Newbie with Kitty on Lantus - wild BG swings

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JoshandSophie

Member Since 2010
This is cross-posted from the main board, I hope that's OK.

Hi all,

I'm very grateful for this board, and please forgive any noob mistakes I make. I take constructive criticism well:)

Sophie, my 8-year-old longhair, has been diagnosed, and is in her first week of Lantus (glargine). She is getting one unit in the morning, one at night. She seems to be all over the place, blood glucose-wise. I suspect she's been diabetic for almost a year, I just didn't recognize the signs for what they were - excessive thirst, weight loss, turning the litter box into an ammonia mud pit. Her fasting blood glucose was in the high 300s.

Sophie eats canned Friskies, selected for the highest protein and lowest carbs. I've weaned her (and her fat sister, non-diabetic Mink) off dry food. The excessive drinking/peeing has largely stopped, but her glucose swings are wild. Here are some notes from testing (please let me know if I'm supposed to upload a spreadsheet or some other file instead). Sorry for the inconsistency in the first few days - I'm now taking better notes.

Day 1 -208 before food. Then fed, and given 1 unit.
6 hours later, 69, then food given.
4 hours later, 212, then 1 unit given

Day 2 - Midnight - after food, 397, then 1 unit given.
20 minutes later, 249
40 mins later, 151
50 mins later, 104 (then I went to bed

Day 3 - 10 a.m, before food - 533 (had left wet and dry food out overnight for fear of hypo, and she ate it all. Had also just come back from a stressful 8 hour drive in a carrier the night before). Then 1 unit given with food.
11:14 a.m. - 427
2 p.m. - 248
9:15 pm. - 251, then food given
10:20 p.m. - 278, then one unit given
12:20 a.m. - 299 (still rising??)
12:50 a.m 284

Anything you could share with me would be appreciated (especially where to get Bayer Contour strips for less than 65 dollars for 50!)

Thanks so much,

Josh
 
Welcome! I just thought I would give you a bump up, and good luck with the SS. That will help others see how little Sophie is doing. Take care.
 
Welcome to Lantus Land.

Our usual introduction/initiation is to point you to the starred, sticky notes at the top of the Board. There is a huge volume of information there and, if you are anything like I was, you'll be overwhelmed at first, especially if you follow all of the links. So, take a few deep breaths. The people here are very knowledgeable and we'll do our best to help you feel less overwhelmed and more up to speed. The two notes I'd suggest you look at first are the ones on the dosing protocol that we use here (we're very numbers driven) and the one for new to Lantus/Lev.

What you're seeing with Sophie isn't unusual so there's no cause for alarm. In fact, it looks like she's having a good response to Lantus. What you're seeing are bounces/rebound. When a cat's numbers drop lower quickly or if they drop into lower ranges (e.g., the 69), because your cat is no longer used to being in normal BG range, her body reacts protectively. The liver responds by dumping a stored form of glucose along with counterregulatory hormones into the bloodstream and the BG numbers spike back up. We refer to this as "Liver Training School" (LTS) since it takes some time to get the liver to stop overreacting.

Just a cautionary note. When you tested on Day 2 and caught a drop to 104 after an hour or so, you probably should have kept testing. That is a very rapid drop into lower ranges. It's very likely that Sophie kept heading into low numbers. That's probably an additional reason beyond the travel stress for the bounce into the 500s the next morning.

I also can't tell from the times on your note whether you are giving injections 12-hours apart. Lantus likes consistency. It's important to give a shot as close to 12-hours apart as possible. Because Lantus is a long-acting insulin, an early shot acts like a dose increase and a late shot functions like a dose decrease.

I use a Contour meter, as well. Check prices on Amazon. Also, there is a link to Hocks at the top of the Board, just under the FDMB logo. Hocks prices are less than half of what you're paying (usually around $26) and if you have a big enough order, they ship for free and they always ship quickly. It's also a good site for buying syringes. If you don't already have them, you'll want to get syringes that are calibrated in half-unit increments. I linked the ones I use but Hocks carries other brands. (FDMB gets a commission or purchases from Hocks.)
 
Welcome to lantus land--The first thing you Must do is read all the STICKYS at the top of this page--They are chocked full of info.-These are a MUst REad!!
Lantus shots are given 12/12--every 12 hours, every day--I want you to understand that FD takes a lot of Patience & Consistancy--But
You will see good results--These are not wild BG swings, they are really pretty normal for a newbie-
This is an example of how the blood glucose goes during the cycle-
Example of a typical curve:
+0 - PreShot number.
+1 - Usually higher than PreShot number because of the last shot wearing off. May see a food spike in this number.
+2 - Often similar to the PreShot number.
+3 - Lower than the PreShot number, onset has started.
+4 - Lower.
+5 - Lower.
+6 - Nadir/Peak (the lowest number of cycle).
+7 - Surf (hang around the nadir number).
+8 - Slight rise.
+9 - Slight rise.
+10 - Rising.
+11 - Rising (may dip around +10 or +11).
+12 - PreShot number.*
Print these out and keep them hand



Hope this information helps ease your way through this journey..
 
Welcome to Lantus Land ;-)
You have been given a lot of great information.. ask away, we are full of answers always :mrgreen:
Here to support you & kitty too!
 
Welcome to Lantus Land!!! You have come to the best place ever for help. Please ask as many questions as you can think of...we are all here for you!
 
Welcome, Josh!

you have certainly found the right place for help...the folks here are extremely knowledgeable and supportive. They have been an absolute blessing for Binks and I.

you'll be glad you're here...

celi & binks
 
Welcome to Lantus Land! :) In the beginning, I think you're going to experience a wild # swing as I believe the body is adjusting to the change of having insulin added to it. Perhaps someone else can correct me on this. I'm not an experienced person; just a person who's kitty was diagnosed March 13. :)

I do know one thing... Start low, go slow. Meaning, start at 1u BID, and then increase it by 0.25u according to the protocol.

You'll do fine. :) This is a wonderful board.
 
I use the Bayer Contour meter for my Oscar. If you are willing to comb ebay enough, you can usually find bottles of 50 for at or less than $15 a bottle. I usually end up getting them at this price if they are within a month or two of expiring, but I use them so quickly, that they are used up well before they expire.
 
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