? New dose not good

Status
Not open for further replies.
Susan G & Jimmy G

Susan G & Jimmy G

Member Since 2017
Jimmy keeps going up and up at this 5.5 dose. What the ??? I am considering bringing him back down to 4 where he showed the only below 200 numbers we've seen. Not TR but I'm very hesitant about increasing right now. Is he overdosed? I am away for next two days too so I won't be able to monitor. I am hoping to get him to the vet next week. My poor buddy. :banghead::blackeye:
 
Hi Susan, I am not seeing any real difference with the numbers being any better on the 4 dose. He did get a couple of blues but that can happen and then the numbers can go back and more insulin is required. I think you'd be doing Jimmy a disservice to take him back down to 4 units when 5.5 is clearly not enough insulin and he should be getting another increase.
 
Cats need however much insulin they need. I think you have been increasing safely. I don't see any tests after PMPS from last night, but otherwise, I don't think you have missed any low numbers. He is not overdose. I would increase to 6.0 units next. I suspect there is some condition causing insulin resistance at play. If you don't want to increase until you return, it's OK to hold the dose until you are back.

It's not uncommon for cats to see nothing but one or two colours until they finally get to a dose that overcomes the resistance. Have you ever looked at Phoebe's SS? A land of pink and yellow until she just recently hit that breakthrough. Phoebe was not tested for a high dose condition, so we don't know exactly what she has, but we can guess. She also went back to 4.0 units, on the advice of her vet, when she got to about the same dose size as Jimmy is now. It just meant she took another month betting back to where she was before.

We do suggest when cats get to 6.0 units that they get the tests done for acromegaly (IGF-1 test) and IAA (insulin auto antibodies). The blood is drawn by your vet and sent to MSU (Michigan State University) for those tests.
 
Thank you both. I know you're right and I think I'm having a panicky day because I know when he goes above 300 he is not feeling so great and in turn it makes me sad. I will increase to 6 when I get back and can monitor. Didn't realize vets are ok with high doses without the high dose tests. Not sure why today's numbers aren't showing up on his SS. There aren't too many as my battery was dying in the meter and wanted to save its life for PS. I have new batteries in now and will do 1 or 2 more tonight.

Is there a magic number when you would want to administer R in addition to the Lantus?
 
Susan G said:
Didn't realize vets are ok with high doses without the high dose tests.
Click to expand...
EVID - each vet is different. Phoebe's vet didnt't believe cats needed doses more than 4 units. I think Angela has gone rogue. :p My vet thought we didn't need to test for high dose conditions until we got to 10 units. Neko maxed out at 8.75 units but tested positive for two high dose conditions.

Susan G said:
Is there a magic number when you would want to administer R in addition to the Lantus?
Click to expand...
Not really, but it does help to know which high dose conditions you are working with first. We do suggest that people get the help of experienced members before trying R. And there are dose fast tracking methods we can use with the Lantus to get you to a better Lantus dose too. R is a nice tool, but a good Lantus/Levemir dose is best.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
EVID - each vet is different. Phoebe's vet didnt't believe cats needed doses more than 4 units. I think Angela has gone rogue. :p My vet thought we didn't need to test for high dose conditions until we got to 10 units. Neko maxed out at 8.75 units but tested positive for two high dose conditions.


Not really, but it does help to know which high dose conditions you are working with first. We do suggest that people get the help of experienced members before trying R. And there are dose fast tracking methods we can use with the Lantus to get you to a better Lantus dose too. R is a nice tool, but a good Lantus/Levemir dose is best.
Click to expand...
@Wendy&Neko is there something written on the forum already about the "fast tracking method" I could read about? I mean I would rather just work with the Lantus- but seeing some of the others good results, it made me curious.
 
