New on Levemir; kitty hyperactive

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KSAkitties

KSAkitties

Member Since 2011
Hello list members,

I switched Major to Levemir last night. We are on our 3rd cycle (0.5u BID). His preshot numbers are around 120 to 130. Nadir: 57 - 68.

His numbers are not too bad, considering this is only the second day. However, I am a bit concerned by his hyperactive behaviour. He didn't sleep much last night (he normally sleeps though the night next to me). He was awake and alert the whole night. I stayed up pretty much all night to monitor him after giving him his first Levemir shot. Then this afternoon, he ran around from room to room this like he was on drugs.

Have any of your kitties become hyperactive on Levemir? If so, how long did it last. Do you have any advice? Is this normal?

Thanks,
 
KSAkitties said:
Hello list members,

I switched Major to Levemir last night. We are on our 3rd cycle (0.5u BID). His preshot numbers are around 120 to 130. Nadir: 57 - 68.

His numbers are not too bad, considering this is only the second day. However, I am a bit concerned by his hyperactive behaviour. He didn't sleep much last night (he normally sleeps though the night next to me). He was awake and alert the whole night. I stayed up pretty much all night to monitor him after giving him his first Levemir shot. Then this afternoon, he ran around from room to room this like he was on drugs.

Have any of your kitties become hyperactive on Levemir? If so, how long did it last. Do you have any advice? Is this normal?

Thanks,
Click to expand...

Ping, I just wanted to say welcome to the Levemir forum. I see you received a lot of good information and help on your two initial posts on the Health forum.

To answer your question, I have not heard of, or experienced with Tigger any sort of hyperactivity since we have been using Levemir. That does seem odd though. As caregivers we are usually more tuned into unusual behavior with our kitties. We just seem to know when something doesn't seem just right. I hope he settles down.

I see that others suggested starting with .25 units and I would suggest that as well. Then as per the modified tight regulation protocol explained here, raise the dose in .25 increments as suggested in the General Guidelines.

Also, if you are going to continue to post on the levemir forum, can you change your spreadsheet to reflect the mg/dl conversion for the US since most of us here in this forum are in the states. That would be much appreciated. :)

Also, do you have numbers for when he was on PZI recently?

I love the name Major...how old is he?
 
Welcome, Ping and Major,
My Klinger would do this pretty often before he was dx. and only started racing through the house now that he's getting better numbers.

I think it's a sign that my kitty feels better. Hopefully it means that Major feels better too.

Those are great numbers. I would watch the nadir to make sure he's not going low, especially once his shed has time to build up. He may need a little less insulin.

Again, welcome!
 
Hi Ping,
Major is getting some very good numbers at .5U, so you might as well keep that dose unless you see numbers below 2.22 mmol/L. Hope that's the right abbreviation. I don't know how to tell you to make your spreadsheet convert the values for you, it's probably in the Tech Support forum.

FYI to US members reading this who may be unfamiliar, just about everywhere but the US uses mmol/L measure for BG values. Multiply their value x 18 to equal mg/dl. Most US meters can measure either way with a change in settings.

Just from my experience with Levemir I think Major is probably just feeling really well and wants to run around. I switched Gandalf off PZI after 2 1/2 years on it because he was listless and not himself anymore. Within 2 weeks on Levemir he was outside and caught a mouse! It's the main reason I think of Levemir as his life saver. He would never have survived this long on PZI. He has now been on Levemir almost 4 years.
 
pamela and tigger said:
KSAkitties said:
Hello list members,

I switched Major to Levemir last night. We are on our 3rd cycle (0.5u BID). His preshot numbers are around 120 to 130. Nadir: 57 - 68.

His numbers are not too bad, considering this is only the second day. However, I am a bit concerned by his hyperactive behaviour. He didn't sleep much last night (he normally sleeps though the night next to me). He was awake and alert the whole night. I stayed up pretty much all night to monitor him after giving him his first Levemir shot. Then this afternoon, he ran around from room to room this like he was on drugs.

Have any of your kitties become hyperactive on Levemir? If so, how long did it last. Do you have any advice? Is this normal?

Thanks,
Click to expand...

