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ObieAndMe

ObieAndMe

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Hi everyone!

Glad I found this place! I'm Stacey...and my beloved 9 year old tabby, Obie.. was just diagnosed with diabetes. I've been a mess all day after getting the call this morning and having to leave him there all day for the insulin testing..etc. He's home with me now and ok.. but when I picked him up tonight and tried a few practice shots on him at the vet, he wasn't having any of it!! He is usually the most laid-back awesome kitty.. so hearing him growl and hiss was totally new to me. I felt awful..and also felt like I was poking him wrong... How am I going to do this??? I am so terrified that I'm going to give him too little or too much insulin, hurt him, not get his levels right. This is all very overwhelming.. so much information. Nevermind the testing...or is that the easy part?? The vet said he had just had enough today..and to take him home, cuddle, and begin his insulin tomorrow. He's on Lantus...1 unit twice a day. (well will be, starting tomorrow...) And my vet sent me home with 24 cans and a bag of Hills M/D.

This is where the confusion part comes in..I've been reading here all night to ease my panic..(and you guys have done a great job so far!)...but I'm seeing that Hills is AWFUL for diabetic cats. Now what??? Do I bring it all back and get the Purina? Or cheap brand from the grocery store. It's crazy to me.. that in all the time I've had him I've been lead to believe that grocery store food is terrible for cats... and I've been feeling guilty thinking maybe years of him eating it caused his diabetes. But not reading here.. it's sounding better for him than vet prescribed?? If it means getting him off insulin and into remission.. I (and Obie) are ALL ears for advice!!!

Please just tell me my kitty has many more years ahead and that it seems the end of the world right now but treating him is really a piece of cake???? So scared for him.
 
Hi Stacey and Obie,

Will it help to know we were all completely overwhelmed at first, and yes, the more we learned, the better it got.

Lantus is a good insulin and you have started at a nice low dose.

Yes, we advocate wet lo carb and like the regular foods better than the prescription because the price is lower and the ingredients usually better. Lots of us feed Fancy Feast and Friskies, but others like the higher quality foods like Wellness and Merritt. Whatever food you can afford that Obie will eat. Here is a website by a vet that explains why wet food is best: www.catinfo.org Here is our food chart: Janet and Binky’s chart We aim for under 10% carbs. BUT we would like you to be hometesting before you switch over to an all wet diet. It can really dramatically reduce their levels and you want to be on top of those.

We always gave Oliver his shot while his face was deep into his dinner. He didn't notice. Here is some info on giving the shot: How to give a shot

After you get the shot down, we will nag you about learning to hometest. We want to know what their blood glucose levels are before the shot to make sure the dose we are planning to give is safe. Here is how we do it: Video for hometesting

Keep reading. Breathe. Ask questions. We would love to help you help Odie.
 
Welcome Stacy and you too extra sweet Obie.

First off BREATHE!!!!

There feel better now that oyxgen has returned to your lungs? :-D

Yes, you and Obie have lots of happy and healthy years ahead of you....How do I know? Because you have been started on an excellent insulin and at a nice starting dose...everything else we can hold your hand and his paw through.

Does it get easier...Yep sure does, in fact so easy that I have not one diabetic, but two of them that I adopted as diabetics. Maxwell I adopted on October 15 of last year, after switching his diet to just good old fashioned pate style Friskies and a couple of weeks of Lantus injection while testing him at home, he went into remission. So this last June I adopted my Musette, so far she has gone from being a DKA survivor before I adopted her and on 2u of Lantus twice a day to getting a mere .25u twice a day and we have even had to skip a shot every now and then because she too is trying really hard to go into remission but just hasn't quite made it yet.

Now if this was truly hard to do I certainly wouldn't have set myself up to treat not only 1 but 2 diabetics, because you see I already had 11 healthy and happy cats before adopting Maxwell and then Musette. I'm also a full time college student, wife, mother and grandmother. And have in addition to the cats a large dog that we haven't had the heart to tell him that he really is a dog and not just a large clumpsy cat.