I usually like to confer with a few other people experienced in high dose kitties before deciding if fast tracking is a good idea. It just means doing increases sooner than 6 cycles. Why don't we touch bases on this again when you are back from your trip and we've seen what Jimmy looks like on 6.0 units. In the mean time, you might want to see if your vet is comfortable with the high dose condition testing.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
I usually like to confer with a few other people experienced in high dose kitties before deciding if fast tracking is a good idea. It just means doing increases sooner than 6 cycles. Why don't we touch bases on this again when you are back from your trip and we've seen what Jimmy looks like on 6.0 units. In the mean time, you might want to see if your vet is comfortable with the high dose condition testing.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a good plan! Thank you so much. Right now is approaching 400 +4. Ugh.
 
Susan G said:
I am considering bringing him back down to 4 where he showed the only below 200 numbers we've seen.
Click to expand...

It might help to look at Chino's spreadsheet. Before we got to 10 units, he lived in mainly red and pink, but we occasionally saw green when he was coming down from a bounce. It wasn't until we reached an effective dose that we started seeing green at least once a week. When you reach a good dose, you should be seeing blue and green on a regular basis. That said, I'll admit that I also posted to the group to ask if I might've increased too fast and missed a lower dose that would've been better. When he tested positive for acromegaly, that made it easier to take the aggressive approach needed to push through the insulin resistance. The hyperthyroid diagnosis and treatment also helped overcome the resistance. It can be hard to imagine regular greens and blues when all you're seeing are pinks and yellows, but you'll get there! :bighug:
 
Adrian and Chino said:
It might help to look at Chino's spreadsheet. Before we got to 10 units, he lived in mainly red and pink, but we occasionally saw green when he was coming down from a bounce. It wasn't until we reached an effective dose that we started seeing green at least once a week. When you reach a good dose, you should be seeing blue and green on a regular basis. That said, I'll admit that I also posted to the group to ask if I might've increased too fast and missed a lower dose that would've been better. When he tested positive for acromegaly, that made it easier to take the aggressive approach needed to push through the insulin resistance. The hyperthyroid diagnosis and treatment also helped overcome the resistance. It can be hard to imagine regular greens and blues when all you're seeing are pinks and yellows, but you'll get there! :bighug:
Click to expand...
@Adrian and Chino if I may ask, when did you test for acro...ie how much dose? Did you see any outward signs?
 
Susan G said:
@Adrian and Chino if I may ask, when did you test for acro...ie how much dose? Did you see any outward signs?
Click to expand...

We had just gone up to 5 units when I requested the IAA, IGF-1, and free T4 by ED tests. They were drawn and sent on 2/06. It seemed like the majority of cats on 4+ units had one condition or another, so I started asking about the tests even before we reached 5 units. Chino has a big head/frame, exhibits stridor (high-pitched breath sounds), prognathia inferior (protrusion of the lower jaw), and his hunger seemed excessive even for unregulated diabetes.
 
Adrian and Chino said:
That said, I'll admit that I also posted to the group to ask if I might've increased too fast and missed a lower dose that would've been better.
Click to expand...
Umm, I think the majority of us with high dose cats have been there, done that. Me too. :oops:

As for signs before getting tested, Neko's only sign was crazy hunger, and her dose. After diagnosis I did notice she shied away from bright light a bit, and a year later found that her eye tearing was a sign of the soft tissue growth blocking her eye ducts. There was only one other acrokitty mom around when I started, so not as much knowledge as now. Plus there has been a lot more recearch done on this condition lately. Part of the research showed that only about 1/3 of cats with acromegaly presented with clinical signs at the time of diagnosis.
 
Adrian and Chino said:
We had just gone up to 5 units when I requested the IAA, IGF-1, and free T4 by ED tests. They were drawn and sent on 2/06. It seemed like the majority of cats on 4+ units had one condition or another, so I started asking about the tests even before we reached 5 units. Chino has a big head/frame, exhibits stridor (high-pitched breath sounds), prognathia inferior (protrusion of the lower jaw), and his hunger seemed excessive even for unregulated diabetes.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Did Chino have the surgery/SRT? Sorry questions illicit more questions lol. :nailbiting:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top