New diabetic kitty momma

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SugarMoeby

Member Since 2014
Hi Everyone,

My baby, Moeby (boy 6yrs old), was just diagnosed with diabetes. I've been doing a lot of reading on your forums and elsewhere. Its a lot to take in. It feels like the routine and that is manageable, but the only thing that is currently getting me down (like many others I'm sure) is the costs. I have read about good places to get a low cost tester and strips and lancets. I'm still trying to find the best cost on needles. The biggest hurdle is the insulin costs. I want to use Lantus. My vet wrote me a prescription for the vial, but I worry about the cost vs. lifespan of the medicine. Many have talked about using the Lantus pens.

I'm so glad I have found this board. Its helped calm a lot of my fears, and is helping me believe that remission is still a possibility.

Jen
 
Yes, ask the vet to write for the pens.

Also, if you're in the US, there are a couple of Canadian pharmacies that will ship to the US - check over this thread

Some will require a fax of the Rx.
 
There are many ways you can save on the cost of caring for a diabetic cats.

First is by hometesting. You can use any human glucose meter. A good, inexpensive meter to use is the Walmart Relion Confirm or Micro meters. This will also save money by eliminating unnecessary trips to the vet just to be tested. Plus the test is not accurate anyway. Stress can easily raise a cat's glucose levels over 100 points and most cats are stressed by trips to the vet. I have also used the Relion brand syringes and was happy with them.

If your vet prescribes Lantus or Levemir, ask for a prescription for the pens. Even though the vial is initially cheaper, it will become ineffective long before you finish all of the insulin. You will end up throwing away at least 1/2 vial. With the pens, because they are packaged in smaller containers, you will be able to use almost every drop of insulin. One pack of pens contains 5 and that will be enough insulin to last 9-10 months or more. Also, if you live in the US, look on the manufacture's website. Both of them have discount coupons for the pen.

You do not need to feed your cat prescription food. Most of us feed our cats either Friskies or Fancy Feast pate flavors. Avoid anything with gravy, it is high in carbs. Also, if your cat is eating dry, you want to switch over to canned food. Dry food is high in carbs.
 
Thank-you for your help :) I just picked up a relion confirm, but I'm nervous about how to use it. I've never really even tested my own blood. I saw there is a video on how to do it with his ear. I guess another question is what are the levels I should be looking for? The day the vet tested him he had a level of 461. He doesn't like going to the vet and gets really nervous. So I am sure like you said that his levels were up. I haven't started his insulin yet since I am waiting for his food changeover to be complete. He just finished a round of antibiotics too. I need to get his script changed to the pens. I did see that there is a coupon for the pens. Is anyone having success with that? I am in southeast Michigan, and though I have called around, I have yet to find a pharmacy that will split a box or sell the pens individually. If the coupon works then the cost could be a lot lower and breaking a box wouldn't be as necessary.
 
Hi Jen and welcome to both of you!

Yep, try it on yourself first, you'll feel better when you try your first Moeby test! It really isn't complicated, it's that first attempt - that first DEEP breath, hearing the meter beep, see the little blood drop appear on screen saying it's ready...that's the hardest part! Put lancet in lance pan, cock by pulling that ribbed end, put it against a finger and touch the grey button. It's done before you can exhale. It doesn't take a big drop. Now hold the end of the strip to the blood - that little dark spot is a window showing the blood being sucked up inside. Don't put the blood on the strip.

We all started right where you are... :) BREATHE! HUGS too!

Good choice in meters!

May 'The Dance' begin!
 
Practice on an apple and yourself to get a literal feel for the process.

See my signature link Glucometer Notes for info on what the glucose tests can mean.
 
If you're in Michigan, consider popping over to Canada to purchase Lantus. It'll may be less expensive that way.
 
Thankyou :) I was so nervous using it, but its more like a bad mosquito bite than the sword it felt like I was going to be stabbing myself with. Lol :)
its hard to get him to sit still and relax, but hopefully with time he will get used to it.
aw I wish I could hop over to Canada, but I dont have the enhanced liscense or a passport unfortunately :/ Im still looking for someplace though :) haven't called everywhere yet lol
 
Check this post which includes some Candian pharmacies (ex 77Canada) where folks have gotten prices on it.

Every time you go with him to the testing spot, give him a small low carb treat, such as PureBites freeze dried meat or poultry, a small piece of raw or cooked chicken, etc. Do that at non-testing times as well as after testing and he'll start to think wonderful things happen in the testing spot, as well as the occasional test.
 
Some pharmacies will even fill a scrip for just one on the pens...the per-pen cost is more this way, but it is less than buying the whole pack. And, the pen should last a good 2 months. I got one pen at a Target here in town...but I had to call a couple of Targets before I found on that would break the pack. Coleman had just slipped out of remission (and we had never used anywhere near the whole vial...which was out of date by now) and I wanted one pen just in case he went into a fast remission again. No such luck. My next scrip will be for a whole pack of the pens.

And, good call getting the Relion. I just switched to it from the Bayer Contour and am paying almost 1/4 the cost for test strips now! The insulin is expensive, but it lasts. The strips can be expensive but they go FAST...usually less than a month for 100 if you test at least 4xday.

