ebuckley
Member Since 2014
Thanks to everyone who contributes their experiences and advice here. It has been so helpful as I emerge out of denial and deal with this disease.
I made my first post in the the Lantus forum then read that intro's should be made here (very sorry). I'll post our story here (turned out to be long, sorry again) just in case any of our details would help or give comfort. The short version is that I was in denial about a lot of things, but I think the advice here has really helped me manage both the cat and my own stress. Glad I moved out of denial, wish I had done so sooner.
Cat: Napa is 13 y/o female, underweight at 7.5#. Not many past health issues except for a nasty cryptococcus infection (that was a "fun" one too).
Insulin: We are still working out the routine but Napa is now on a skinny 1.0 units of Lantus twice a day or just once depending on the BG readings.
Diet: Now just eating Soulstitic gelee wet food (3-9 % cal from carbs according to petinfo.org) and small pieces of cooked pork for a treat.
How this all started:
Napa's sister (non-biological), Nomi, has a long history of bowel issues--a big eater, always struggling with being overweight, barfing, and other stuff that goes along with bowel issues. They have always been so-called "premium" dry food eaters. We switched off chicken to duck and things were pretty good for several years. Earlier this year, however, Nomi started losing weight with very loose stools. Very shocking since this cat would vacuum up anything in sight and was perpetually plump. Vet visits ensued, declined biopsy and laprascopies, etc. Switched to fish based food (Taste of the Wild Salmon). Nomi gains weight and is fat and happy again, tho her stools are still very soft. Also started to feed some wet food, but more as treat (Soulsitic fish ones with gravy since they seemed to like that best). Nomi was also a toilet surfer so we purchased a water fountain for them.
As Nomi was recovering, I began to notice more pee in the box but didn't think much about it given the introduction of the wet food and fountain. Stupid in hindsight. And Napa started to plump up a tiny bit. This was strange because Napa has always been at perfect weight and only ate what she needed. Hmm, maybe the new food? Then in November, her weight started to drop and dropped pretty fast. So I am thinking she isn't tolerating the new food and started looking for a new fish based food (ugh, we're gonna run out of novel protein sources). I also made a vet appointment just to get her checked out. Two strange things happened before the appointment: somebody had a bad nose bleed--the walls near their beds looked like a crime scene-- and one day while sitting on my shoulder, Napa sort of passed out. I have never had a cat faint! She came too in a few minutes and seemed ok after that, but I was sure glad I had the vet appointment.
Vet visit day. Blood glucose around 450. Other things here and there off. Vet says diabetes. I say no way, could it be due to bowel issues? Vet says maybe, but try this prescription food. Napa wouldn't eat it. By this time, the only thing she would eat was the gravy food, cheapie dry food and a pork puree I made for her (she loves pork and oddly the only people food she'd eat). Start to research food. Buy Evo low carb dry. We have to go out of town for a week and ask pet sitter to try the prescription and low carb food first but give her anything she'd eat. Recheck at vet when we get home. BG still over 400. Vet says insulin 1 unit twice a day. I say ugh...how about conservative first at 0.5 per day. OK. Vet prescribes Lantus says it is the best, says it expires in a month but many people keep using it longer. Pharmacy says give us $300. Ok. Vet says bring her back in a week for a day-long visit to check response over the day. Had to learn to inject. Umm, how are you supposed draw 0.5 into this syringe?? I know I missed a few shots and only hit fur. Back to the vet in a week and ask tech if we should take a full draw to redo tests. I think I also asked about ketones. Vet then says we'll do fructosaime and not the spend the day. Grrrr mixed messages. Also, blood glucose is over 400. Vet says go up to 1.0 unit twice a day. I asked if pancreas tests would be helpful. Vet busy and distracted. Sure $250, ouch. Fructosaime came back as "fair control". Pancreas profile had several abnormalities but nothing specific for a differential diagnosis. Ask butcher if they sell pancreas tissue. No, try a Chinese market. Still on my to-do list.
Ugh, diabetes, really? I start doing more research and thankfully found this place (and have since recommended it others)! Ok, time to get out of the denial phase.
I read the STRONG recommendations here (and naturally like data), so went to buy a meter. Pharmacy says give me $15 but you also have to buy strips so give me $45 more. Learning to test was stressful and hard, especially at first but it is getting easier--just like everyone here has said it would. If you're getting started don't be a noob like me a shortcut the warming step. Finally get a reading! Test Nomi just for fun and practice (56?! isn't that low, ugh). Tested me 91
. Got a few more Napa readings over the next few days--all over the place 475, 40-something (yikes!). Read this forum some more. Learned the lingo (AMPS, huh?) and how to approach testing more systematically. Injecting insulin like a pro now. Got some pretty good meter data for 2 days. BG mostly between 100-200. Had readings under 150 at PMPS time and withheld insulin. AMPS in low 300s on the mornings after skipped nighttime doses. Napa's ears look terrible. And she gives me dirty looks. Got an iPhone app to track numbers. Want to use the spreadsheet template here but dislike Google apps. Still thinking about it.