I'm sure others will be along shortly to give you a ton of links to read and advice on the best ways to help you help Obie...But I need to run right now and go test Musette and feed the rest of the my furry horde. :-D But I did want to pop in and Welcome you to the best place you never wanted to be, but are so very blessed to have found.
Congrats on being a proud owner of a Sugarcat!

Mel, Maxwell, Musette and The Fur Gang
 
Stacey, I'm here.
I can't be of much help right now...maybe in a little bit. I'm with my cat.
Your cat can have a long full life.
Diabetes is almost a gift in disguise as you and your kitteh will become much closer.
I did'nt even see if you were testing or planning to.
It's very empowering.
I'll be back and I will look for you.
Lori
 
Hello, Stacey!! You're definitely in the right place... the best place you wish never had to be! Let me try to address some of your concerns:

1. The dreaded shots. Obie was most likely reacting that way because of the stress of being at the vet and then poked and prodded. Things will no doubt be easier at home. Same with ear pokes for BG testing... and you know what helps? Treats!! We use Purebites freeze-dried chicken, which we get in the dog treat aisle... same treats as the cat version, just more cost-effective.

2. Food. I would return the vet stuff (if you tell them Obie refused to eat it, they will refund your money) and select the food you're most comfortable with. Lots of people here feed Special Kitty from Walmart, Friskies pate and/or Fancy Feast. Janet and Binky's food chart will help you select varieties with under 10% carbs, which is what you should initially be shooting for. Some kitties are very carb sensitive... for my Willie, we try to stick to under 2%. If you wish to consider a higher end food, you can also check out this chart, which has carb values for some of the more expensive brands. Many of us choose these, especially if we're trying to keep phosphorus down for renal kitties. Personally, I find them to be relatively cost effective because they tend to have less water content than the cheaper brands, but then I add water (helps to keep kitties hydrated, especially when starting diabetes treatment!) to the food, which stretches it out some. Figure out what you can do within your budget and go with it!

3. Supplies. We recommend making dosage changes in small increments-- 0.25u. You'll want syringes with 1/2 unit markings to make that easier. Walmart's Relion syringes have them, and some BDs do (though BDs are very pricey and notoriously unreliable in terms of proper markings from syringe to syringe... I'd avoid them!). If possible, I'd have your vet write your script for the Lantus Solostar pens instead of vials. The upfront cost is more, but you throw away far less insulin, so they wind up being far more cost effective. 5 pens cost around $200, though some Costco and Sams pharmacies (no membership required at either for prescriptions) will sell one pen at a time, as will some outpatient pharmacies at hospitals. Call around! Lastly, the best thing you can do is to test your cat's blood glucose at home... it allows you to maintain knowledge and control over how Obie is doing... and drastically cuts down on visits to the vet for expensive tests. Many of us use the Relion Confirm and/or Micro meter from Walmart. The meter is only $9 and the strips are $20 for a 50 pack. The Relion Confirm is a branded version of the Arkray Glucocard 01, and you can get compatible strips at ADW for even less. With occasional coupon codes and cashback through sites like Mr. Rebates, the savings can add up. Many of us use the monoject syringes from there as well.

4. Information. We have an entire forum devoted to Lantus users. Please stop by and take some time to read the stickies at the top of the page. I strongly recommend printing them off and putting them in a binder or folder along with directions and the phone number to your closest 24 hr emergency vet. The last thing you need in a crisis is to be digging for a phone number, or even just that piece of info you need that you remember you saw somewhere... having it all in a binder allows you to take notes, highlight, etc. We recommend putting together a hypo kit with high carb food, karo syrup, extra test strips, etc. Should Obie ever dip into low numbers, these things will help you to keep him safe. Once you start hometesting, we strongly recommend that you set up a google spreadsheet so that you can track Obie's numbers (which can be shared with the vet in real time!). You'll notice that many of us have links to our spreadsheets in our signatures... that's so that when we have a question or aren't sure what to do, folks can look at our cats' numbers and more confidently give advice. You'll find our lantus forum to be quite the family, where folks are very generous with their time, knowledge and (most importantly) humor.

