My second home test/first success, now I need dosage help.

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Alexia and Blue

Alexia and Blue

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So I gave Blue his first home test and he got 235. We are 1u BID. So with a number like 235, 1u makes me nervous so I am going to do .5u And test again at his peak, since I have limited strips until they come in the mail. This is the first time I have had a reading and had to make a decision based on it, 1u just made me nervous being so close to 200 and I know not to shot under 200. Any thoughts?
 
I think that until you have more data to work with, this was probably the safest decision.
With numbers like that, it's better that he has a little less than he needs than too much insulin.

Odiesmom
 
More data is definitely needed. If it really is making you nervous, wait a 1/2 hour and then test again. My Aria used to *Zoom* with a capital Z between 11 and 13 hours post shot. She'd be at 200 and 15 minutes later at 300. If you're catching the rise in the low 200's, you might be right on your good dose. Prozinc usually takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to show results.
 
I am glad you made it over to PZI land! You will get a lot of help here. ;-) Congrats on your first home testing :thumbup I will be watching to see what Blue's nadir is. I am just hoping 0.5 isn't too low, but it's a safe call since you're just starting out. Prozinc tends to throw numbers off with that much of a decrease. You may need to go to 0.8, but we'll cross that bridge later.
Great job Alexia!!!!
 
Thank you! I knew now that I have a spreadsheet and I am going to try and figure out what is best for my little man that I needed to be talking with people that know about what I am injecting him with! I am on u40's so there is no .8 marking but I would assume to give him just under 1. There isn't a .5 but that one is easy to figure out. He is also getting some b12 to help him with his mild neuropathy. Today has been a really good day for us.
 
Congrats on your success!!! And not a bad # either, and the # from the vets office is pretty good too. Hope things go great tonight! :-D
 
It can be anywhere between +5 to +8 that's why in the beginning it's good to get as much data as you can. Looks like the 0.5 was a little low, but then again... did you feed him between the hours of last shot the +5 reading? Will you be able to test again at +6? if not... you may see some high number in the morning... just not sure how the insulin is working yet. You're doing great!
 
Nadir on ProZinc for Puttz has been right around the 6 hour period...I have to agree with Michelle, and ECID (every cat is different), but the 5-8 hour range is a good starting point/nadir for most sugar kitties on ProZinc....
 
Hey there! I see +6 is 189... that's great. Weren't you planning on doing a curve today? Will you be able to do one tomorrow? You need more data while you can get it. IMO - I don't think Blue will be at 1unit very long.
You'll want to test +2. +4 +6 +8 maybe +9

Great job!

Oh, just thought I'd mention that you'll want to always have extra strips on hand. Not sure how many you ordered through the mail, but they go fast! You don't want to go through what I did awhile back with Pru. I was driving around to all the wal-marts at 2am nailbite_smile
 
I wanted to do a curve today but I don't have enough strips. I ordered 100 strips on amazon, it was only with expedited shipping $60.98, definitely better than ANYTHING that I could find around here. I got an email that they shipped today so I should be getting them this weekend. Unfortunately, I have to work every day until I leave town so the curve I wanted to do will not be able to be done for awhile. Hillary is going to watch Blue while I am away, so he will be in good hands. The only strips I could find in my neighborhood were 50 strips for $49.99 but I couldn't spend that twice and never that wouldn't last until I was back. BUT I now have everything in stock-well once the strips come-so that is a major relief. But don't worry I do have enough to last until they come, I think I have 12 and they should get here tomorrow if they shipped today.
 
Hi Alexia, Wow, great number this morning! You need to make sure you get at least a +5 or +6 number today, ok? Lets say Blues at 70 +5, I would definitely check again at +6. I know you want to use your strips wisely, but with the food change & Blue doing well with Prozinc.... he may be a lot lower vs. two days ago when he was the same BG 235 at 0.5units. Depending on his numbers today... he may even need to go 0.8 units at PMPS? Just remember that you do not decide his dose by his PS number. Since you're going away soon, please make sure you get his +5 or +6 this evening too. You're doing awesome!
 
