New member - potential diabetes diagnosis

[Hendrick Cuddleclaw]

Yes the insulin shots need to be as close to exactly 12 hours apart as possible.

you're going to need to feed with the insulin, we did 6:30 am/6:30pm and a couple smaller meals in the middle.

if you get Lantus, which I can't recommend enough, the process goes like this, every 12 hours you

• Test to make sure it is safe to give insulin
• Feed to make sure kitty has some food on board for the insulin
• Shoot the insulin

All within about a 15 minute window, give or take

And also, for each of the main 12-hours-apart feedings, withhold food for the 2 hours prior.

I used to get up at 4:15am every day to pick up any food leftover from the night before so Hendrick's 615 am pre-shot BG test (AMPS) was not food-influenced.

 

[Virginie & Chewie (GA)]

Got it - so I think I'll do 7.30am shot and breakfast, then their usual midday meal, dinner and shot at 7.30pm and bedtime snack.
I have four seniors and they all eat different foods because of different health issues, so they are used to eating their food at mealtime, I never leave anything out.

My plan is definitely to ask for Lantus!

Last question I just thought of: Chewie gets incredibly stressed by vet visits (even though it's just a two minute drive), can I give her 50mg of gabapentin? That would help avoid (or at least limit) stress hyperglycemia? On days where I can tell she's uncomfortable because of her IVDD she gets 25mg, and it helps with pain and relaxes her.

 

[Hendrick Cuddleclaw]

I don't know the answer to that one, no experience with gabapentin

@tiffmaxee
@Suzanne & Darcy
@Bandit's Mom (it's almost midnight maybe she's still up)

 

[Virginie & Chewie (GA)]

Thanks @Hendrick Cuddleclaw - I actually called the vet's office and they confirmed I could give it 2-3 hours before the appointment.

 

[Cali S]

I just wanted to comment on your starting during the evening question - that's what I did for Faraday! So long as you can monitor, go for it! Lantus is a depot insulin, and may well take a few cycles to build up to full potency at your starting dose. I know Faraday had a very boring cycle 1. Cycle 2 got much more interesting, so I was happy it was during the day!

Good luck with the vet today!

 

[Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)]

I’m pretty sure I started at night too after an afternoon vets appointment. As mentioned, it’s a depot insulin and it will take a few days to kick in

 

[Virginie & Chewie (GA)]

Thank you both for the reassurance. I really hope I won't have to push back on her trying to give me Vetsulin or Humulin.
Also, given America's stellar Rx pharmacy system, there's also a chance I won't be able to actually get the insulin until tomorrow -__-
In any case, I will start a new thread when we're back from the vet's, as this one is getting pretty long!