Need some reassurance!

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CarolandTigger

CarolandTigger

Member Since 2015
Dont know who has followed our story, but about a week after Tigger was diagnosed, we left on a long-planned RV road trip, for 6 weeks. We are in the 5th week now, and will be home next week. A wonderful trip...but has been a bit stressful because of Tiggers diagnosis. He's been GREAT..likes to travel, loves to sit outside (harnessed and leashed!) at the campgrounds where people walk their dogs and are always amazed that we brought a cat! He loves all the attention!
Anyway, before we left, the vet said to try and test at least once or twice a week, knowing it would be hard for us to do much more, with driving 300-400 miles per day, and not to mention long days away from the RV while sightseeing, etc. He's been on a 8-8 schedule, loves his FF food. It's worked out well..he's been getting a can in the morning, then insulin, and another can and insulin (2 units 2xday) at night. Seems like his hunger is increasing though....so we've added a 1/2 can midday or just before we take off mid-morning, and another 1/2 can before bed. Sometimes another 1/2 can in the middle of the night when he wakes up to paw at our door. Before he was diagnosed, he got canned food at dinner and was free fed dry food all day...and got up to 18 lbs) so I know this low carb stuff is hard for him! But sometimes he just seems ravenous! Is this par for the course? Is it too much food or not enough? He's getting approx. 3 (3oz) cans per day, on average. Vet originally told us to do 2. Not enough!
Anyway...not being at home where I can test more frequently is hard...but here are his numbers so far on this trip. Haven't been able to do a spreadsheet yet either, so bear with me.

4/16: 335 @2:15pm, 431 @8:30pm
4/17: 153 @12:46pm, 226 @2:49pm, 341@4:53pm
4/20: (the day we started trip): 446 @7:15pm,
4/26: 305 @5pm
4/30: 416@7:45pm
5/2: 408 @9pm
5/6: 155@4:30, repeated test:192
5/8: 333@6:30pm
5/10: 233 @3pm
5/15: 353 @6pm
5/19: 433 @7pm, 307 @11:30pm
Most all of his tests are done pre-dinner with the exception of some random tests. He had a curve (his first) done at the vets a few days before we left and he got 381-266-153-226-341 between 9am-6pm.

This has been crazy. When we get home I can do a better job, and hope to get him regulated. The 433 I got tonight before dinner scared me. Was a 307 4 hours later still too high?
 
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CarolandTigger said:
he 433 I got tonight before dinner scared me. Was a 307 4 hours later still too high?
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It'll REALLY help us to help you if you could get the test results you have onto our spreadsheet as soon as you can so we can really see how he's doing on the format we're used to looking at. The 433 is high, but not terribly high and the 307 4 hours later is a nice amount to drop by then but yes, it's still too high. Remember, high numbers take a lot of time to do any damage, it's the low numbers that can kill quickly.
 
It is very hard to see what might be going on. You are using Vetsulin, right? Often its cycles are shorter and drop earlier than longer lasting insulins. So your higher pre shots might be bounces from lows you are not catching. A spreadsheet like Chris suggests would be helpful. Do you have the computer with you that would allow you to set one up? You have to be able to access Goggle. If not, I could set up a temporary one for you. I'm not sure you could add to it though.

The other thing that might help us advise you is to do a curve someday when you are parked - a test every 2-3 hours over a 12 hour period. That would, at least, give you an idea of when he drops to his lowest point and how low that might be.

If you want me to get you a spreadsheet with your available values, send me a private message (start a conversation)
 
Thank you so much for your input. I understand about the spreadsheet. I most,y use my iPad, but do have my laptop with me..will see if it would be easier to do on that, and will hopefully have some time to do it on the road in a few days, as we head home. It's been extremely difficult to do much more on this trip. But we're trying! Aside from his numbers....why the extreme hunger? Last night we were ready to scream. I feel like I'm giving him too much food, but then he acts like he's starving,! This morning he awoke at 3:30, then 4:30,...my husband convinced him to go back to bed. Then he awoke at about 5:30am, and we just fed him. 1 can, then he was desperate for more, so gave a 1/2 can, then 2 units Vetsulin. He then calmed down, seemed content, and then went back to sleep. It's off his schedule, since we've been trying to feed him and give his insulin at 7-7:30.
This worries me, and I'm thinking of calling the vet. Would she say to raise his insulin, or just feed him more?
 