5. Relaxing. The first week or so of a FD diagnosis is totally overwhelming. So much information to learn, but you're in the right place, where people will help you get Obie back to the best possible health. My Willie was suffering horribly when he was diagnosed back in December. 15 years of age, a horrible skin condition (which turned out to be a rare auto-immune disease for which there is no cure), and within a week of diagnosis, we suddenly lost his kitty companion of 12 years. Things were not looking up for him. Within a month or so, he was spontaneously playing for the first time in years. Fast forward to today, and you have a cat who, at first glance, most vets assume is half his age, who streaks through the house and backyard in energetic play, and who is just as cuddly, happy, and healthy as he could be. He'll be on skin meds for life, and even if we never achieve remission for his diabetes, we are able to maintain mostly normal BG numbers on a very small dose of insulin, which minimizes any stress on his other organs caused by high blood glucose. Even with no teeth and no gums, my boy has suddenly become an expert mouser (having never, until a month ago, caught a mouse in his life!). Assuming that there are no other serious health issues for Obie, he indeed does have a long life ahead of him.

Please continue to ask questions as you have them! And once again, welcome!!
 
Hi! Just wanted to say it gets better. I promise and BREATHE! :) When Garland was diagnosed, I cried for days. This board is such a blessing.

We feed Garland Fancy Feast from the orange variety box. Classic Chicken, Beef, etc... The shots will become so easy neither one of you will notice it. I find, Garlands best time is to shoot her dose while her head in in the food bowl LOL :lol: Even the ear pricks are routine now. Just takes some practice.

(((hugs))) We are here when you need us!
 
Stacey,

I PROMISE you, it will get easier, and your kitty can still have many, many years of happy and quality life ahead of him. One of our members (JoJo and Bunny) whose Bunny lived with diabetes for 14 years (or is it 16 years?).

In a few weeks, you will look back and say to yourself - well, this is not as scary as I thought. Many of us felt the same way as you are feeling now then giving injections and doing hometesting just got easier and easier until they become part of our life. It's like making a cup of tea or coffee in the morning. In the morning, I open my eyes, bring out the testing kit (I don't even need to roll out my bed) as the kit is next to my bed, and my kitty is on the bed with me. I do a quick poke with my boy purring away then I get up, feed him and give hm his injection. I can still have a life, I still go out.....I just became more discipilined with my time and my schedule - it's not a bad thing!

Diabetes is a blessing in disguise - it's a very treatable disease, it will bring you and your kitty much closer, it will make you become more aware of your kitty's health, it will make you become very disciplined......I can think of many postive things about doing this sugar dance with my Major.

Others have already given you good advice. I just wanted to welcom you to FDMB.
 
I can't add anything to what these fine people have already posted except another encouraging, "It does get easier!" Very soon your Obie will be feeling better and after a couple of days, at least with Boo and a few others I've read about here, it seems the little furrbies come to an understanding that the pokes, the new food, and every other new thing are what is helping them to get to a happy place again.

You can do it! And Obie can too!
 
Welcome Obie and bean.......
Lots of post to you and lots of information to digest.... So, I will say welcome, and you will never find a better bunch of ppl that understand, that are knowledgable, and really do care about their furry families....all of them
Keep us updated as often as you can!
 
Thank you all SO much! I feel much better today. I did it, he did it... his first shot was a success. :mrgreen:

I didn't sleep well at all...was so nervous about waking him and trying to give him his shot... but got up at 8am, prepared his needle while he ate some wet food, then with a shaking hand.. just crouched behind him and boom..done. He didnt even flinch! Didnt turn around and give me a look, nothing. MUCH easier than I thought... at the vet he was very annoyed.

