opinion on my "strategy"?

Status
Not open for further replies.
E

equine99

Member
Hello! So I'm about a month into treating my diabetic kitty, Snowflake and I wanted to get some general opinions on my "strategy". I've finally added my spreadsheet below--hopefully it makes sense the way I've done it. It isn't counted from shot plus hours, but actual hours of the day. For some reason when I set it up, I had 1am as the first hour of the new day. For the most part I've generally been doing her shots at noon and midnight, but I haven't been shooting if she's under 125, so if she's lower than that at her "normal" shoot time, I'll wait until the next time I can shoot, even if that means going off her schedule. Is 125 too low to have as her cut off number? I'm using a freestyle lite meter, which I have heard from this board underestimates her bg levels. I tested her civillian sister and she was 56. Looking at the color flow of the chart I have, I think it's going well, and we may even be heading towards remission, but I'd like some more experienced opinions. My vet was totally against me doing home testing, so while I search for a new vet that won't cost me a fortune and is knowledgeable about fd, I'm going at this on my own a bit. On that note, if anyone can recommend a good vet in the SF bay area (preferably the penninsula), that would be appreciated :)
 
equine99 said:
Hello! So I'm about a month into treating my diabetic kitty, Snowflake and I wanted to get some general opinions on my "strategy". I've finally added my spreadsheet below--hopefully it makes sense the way I've done it. It isn't counted from shot plus hours, but actual hours of the day. For some reason when I set it up, I had 1am as the first hour of the new day. For the most part I've generally been doing her shots at noon and midnight, but I haven't been shooting if she's under 125, so if she's lower than that at her "normal" shoot time, I'll wait until the next time I can shoot, even if that means going off her schedule. Is 125 too low to have as her cut off number? I'm using a freestyle lite meter, which I have heard from this board underestimates her bg levels. I tested her civillian sister and she was 56. Looking at the color flow of the chart I have, I think it's going well, and we may even be heading towards remission, but I'd like some more experienced opinions. My vet was totally against me doing home testing, so while I search for a new vet that won't cost me a fortune and is knowledgeable about fd, I'm going at this on my own a bit. On that note, if anyone can recommend a good vet in the SF bay area (preferably the penninsula), that would be appreciated :)
Click to expand...

First thing: Get rid of the FreeStyle meter; they give false misleading numbers for cats. Get any meter but the FreeStyle and start testing as usual.
I know. It sucks, but people here can give you their own examples of the differences.

Once you start testing with the new brand of meter, you are going to see very different numbers.

As for getting another vet, and one current on FD, good luck. There are not many around.
I ask you this question: How is your vet otherwise? Good for testing and dental and infections and mending broken bones, etc? Is your vet willing to work with you, or do you have to fight for what you want?
If your vet does not know alot, but is willing to work with you, you may be OK.
One of the best vets I had knew very little about FD or any other issues that came up but she was awesome with animals and was an incredible diagnostician for other health problems. I really liked here and we got along quite well.
 
I'm already a couple hundred dollars into the test strips, so I'd like to keep using it until i've used up the strips. I understand that it may not be totally accurate, but I would think that it would at least be directionally okay (ie, if her bg is increasing, it's probably actually increasing, same with decreasing).

And about the vet, I'm not 100% devoted to leaving. They haven't had any issues at all before the diabetes diagnosis, so I can't really say how they are other than for shots, but he is a really nice guy. I didn't like his attitude when I asked about different food choices, as he recommended the prescription hills, and my other cat was throwing it up--he didn't offer any advice at all and just said that he sold it so he couldn't really recommend another brand. Plus when I asked questions about it, he basically said "well, I can do some research on it, but I have 16 other things I need to research, too".
 
The problem that I have seen with the Freestyle Meter is I know of at least one cat that was looking like he didn't need any insulin as in on the Freestyle his BGs were in the double digits to low 100s, but was showing all the clinical signs of an unregulated diabetic, once the meter was switched the cat was now getting readings in the 300-400 which was correct for the clinical signs he was displaying.

The reason we test is make sure they are high enough to give insulin to, to catch them going to low, and adjust their dosage accordingly, if the meter isn't giving the correct readings then none of that is possible.