Welcome to you and Moeby!
 
I've been calling all over and I keep getting the same reaction from whatever pharmacist I talk to "no, we cant do that" with a tone in their voice that sounds like im asking for the moon. Its so disappointing. I dont think I am going to find one that will. I haven't even begun to try using the lantus coupon I had to register for. It doesnt sound like it might work either because of the script being from a vet. :/ He needs insulin, but a box of pens is $370 regular price :/ I'm sure I'm not alone when I say my budget is pretty tight. Im also caring for 4 other indoor cats and a colony outside. Just switching Moeby to a higher quality food has increased the food costs exponentially. I dont mean to sound so whiney, I'm just really stressed and worried. I'm not sure what to do. :/
I do like the relion testor. Its easy to use, and doesn't need a lot of blood. Poor baby isnt very happy with the new routine though. :/
 
Hi Jen,

Does Moeby like being groomed? You could incorporate that into his testing routine along with the low carb treats. Make it a fuss-fest! :smile:
 
Thankyou for everyones support and suggestions/help :)
I've been managing to get his blood tested before his main meals twice a day (I mightve missed a day because I was really sick). He doesn't love it, but I am getting better at testing him.
After calling/visiting many pharmacies I found one that will at the very least sell me one lantus pen at a time. :D They wouldn't use the coupon :/ but at least it breaks the cost up for me. So I have a few questions I hope someone can help me with.

I currently put the pen in my fridge in a cup because I had read and watched the you tube video on drawing the lantus from the pen, seemed to say that this is the best way to preserve the medicine. Is this right?

Some say that the lantus can last quite a while, is the longevity the same with the pens as the vial? The pharmacist has me concerned as she was very clear about how it will only last 28 days, no exceptions. But I have read so much here debating that.

Moeby weighs about 12 pounds, and my vet wants to start him at 2 units 2x a day. I know I read its best to go low and slow. Should I start with 1 unit? Or the 2 units as prescribed?
Also, the vet tech at the clinic started to get a little testy with me about how I was going to use the pens and draw the meds out. She got on my case about "if I was going to be adjusting his dosage myself, and why wouldn't I just use the pen like its intended." I explained to her that I can get it out with the needles and then I can adjust it more finely if I need to, but I wouldn't necessarily adjust it myself (because I panicked when she confronted me). I mentioned researching online and this website and well lets just say she was not very good at concealing her emotions. Then the receptionist gave me some advice on blood testing on his back foot, but added that "sometimes people do a little too much reading online" :/ Sooo while I am trying to keep my vet in the loop, they seem to disagree with what I am telling them. Its frustrating. They want me to bring him in to go over how to administer the shots, and test his blood again. Also show me how to use my tester, even though I told them I was already home testing. They wanted me to get an alphatrak. I am sure I will get funny looks for getting the relion confirm. Oh well. :/

one last one
I got a box of syringes and they are labeled
3/10 ml cc doses up to 30 units 31 gauge 8mm length
The pharmacist seemed to thing these were acceptable, and I called my vet to make sure. They said U100 but the pharmacy didn't have needles marked as that. So the repectionist checked with the vets and they said they would be fine. My worry is that the needle is too fine of a gauge? Or will these be okay to use with the pen? Or do I have a $13 box paperweight? Lol

This has truly been mentally exhausting to get running. :( I would imagine its one of the reasons some people give up early on treating their pets. :( I am worried about how exact the time frame for his shots have to be. My work schedule fluctuates a little bit. If its in a one hour window of the same times every day, will that be okay?

Thank-you again for all the help and support again. Its such a relief having found this forum. Knowing there are others out there like me helps so much. :)
 
- I store my in-use pen in the fridge in a cradle of foam. I cut a groove in the sable of foam.
- Usually a 3 ml pen will last the whole pen. Just do not shake it or leave it out too long. The 28 days is what is was tested for.
- I would start at 1 unit twice a day
- All insulin syringe yo purchase in a human pharmacy are U100. The have a orange cap over the needle. U40 syringes for animal have a red cap over the needle.
- 31 gauge 8 mm are what I normally use. I also have some 31 G 6 mm and 12.7 mm 30 Gand 29 G
 
That's a good idea. I wonder where I might find some foam to use. :)
We went to the vet to get his blood tested (which was way high, over 500, :( because he doesn't enjoy going anywhere in his carrier) and have them demonstrate how to administer the shot. I am still trying to maintain a good relationship with them even though they seem fairly unenthusiastic about me doing things my way. They said they drew blood and tested it with their tester and mine, and that my relion was about 30 points lower than theirs. Not sure how bad that is.

So I am going to feed him dinner around 730 and give him his shot. I'm nervous. I dont want him to get sick and I dont want him to get worse.
 
See my signature link Glucometer Notes for some info on meters, readings, and what they might mean.
 