My only confusion and stress now is testing him. Vet told me I dont need to do a curve until next week... but I want to start now ofcourse so I can keep a good eye on him. With the overload of information... I want to make sure I know when he needs a shot and when he doest. I THINK the vet said anything under 9 he doesnt need one that day?? Or is that incorrect? I should have paid better attention (and ofcourse Ill read more all day today) but I was so upset it was hard to concentrate. Whats the ideal number... 4.4 to 6.6? Anything lower, no shot? I'm going to try today so I can get used to this..

Thanks again everyone.. and yes the best place you never wanted to be is the BEST description for this wonderful forum.

*Obie is happy and purring under my feet right now..* :)
 
So glad you are back and feeling better. It really is like that with this sugar dance - the more you know, the more confident you feel, the better your kitty feels.

Most of us live in the US so we don't use the metric bg numbers. Here is a conversion chart for you: http://www.felinediabetes.com/bg-convert.htm We usually tell newbies not to shoot under 200, but to wait 20 minutes without feeding and test again. If he is over 200, you could consider a reduced dose.

Yes, testing will give you such a sense of control. Did you look at the video: Video for hometesting We test before each shot to make sure it is safe to give insulin in the amount we planned on and mid cycle to see exactly how the insulin is working. Let us know where you are - Canada or Europe - and we can help you find testing supplies. All of us had tips that helped us and we like to share.
 
Judging by the numbers you are using I would have to guess you aren't in the US.. :-D So if I do my math correctly when you are just starting out with the testing we advise not to shot below 200 US or 11.11 Canada and elsewhere. At least until you have some data and know how Obie is going to handle a particular dose of insulin.

If you give us just a general location ...say, City & State or City and Province...and there is a really good chance we have a member around here that can pop by and give you some hands on help learning to test your extra sweet boy. If you are in Canada you are really in luck as we have a bunch of folks there, but even if you aren't we literally have folks all over the world.

AS far as testing goes, your vet is probably right in that you won't need to run a curve for about a week, as a curve is testing every 2 hours between one shot to the next, however, you will want to get several tests in during the day, and definitely get his numbers right before he eats and gets his insulin, and then as often as you can you will want to test about 6 hours after his shot.

I'm blessed that I am a stay at home kitty mom, so with Ms. Musette I test her before her morning shot (amps on spreadsheet) then again at +3 (3 hours after which is her on set of her insulin), again at +6 (6 hours after, or nadir, the lowest she is going to go), then again somewhere around +9-ish, and then of course again before her evening shot. Now that is in a perfect world. Many folks only get the preshots and the nadirs or random spot checks.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
I got his test...so much easier than I expected...he didnt care at all! So, when he was diagnosed he was 22.5 (about 410)...when I picked him up he was 12.5 (225) after his one shot and testing all day... I skipped his insulin last night because I was stressed and he was stressed.. so we started today. I didnt test before he ate, but an hour after his shot and eating.. and he's 13.5! (245) I assume that's good??? That he's dropping already after just two shots??

And yes, I am in Canada! (Toronto to be exact)
 
Fantastic! Didn't realize you were already testing! Welcome to the vampire club! :RAHCAT :RAHCAT :RAHCAT

Now that you have some numbers, it would be good to post on the Lantus support group. They all use your insulin. viewforum.php?f=9

The first thing they will ask is if you have read the stickies at the top of the page. So read them! They are full of great info.

At some point soon, you will need to set up a spreadsheet. If you have trouble, just ask for help.
 
Good afternoon! Glad to hear you're feeling better this morning!! Lantus is what is referred to as a "depot" insulin... it forms crystals under the skin that dissolve throughout the cycle, providing for a longer lasting effect. We refer to the depot as the "shed..." When you start out, it's like Obie has to take some of his insulin out to the shed in the backyard for later, and then he uses what is left for his BG#s. It will take 5-7 days for him to fill up his shed and get to where he is just topping off with each shot, with the bulk of it going to lowering BG#s. You'll want to hold that 1u dose for at least that 5-7 days... it will take that long to know for sure what it will do for Obie.
 