Also with as low as the Freestyle reads I would be afraid of DKA, since my Musette is a DKA survivor I would rather waste a couple hundred dollars in test strips than put her life in danger or end up spending several thousands to pull her through DKA again.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
Hello, many of us have back-up meters, extra batteries and strips (ReliOn brand from Walmart is reliable and inexpensive). You don't need to purchase a lot of strips at a time since, I believe, they need to be used before their expiration date. In case of a hypo episode, nothing will help to keep your equilibrium as much as knowing you have a reliable meter and strips, plus all the higher carb food needed for your kitty. And the support of this forum, of course. You'll have the support regardless of what you decide to do about your meter, but for the good of your kitty members will try to convince you to switch.

You may wish to post your meter information on the PZI forum. I believe it was "donnahc" whose hard work of many months was badly harmed by the type of meter you have. Sending best wishes to you and Snowflake!
 
For what it's worth I used the Freestyle Lite for a year and a half with Kazi. Once the reports of it reading lower starting coming up more and I more I picked up a Relion Meter and cross checked the two against each other. My Freestyle and Relion were within a small range of pts of each other. You might consider picking up a Relion Meter and some strips from Walmart to cross check - see if yours is wonky or accurate like mine was. I swapped to the Relion once my Freestyle strips were up for fear that my meter would start failing me like it had for others.
 
Vyktor wasn't teated for diabetes on the basis of freestyle lite meter readings - until he was admitted to hospital on deaths door step with DKA. The meter is reasonably accurate in low numbers but totally out in higher numbers. Sorry but I would consider the information in your ss to be pretty useless for the purposes of dosing and regulation. A lot of people have thought they were doing well using the freestyle - we renamed it the heart breaker
 
Vyktors Mum said:
Vyktor wasn't teated for diabetes on the basis of freestyle lite meter readings - until he was admitted to hospital on deaths door step with DKA. The meter is reasonably accurate in low numbers but totally out in higher numbers. Sorry but I would consider the information in your ss to be pretty useless for the purposes of dosing and regulation. A lot of people have thought they were doing well using the freestyle - we renamed it the heart breaker
Click to expand...

Well, I just ordered a Relion online. There are no Walmarts within a reasonable drive of me, and I hate purchasing anything from them (I'm very against their corporate ethics), but you guys convinced me. I'm curious--when you say it's reasonably accurate in low numbers, can you elaborate? I've been getting 38-low 100's readings. Does that count as "low numbers"?
 
I have the results of an experiment undertaken by a human diabetic using the freestyle and a couple of other meters. I tried to paste it in here but it won't work and maintain its format. If you PM me your email address I will forward the results to you that way.

Snowflake's ss is really really difficult to read like that, any reason you didn't use the standard ss? You can find it here: http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=50130

By using the + hours format you and everyone else will be able to easily see any patterns forming, also by sticking with the 'standard' colours and range of numbers others can get the gist of what's happening with Snowball at a glance
 
I just did a pmps on my Poto. I've also been using a Freestyle Lite.

His +6 this afternoon with the Freestyle was 220... Kinda high for him but we've just done a decrease in insulin.
When I got a 199 pmps, just before his shot was due, I did not believe it and rechecked with hubby's Accucheck. That was 385!
He checked his own with both the other day and only got a 4 point difference so I thougt I was ok using the Freestyle.
I could not see his pmps being lower than his +6 and I was right,
I plan to stay away from the Freestyle.
Hugz,
Carol
 
I didn't know there was a "standard" one, so I just made one myself. With the standard sheet, how do you handle it if you have numbers that are too low to shoot or if you just can't do the shot at exactly 12 hour intervals one day? Just make a note of it and record like you did?
 
If you miss a shot you just put NS (for no shot) in the dose column. I put the time I shot in the same box as the units shot - check out Vyktors ss to see what I do (his does have an extra page because we measure BG differently in Aus but just look at the US page). There is also a comments column that you can enter food data, urine tests and anything else that doesn't quite fit into the ss. The beauty of using the + hours version is that you will be able to easily see if Snowflake has a regular pattern on lantus (ECID - some do some don't) which makes it easier to find her nadir and it makes it much easier for people giving you help too
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top