Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
Also yes I do have syringes!
New to managing diabetic cat
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Chris & China (GA)
Member Since 2013
Can you get 1 more quick test before you feed? It looks like she's heading up quickly but want to make sure
Chris & China (GA)
Member Since 2013
Also, for tonight.....do you have plenty of supplies (test strips, high and medium carb food, Karo/honey/syrup) and are you able to test as often (and as long) as might be necessary?
Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
I wasn't sure what to do so I went ahead and fed her and gave her 1 unit. I didn't test her again before feeding her. I understand the grave importance of doing everything I can for her but I also have a son who's almost 6 months old and he needs me too. That being said, I've devoted a lot of time and energy into her.
I have over 50 test strips, Friskies shreds w/ gravy, Fancy Feast Classic Patte, I even have Iams hard cat food yet as that is what she was previously eating. I also have Karo syrup and I've been testing her an hour after she eats and then one more time before I go to bed. I can't test her throughout the night because I'm breast feeding solely and I truly need my sleep to also care for my son.
When I wake up in the morning between 5-6am, the first thing I do is go test her. I haven't been testing her right before she eats because I didn't think I needed to if I test her within an hour of giving her insulin. She doesn't love being tested so I try to only test her once or twice a day just to watch her and see what's going on. For her safety and so she can get better of course! I do all I can right now which is more than what most people I think would do! I'm really trying.
Chris & China (GA)
Member Since 2013
Absolutely!! You're already doing a lot more than most! I just figured you needed a quick answer so didn't have time to go back and see if there was more information about you available (like having a 6 month old....not sure which is harder...the baby or the sugarcat!)
I think the 1U was a good decision under the circumstances!
Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
Thank you!!! Throughout this entire process I've felt like a failure at it. I wasted 2 months at a horrible vet that gave her a death sentence and then finally switched and found some hope. After the Novolin failed, I was so worried I would have to be putting my cat down this week. It was sounding like cancer and there wasn't going to be a lot of hope. Thankfully the Lantus is working and it's doing great! I'm so thankful things are finally moving in the right direction. I've shed far too many tears and been stressed beyond belief. Cleaning up the accidents, watching our cat deteriorate along with trying to take care of a young baby. It's been a wild ride! Thankfully our baby is very easy! He's given me so many hugs during this and let me cry into him. I've been lucky and thankful for him!
I believe the 1U was good too. I was too nervous to give her too much and I can't monitor her throughout the night so I don't want to be anxious and worried for her all night. Also thank you for being understanding! I do appreciate it!
Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
241 - +1 after 1 can FF pate/1U
Chris & China (GA)
Member Since 2013
Looks like Kitty might be going off on a bounce! If she's higher at your "before bed" test, you should be able to relax and get a good night's sleep (if the baby will let you)
Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
Is a bounce normal at this stage? Maybe it's because she eats dry food and it catches up with her at night? I'm almost entirely positive that at night she doesn't free feed. Just mostly sleeps till she tries to wake me up in the morning!
Baby should sleep great! One can always hope lol
Chris & China (GA)
Member Since 2013
VERY normal. Bounces happen when 1. they drop too low, 2. they drop too fast, 3. they drop into numbers their body isn't used to anymore (or any combination of all 3).
The liver releases stored sugars and hormones to bring the blood glucose up ...it's kind of a leftover survival mechanism from when cats were wild and if they didn't have a kill for a long time, the liver's "release" would give them the energy to hopefully hunt and get some food.
In Kitty's case, she's most likely bouncing due to #3. By the time we see enough signs that our cats are sick and get them diagnosed, they've probably been diabetic for quite some time. Their body has gotten used to living in those higher numbers so now, even normal numbers cause Ms. L. to do her thing.
It can take up to 6 cycles for those sugars and hormones to clear out of the bloodstream but as she spends more time in normal numbers, the bounces usually don't bounce as high and clear out faster too.
It's all very normal....and very frustrating for us!
Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
WOW! Thank you for the very detailed and thorough explanation! That totally makes sense actually! Because even though she's been hovering in "normal" numbers for herself. She still doesn't seem normal which is so frustrating!
Would you recommend I stick to 1U for the next however many cycles and see where we go from there?
Chris & China (GA)
Member Since 2013
If she's over 200 by AMPS, I'd go with the 1.75 reduced dose that she earned this morning. If it concerns you, you could try 1.5 but I wouldn't go lower until she earns the next reduction.
We talk about "earning" reductions because we want them to keep "earning" them until there's nowhere else to go and they're on zero!
Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
Thank you for the advice! 1U tonight though is still OK right? Going to check her glucose shortly before heading to bed and then I will proceed with 1.75U tomorrow morning
Looks like I got a few more days at least of lots of testing. Let's hope she just bonds with me instead of getting angry at me!
