New and worried

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Teresa & Cricket

Teresa & Cricket

Member Since 2018
Hello,
My 11 y/o Cricket was just diagnosed diabetic a month ago.

She also has HCM and went into CHF in February. The heart condition is stable, thankfully, but she is permanently on furosemide (diuretic) and clopidegrel (anti-clotting)

I found this forum thru my research and found the link to food and carb counts very helpful. For the last 2 weeks, she has been on solely very low/no carb canned food and some poached chicken, and minnows for treats- for 2 weeks now.

However, we are up to 3 units of lantus and her BG hasn't gone below 310 at any point that I have tested.

I'm worried about her kidneys and terrified that it isn't going down.
I'm also terrified at the cost, I might need to sell my car to take care of her-I'm already on the edge of having rent every month.

I'm doing a curve hopefully tomorrow, and did a mini-curve last weekend.

I do have questions, but will go over to the health forum for that.

She's the sweetest cat in the world, was always like a perma-kitten, but the heart disease slowed her down and now the diabetes is an extra hard one.
This looks like a really supportive forum and I am glad to be joining!
-Teresa
 
Hi Teresa and Cricket and welcome to fdmb. We are here to help you in any way we can. :)
Cricket looks a very sweet kitty and has lovely colours.
You have done well getting the SS up and running and also the signature. Are you able to add any blood sugar levels (BSLs) you have taken so far into the SS. They all help.
Which country do you live in?
Are you using an Alphatrak 2 meter? That is what is written in your SS. If you could put that in your signature, that will be a big help ...thanks.
How did the vet arrive at 3 units? Did he go up in 1 unit increments?
Here we go up in 1/4 (0.25) unit increments so as not to miss the best dose and also it is much safer for the cat.
Have you been testing during the cycle (about 4 to 6 hours after the insulin is given) ? The lowest point that the insulin takes the BSL is called the nadir and we choose/ change the dose on the nadir not the preshot.
We always test before giving any insulin to make sure it is safe to give the dose and again during the cycle. Cricket could be dropping lower during the cycle and going up to 310 at shot time. Only way to find out is to test during the cycle.
When you are ready, head on over to the main forum where there are many experienced people to help you.
Ask lots of questions...it is a big learning curve in the beginning.
We can help you with saving costs/ideas etc.
Bron
 
Bron and Sheba said:
Hi Teresa and Cricket and welcome to fdmb. We are here to help you in any way we can. :)
Cricket looks a very sweet kitty and has lovely colours.
You have done well getting the SS up and running and also the signature. Are you able to add any blood sugar levels (BSLs) you have taken so far into the SS. They all help.
Which country do you live in?
Are you using an Alphatrak 2 meter? That is what is written in your SS. If you could put that in your signature, that will be a big help ...thanks.
How did the vet arrive at 3 units? Did he go up in 1 unit increments?
Here we go up in 1/4 (0.25) unit increments so as not to miss the best dose and also it is much safer for the cat.
Have you been testing during the cycle (about 4 to 6 hours after the insulin is given) ? The lowest point that the insulin takes the BSL is called the nadir and we choose/ change the dose on the nadir not the preshot.
We always test before giving any insulin to make sure it is safe to give the dose and again during the cycle. Cricket could be dropping lower during the cycle and going up to 310 at shot time. Only way to find out is to test during the cycle.
When you are ready, head on over to the main forum where there are many experienced people to help you.
Ask lots of questions...it is a big learning curve in the beginning.
We can help you with saving costs/ideas etc.
Bron
Click to expand...
 
Hi Bron,
Thanks for the reply. I did a mini-curve last weekend and will upload it to SS. It will take me a bit to learn how, plus the abbreviations, etc.
I am using alpha track 2

Lt:dr
After one week of 1U, spot check had her over 350 (in office, +2 hrs morning insulin) , vet upped dose to 2U. One week later, she was at 390 at +4.5 (AM), vet upped to 3U.
I've checked her at several times throughout the day and have never seen her go below 310, usually 350 is lowest, and she has gone up to 527 as the next dose gets closer.

i am currently altering the timing of her furosemide, but vet says if that doesn't change anything, he wants to up her dose more.

Either tonight or tomorrow, I want to wake up in the early AM to test her overnight nadir time, because she is hungriest overnight- often around 2/3am. (I have had very few full nights of sleep in the last month)

Wish I knew about the incremental dosing earlier!
Snafu: I didn't realize that my meter only came with 25 strips, so I am down to 6 and can't do a curve until I get some more.


Thanks so much,I'll try and take this to the other forum.
 
Well done updating the ss.
As Larry said you need to be testing before every shot of insulin to ensure it is safe to do so and to show us more information.
I would not increase the dose until you get some Preshots in the ss plus keep doing the inbetween tests. Too much insulin can look like not enough insulin.
Are you testing for ketones in the urine. You can buy KETOSTIX from a pharmacy or Walmart (I think) for about $10. Ketones can be dangerous, and unregulated diabetic cats can get them. It is a good idea to test for them while Cricket is unregulated. It is an easy urine test. Just follow instructions for reading result.
Bron
 
Bron and Sheba said:
Well done updating the ss.
As Larry said you need to be testing before every shot of insulin to ensure it is safe to do so and to show us more information.
I would not increase the dose until you get some Preshots in the ss plus keep doing the inbetween tests. Too much insulin can look like not enough insulin.
Are you testing for ketones in the urine. You can buy KETOSTIX from a pharmacy or Walmart (I think) for about $10. Ketones can be dangerous, and unregulated diabetic cats can get them. It is a good idea to test for them while Cricket is unregulated. It is an easy urine test. Just follow instructions for reading result.
Bron
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info,
I am down to only strips right now (I thought the starter kit came with more) so I need to be judicious with testing until I get more.

I haven't tested for ketones at home, her urine was tested in the office 3 weeks ago with no signs of ketones and her breath is normal.

Good news, today at her afternoon nadir, she was at 284 and she had energy/excitement to go for a walk a few hours later!

I'll move on to the health forum now, thanks everyone!
I'm so relieved this board exists!
-Teresa
 
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