Was also in denial about food--but, but Evo dry is a low carb food, right?! Again, listening to advice from the good folks here I'm taking her off even the small amount of low carb dry food and her favorite (probably high carb) treats she's been eating.
Issues we are still sorting out:
1. How much food. Since upping her dose she is *constantly* crying for food, something she has never done before. I was trying to not overfeed her so her BG wouldn't get so high and also to give her a set amount so I could try to understand the BG numbers better. Dropped in on the vet this am for a weight check. No weight gain :-( Vet was between appointments and we had a good long chat about Napa course, yay. Does more food mean more insulin? Vet said no, said to feed her as much as she wanted but keeping checking numbers.
2. How much testing. I want to give her ears a break from all that testing (still 2-3 pokes to get blood each time; paws didn't work out any better, and those dirty looks), but feel like I need to know the PMPS every night so I know if I should give her insulin. And then want to know the AMPS in both cases (skipped and given night time doses). I like the recommendation of AMPS + PMPS and a midpoint or two. Just want to do those in ways I can get the best information and minimize the stress. Also, just read the that TRUE meters could be suspect. Need to do more research; might need to replace.
3. How much insulin. Since she has been under 150 twice (that I know of) at the time she is due for her next shot, 1.0 might be too much. I was giving a kinda fat 1.0 where I could see a tiny bit of daylight over the 1 mark. Now I try to carefully back it down where I don't see the line. (What a pain these syringes are!) But since she seems to be mostly well over 100 during the and over 300 with skipped dose, maybe 1.0 isn't too much. Should probably keep checking for that nadir.
4. Litter box. Better, but still too much pee. Switch to Worlds Best Litter (think that is what it's called). On the positive side, Nomi's stools have really firmed up with the wet food and now I know its better for her, too.
Well, OMG I can't believe I typed all this out, but it was nice to be able to vent. I can't believe anyone would read all this lol but hope it adds to the volume of shared experiences here in a positive way.
I made my first post in the the Lantus forum then read that intro's should be made here (very sorry). I'll post our story here (turned out to be long, sorry again) just in case any of our details would help or give comfort. The short version is that I was in denial about a lot of things, but I think the advice here has really helped me manage both the cat and my own stress. Glad I moved out of denial, wish I had done so sooner.
Cat: Napa is 13 y/o female, underweight at 7.5#. Not many past health issues except for a nasty cryptococcus infection (that was a "fun" one too).
Insulin: We are still working out the routine but Napa is now on a skinny 1.0 units of Lantus twice a day or just once depending on the BG readings.
Diet: Now just eating Soulstitic gelee wet food (3-9 % cal from carbs according to petinfo.org) and small pieces of cooked pork for a treat.
How this all started:
Napa's sister (non-biological), Nomi, has a long history of bowel issues--a big eater, always struggling with being overweight, barfing, and other stuff that goes along with bowel issues. They have always been so-called "premium" dry food eaters. We switched off chicken to duck and things were pretty good for several years. Earlier this year, however, Nomi started losing weight with very loose stools. Very shocking since this cat would vacuum up anything in sight and was perpetually plump. Vet visits ensued, declined biopsy and laprascopies, etc. Switched to fish based food (Taste of the Wild Salmon). Nomi gains weight and is fat and happy again, tho her stools are still very soft. Also started to feed some wet food, but more as treat (Soulsitic fish ones with gravy since they seemed to like that best). Nomi was also a toilet surfer so we purchased a water fountain for them.
As Nomi was recovering, I began to notice more pee in the box but didn't think much about it given the introduction of the wet food and fountain. Stupid in hindsight. And Napa started to plump up a tiny bit. This was strange because Napa has always been at perfect weight and only ate what she needed. Hmm, maybe the new food? Then in November, her weight started to drop and dropped pretty fast. So I am thinking she isn't tolerating the new food and started looking for a new fish based food (ugh, we're gonna run out of novel protein sources). I also made a vet appointment just to get her checked out. Two strange things happened before the appointment: somebody had a bad nose bleed--the walls near their beds looked like a crime scene-- and one day while sitting on my shoulder, Napa sort of passed out. I have never had a cat faint! She came too in a few minutes and seemed ok after that, but I was sure glad I had the vet appointment.