ObieAndMe said:
I got his test...so much easier than I expected...he didnt care at all! So, when he was diagnosed he was 22.5 (about 410)...when I picked him up he was 12.5 (225) after his one shot and testing all day... I skipped his insulin last night because I was stressed and he was stressed.. so we started today. I didnt test before he ate, but an hour after his shot and eating.. and he's 13.5! (245) I assume that's good??? That he's dropping already after just two shots??

And yes, I am in Canada! (Toronto to be exact)
Click to expand...

You can add your location to your "avatar" and it will show right beneath Obie's picture. That way you won't have to keep telling folks that ask!
Yes, mid=-200s are good numbers. Very nice this early in the dance. What was the reading before you gave him food?

The easiest way to communicate his numbers of course is with a spread sheet. But until you have that up and running, one way you can let us know how things are going is like this:

AMPS 350 (his BG before eating breakfast and before his AM shot) 1u (what dose you shot)
+2 300 (BG reading 2 hours after the shot
+4 270 (BG 4 hours after)
and just post numbers as you get them, always referring to how many hours past his shot the reading was taken.

Then on the PM cycle, the same thing "PMPS" would be his reading 12 hours after his AM shot, then +2, +6, or whatever, how ever many hours the test was done after his PM shot.

Using the +2, +4, etc reference is easier for everyone because that doesn't require that anyone has to consider which time zones are involved.

A belated welcome to the board from
Carl and Bob in sunny SC
 
Stacey,
I just have to grin a big grin and share it with you....

Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:18 pm
How am I going to do this??? I am so terrified..... Nevermind the testing...or is that the easy part?? The vet said he had just had enough today..and to take him home, cuddle, and begin his insulin tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Sat Oct 22, 2011 12:40 pm
I got his test...so much easier than I expected...he didnt care at all!
Click to expand...

...and you didn't believe us when we first told you it wasn't hard.... :-D

GOOD JOB!!!!! Big hug too!
 
Thanks again for all the support!

Just one more question for today.. so I know what I'm doing for his second shot in a few hours.

I think my vet told me don't shoot if he is anything under 160 at reading (dont know all the lingo yet, sorry!) But reading around here it sounds like everyone aims for 250. He was 245 (13.5) earlier today...(+4 AMPS?) .. Does that mean if he still reads under 250 (39.5) PMPS (? Am I saying that right?) then DONT shoot??

I guess I just need a really clear answer to when do you NOT shoot at reading time just prior to his shot?? I'll get this, I promise!
 
We usually advise a "line in the sand" for new people of 200. At least until you have collected enough data to have a good idea how much a given dose will push his BG down. Your vet's line at 160 isn't that far below that.
Just because I didn't see it scaning this thread, you are using Lantus, right? And is the dose 1unit?
If the answer to both of those questions is "yes", then you should be okay as long as he's over 200 at PMPS (that's before food)

If you have any questions at all when it gets close to "shot" time, post again and someone will be here to help!
 
Thank you! That helps..so if he's 200 or more, safe to shoot. Yes, Lantus at 1 unit. I am going to add my spreadsheet and info tonight so things are easier for me here!

*ETA* I'm trying to make a template from the Google ones provided and am getting a "We're sorry, your spreadsheet cannot be copied at this time." error...... Anyone know?
 
Yep, if he is 200 or higher then he is safe to go ahead and shoot 1u of Lantus especially this early in the dance. You're doing great and catching on at remarkable speed....way ahead of where I was when I first started dancing with a sugarcat.

Just remember this isn't a sprint it is a marathon, you don't have to get it all down like yesterday, baby steps for now and we will help you every step of the way.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang.
 
Bah...I'm all nervous again! Just when I was making progress. He seemed normal all day.. I tested him just now before I do his second shot and he's at 295. :( How did he go up? Or is that normal? I will give him his shot, then I'm suppose to go out tonight but I'm scared to leave him.... will he be fine?? I guess his level is high enough that he won't go hypo..but that's my biggest fear..having that happen when I'm not home!
 
