' result. It's always a moving target, with lots of things affecting the treatment. It's too warm or the moon is full, there is an infection or an upset tummy. Though some manage remission, most of us will keep dancing the sugar dance. So welcome, and put on your dancing shoes!
 
everything goes along fine with food, habits, and insulin dosages and then suddenly a butterfly farts halfway across the world and there's a crisis
woodsywife said:
I didn't know insulin had a smell.
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Squirt a drop on your finger sometime and smell it. It's hard to describe what it smells like but it is distinct.
 
Someone mentioned to me one time was to keep the tent up for just a few seconds so that the insulin does not come back out of the syringe hole. Rubbing it afterwards may make the insulin come back out of the hole although I do rub outside the injection site just to give him another sensation besides the prick.
 
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Nora...just a question....do you load your syringes from a pen then, squirt out the excess? I'm thinking that you *may* be getting some of that excess, running down the syringe and onto your hands??? Just a thought...from a butterfly fart! ;) ;) ;) (Still chuckling!!!)
 
Cindy and Merlin, thank you--because Kali is so squirmy, I usually just let her go right away, but that's a good tip I never thought of. Thank you!

Louellen, I load the syringe from a bottle and don't squirt out excess…but it's possible I get a little over-eager with the plunger when I poke my kitty and "prematurely" inject her…

Right now I think I'm getting about 50-60% success rate, we see the vet again on Wed. for another glucose level check. After that, I'm considering making an appointment for a longer session to bring in my own testing kit and take a lesson on how to check at home. Kali has gained a few ounces, I can tell cuz I can't feel every single bone in her spine, and she isn't ravenous any more, which indicates some improvement. If I jab her mid-meal, she doesn't seem to mind much.

Now I am noticing my kidney cat is not quite as perky and I'm on watch to see if the new food is putting too much protein stress on his system. I know from reading here I'm not the only one balancing lots of things. Once again, Kali and I thank you all for your humor, help and support!
 
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