Dee & Midnight
New Member
Hi everyone. My cat Midnight was Dx in November 2010. He is on Lantus and has yet to be regulated. I’ve been reading this site for two days and have come to the conclusion that my vet’s unfamiliarity with Lantus is part of our problem. He normally doesn’t use Lantus and told me that upfront. My Grandmother was on Lantus for years and just before Midnight was Dx her insulin was changed. Her refrigerator door was full of unexpired, unopened Lantus that was about to be thrown away so I asked the vet to use it if possible and he agreed.
Midnight started out at 0.5u per day and worked his way up to 3.0u twice a day over the course of a few vet visits. I asked the vet about home testing and he discouraged me from doing it. Midnight still wasn’t regulated at 3.0u twice a day and became ill on February 18th. That was totally my fault. I knew he wasn’t regulated yet and didn’t get him back to the vet when I should’ve. I had a major illness arise in my immediate family the night before one of his regulation appointments. I canceled the appointment because of the illness and then delayed taking him back for too long. When I took him back on 02/18 the vet kept him for a week trying to regulate him. He still wasn’t regulated on 02/25 when I picked him up. The vet told me that he skipped some PM shots because BG was normal. Then BG would be back through the roof in the AM. Midnight was still unregulated and was now on a dose of 8.0u AM and 5.0u PM. I was again discouraged from home testing when I asked about it. I gave this new dosage consistently over the next few days even though the dosage size scared me. On 03/01 I couldn’t take it anymore because I was mortified at every shot. I purchased a home meter and found a YouTube Video on how to use it! No problem taking his BG by ear! Took my first few readings that night and decided to do a 24 hour curve the next day. YAY!
On 03/04 I took Midnight to his scheduled vet appointment for regulation. I fully intended to leave Midnight with the vet that day even though I already had my own curve. The vet said that there was no need for me to leave him because he could use my numbers! Great! However, after talking to the vet I ended up more freaked out than ever. He took my numbers and pointed out that I had shot on occasions that he wouldn’t have and even pointed out a PMPS of 87 and said it was way too low! This from the same person who recommended I shoot blindly at all times! UGH! He reduced the dosage to 6.0u twice a day. I asked him when I should spot check and he told me whenever I thought about it. I have performed some spot checks at +1 and +2 because the vet had told me these were the hours I needed to monitor Midnight’s behavior post shot because +1 & +2 were the most dangerous hours. Not sure that is the case with Lantus after doing some reading here.
Since 03/04, I have been second guessing every reading! That’s what prompted me to take to the web for research and landed me here. I am getting no sleep when I do a PM shot. In reaction to all this I have reduced doses. I have waited and retested at +2 to shoot a lower dose. I have retested at +2 only to decide BG was still too low and skipped all together. I know this is sending his BG all over the place and is not the right way. I don’t see how I’m ever going to be able to determine anything from the BG tests I’m doing if we don’t get more consistent. I shot 6u/6u today. I didn’t take a PMPS reading because I knew I wouldn’t shoot or would reduce if I did. I realize this is an extreme measure but I feel like we have to get back on track somehow. However, I’m still up 5 hours later watching Midnight to make sure he’s ok so I’m not sure that was the brightest move I’ve ever made.
So here are my questions for now:
1) Would you guys who are pro’s shoot at a number as low 87, or say even 63? I feel like if I don't start shooting the same dose, I'm just going to continue this vicuous cycle of bouncing his BG all over the place and even if I have BG readings we won't be able to establish a pattern for him. Please tell me what you would do.
2) How long should I wait to do a 24 hr curve again after he’s been on a consistent dose?
3) What would be the best time to spot check for the next few days?
4) How often should I spot check? Every Day? The vet recommended spot checks twice a week but I want your input.
5) Do diabetic kitties suffer from upset stomach a lot? Midnight has consistently had an upset stomach since we went to a higher dose of insulin. May not be related but it happens around the same time every night. The vet recommended giving him Mylanta.
6) Is Mylanta safe for cats?