Hi Jen,

Never mind the lukewarm reception you're getting at the vets; home testing is the best thing you can do to keep Moeby safe. :smile:

My vets are strong advocates of home testing but I think they thought at first that I was a bit bonkers for testing as often as I do. But thanks to the testing, I have caught every single low that Saoirse has hit since she started insulin treatment. My vet has access to the spreadsheet now, and he thinks the data has tremendous value. It makes for very effective consults as well. (I'm agoraphobic and with the spreadsheet my vet can do consults over the phone with confidence because of the data.)

I use an Alphatrak veterinary meter so I don't have experience with Relion meters, but from all I have read here I think that the 30-point lower reading on your meter compared to the vet's (presumably veterinary) meter is the expected difference between the two types. I'm sure that other members familiar with Relion meters will post confirmation of this for you.

Saoirse was diagnosed in early June and I still get very nervous, especially for the night-time cycles. That said, things will get easier as you get more practice and start getting data from your home testing to help you learn how Moeby responds to his insulin. Of course the period where you're acquiring the the data can be finger-shreddingly scary at times. The members here are wonderful. Any time you are worried you can post and someone will help. You're not alone with this.

(((Jen & Moeby)))

Edited to add:

The 30-point difference would be the expected value for numbers in the lower BG ranges.
 
Research done by Dr Rand of the University of Queensland finds that human glucometer numbers are roughly 30-40% lower than pet glucometers.

You can get an estimate of the pet glucometer by dividing the human glucometer number by 0.65 (halfway between the 0.6 and 0.7 values).
 
BJM said:
You can get an estimate of the pet glucometer by dividing the human glucometer number by 0.65 (halfway between the 0.6 and 0.7 values).
Click to expand...

Wow really? That makes his bg seem so much higher :( They tested him at the office with their alphatrak and it registered 543 and with my relion she said it marked 513. He was definitely stressed. But if i divide the 513 by .65 I get 789? I might be doing this wrong. :?

The reference sheet is helpful thank you :)

I was considering the aphatrak meter, but money has been tight and I want to take care of him, I just need to use the less cost alternatives. :/ As long as I can understand the readings and with all the info provided here, I hope it will work out. My vet was happy about the idea of me home testing, but as I expected, not so happy I didn't get the alphatrak. The tech was also having a hard time understanding how its possible to use a pen like a vial. I told her not to worry about it and asked her to just show me how she would give him the shot.

I just gave him 1 unit. It seems like such a small amount. Will it actually do anything? I hope so. He is laying down right now. Of course, I'm immediately paranoid he's having bad reactions :shock:

So I suppose my next question is what numbers should I be looking for with 1 unit? If they aren't falling, should I increase the dose? How long is an appropriate time to wait and watch? I'm sorry if there are already posts about this. I will gladly follow a link if there is :)
 
It is only an estimate ... but yes, it is higher when measured on a pet meter or a vet lab.

human glucometer/0.65 roughly = pet glucometer estimate
 
SugarMoeby said:
He is laying down right now. Of course, I'm immediately paranoid he's having bad reactions :shock:
Click to expand...

Goes with the territory, methinks. Of course, it doesn't help that cats like snoozing so much. You should have seen me when Saoirse was on Caninsulin. Poor thing couldn't get a proper nap till about 6 hours after dose time because I'd keep nudging or calling her to make sure she was OK. I've seen the term "helicopter bean" used here, and it definitely applies to yours truly. :oops: :roll:
 
I hope that at least some sort of home monitoring will be better than not at all. Right now his levels are high. I tested him midway thru the day and it was around 334. :( By dinner it was back up high again around 500. I hope that 1 unit is enough to start with. I know the vet said 2 units. I just dont want to freak out his system with 2 units, I'm trying to be patient and let it get in before I start asking everyone if I should increase or not. I'm trying not to get panicked and increase it before it has a chance to work. :shock:

Critter Mom said:
Poor thing couldn't get a proper nap till about 6 hours after dose time because I'd keep nudging or calling her to make sure she was OK.
Click to expand...

That's how I feel. I keep calling to him when he is laying down. I don't blame anyone though. It's such a nerve wracking ordeal. :( I would imagine that right now he isn't going to get hypo because his levels seem so high. I guess I'm just worried no matter what. :b He's been my million dollar Moeby since he has a lot of trouble with his liver last year. Poor thing was so sick. I wish he was just healthy. I would feel the same about any of my little ones if they weren't well.
 
I'm sorry to hear about Moeby's liver problems. He's had a right run of it. Isn't it awful to see something wrong with them and not being able to make it better straight away. :sad:

Re monitoring, I would be in a home for the bewildered by now were it not for the ability to home test. Saoirse has gone very low 4 times and I managed to catch it every time. Getting a body of mid-cycle data for nadir time and BG level is invaluable. I'm a nervous wreck at the best of times when Saoirse has received a dose of insulin, but as I get more data on how her body is responding to the insulin it means that I can now keep up her insulin treatment at lower numbers. Without that data, I'd probably chicken out of more doses than I would administer.

I also followed BJM's recommendations for secondary monitoring. By using them - and with the help of the wonderful people here and support from our vet - I was able to successfully home nurse Saoirse through a really nasty flare-up of pancreatitis. Without the secondary monitoring , I would not have been able to monitor her hydration levels and she might have needed to be hospitalised in order to get fluids.
 
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