Sticky New? How You Can Help Us Help You!

Written by:


Bron and Sheba
Joined Feb 21, 2015

NEW? HOW YOU CAN HELP US HELP YOU!​

NB: Blood glucose numbers referenced in this
document are for meters calibrated for humans.

We all understand how stressful it is in the beginning of your FD journey with your kitty, and we are so pleased you have researched FD and found us! This is a wonderful community where everyone helps each other and cares about everyone’s kitties. There is a lot to learn in the beginning and we want to be able to help you in any way we can.

Here are a few areas where things are sometimes falling through the cracks, and this can make it harder for the people who are wanting to help you. This is in no way a criticism, but a reminder of things you can do that will help your kitty.

Make sure you have your Hypo toolbox ready for use when you start insulin.

• Do you have plenty of medium carb (10-17% carb) and high carb (18% carb and over) canned foods in your cupboard, that are marked with the carb content on the top of the lid for easy identification
• Do you have honey or karo in your toolbox?

• Do you have an extra 50 test strips in reserve in your toolbox?
• Do you have the address and phone number of the nearest ER in your toolbox?

• Do you have the two yellow stickies on how to treat hypos and what to put in your toolbox that are at the top of the FAQ page printed off and stuck on your fridge or put in your toolbox? Here are the links:
  • How to Treat Hypos
    
  • jojo and bunny's Hypo Tool Box

Make a spreadsheet for your kitty following the instructions linked below.
If you are moving from a different diabetes group (online or Facebook) and have a Spreadsheet from that group, you will also need to use the link below to make the spreadsheet that we use in this forum. Members are available who can help you transfer all your data from another spreadsheet type to our spreadsheet.

How to Create a Spreadsheet

How to Use the Spreadsheet

Keep your spreadsheet up to date. Helpers will always look at your spreadsheet before offering advice. If it is not up to date it is hard to offer suggestion or give specific dosing advise.

Always test the BG levels again an hour later if you get a low number. If you are testing during the cycle and find a number that is a lot lower than your previous test, always test again an hour later to check that the BG level has not dropped further. Never assume that kitty will be fine. If you are unsure, post and ask for help.

Always stay in touch with the member helping you when you have asked for help because your kitty has dropped low and you need help to raise the BG level.

• If your helper asks you to give your kitty some high carb food and test again in 20 minutes, for example, please respond with either a ‘like’ on the post or respond with “high carb food given, will test in 20 mins”. That way the helper knows you have seen the post and have given the food.

• Your helper will be waiting for your next post so always get back to her/him. Don’t disappear! Do not just think that your kitty is fine now and not respond. Your helper will not know what is happening and will be waiting for an update

Post updated BG levels in the subject line as well as in the thread if you are being helped with raising kitty's BG level. Most helpers are also helping others but will keep an eye out for your next BG level by looking at the subject line instead of having to open the thread all the time. To edit the subject line, find the thread tools which is on the top right of the first post. Choose ‘edit thread’ from the drop down menu, change the subject line, then save changes.

NEVER give insulin when your kitty’s BG level is under 50 mg/dL (2.8 mmol/L).

• If you are using Lantus, (or glargine biosimilars Basaglar or Semglee) or Levemir
  • and following the TR protocol, you would only give the insulin if the BG level was over 50 mg/dL and you had a lot of data and had worked your way down to that number from 150 mg/dL with an experienced person helping you.
  • For SLGS method followers, you would initially only shoot numbers over 90 mg/dL after collecting data and working your way down from 150.
• Other insulins mostly use 200 mg/dL (11 mmol/L) as the no shoot number for newbies, but later this can be lowered after data is collected and experience gained.

Read the yellow stickies at the top of the Insulin Specific Group pages you are using to familiarize yourself with the insulin you use.

Dealing with a lower than usual preshot number: Initially we encourage using a ‘no shoot number’ of 200 mg/dL (11 mmol/L) on the Main Health page and

• For newbies in the Lantus, Levemir, and Biosimilars Group, if you get a blood glucose of 150mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L) or below, while you are gathering data and experience, stall without feeding, post and ask for assistance. This applies to both the Tight Regulation and the Start Low Go Slow methods
• For people in the other Insulin Specific Groups, 200 mg/dL (11 mmol/L) is used as the ‘no shoot number’ while you gather data and experience.

If you are unsure what to do, stall, don’t feed and test again in 20 minutes to see if the BG level is rising. Also post and ask for help. Write something like… “BG level xxx, stalling, please HELP” to alert people to your dilemma.

Always test before every insulin shot. Never just assume your kitty will be high enough to shoot. Finding your kitty is dangerously low a couple of hours after the shot is given is not only terrifying for you, but is dangerous for your kitty and is something that can be avoided. If you are still having trouble testing, post and ask for more help.

Understanding US and World Blood Glucose numbers. The US BG numbers are measured differently than the rest of the World BG numbers. The US uses mg/dL and the World numbers use mmol/L. If you see BG numbers that don't make sense, they are probably US numbers (if you live elsewhere) and World numbers if you live in the US.

To convert from US to World numbers divide by 18. eg 100 mg/dL divided by 18 = 5.6 mmol/L.
To convert from World to US numbers multiply by 18. eg 10mmol/L x 18 = 180 mg/dL.
Your spreadsheet will automatically do this calculation for you if you are using a World SS provided you enter all data on the World SS.

When posting a thread on the forum, always use the US numbers, please, as that is the system we use here. If you put World numbers in the thread, it will limit the help you get as many members won't understand the numbers. The US SS tab should always be to the far left on the SS so it is the default tab that opens from the SS link in your signature.
Link for further information:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/bg-convert.htm

Using the 911 prefix. The 911 prefix in the subject line should only be used for emergencies such as symptomatic hypos, very low numbers (below 30 on a human meter), and /or a very sick cat potentially needing ER care.

Complete your profile. This is where you can put your location if you wish. Please do not put in personal information such as work schedules as it is a security risk.

Make sure your signature is up-to-date.

• On the left, under Settings, Click on Signature. This is where you will put information that helps us give you feedback. There is a limit of two lines which may include two links; you may separate pieces with commas, dashes, | etc. This is where you paste the link for your spreadsheet, once it is set up.

• Add info we need to help you:
  • Caregiver & kitty's name
  • DX: Date
  • Name of Insulin (do not include dose or frequency)
  • Name of your meter
  • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
  • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
  • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
  • Bexacat or Senvelgo (if applicable) and dates
  • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
  • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
  • Please do not put any information about your location in the signature for security reasons. If you wish to add your country location, please add it to your profile.

Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' button at the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information.

Thank you!

* Please ask any questions you may have in the appropriate forum. *​