It should be higher when it's shot time - it's 'curve' is on the upswing. Relax. You said "He seemed normal all day" - he's still 'normal', you just know what his BG is! You don't have much data yet but 1u Lantus, especially new, is most likely not going to drop anywhere near hypo numbers.

Your baby is going to be fine!
 
Stacey,
Not sure if I've linked this for you or if anyone else has. BUT before you go out tonight, I want you to read it. Print it out and hang it on the fridge....
Then go out an enjoy your Saturday night. You are doing super!
And, I love what you named Obie's Spread sheet!

http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=33671
 
Oh thank you for that!! It brought tears to my eyes and made me laugh. I know I'm being like that.. haha. I suffer from bad anxiety as it is so it's been a trying few days! I will go out and enjoy (certainly need a drink!) Is it ok I dont test him when I get home? Dont want to "drunk-poke!"
 
definitely no drunk-poke allowed! You can give his little ears a break until the AM test!
Enjoy your night. You've earned a night out,
Carl
P.S. It made me laugh and cry more than once. I read it every couple of weeks for months.
 
Hey Stacey,

I really hope you had a wonderful time on your Saturday Night Out...Because I certainly enjoyed mine...and don't you dare feel guilty for doing so. :-D

There are a couple of reasons why we call it a dance...And one of those is because you eventual learn to live your life around the routine...Like tonight my husband was playing at a local musicians renunion, but the show started before it was time to test and shoot Musette. So the steps to tonight's dance went....Go to gig with husband, watch an hour of the show, then take our vehicle, drive home, test Musette, feed the 13 cats, take the dog out, shoot Musette, get the dog back inside, drive back to the gig and enjoy the rest of the evening.... :lol:

Remembering to take time to take care of yourself, and live you life too is good for both you and Obie. You'll stay much sane and less stress out, especially when you are just starting out...Our cats maybe extra sweet, but they are after all still cats :-D And if you are less stressed out, then the less stressed out Obie is going to be, and stress raises BG. :-D

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
I did enjoy my night out, thanks! Was tough to get up at 8am this morning for Obie's shot but I did it... that is the easy part now. His insulin shot. His testing, however...not as easy as the first time. Think he's on to me... he's won't sit still long enough for me to get a good poke..but finally got it today +4 AMPS (is that lingo right?) Anywho, I'm a bit concerned at the amount of blood he is drawing.. it seems an awful lot and I'm wondering if that's normal?? Its not just a spot and I certainly don't have to squeeze.. it drips out a lot..to the point there are spots on the floor.. He doesnt yelp so I dont THINK Im doing it wrong.. but maybe I am??? Is this normal.. to draw a big enough spot of blood where its dripping to the floor?? Poor guy!
 
Stacey,
it sounds like you may be hitting a vein. The spot you want to poke is betwen the vein you can see if you put a light to his ear, and the edge of his ear. I hit the vein with bob a couple times, and it did bleed quite a lot.
 
Oh..I must be..:( I can see that vein pretty well, even without a light..and I dont know why I thought that's where I was SUPPOSE to poke...I hope I haven't damaged anything! So as close to the edge of his ear, but not the vein.... Will try that..thanks!
 
If you put a flashlight behind his ear, you can see the little capillaries that go off the vein to the edge of the ear. They are where you are aiming.
 
I know that there doesn't seem to be much space between the two, but that lancet is really skinny. Don't be surprised when you do hit the "sweet spot" if it takes a couple seconds until you see a drop of blood. You can sometimes massage above or below the poke hole, or fold his ear over it, to get the drop to form.
You haven't damaged anything, no worries! It it caused damage, we'd all probably have cats with missing ears ;-)

Oh, I did noticed the couple of times that when I hit right on the vein, it seemed to bother Bob, where when I got it "right", he rarely noticed or cared. If you've had problems getting him to stay still, that might be part of it. He's saying, "but mom, it hurt the last time!". I think it takes most people a few days of testing before kitty and you will feel calm about it.
The most tense moments for me were the impossibly long 3 seconds it took from getting the blood on the strip, to hearing the meter beep. Especially when Bob's numbers started coming down. I always dreaded the "high" number. Probably 90% of the time, I was very pleasantly surprised (and relieved) to see something lower than I feared.