If he were mine, I would not up the dose until I knew what was happening. His hunger can be because he is too high and unregulated. It could also be that, if he does drop low, he wants food to bring himself up. Feeding him a little more wouldn't complicate either scenario. And if there was a way to feed him smaller, more frequent meals, that might be helpful. Another trick is to add warm water to make a gravy. Then he feels like he is getting more, he keeps hydrated and it takes him longer to eat.
 
I just tested him at almost 4+ after his a.m. Shot, and he was 237. Not too bad. The 1 1/2 cans early this morning seemed to satisfy him.
 
Other than the higher numbers @9PM and 11:30PM, it all looks like what I would expect on Vetsulin. Most of your higher number tests are within the last 1-3hours before the next test, the time when Vetsulin will have worn off. The lower numbers are in the valley of Vetsulin - the curve you did shows a pretty normal insulin curve for Vetsulin.
When you get home maybe you can get some more testing in and build a bigger picture to figure out where his bottom is and how low he's getting. With that information you can work on increasing the dose and possibly getting those higher numbers down a bit.
I agree with Sue tips on feeding. Cats don't like to go 12hrs without eatin, diabetics have a real hard time with it. would give you some more sleep it sounds like if you could spread his food out a little during the day.
 
Great advice...thanks so much! We just got back to our RV after being out all day...at 4:30pm, about +9 after morning shot, I got a 171. Good! But then he could be coming back up from a real low..I don't know because I wasn't here. Is it 4-5 hours after morning shot, when he would be at his lowest? After his 1 1/2 cans this a.m., we gave him 1/2 can before we left for the day. He's now had some treats, and seems content till dinner time.
 
Good to hear from you and Tigger, Carol. I don't have enough experience to give advice, but I agree with several small meals when you're around. I give FRED a 3 oz can at breakfast with his shot and leave a can for him to free feed while I'm at work. Another can at dinner with his shot and I leave 1/2 can (2 tsp) for overnight hunger pangs or he will wake me up! I hope you get a spreadsheet set up and put details in your signature like most of us have. Safe travels guys!ps how much does Tigger weigh?
 
I have another point that perhaps might be a consideration in terms of his appetite. I might be all full of water on this one but...wondering if perhaps, food is his "comfort" since he is in a strange place, strange patterns, you guys out most of the day and missing you so, the food (like in humans) becomes a sort of "comfort" thing too????

But, I agree with everyone else that keeping him with more frequent meals vs 12 hours might keep him more stable and satisfied hunger-wise.
The technical reasons....I have far less clue than the more experienced members do so, I'll leave it at my 1 cent's worth here. :)
 
Tigger got a can at dinner, and a 1/2 can just before we went to bed around 11. Adding a bit of warm water to make a "gravy" is good..he's liking that! He slept all night till about 4am and then he started the meowing for food. At home, he sleeps in my sewing room with an attached bathroom and adjacent bedroom...we can close the doors and keep him in that area of the house and not hear him. But in a fifth wheel trailer, this is too close for comfort! Even if I get up to use the potty, the trailer moves a little and he hears everything and comes running, and then starts the plea to be fed! Argh! But after the 4am incident he slept till 6, then got his can for breakfast. Didn't get a test this morning. Staying put for the next few days on my cousins farm in Illinois, so things will be more "normal", then home next week Considering all the time zone changes between California and Florida...and back....plus going thru 15 states...and getting his diagnosis JUST before we left, has definitely been a challenge! But it's all good, and easier than I thought it would be..especially with all of your help! I'll definitely try to get that spreadsheet going when we get back to normalcy!
 
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