Nadir Question

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Emily Alsip

Emily Alsip

Member Since 2022
Hello!

What does it mean when the timing of your cat's nadir changes drastically?

Two weeks ago it was at +2 (BG=75).
Today it was at +10 (BG=111).

The only change during these two weeks was lowering her dose from 0.1U to a drop dose. She is on Lantus.

Thank you
 
Emily Alsip said:
Hello!

What does it mean when the timing of your cat's nadir changes drastically?

Two weeks ago it was at +2 (BG=75).
Today it was at +10 (BG=111).

The only change during these two weeks was lowering her dose from 0.1U to a drop dose. She is on Lantus.

Thank you
Click to expand...
Cats nadirs move around and don’t stay in the same place. As you don’t have many tests in during the cycles it is very possible the nadir have been moving around all the time.
I would really recommend you get at least one test in during every pm cycle as cats often drop lower at night and you are missing out on 1/2 the picture. also if possible can you get a test in during the am cycles or are you at work?
Are you feeding snacks during the cycles?
 
Sometimes I can't even get her for her PM test/shot. So getting extras in is challenging. Mornings are rarely a problem. But yes I'm gone all day. She has access to wet food all the time.
 
Like Bron said, nadirs can and do move around. My cat typically had an early nadir -- around +3 except, when it wasn't.

A curve may help you know when the nadir falls but it can also be misleading if you happen to do a curve on a day when you have an atypical nadir. If your cat gives you a hard time with testing, consider getting tests at more random times so you can fill in some of the white spaces on your spreadsheet. This post on becoming data ready may offer some insight into collecting information about the cycle. Only getting tests at +6 may not be giving you a broader picture of how the cycle plays out.

Is Holland difficult at PMPS because it's dinner time? If so, consider giving your cat a "no carb" treat -- maybe something like a piece of chicken breast or freeze dried chicken (or other protein). Would that make getting the test easier? Also, if truly necessary, if you feed your cat and can test immediately (literally), it's unlikely that the meal will have had an impact on your cats glucose level. It's not an ideal approach but it will help you be reassured that your cat isn't in numbers that are too low to shoot.
 
Thanks, I'll check out the article.

Holland lived in a hoarding/abuse/neglect situation for her first few years of life. Then she was in a no-kill shelter for over a year. She has been with me since 2009, and prior to her diagnosis in 2022, I'd only held her at vet appointments. She didn't permit any kind of touch on a regular basis. Occasionally I could get in a stroke or two but never ever hold her.

It took me months to find a system that works for us most of the time. In the AM it's easier because the second my alarm goes off I get out of bed and quietly go straight to where she sleeps. She almost always is still in her big dog crate and is still drowsy when I go to reach for her. Once I have hands on her she doesn't protest. It's more difficult in the PM because I make noise coming in from work obvs, I'm walking around, tidying, working in the kitchen... and she joins me. I have to wait until she chooses to go into the crate which won't happen if I'm busy around the apartment. So I go sit quietly where the crate is and wait until she goes inside.
 
I couldn't agree with Bron more. Holland is very lucky that you found each other! She must have had a traumatic start and I hope she soon realized that despite you're having to poke her, what you're doing is helping her to feel better.
 
She's such a good girl. Never ever does any "oops/naughty" things And the silver lining of the DM diagnosis is that it forced us both to push ourselves... she had to allow touch and I had to figure her out. Early on she dug her nails into a flat wall and climbed it like Spider-Man to get away from me :( I promised after that day that I wouldn't follow her around. It was upsetting to the other cats too... like they were worried for her. Now I just wait until she's ready. Thankfully the big dog crate is like a safe little cave to her. She seems to go in there or already be in there when it's close to shot/feeding time. When I'm home more on the weekends I want to pick her up and just pet her so she doesn't think of pain every time I touch her. It's sweet... she kind of arches into pets sometimes now and even has a very quiet purr.
Thanks for the help and support!
 
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