newbie here, what do the numbers mean?

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jose and tracy

jose and tracy

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Jose was on 3u once a day for five years, i don't remember when she was moved from humulin to prozinc - sometime last year i think. This summer her water in take and urine output indicated that something was wacky. the vet said to put her on 2/2, monitor and adjust one unit per week. she was up to 10x2d in october, but still was drinking and urinating like mad. less than a week after been on that high dose she crashed - hypoglycemia, convulsion, coma, the whole deal. after her recovery vet said 8x2d. we did that for a few weeks. picked her up from the kitty kennel (she was there two nights and had been there before) that night she was acting wierd, so did not shoot. since then i have weaned her down to 5/1. also have removed all dry food and am feeding the fancy feast classics. i have been trying to get blood from her ear for two weeks and finally succeeded today - 138 30 minutes after eating & her insulin.

what does it mean?

i don't remember how to access the spreadsheets to start a curve. thanks again for the help
 
That means she is getting too mucj insulun and you need to watch her today
I am thinking that she might crash
I am very confused by your message..what is 10/2 mean
If that means 10 unnits from 2 units.....????
sometimes just stopping the dry food will bring down her numbers drastically

PLEASE, if you gave her 5 units and 30 minutes later she is at 138 you need to feed her high carbs immediately!
I will stay on with you and see if maybe Sue or Carl is available
 
Hi Denise! Got your message...get back to work before the boss catches you!

Hi Tracy,
Are you still here?

Carl
 
Tracy,
That is a very high dose for a number to be that low that soon after the shot.
If you see this, I need you to let me know how Jose is doing. You may need to call the vet ASAP and take him there.

Carl
 
Hi Tracy and welcome to PZI,

That is a whopping large dose that Jose is getting especially since you have switched her to canned low carb food. I think that the high carb dry food was probably helping to keep her safe with all that insulin. But now that you have changed her diet you will need to lower her dose.

The starting dose of Prozinc is 1 unit twice a day 12 hours apart. Then you can increase the dose if you need to by small increments at a time until you find the dose that suits her the best.

I hope that you will be able to watch and test her today. We don't want her to crash again poor girl.

We have lots of helpful tips for testing their ears successfully. The best tip is to warm the ear either rubbing it with your hands or with a rice sock warmed in the microwave or a pill bottle filled with warm water.

Please consider starting over at 1 unit. Now that you are testing you will be able to see how the insulin is working for her and you will be able to keep her safe from crashing again.

Robin
 
Do we know if the ProZync that is being used here is U100 or U40? And what syringes?
 
I'm looking back at her earlier threads.
I think prozinc only comes in u40, and pzi can be either......checking on that too.
Syringes could be the issue. 5u of u40 in a u100 syringe is much better than from a u40....I think that would mean 2u in reality.

carl
 
Good idea, Donna. Can't find any info in her earlier threads about syringes. That's the first thing we need to get straight. Good thinking, it hadn't occurred to me.
Not too much info on the other threads. This is the first time she's gotten blood, so no more numbers either.
Carl
 
Jose is a big kitty. over 20 pounds. But someone asked, and "no" on the Acro question. I was hoping the high dose was due to something like that.
 
Tracy, can you let us know how Jose is doing? Can you try to get another sample?

Carl
 
sorry i was working out. jose is fine. lying on one of her spots, purring(though, i do know that doesn't always mean a good thing). she looks alert, ears perked forward. but the insulin shouldn't peak until 2:30pm right? i gave the shot @ 9:30am.

she was getting 10 units 2x/day. after she crashed the vet said do 8/8, but i could tell at night she didn't need that. so i went to 8/6 and then 6/2 for two weeks and have been at 5/1 for a week. i have always assumed that less (in the short run) is better.

the syringes are u-40.

she has not been tested for acro, but based on some of the physical symptoms that should present, she isn't. & she has been this heavy for five years.

so a little karo and then start with 1u2x/day tomorrow?

and i still don't understand why she is urinating and drinking so much.

thank you so much for your quick responses!
 
Tracy,
She could be drinking and peeing so much still because her numbers are not under control. She might be really high, then really low. No karo.
You shouldn't give karo unless she's really low, like below 50. The only way to know where she's at is to get a test. Same thing at shot time. You shouldn't shoot any insulin unless you know what her BG is right then.

We can help you out with this, but it's hard unless we know what kind of numbers she is giving you a few times a day. That' the only way to figure out what her dose needs to be.

I think it is probably too high. I don't know how much too high though. She might need 1u twice a day, or 3 twice a day. We can't tell just based on one reading.

Also, no matter what the "right" dose is, until we figure this all out, it should be the same for each shot.

The very best thing you can do for her, for you and for us is to be able to get more tests done, and I know that you've had a really hard time with that. But you finally did it today right? Great for you!

Next we are going to have to try to help you set up a spreadsheet so you can keep track of all those numbers.

If you read these instructions, that can get you started on that. Once you have one made, we can help show you how to put it in your signature so we can all see it anytime you need us to take a look at it.

http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207

Carl
 
You're welcome!
And if you can get a test soon and let us know what you get, we can help you out, okay?


