Newbie!! help!!

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Hello, LL! Callie was on 1U lantus for (I think) almost a month before they started testing. Since the first numbers were in the 500's, I suggested a raise and they went to 1.5U BID. Callie is eating Friskies canned food and My Little Lion treats, so all low carb.

Callie keeps bouncing back to HI. Yesterday she had a pretty good day (considering where she started from), but her numbers didn't follow a normal curve trajectory, which seems to have been the case on other days too.

She does need a dental. At the time of diagnosis I don't think there were any other health issues...

I'd love to have more eyes on her than just mine. - Thanks!
 
Welcome, Janet and Callie! Great job on getting started with testing and shooting! It's rather daunting at first but there are lots of people here to help you. One thing that would be helpful is to use our standard spreadsheet. Here are the instructions. It's all nicely color coded which makes it easier to read. I think you can just past your numbers into the standard one, since you are already using our format. That will be very helpful. I am not a dosing expert but I do think Callie needs more insulin. I will let one of the grandes dames make the call, though.

I would definitely get the dental done and soon. That can really help some cat's BGs, surprisingly so.

Let us know what questions you have. We are all crazy cat ladies. By the way, there is a whole lot more traffic in the Tight Regulation forum and there are several people there who follow the SLGS protocol.
Liz, Zener's other mom (I sign my posts and Anne doesn't)
 
Looks like you've been on 1.5u for long enough. If it were my kitty, I would increase to 1.75u. Perhaps some more senior members will weigh in, soon. Please do come over to the Tight Regulation forum - welcome to the boards!
 
Hi, Janet and welcome!!

Cindy stopped by on the Tight Regulation board and suggested we try to "whisk" you away to Lantus Land.

I'm a little more circumspect about a dose increase. I want to encourage you to get at least one test each and every PM cycle. We suggest a "before bed" test at the minimum. Some cats experience lower numbers at night which is why it's important to get those tests. In addition, if you don't test at night, you're missing half of your data. You're doing a great job testing during the day. You may want to try to get a test in at times other than your +6 since not all cats have their nadir in the middle of the cycle. (My cat, for example, has her nadir usually at +3 or +4.) Random tests begin to fill in the white spaces on your spreadsheet.

If you don't mind transferring your data to the spreadsheet template we use, I think you'll find it easier to interpret. If you click on any of our spreadsheets, you'll see the difference.
 
Hi Janet! Cindy is a friend of mine and let me know that you guys have joined the forum! Welcome aboard!!! I can tell you by experience that FDMB is the best place for you to be now and the best place to help Callie. Everyone here knows what you are going through and everyone has something to offer....advise, suggestions, and support. All will come in very handy, especially the support!!!! The sugar dance can be difficult for some, easy for others. Either way, we are all family here and are here for each other.

I can also tell you that you will now become closer to Callie than you ever have. Her health and well being are in your hands. The testing and shooting routine will come to be one that you both get used to. I know my Spot used to come out from where ever he was at when it was time for him to get his test...I say used to because he is protesting the addition of a new cat to the family and now wants the extra attention of me going to get him, lol. So, with this all being said.....WELCOME!!!
 
Janet and Callie said:
Hi, we just started with our cat, Callie. She was diagnosed about a month ago and with help from our friend Cindy, we got started with the insulin and blood glucose testing. My spreadsheet looks a little empty but this is what we have so far:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ArZ5Gnn02RSodFo5Um9mS1Buck9HYWY5RUN5bWxiTHc#gid=0

Please let me know what you think! Not sure what to do at this point...
Click to expand...

Welcome to FDMB Janet.

So far, you are doing a great job.... home testing and have a spreadsheet as well.
It would be great if you could use the template that most others are using around FDMB because the fields are automatically colored for the BG numbers you have. .... numbers in the 100s will be blue, 200s will be yellow, 300s pink, and 400s red..... it will help you understand when others post something like lots of pinks on your sheet.... let's hope the new dose gets you some yellow or blues.

When it comes to testing, there are 3 main tests that are most important:
one before each insulin shot so that you know it's safe to give the shot.
one test just before you head to sleep because there are many cats who seem to go lower at night and then they are high in the morning... if you test before bed and find a low number, you can give a bit of higher carb wet food to stop your cat going too low overnite.

One thing that you CAN do now, since you have been on this dose for a good length of time, is to do a curve..... if you can test every 2hrs between 2 shots, you will see exactly how the insulin is working for YOUR cat. I know that many say the lowest point is around mid cycle, but many cats decide on a different point! One of my cats was around +5 or so, but the other, his curve looked like a mountain and his lowest point was close to +10 or even as late as the next shot time! Doing a curve here and there, maybe once a week, will help you to know how your cat uses the insulin.
 
yes, it looks from the numbers you have so far that you are not going too low, so a 1.75u dose may be a good idea.

Even if you can get just a +3 and not a +4 in the pm, it's better than nothing at all.
And if you ever test and get a number that concerns you, please post to ask others what they think.
Better to ask and be safe than to wonder and worry alone.
 
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