Chris & China (GA)
Member Since 2013
yes, you never shoot more. Once you make a decision, you go with it and learn from it for the next time you have to make a decision
Just make sure she gets something she really loves as a reward every time. Something special she doesn't get other than at test time. Cats do best with routine (same place) and reward (treat, brushing, cuddles..whatever is special to her).
You're going to learn more about her than you ever thought and your relationship is going to become even stronger. Unfortunately, when it is time for them to leave us, it hurts that much more too.
Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
Thank you for the advice! I wish I had that advice Sunday night. I was texting with my vet who kept telling me to give her another unit each hour to get her down. I had these weird gut feeling I should not have done that and I shouldn't have started at 2U but rather 1U. Anyways, updated my SS. 1U was definitely not enough last night! We're sneaking back up into the 400 range. But we will get there! Gave her 1.75U this morning and she is still on the rise but I really like how you say "earn" their dosage. Funny thing is, she's acting more normal today again now that her numbers are a bit higher than she did yesterday with low numbers. Although she had a pee accident which I suppose is expected. Poor girl. I'm already so close with her that this is the hardest thing to put her through. I hope that in the future we become as close as we once were and if were even closer, that's OK too! She's 12 and I was really hoping to get 5 more years with her, at most. I want her to grow up with our son because she's so affectionate and loving. It's hard to not watch her be that way anymore.
I’m very sorry I’m late to the party but you were in good hands. It’s a good idea for you to move to the Lantus forum as the are more Lantus users there to help out. We post differently there but these Posting Guidelines will help you.
You are doing great with all you have on your plate! BTW, pooping outside the box is not FD related. It could definitely be behavioral but if it continues, it might be good to have the vet check her. Things that will not be behavioral but not medical are if she’s declawed, if there’s too much noise where her box is, if the box is not kept clean, etc. Medical might be constipation and it hurts her when she poops so she equates it with the box. Just ideas….
The other thing is many cats and their caregivers become more bonded during FD and you learn things you didn’t know about your kitty. As she starts to feel better and more regulated, you’ll see the old “her” coming out. I love this letter one member wrote to FD after her kitty went into remission.
See you in Lantus/Levemir Land!
Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
No worries!
I will seek that out today! Thank you also! And it never started till about a month or so ago. She never has had accidents before. So strange! But I'm going to get some enzyme cleaner today and see if that helps her out. Cross our fingers! We have been cleaning her box twice a day every day. Putting newspapers down for pee/poop accidents and somedays there will be zero accidents! Others there are 2 or 3. She's not declawed either and she poops once or twice a day everyday so I assume not constipated. She's been constipated in the past and I know those symptoms! She typically will not eat no matter what. I'm hoping a good cleaning with an enzyme cleaner helps her out! I will have to check this letter out - thank you!!
And she will eventually grow to trust me and learn that I'm helping her and not helping her. It's all a learning curve and we both will slowly get better at it!
Enzyme cleaner??? You mean for your carpet? The other thing is Dr. Elseys Cat Attract litter should help get her back using the box every time. I don’t know how but it does work. If she’s peeing outside the box, be sure she doesn’t have a UTI. These are uncommon in non diabetic cats but common in diabetic ones.No worries!
I will have to check this letter out - thank you!!
Chris & China (GA)
Member Since 2013
Totally expected! Not only did you give only 1U last night, she also got a flood of those hormones and sugars from Ms. Liver due to the lower numbers she got into yesterday morning. Just hold the dose at 1.75 and hang in there. It could take up to 6 cycles for the bounce to clear. You don't want to increase back to 2U due to the high "bounce" numbers
Chris & China (GA)
Member Since 2013
Yep...her body has gotten used to living in those higher numbers so when they drop back to what's supposed to be normal, she feels different. It's like if you were used to drinking a pot of coffee every day and then one day somebody started giving you a medication that blocked the caffeine....you'd feel pretty lethargic and icky too.
You can get puppy pee pads that would protect your carpets if she peed or pooped on them since they have a plastic barrier on the bottom to keep stuff from soaking in.
Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
For the floors as well! She seems to be having accidents in repeat areas which I still think is her acting out a bit but also she can smell her previous potty issues. I definitely have thought about looking into a UTI!
Samantha - Kitty
Member Since 2021
I will definitely hang in there! Her numbers are back down to where I like to see them tonight. At least for her! They haven't went back to the 500s which I consider a huge achievement for her!
That comment totally makes sense! As much as I want her to just bounce back, I also know that's not how this works. I'm thankful every day that the insulin is working and I'm seeing small results. We'll get back to ourselves sometime soon!
I use newspapers in her litter box area and then just clean up the accidents throughout the house. I'm trying a special cleaner to see if that helps her not remember she went to the bathroom previously there.
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