I have to work though, I leave in less than an hour to go to work. Should I be worried now? I can test him before I go to work which will be at a little under +3. Now I am nervous. What am I basing the dose on? I thought we hometesting to know how much to give?
 
First breathe. Yes, you can test now so you have an idea where Blue is at. You base the dose on the nadir and PS. Since you didnt get +6 last night... that's why I had mentioned testing it today. I see that he's 110 at+3. I think you'll be fine. He will probably hit the upper greens today, so I would give him some food before you leave to keep him a little higher. ok.
 
Looks like his #s are coming down nicely!!! I wouldn't worry, but if you have limited testing opportunities right now, if it were me I would consider lowering the dose a hair until I can get more data. (maybe guesstimate 0.75u if you are using U-40 syringes, or just shoot a little under the 1u line). If you are leaving food out while you are gone so if he goes on the low side he can eat it is less of a concern. If you don't leave food out though, then I would probably go conservative (no ketone issues here, right? sorry I can't recall at the moment) - not as low as 0.5u, but somewhere in between. Then when you can get more mid-cycle tests in you can evaluate whether that lowered dose is too little or not. You'll probably also see it in the PSs going up. Since right now the PSs are coming down, that could be a sign the dose is a little strong - great to bring those #s down, but perhaps not quite as much needed to maintain good #s.
 
I just tested him at +13.5 and he was at 357 so I went ahead and gave him a unit. I keep wet food out for him all day so that he can eat as he needs it. I will test in the morning and see if the number scares me or not. I have to test at +9 so if the number is still low I am thinking of skipping the shot, good idea? I am still trying to figure out what to do on Monday night when I close at work and open the next morning. I won't even get home til +18, yikes! BUT my roommate can feed him and I can test him when I get home and then shot the next morning. I can't think of what else to do?
 
I wouldn't give the shot if his BG is under 150. If it's over 150 & you get a rising # from 2 tests 10-20 mins apart, I would give maybe a half dose? That's probably enough lowered that you wouldn't need to be worried. Of course if you are going to spend the entire day at work freaked out that you gave any insulin then yeah, skip it. ;-)

But I'd say even a small dose is better than nothing, especially if the following shot will be delayed. I've even shot 0.2u before just to try to keep the #s flattish rather than going skyhigh (not really enough insulin to be useful for Bix at least, but still I've tried it, lol).

You can do the same thing with the +18 if the following shot will be early - just give maybe 0.5u or something to try to keep things from getting totally off track, and then give a small dose that's early the next morning, and then try to get things back to normal that night.

Not sure if I totally understood the timing, but try not to stress about it too much, just give what you think will be safe, accept that the #s won't be ideal for a couple days, and then regroup when you can get back on schedule. As long as he is doing reasonably well and ketones are not present, there is some leeway.

Or would it work maybe for Hillary to come over at your normal shot time & test & shoot for you, or something like that?
 
There are no ketones, we tested for the first time yesterday! I never thought I would be excited that a stick caught urine while my cat was going but I was AND it was negative. Hillary works in the city but doesn't live in the city and since I live in Queens that is a hassle for her to get out here. My roommate is willing to try hometesting with me tomorrow night so hopefully that will help the situation. The only thing that scares me about the +18 is that I would be leaving for work 7 hours later, not enough time for me to comfortably shot again. I am going to talk to work about hopefully getting mostly opening shifts, but since I am the newest manager I am at the bottom of the totem pole. Fingers crossed! Your advice has been really helpful.
 
Yeah - if the # isn't too high then on the +18 you could skip it, or shoot a token dose to try to keep things flat. Until you have more data, shooting on a +7 would make me nervous, unless I deliberately undershot on the shot before that. Hope the roommate experiences the joys of testing, LOL, and gets on board!!!
 
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