Other locations to draw BG

Well poor Emma is getting really tired of me poking her ears. When I shine a light I can see some of the red spots from underneath. I think that's bruising, right? Anyway, I've read the FD site and I tried the large pad in the paw. Yep, she kicked like crazy, not a good experience. Is there another site I can get blood from?

Sue

 

I believe that’s it. Are you pressing the spot with a cotton ball after you get the blood to avoid bruising? And are you also applying Neosporin ointment with pain relief on it after? I also try to alternate ears. Are you having issues getting blood and having to do multiple pricks? If so, I’d try to warm up the ears more or use a 28 or 26 gauge lancet. Those are my tips.

 

Btw, your spreadsheet is missing the pm insulin units.

2 quest josh for you: why did you go down from 2 units to 1? And did you not give insulin the past 2 nights? If that’s the case, please put a 0 in there so we know you didn’t forget to fill it out. A lot of blues and greens so yay Emma!

 

Thank you Ale. I must admit I only started doing this like yesterday, so I made a few mistakes. I did forget to apply pressure after the poke. I remember to do that now. Also, I went thru and poked my own finger yesterday morning. So being careful with that! I just started using the Neosporin late last night and today. I put it on before I poke. I thought I saw that in the videos. Unfortunately the lancet I'm using is from the lancet pen that came with the AT. I don't like the pen because I can't see where the actual needle is going and she has black ears and the pen is black. So I just use the lancet by hand. I have to admit that I was probably aggressive with the first sticks because I had no idea what I was doing. I'm much gentler now but I end up kinda lightly pricking her twice (which annoys her) and she moves, bends her ear and can make it worse. She is an ear folder, tucking her ear tightly to her head ANY time you messed with it. Oh yes, and I also use a folded paper towel underneath to protect my finger. It helps me get a better grip on her ear than the cotton ball. She does well in the AM but gets hardly fed up with me as I do the other BG's thru the day.

I am open to all suggestions and critiques! I'm here to learn.
Sue

 

Thank you, thank you for guidance on my SS. I didn't even think to put a zero in the PMPS. Vet and I decided for this first weekend, I shouldn't give any insulin if BG was between 200-250. That's mainly because my vet is closed over the weekend and we are just starting out. That first day is Emma at the vet's office getting insulin for the very first time, so it was vet's idea to start at 2 units.
I am by no means knowledgeable in this, but it looks like the BG drops fast during the first 4 hours and then inches up. I'm concerned about a night dose and want to talk to my vet tomorrow. Also, I'm working on night feeding issues so she doesn't go so long without food till morning. I'm just trying to go slow.

Sue

 

Shining a headlamp on black ears helps. Keeps your hands free. Using the headlamp, check to see which way is better. To poke from the inside or from the outside of the ear.

 

LOL Kel love your new avatar.

 

Thank you Red. I've been holding a flashlight between my teeth, but check where the vein is by shining underneath. I'm still looking for a small light to somehow place underneath her ear. I've linked the pics of her ears to show what I mean.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h_81iYRB_5lJOOCN6fCnf4_Vp3T2jkP2/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yk2RKTWI0Hpd3DUdIojFZjhpqJYpxNeH/view?usp=sharing

And Kel, what do you mean by "poke from the inside or from the outside" ?? I've only ever poked from the fur side down. You can see my view in the pics.
Love you avatar!
Sue

 

Yes light helps a ton! I use a small flashlight I hold it my mouth and aim at her ear

 

I poke from the inner side of her ear where there’s less fur. That’s how I’ve always done it. You can also collect the droplet onto a clean nail so she can move away after you prick and you can test from your nail

 

And are you aiming for this area? It looks from your pic you may not be close enough to the edge of the ear

 

You can buy cotton rounds, then ones you take off make up off with

 

I use ovals actually for the backing. I like them better because they’re thicker than rounds. I put 2-3 together so it’s nice and thick

 

Oh my goodness, you guys are so smart! Yes! I am stupidly aiming for that larger vein, the marginal vein. I am an idiot!!!

I watched the videos, looked at a pic that showed the sweet spot and never guessed I was supposed to be going for the very, very, very, edge of the ear. I was afraid of "tearing" it if that makes since? And I think I'm aiming too low down the side. Maybe I should be higher/closer to the tip of ear?
Dear lord, I just looked at the pics I linked and your pic Ale. I am no where near the very outside edge. Ironically I hit that yesterday and Emma didn't flinch. I got a nice tiny drop of blood but thought I had done it wrong. I am so sorry. Thank you everyone for hanging in there and straightening me out on this. And a HUGE thank you for not making me feel bad or judging me. I'm truly doing the best I can.

Also, thanks for the great tip about putting the blood on my finger nail. Yes. That will absolutely help. And I like the thought of the cosmetic pads. That's a good idea right there. The cotton ball kinda slides around but that pad would give me a nice grip. --- I think I'm going to need a better type of magnifier that I can wear to see her ear. See, in the AM I have my glasses on and can whip them off to see really close up, but after that I have to wear my contacts with 1 adjusted for computer distance and 1 for long distances. I am very blind that way unfortunately. So I struggle after the AM reading.

Thanks so much everyone! I'm kinda excited about trying the new spot on her ear now.
Sue

 

Notice you're using the AlphaTrak meter but using the human meter spreadsheet - different take action numbers.

That 71 @ +4 was pretty darn close to the AlphaTrak take action number of 68.