Ping, I just wanted to say welcome to the Levemir forum. I see you received a lot of good information and help on your two initial posts on the Health forum.

To answer your question, I have not heard of, or experienced with Tigger any sort of hyperactivity since we have been using Levemir. That does seem odd though. As caregivers we are usually more tuned into unusual behavior with our kitties. We just seem to know when something doesn't seem just right. I hope he settles down.

I see that others suggested starting with .25 units and I would suggest that as well. Then as per the modified tight regulation protocol explained here, raise the dose in .25 increments as suggested in the General Guidelines.

Also, if you are going to continue to post on the levemir forum, can you change your spreadsheet to reflect the mg/dl conversion for the US since most of us here in this forum are in the states. That would be much appreciated. :)

Also, do you have numbers for when he was on PZI recently?

I love the name Major...how old is he?
Click to expand...

Hello Pamela,

Thanks for your reply.

I have updated Major's SS. All values are in mg/dL now.

I have Major's recent PZI values. I'll see f can post them in the spreadsheet.

Major is 12 years old (guesstimate. He was a stray). He is the sweetest and most attactionate kitty. He is my kitty soul mate.
 
Marcy & Klinger said:
Welcome, Ping and Major,
My Klinger would do this pretty often before he was dx. and only started racing through the house now that he's getting better numbers.

I think it's a sign that my kitty feels better. Hopefully it means that Major feels better too.

Those are great numbers. I would watch the nadir to make sure he's not going low, especially once his shed has time to build up. He may need a little less insulin.

Again, welcome!
Click to expand...

Thanks, Marcy.

I am watching his nadir very closely. How will I know if his shed has 'built up', and it's time to reduce his dose?

I am nervous about making the smallest change when his BG values seem to be doing fine.
 
Vicky & Gandalf said:
Hi Ping,
Major is getting some very good numbers at .5U, so you might as well keep that dose unless you see numbers below 2.22 mmol/L. Hope that's the right abbreviation. I don't know how to tell you to make your spreadsheet convert the values for you, it's probably in the Tech Support forum.

FYI to US members reading this who may be unfamiliar, just about everywhere but the US uses mmol/L measure for BG values. Multiply their value x 18 to equal mg/dl. Most US meters can measure either way with a change in settings.

Just from my experience with Levemir I think Major is probably just feeling really well and wants to run around. I switched Gandalf off PZI after 2 1/2 years on it because he was listless and not himself anymore. Within 2 weeks on Levemir he was outside and caught a mouse! It's the main reason I think of Levemir as his life saver. He would never have survived this long on PZI. He has now been on Levemir almost 4 years.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Vicky.

I have updated Major's SS. All the values are in mg/dL. His numbers are good but he is peeing more (5 times instead ofhis normal 2 to 4 times) yesterday and wanting to drink water so I am still a bit concerned.
 
KSAkitties said:
Hello Pamela,

Thanks for your reply.

I have updated Major's SS. All values are in mg/dL now.

I have Major's recent PZI values. I'll see f can post them in the spreadsheet.

Major is 12 years old (guesstimate. He was a stray). He is the sweetest and most attactionate kitty. He is my kitty soul mate.
Click to expand...

Thank you for fixing the spreadsheet....now the colors match up too. :)

Regarding your question on the shed - here it is explained:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=150

Just curious, did you post on the old board when you were on PZI?

I am sorry about the excessive peeing and drinking. Hopefully there isn't an infection brewing. If there were one you would think his numbers would be higher. Or maybe it is stress related which can happen with Interstitial Cystitis explained here by Dr. Lisa:

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth#Cystitis

If you take in a urine sample and have them test the urine specific gravity it may help to see 'if' there is an infection or not and check for kidney function. Here Dr. Lisa explains it on the old board:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/read.php?8,1936886,1937736#msg-1937736

and here....

http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/read.php?8,642144,642144#msg-642144

Hope this helps.
 
Hi Ping, and welcome. I agree with Marcy about our cats feeling better and running around more, I, for one, was happy to see that again after 3 years on "N" the switch to Lev saved him.
Good luck with the dosage, you seem to be getting great numbers already.
 
Hi Pamela,

Thank you very much for the links.