Sorry for turning this post into a novel. Obviously, I need advice and reassurance. I have plugged my numbers into a SS if anyone needs to view them. I doubt you can tell much about them at this point but feel free to look. Any and all suggestions are welcome! The more the better! Thank you!
Midnight started out at 0.5u per day and worked his way up to 3.0u twice a day over the course of a few vet visits. I asked the vet about home testing and he discouraged me from doing it. Midnight still wasn’t regulated at 3.0u twice a day and became ill on February 18th. That was totally my fault. I knew he wasn’t regulated yet and didn’t get him back to the vet when I should’ve. I had a major illness arise in my immediate family the night before one of his regulation appointments. I canceled the appointment because of the illness and then delayed taking him back for too long. When I took him back on 02/18 the vet kept him for a week trying to regulate him. He still wasn’t regulated on 02/25 when I picked him up. The vet told me that he skipped some PM shots because BG was normal. Then BG would be back through the roof in the AM. Midnight was still unregulated and was now on a dose of 8.0u AM and 5.0u PM. I was again discouraged from home testing when I asked about it. I gave this new dosage consistently over the next few days even though the dosage size scared me. On 03/01 I couldn’t take it anymore because I was mortified at every shot. I purchased a home meter and found a YouTube Video on how to use it! No problem taking his BG by ear! Took my first few readings that night and decided to do a 24 hour curve the next day. YAY!
On 03/04 I took Midnight to his scheduled vet appointment for regulation. I fully intended to leave Midnight with the vet that day even though I already had my own curve. The vet said that there was no need for me to leave him because he could use my numbers! Great! However, after talking to the vet I ended up more freaked out than ever. He took my numbers and pointed out that I had shot on occasions that he wouldn’t have and even pointed out a PMPS of 87 and said it was way too low! This from the same person who recommended I shoot blindly at all times! UGH! He reduced the dosage to 6.0u twice a day. I asked him when I should spot check and he told me whenever I thought about it. I have performed some spot checks at +1 and +2 because the vet had told me these were the hours I needed to monitor Midnight’s behavior post shot because +1 & +2 were the most dangerous hours. Not sure that is the case with Lantus after doing some reading here.
Since 03/04, I have been second guessing every reading! That’s what prompted me to take to the web for research and landed me here. I am getting no sleep when I do a PM shot. In reaction to all this I have reduced doses. I have waited and retested at +2 to shoot a lower dose. I have retested at +2 only to decide BG was still too low and skipped all together. I know this is sending his BG all over the place and is not the right way. I don’t see how I’m ever going to be able to determine anything from the BG tests I’m doing if we don’t get more consistent. I shot 6u/6u today. I didn’t take a PMPS reading because I knew I wouldn’t shoot or would reduce if I did. I realize this is an extreme measure but I feel like we have to get back on track somehow. However, I’m still up 5 hours later watching Midnight to make sure he’s ok so I’m not sure that was the brightest move I’ve ever made.
So here are my questions for now:
1) Would you guys who are pro’s shoot at a number as low 87, or say even 63? I feel like if I don't start shooting the same dose, I'm just going to continue this vicuous cycle of bouncing his BG all over the place and even if I have BG readings we won't be able to establish a pattern for him. Please tell me what you would do.
2) How long should I wait to do a 24 hr curve again after he’s been on a consistent dose?
3) What would be the best time to spot check for the next few days?
4) How often should I spot check? Every Day? The vet recommended spot checks twice a week but I want your input.
5) Do diabetic kitties suffer from upset stomach a lot? Midnight has consistently had an upset stomach since we went to a higher dose of insulin. May not be related but it happens around the same time every night. The vet recommended giving him Mylanta.
6) Is Mylanta safe for cats?
Sorry for turning this post into a novel. Obviously, I need advice and reassurance. I have plugged my numbers into a SS if anyone needs to view them. I doubt you can tell much about them at this point but feel free to look. Any and all suggestions are welcome! The more the better! Thank you!