Vet visit day. Blood glucose around 450. Other things here and there off. Vet says diabetes. I say no way, could it be due to bowel issues? Vet says maybe, but try this prescription food. Napa wouldn't eat it. By this time, the only thing she would eat was the gravy food, cheapie dry food and a pork puree I made for her (she loves pork and oddly the only people food she'd eat). Start to research food. Buy Evo low carb dry. We have to go out of town for a week and ask pet sitter to try the prescription and low carb food first but give her anything she'd eat. Recheck at vet when we get home. BG still over 400. Vet says insulin 1 unit twice a day. I say ugh...how about conservative first at 0.5 per day. OK. Vet prescribes Lantus says it is the best, says it expires in a month but many people keep using it longer. Pharmacy says give us $300. Ok. Vet says bring her back in a week for a day-long visit to check response over the day. Had to learn to inject. Umm, how are you supposed draw 0.5 into this syringe?? I know I missed a few shots and only hit fur. Back to the vet in a week and ask tech if we should take a full draw to redo tests. I think I also asked about ketones. Vet then says we'll do fructosaime and not the spend the day. Grrrr mixed messages. Also, blood glucose is over 400. Vet says go up to 1.0 unit twice a day. I asked if pancreas tests would be helpful. Vet busy and distracted. Sure $250, ouch. Fructosaime came back as "fair control". Pancreas profile had several abnormalities but nothing specific for a differential diagnosis. Ask butcher if they sell pancreas tissue. No, try a Chinese market. Still on my to-do list.
Ugh, diabetes, really? I start doing more research and thankfully found this place (and have since recommended it others)! Ok, time to get out of the denial phase.
I read the STRONG recommendations here (and naturally like data), so went to buy a meter. Pharmacy says give me $15 but you also have to buy strips so give me $45 more. Learning to test was stressful and hard, especially at first but it is getting easier--just like everyone here has said it would. If you're getting started don't be a noob like me a shortcut the warming step. Finally get a reading! Test Nomi just for fun and practice (56?! isn't that low, ugh). Tested me 91
. Got a few more Napa readings over the next few days--all over the place 475, 40-something (yikes!). Read this forum some more. Learned the lingo (AMPS, huh?) and how to approach testing more systematically. Injecting insulin like a pro now. Got some pretty good meter data for 2 days. BG mostly between 100-200. Had readings under 150 at PMPS time and withheld insulin. AMPS in low 300s on the mornings after skipped nighttime doses. Napa's ears look terrible. And she gives me dirty looks. Got an iPhone app to track numbers. Want to use the spreadsheet template here but dislike Google apps. Still thinking about it.Was also in denial about food--but, but Evo dry is a low carb food, right?! Again, listening to advice from the good folks here I'm taking her off even the small amount of low carb dry food and her favorite (probably high carb) treats she's been eating.
Issues we are still sorting out:
1. How much food. Since upping her dose she is *constantly* crying for food, something she has never done before. I was trying to not overfeed her so her BG wouldn't get so high and also to give her a set amount so I could try to understand the BG numbers better. Dropped in on the vet this am for a weight check. No weight gain :-( Vet was between appointments and we had a good long chat about Napa course, yay. Does more food mean more insulin? Vet said no, said to feed her as much as she wanted but keeping checking numbers.
2. How much testing. I want to give her ears a break from all that testing (still 2-3 pokes to get blood each time; paws didn't work out any better, and those dirty looks), but feel like I need to know the PMPS every night so I know if I should give her insulin. And then want to know the AMPS in both cases (skipped and given night time doses). I like the recommendation of AMPS + PMPS and a midpoint or two. Just want to do those in ways I can get the best information and minimize the stress. Also, just read the that TRUE meters could be suspect. Need to do more research; might need to replace.
3. How much insulin. Since she has been under 150 twice (that I know of) at the time she is due for her next shot, 1.0 might be too much. I was giving a kinda fat 1.0 where I could see a tiny bit of daylight over the 1 mark. Now I try to carefully back it down where I don't see the line. (What a pain these syringes are!) But since she seems to be mostly well over 100 during the and over 300 with skipped dose, maybe 1.0 isn't too much. Should probably keep checking for that nadir.
4. Litter box. Better, but still too much pee. Switch to Worlds Best Litter (think that is what it's called). On the positive side, Nomi's stools have really firmed up with the wet food and now I know its better for her, too.
Well, OMG I can't believe I typed all this out, but it was nice to be able to vent. I can't believe anyone would read all this lol but hope it adds to the volume of shared experiences here in a positive way.
:shock: 