Carl
 
i have to go to work, so won't be able to test her until tonight.

so my plan of action tonight? test? feed & shoot? test? & just give one unit?
 
better plan....test before you feed, and post the number here. Then we can figure out "how much".....what time would that be? (I'm on the east coast)
 
you are very helpful. i really appreciate the hand-holding.

i would get the test done around 9pm - i'm in texas. does that make it 10 or 11 your time? if it is too late, maybe you could give me some parameters.

i also like everyone's positive attitude that since i have been successful once i will be able to do it again. & i will work on the spreadsheet @ google. thankyouthankyouthankyou.
 
Tracy,
I will be on at 10 and 11 I am sure. I think you're two hours behind me. Either way, I will check for any new posts in this thread during the evening.

Carl
 
i am still at home, so tested jose. the meter read 43. i didn't believe it so put in a new strip - 47.

is there a section where i can read what is good (generally, i know ECID).
 
anything under 50 you need to feed a higher carb food,
please do so then test again in about 15 minutes
I will stay on with you
 
Need to bring that up a little bit...feed a little HC food or gravy please and retest in MAX 30 min's but I'd would want to know in about 15 if it were KT....

HUGS

EDIT - Denise, we cross posted, I can't stay so THANK YOU!!!! I'll keep checking in as I can...
 
i don't have anything highcarb - unless you can suggest a people food. or a tiny bit of karo? all the fancy feast i have on hand is classic. can i give her some temptations kitty treats?
 
Any bg under 50 you want to start feeding. Start with some med carb food or some gravy out of the can. Only feed 1 tsp at a time. You don't want her to get full if she keeps dropping and you need her to eat more.
 
what about any dry food, maybe a couple of pieces...give the treats now and let me go look
be right back
 
I think the classics ae close to the same...
give the treats and please test in 15 min
We need to make sure the he is still not dropping
 
thanks for everyone's quick responses. i gave her a couple of treats, a couple of dry fancy feast & less than a teaspoon of the friskies. she looks alert. i will test in 15. you all are awesome!
 
Hi ladies!

That friskees with the gravy is probably a good thing. You can pour the gravy on top of the few dry bits, but if you can avoid the dry, and just use the shreds (no more than 1tsp) that would be good.

carl
 
the friskees shreds look to be somewhere in the 12-14% carbs range.
 
Hey Denise, I'm getting ready to leave work and I've been having problems with the internet at home so I don't know if I will log back on or not. So if you can, stick with her.
 
You're welcome Denise,
And please don't blush, okay. Hearing your voice mail as a wake up call sure beats hell out of hearing my boss telling me I'm late for work. You've got a nice "phone voice" if nobody's ever told you that before. :-D
Carl
 
I missed the excitement today! What an intro to the sugar dance. So glad the testing worked today because you really needed it.

I am near your time zone (Colorado) so can keep an eye on you and help with the pm dose. (I should we should reduce. :mrgreen: )
 
Oh, and to all the PZI peeps -
I don't remember who exactly it was after Hurricane Irene? that thought it up, but that phone contact list idea? Yeah, it was a great idea. I saw the number on my phone and thought, "who the heck do I know from New Jersey?" I have the list printed out, but didn't update my contacts, so I had no clue who it was till I listened to the message. Have to update my contacts.....the list of "to-do's" just never ends! :lol:

carl
 
Yeah, I'm with Sue..... I think a reduction is a pretty good idea. Lots of room to reduce from "5". :mrgreen:
 
we are still here. thanks for hanging on with us. i have been unsuccessful with a new blood draw. she seems more agitated when i put the test strip near her ear than when i actually jab her. anyway the way she is fighting me off i don't think her numbers have dropped. & we weren't in our usual spot. she is now in my lap where she likes to be. so i will wait a few more to let her settle down and then attempt.

i think it's funny that y'all call this the sugar dance & i am a terrible dancer - think elaine on seinfeld. BAD.

thanks again.
 
Here's one for you.
"Remember, in this dance, only kitty can hear the music. So the kitty leads, and you just follow, being careful not to step on anyone's toes along the way".

Yeah, I found out way back when (just before disco ruined the world) that those who can't dance decide to play music instead. Me, I've been playing guitar for 35 years.
Which instrument do you play, Tracy? :lol:
 


Shes a dance, dance, dance, dance, dancing machine
Watch her get down, watch her get down
As she do, do, do her thing Right on the scene
Shes a dance, dance, dance, dance, dancing machine
Watch her get down, watch her get down

 
I think another tsp of the shreds would be okay. and give it another 20 minutes or so. Is she acting okay, nothing seem out of the ordinary?

Carl
 
that would work too, and would probably keep her a little higher longer. Just don't want a full tummy, so small amounts like Sue said
 
Hah, Carl. I edited mine so as not to confuse.

We want to keep her steady or get her to rise. How long since the am shot? I am thinking with that high dose, she may just surf in the 40-50 range for awhile and may end up with a long cycle and unshootable pmps. That's okay but we don't want her to dip below 40.
 
I think she's coming up on +9 or just past. Shot time is 8PM in Texas. what time you got there?
 
thanks again.

she is just laying in my lap. if she won't eat the shredded i know something is wrong.

carl, sadly i have no musical talents. and, though, i am not a good dancer i am frequently caught dancing.

you all have been wonderful. glad i was home today.
 
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