Carl
 
Hi Stacy & Obie;
Yes, it can be very overwhelming, but I tell you, you came to the right place. My Simba was diagnosed in April of this yr. And boy, was I a mess. I took him for a 2nd opinion since I was not happy with my previous vet. The 2nd opinion vet was very against dry food. After he saw the 2nd opionion vet in June I finally made the dicision NO DRY FOOD. Simba's last dosage of insulin was June 29th. He has been so stable with his levels and I have to thank this site for all the information I was giving.

Feline diabetes can be controlled, but I understand at first you are scared **** like I was and so overwhelmed with so much information thrown at you, but you do what you can and what is best for Obie.

When I came out of the 2nd opinion, the vet said Simba had some infections in his mouth that he needed 9 teeth pulled out. I totally freaked. Yes, my baby had 9 teeth pulled on 7/6/11. Yes, it was difficult going through that, but I swear the infection he had in his mouth, I believe is was what caused his B/S to go up and him being diabetic for that short time. Simba is back on dry food for now (Core Dry) and his B/S are fine. And yes, he eats the dry fine with most of his teeth gone.

I do recommend every cat owner to have their feline mouth/teeth checked out thoroughly. Most cat owners don't even know that their kitties have teeth/gum infections. My previous vet diagnosed Simba w/diabetes in April and said he just needed a basic cleaning when ever. Most pet owners don't want to hear that their pets need dental work, it's expensive, but I felt like I needed to do this. I was heartbroken, but I think it was the right decison by having his 9 teeth removed.

I prick Simba's ear every two weeks, his levels run from fifties to ninties with DRY CORE food. I wish you and Obie the best.
 
Thank you Winni.. it's interesting you mention the bad teeth. That was the first thing my vet said when he got his check up... he also needs teeth pulled (poor guy!) but vet didnt seem terribly concerned about getting it done right now. I will though once we get into this insulin routine.

Today was a stressful day... my anxiety levels are back up. Testing has not been going well..he wont sit tight. But I discovered earlier today from reading here, that I was poking the wrong spot..so I got that part figured out now atleast. But now Im having the problem of it taking so long for him to let me do it, that the meter turns off before I can get his drop of blood..so when I turn it back on, it reads an error. By that time his blood spot isnt enough so I have to do it all again! Ugh.. so frustrating. I think maybe Ill poke first, then turn on meter and get it.. maybe that will work better. He is getting a little more better at me poking..doesnt seem to bug him too much.

I have noticed MUCH less water drinking and peeing today already.. He's only gone once, whereas 2 days ago he was going up to 7 times a day. So I'm guessing that's good???
 
One of the easiest ways to keep the meter from timing out while trying to get the blood drop is to only push the strip part of the way in, just enough so it will stay in place but not turn on the meter. Then poke, get the blood drop up, push the strip all the way in with your thumb, then test. Once you guys get settled into the routine it will get quick enough you can just insert the strip so that meter turns on, poke, and test, but in the beginning you may need a few seconds longer than what the meter allows. :-D

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang.
 
Yes, one of the first indications that things are improving is their going back to a "normal" peeing routine, both in frequency and in volume. So, that is very good news. Less drinking is also good!
Your plan for a sequence during the testing sounds like a great idea. It's easier to see the blood, then turn the meter on. Less errors that way. After a few days, you'll be able to do it the other way as well, because the whole poke/meter/beep process will only take you 30 seconds or so. You'll get blood the first poke, his ears will actually "learn to bleed" more readily, and you'll be able to do this almost in your sleep.

carl
 
Woke up to Obie hacking, much like he has when he's had a hairball. (not very often..) I ran right out, scared.. he vomited a small bit of what looked like either hair or brown phlegm (from his food) Think I left his wet food out overnight, the bit he didnt finish last night and he got into it this morning and maybe got sick right after.. He came jumping into bed and purring, wet nose..immediately after he got sick so I'm HOPING that's all it was and he's not on the verge of hypo! I need to relax, I know... I stayed home from work anyway..just incase. He read 241 this morning which is great..he's getting lower and peeing lots less, eating normal.