 

Dumb question number 5,123. Ale in that pic is that the outside edge over the cat's cheek? Or is it the inside edge over the cat's eye? Or does that matter?

 

As you test the ears they will grow more cappilaries and testing will become easier
Aim for the sweet spot , You might want to purchase 28 gauge lancets and do it free hand on a 45 degree angle, eventually more capillaries will grow and it becomes easier
Start to rub his ears to get him used to it, warm them up first, if need be put some rice in a sock and warm it in the microwave and put it on his ears, make sure its not to hot. You don't want to aim for the vein

Diabetic Cat Care Home Testing Your Cat’s BG

 

I usually prick where they are showing you in this pic on either side of the ear. In free hand with the lancet only, when you prick the ear sort of put the lancet on a slight angle, not straight down

Diabetic Cat Care Home Testing Your Cat’s BG

 

Thats what we are here for. To help you help Emma. Every cat we help makes us all

 

I poked the inside of the ear. Less hair on the inside.

A dollar store headlamp would do.

 

Shelley, thank you hubby updated to correct SS. I agree that I don't like any 70's at all for Emma. It looks like she takes a big drop from that AM insulin. It's why the vet backed off the 2 units and told me to do 1 unit. BG goes low at the same point. Emma shows no signs of trouble but I am calling vet in morning to see what adjustments we need to make. I have a list to go over with her.

 

Was today the first day you removed all high carb kibble?

I'd drop that dose down to 0.5u.

From the Prozinc dosing sticky:
Starting Dose:
1u BID if kitty is not on a wet/canned low carb diet
0.5u BID if kitty has been switched to a wet/canned low carb diet

It'll give you guys a chance to get the hang of testing (I think you're doing a pretty darn good job at it already!) and time for her body to adjust to no kibble. Then in a few days if we find that she needs more insulin (by then you should be a pro at testing!) you can safely increase in 0.25 increments.

 

This is a process and a lot of little tips that add up to an aha moment and then it goes much smoother. Happy to help and happy you posted your pic so we could figure out the issue with you. It takes a village!

as for going higher closer to the tip, it’s hit or miss for me. Sometimes I get a perfect droplet by going higher sometimes by going lower. Warming up the ear enough so it’s warm to the touch is usually what makes or breaks it for me because then even if I get a tiny little dot of blood I can “milk the ear” and get a larger droplet that it’s enough. If the ear is not warm enough, no matter how much I squeeze that tiny dot never grows to a decent size droplet. And if you absolutely need to do a second prick try to aim for the very same spot to just make the hole bigger with the second jab!

 

I believe it is. So I think in that pic, the cat’s face is looking away from you and you’re looking at the back of their head. Some folks use the outer side of the ear as in this pic, I use the inner side where you can see skin and there’s less hair. In other words, Minnie is looking straight at me not away from me. That’s the inner side because you’re looking in into the ear

 

Success! I made sure to warm the ear and aim for the outside edge. Just the barest of sticks and there was a tiny droplet. Emma didn't even flinch!
Thanks so much everyone. I was in tears yesterday and so afraid to test. She was fed up with it. But this morning looking great!
Also, I will be switching my contacts and glasses each time. I can see that tiny drop so much better w/o "help" but then can't see anything more than a foot away.

And that's good because I will need to do more testing today since I'm waiting on vet to call me back to go to .5 unit dose. (Today testing where her BG is on FF only. Yesterday was her 1st and today would be the 2nd day.)
Also need syringe that has half marks which I hope to get from vet's office today.

Sue ... Thanks everyone!!

 

can you see a bright light shining through your window? That my SMILE glaring out at you!

WELCOME TO THE VAMPIRE CLUB!

 

If your vet doesn't have them with half unit markings , which most of them don't
you can look on ADW diabetes site, you will need then to contact your vet so she can fax them over a script.

 

https://www.adwdiabetes.com
Just type in the search area U-40 syringes with half units markings there is a lot to choose from.

 

You can also get the ReliOn ones if you have a Walmart near you. You have to purchase at the store as they’re not sold online. So I’d call first to make sure they have it in stock.

 

That’s awesome, such a great feeling isn’t it?! Congrats. Also, just want to make sure you know about milking the ear if you need more blood. Think of it as if you were squeezing a pimple gently trying to pop it. If you have a tiny dot and do that a few times, you’ll usually get more blood to come out especially with a nice warm ear

 

Thanks Ale totally forgot about Walmart , I see she lives in Florida so hopefully there is one where she lives, I love the comparison you said about popping a pimple, you made me laugh

 

I think it’s a good way to describe it, isn’t it?

 

Yes I think it's good

 

If you ever milked a cow, you know it’s nothing like milking anything LOL

 

Lmao

 

Ale you are just full of surprises!

 

Please, please forgive my late reply. That's wonderful news about the syringes and thanks for the funny comments.

So the syringes ReLion syringes at Walmart are for U40? Vet called me back and refuses to let me get U100. (I'm scared of the conversion chart anyway) But it looks like I need those half marks badly because I may move to .25 pretty soon. Can I get the Walmart syringes without a prescription here in FL? I thought you could get syringes at any Feed Store actually.

 

Oh no they’re not. They’re U100 sorry. I don’t know about FL but here in CA I don’t need a prescription. What you could do is have a sample syringe where you clearly mark with a sharpie where the dose after the conversion and then always use that when filling the other syringes. But if you’re worried about it, look at the ADW site instead