Here's the link to Major's previous PZI numbers from more than three years ago and his previous profile:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/p ... php?9,6247

Major was on Insuvet Lente for a month without much improvement. I switched to a new vet and got Major on Insuvet PZI. Major went OTJ after being on PZI for only 16 days. We started with BID then switched to the Tight Regulation Protocol.
 
Pam & Alley said:
Hi Ping, and welcome. I agree with Marcy about our cats feeling better and running around more, I, for one, was happy to see that again after 3 years on "N" the switch to Lev saved him.
Good luck with the dosage, you seem to be getting great numbers already.
Click to expand...

Thank you, Pam.

I am an over worried and over cautious mum.
 
KSAkitties said:
Hi Pamela,

Thank you very much for the links.

Here's the link to Major's previous PZI numbers from more than three years ago and his previous profile:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/p ... php?9,6247

Major was on Insuvet Lente for a month without much improvement. I switched to a new vet and got Major on Insuvet PZI. Major went OTJ after being on PZI for only 16 days. We started with BID then switched to the Tight Regulation Protocol.
Click to expand...

Oh good! Thank you for digging up your old Profile. That really helps to get some history on our cats. You can link it here in your signature right below your spreadsheet.

And now I remember you from your old profile name........Sudbina-Major. :)

I want to just mention one thing about using Levemir versus PZI. I noticed that you shot at +9 one time and another time at +15. Remember that dosing Lantus and Levemir is completely different than PZI. It is really common that people have a hard time getting away from that PZI mindset where you can shoot at different times. I know it was hard for me too. I was doing a TID tight regulation schedule with PZI and when we switched it was like I was a newbie all over again....learning new rules.

Here Vicky explains it in the Levemir 101 Sticky. You can see how her Gandalf did on PZI versus Levemir. Also note the section on Maintaining Regulation:

Levemir 101

As mentioned in the Sticky, the 'L' insulins do best if shot on a consistent 12/12 schedule. Levemir is a little more forgiving in that regard, but maintaining a 12/12 schedule as much as possible just makes things more consistent.

If at all possible try not to shoot early or late.

When you shoot early on the L's it equals a dose increase.

When you shoot late it equals a dose decrease.

I know you are still collecting data on how Major handles this insulin. So just mentioning this as something to keep in mind.

Here is a primer if you haven't already read it on shooting low preshots. There are three different primers in this post by three different people, but they all give really good and helpful information:

Lantus and levemir - Shooting and Handling Low Numbers

I know this is a lot of information to absorb. For now just keep doing what you are doing and collect that data. His spreadsheet is looking really good!
 
If you need help changing shot times, I can help with that. I do it weekly via either split doses to extend duration or reduced doses to give earlier shots. You can change by 2 hours without too much disruption, but of course ECID, so there may be some fine tuning involved. Also the cat needs to be at a good dose, which seems like Major is doing fairly well already.
 
Hello Pamela,

I am having a hard time to get my head around the 12/12 Levemir dozing schedule after my PZI experience but I am working on it.

Thank you for the info and links. I have read them several times but old habits die hard. I am being more careful now with the the dozing schedule.

I changed my user name when I re-registered FDMB this time because I took in three more rescued kitties since we moved to Saudi Arabia. I now have 5 kitties.
 
Vicky & Gandalf said:
If you need help changing shot times, I can help with that. I do it weekly via either split doses to extend duration or reduced doses to give earlier shots. You can change by 2 hours without too much disruption, but of course ECID, so there may be some fine tuning involved. Also the cat needs to be at a good dose, which seems like Major is doing fairly well already.
Click to expand...

Vickey,

Thank you. I will try to keep the 12/12 schedule as much as I possibly can. I sometimes may need to shoot an hour or two early or late but this shouldn't happen often.
 
Hi Ping--Lucy got the night time crazies on Lev too. Like others have said, I took it to mean she felt better. But keep in mind that exercise lowers BGs, so you need to occasionally get a test right after a crazy episode. He may need a little treat (wet food) after strenuous exercise to keep him from dropping too low. Doesn't look like that's happening right now, but as he starts using the insulin more efficiently, it's a possibility. I would also encourage you to get some tests at +10 and +11.
 
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