Is his vomiting anything to be concerned with??
 
Only if it keeps happening. Most likely a hairball kind of tbing. If he does it again, let us know but he should be fine. Nice number too!
Carl
 
It is so easy to start worrying about everything. He vomited before diabetes, right? It is most likely that he has a hairball or ate too fast. Just watch him. If he would continue vomiting, you would want to figure things out - just like with a non diabetic cat.

If you test him, you will know when and if he would get down in lower numbers and then you can intervene. We don't start being concerned unless they get down in the 50s mid cycle or they start a sharp downward trend early in the cycle. Can you get another test around 2 hours after the shot to reassure yourself?
 
Thanks guys. I'm convinced its his new diet food (Hills M/D) which I am bring back today. Switching him back to Fancy Feast.. wet only.

One more stupid question for the day... I just tested him again (practicing as much as I can so for his own good AND mine!) and he's still 241 +3 AMPS?? Shouldn't he be atleast a little lower after his shot? Or is it normal to stay in same range? Especially if he just ate a ton with his shot, better than higher but still...
 
The only dumb question is the one you don't ask. :mrgreen:

Normal enough. Insulin brings down the number and food brings it up. Some kitties actually go up in the couple of hours before heading down.
 
Lantus also works very slowly, so you may not even see any results for a few days. The way it works is that it needs to build up a shed under the skin before it starts working to lower blood sugar. So usually you don't see it start to work until 24-72 hours after the first shot. You can read about how Lantus works and the shed here: http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=150

Also, the nadir, or the lowest point in the cycle, usually occurs somewhere around 6 hours after the shot. You'll want to test daily for this number along with the preshots, because this is the number dosing adjustments are made by.
 
Ok I lied.. one more!

Does it affect anything if his weekend shots are 9am and 9pm and week days is 8am and 8pm.. Does that one hour throw everything off??
 
Yes, it does matter if you change the shot times.
If you shoot 8pm Friday nite, then don't shot till 9am Sat morn, Obie has gone without insulin for 13hours.
Then on Sunday nite you shoot at 9pm, but then Monday morn you shoot at 8am, that's only 11hours.

Why don't you compromise and shoot every day at 830am/pm?

My shot times are at 6am/pm and if I want, I can always go back to bed on the weekends after shots.
 
Hmm...darnit. I dont mind at all getting up on weekends and going back to bed.. The problem is I started him at 9am this part Saturday because I was so nervous about everything, and now I want to switch it to 8am/pm every single day..even weekends. He is used to getting up with me before work and running to the kitchen to eat, then I get in the shower. Now he'll have to wait until I get out of the shower and am just about to leave the house if I give it to him at 9am..:(
 
Not a problem! You can safely adjust up to 30 minutes per day... either 30 minutes at one shot time, or 15 minutes at each.

For example, right now, I'm shooting at 6:30am, but I know I have a 6am flight on Saturday, so I will be shooting at 4:30 that morning. So...
Today: 6:30 AM/PM
Tomorrow: 6:00 AM/PM
Wednesday 6:00 AM/5:30 PM
Thurs. 5:30 AM/5:00PM
Fri, 5:00AM/PM
Saturday-- AM 4:30AM (did I mention.... UGH??? :lol: :lol: :lol: ).

Also, keep in mind that DST is coming to an end on November 6th, so you'll need to do adjustments to stay on track that week as well (because honestly. you really don't have enough to think about with all this FD business right now...)
 
Oh good! So either I can wait until DLS and start at 8am then (right? I think?) Or, shoot at 8:30pm tonight, 8am tomorrow?
 
Look for the post about DLS and it explains how you move backwards or forwards when the time changes.... everyone has to make the time change twice a yr, so you can wait till then if you like.
 
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