Napoleon is home from the vet - update/ Alpha Trak

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Nicole and Napoleon

Nicole and Napoleon

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Ok, big one out of the way. Feel much better. Took Napoleon to a new vet today that has come highly recommended. They are big on raw feeding, homeopathics, etc. He had blood work done, they are going to call me with that. They have the Alpha Trak and their meter read 351, mine read 287. We are bumping his insulin to 2 U for now because of the higher than we thought numbers. I use a Freestyle Freedom Lite monitor, I didn't think that there would be such a big difference. They were highly impressed with my spreadsheet :-D All thanks to you guys!

Is the Alpha Trak worth investing in? Does anyone else use this? I read before when someone did a comparison that there was not much of a difference :?: Maybe they just got a smaller blood sample on mine than the Alpha Trak - I know this can make a difference.

I will continue to update with a daily reading. Hopefully this is the beginning of his recovery!
 
I think Joanna & Bix use an Alpha Trak in addition to a human meter. From what I've read, the Alpha Trak strips are really expensive - much more than human meters. Also that 64 pt variance is kind of high, but it's still close to the 20% variance that is possible with all meters. I bet if you compared when Napolean is at lower numbers the difference is probably not as high. Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.
 
that actually falls within the allowable variance for meters (+/- 20%) so i think you're fine with the freestyle myself. you do know they are made by the same company? Abbott Laboratories.
 
I think the important thing is the trend, and the ability to afford the strips so you can test often. Search board for the alpha trak - it seems to me that I've read that the animal vs human meters always read differently (which is higher ??) and you have to take that into allowance if you compare. (especailly when you are in the double digits) most of us here use human meters so thats a well understood scale.
 
Joanna does use both an AlphaTrak and a human meter. I believe that human meters tend to run lower than animal ones. I think sticking with the human meter is a good idea. Strips for the AlphaTrak are crazy-expensive and you can only get them from your vet. Not too convenient if you run out on a weekend/at night.
 
Hi Michelle,

Thank you :-) Been a little crazy busy lately. I have been laid off since Oct.2008 and I just got a job offer - finally and have been consumed with that.
He is doing ok. His numbers have still been high, we are working our way with 2.5U again to see how that works for him. I think maybe I just didn't give that enough time before. I am hoping to see some improvement soon. It is so hard to take his BG and still see high numbers, but we will get there sooner or later. Hopefully sooner :-)

Congratulations to you and Pru for being OTJ for 2 weeks!!! :RAHCAT That is awesome. I hope me and my boy get there one day as well. Either Lantus or ProZinc is next on our list if the BCP doesn't cut it.
 
Prudence say's Thank you! Hang in there and good luck with the job. Just try to keep him away from turkey burger drippings cat(2)_steam I think that's what threw you guys off on 5/5. I'd stay with the 2.5U and wouldn't go higher since he was doing well before and had that bg 68 on 5/1. But, you're his mommy, so I am sure you will go with what feels right. I just wanted to point that out to you again. ;-) (meaning the 68) haha

Hugs to Napoleon and don't forget to breathe!!! :YMHUG:
 
Thanks Michelle :YMHUG:

I'm with you on the 2.5, I think I just didn't give it enough time before. I'm making myself give this at least 2 weeks. It worked before and he got a great curve. The 3 units may have been too high since I ended up with a 70 AMPS. He wasn't on the 2.5U long enough before and I switched it right as it started to work. Boo. I'm putting on my patient pants and riding this one out.

Crazy thing is , even with these high numbers his coat is gorgeous, not drinking or peeing excessively. Thankful for that, still checking for ketones though any chance I get.
 
From what I know [may be wrong] I think one important thing to keep in mind is the potential that the Alpha Trak will run closer to the real number on the low numbers. So all the general warnings on this board about 40 being a "low" number and something to potentially be concerned about for a human meter is different for the Alpha Trak. I think the "low" number for the Alpha Track is 60 or 80??? The first place I would start reading is in the petdiabetes site.

I ended up liking the meter that used the smallest sample - even if I knew it probably ran a little low at higher numbers.

The important thing is to pick on and stick with it for trending and to be aware of the differences between the Alpha Trak and human meters and to be able to translate that for your own use if you use the Alpha Trak.
 
Not sure it's relevant at this point (it is weird to feel so totally behind the curve!!!!), but I don't actually have an AlphaT I have the iPet. Same concept I guess, but cheaper :). I really like it. I use 80 as the low rather than 50, following what I have read in Dr. Rand's stuff, and confirmed by most of the dual-readings I've done, with the exception of a few wonkies that leave me wondering, but whatever - it wouldn't be FD w/o some wonkiness, right?
 
Thanks Joanna. I recently got a One Touch Ultra Mini and that seems to correspond with the vets Alpha Trak. At very high numbers it is almost 100 points about my Freestyle Freedom. I will stick with this until I can purchase the Alpha Trak.

And you are right - wonkiness seems to be the name of the game with FD. Lol!
 
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