Newbie (TIki) Starting on Insulin this WEEKEND!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Tonya and Tiki

Tonya and Tiki

Member Since 2011
(I also posted this in the Health Forum, but thought it was appropriate for here too!)

Hello everyone,

Many thanks to everybody who got me up and running last weekend. I have been spot checking Tiki this week just to see where we are starting. I plan to go ahead with the Insulin this weekend. I didn't want to start it and not be home to watch him for the first couple of days. He has settled right in to being poked, anything for a treat. He is surprising me with his tolerance of the whole thing.

The vet recommended 2 units twice a day, 12hrs apart and last weekend there was a lot of discussion about whether or not that was an appropriate amount.

Can someone explain a curve? I figure Saturday I will need to do this. Is it simply blood tests every hour?

I am feeling less overwhelmed but still nervous to inject him with something I still dont fully understand.

Many Thanks,
 
:oops: I just typed up a reply on Health telling you to come over here, but luckily I had not hit "enter" yet.

Looks like his BG is high 200s. Can you start the insulin Friday evening? Chances are you won't see action right away because Lantus has to build a "shed" or reserve first. While more data is good, I don't think you will learn much by going full-out testaholic this weekend. Probably get as many spot checks as you can next week and plan a full curve for next weekend. That means you'd test him every 2-3 hrs. It's also good to get a +2 or +3 morning and evening whenever possible. It can be a good indicator of action to come, which is not to say Tiki won't throw you a few surprises just because he can...

How much does Tiki weigh? People here can suggest a starting dose based on that. I can't recall the formula off the top of my head.

MJ&Donovan
 
here's your condo from yesterday: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=55597&p=602230#p602230

and a couple of days ago: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=55403&p=600083#p600083

in that post, jill says:


Jill & Alex said:
kismetttt said:
I had been feeding him when I get up (8a ish), upon returning home (5p-7pish) and again when I went to bed. I was thinking shots at 8a and 8p (as I am usually ALWAYS home no later than 8p) but I will very rarely be home mid day to be able to deal with him mid cycle.

I brought this up to the vet and she felt there was no need to be concerned as this type of insulin has a nice slow curve to it.

I don't know what to do - feeling head spin again!
Click to expand...

many of our caregivers are not able to get home mid-day to check on their kitties. it just means you'll have to get some mid-cycle spot checks at night and on weekends. lantus will eventually provide a nice gentle curve, but it doesn't happen immediately.

since tiki's numbers aren't that bad, i see a couple of options here. you could start tonight with a low dose of maybe 0.5 unit or 1 unit twice a day or you could wait to start insulin next friday night. that way you'll have the weekend to get your feet wet. if you wait til next weekend i recommend using ketostix to check tiki's urine for ketones this week. if he begins to throw ketones you'd want to start insulin immediately.

and if you want to think about it... this decision does not have to be made tonight.
Click to expand...

we always link our previous condos to try to help keep information together for being able to get the best possible advice.
 
Hello there and Welcome!

From the "Tight Regulation Protocol" sticky:

Using a weight based formula for determining a starting dose of Lantus or Levemir:

the formula is 0.25 unit per kg of the cat's ideal weight
if kitty is underweight, the formula frequently used is 0.25 unit per kg of kitty's actual weight
if the cat was previously on another insulin, the starting dose should be increased or decreased by taking prior data into consideration
Click to expand...
Online calculator for converting pounds to kilograms

Unfortunatley I can't see tikis ss from work due to a firewall. I'll have a look when I get home. In general, starting at 2.0u sounds a bit high to me, however it depends on his numbers.
 
IIRC Tiki was 200s at diagnosis, but now that she's testing, he's been consistently in the high 200s even after switching to LC wet fuds.

MJ&Donovan
 
just checking to see if you noticed that jill suggested 0.5 or 1unit to start with - it's easy to increase a dose and impossible to take it back out once it's shot in.
 
Unless I missed a new one, Jill's comment was provided last weekend on the first night I began testing Tiki's blood. Do more BG readings change that advice?
 
i don't know what it would change. tiki's numbers mostly 200's with a couple of higher ones. you said he was in the 270's when he was diagnosed, which is consistent with the numbers on his ss.

just had wanted to make sure you saw that. when a person gets a lot of answers sometimes it's possible to miss some of them.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top