OTJ Yet? Help with Numbers

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cannat

cannat

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Emo's spreadsheet is posted in my signature if you want to look at all his numbers...

The way I have been working his doses, with the Humilin N is:
Under 200 - no insulin (I've read in a few places that a small dose can drop his BG up to 200 points, and we haven't done a curve yet to be sure)
200 to 250 - half unit of insulin
over 250 - unit of insulin

Other than the insulin, Emo has been on Friskies Ocean Whitefish and Tuna Dinner, 6% carbs. He has been more himself over the last week than he has been in a while. As you can see from his numbers, he hasn't been at 200 or above since Friday (10/1) night, so he hasn't had insulin since then. I guess my question is, when is a cat considered OTJ? Am I doing the right thing holding off on shots? Our vet said around 200 is fine for a diabetic cat. Of course, I'd love to have him at completely numbers, but I will do just about anything to keep him from another hypoglycemic episode.
 
Hello! I don't have any experience with Humilin N, but from my experience anything in the green is OTJ numbers. I hope you get some more eyes on Emo's SS and get the answers you are looking for.

I have been told that most vet's like to keep their diabetic patients around 200, because more beans don't test at home, and that way they don't have to contend with hypo episodes. But keeping a baby at 200 is still diabetic.
 
First thing I would do is change your scale or get rid of it. I might go with no more than 1/4U of N if over 200, and 1/2U if over 250.

You had a pretty scary event when your kitty did hypo and the numbers are staying under 200 even without insulin on board. To me that says you may have a healing pancreas. It could possibly heal faster if you did nudge it a little with insulin, but I'd prefer not to do that with N. I'm not an expert on N, I haven't used since 2005, so perhaps others could offer more advice.

Is there any way you could get some more tests in? I'm wondering what role food has with your cat.

With Tucker, a snack when he is high can help him bring down his numbers. I think the food causes the pancreas to produce more insulin on its own. Again, not an expert, just my observations with Tucker and my other FDs.
 
Non-diabetic numbers are usually defined as consistantly below 120. Some cats like to hit above that, but it appears to me that your kitty is still consistantly above it and probably needs support of the insulin yet. Some more mid-cycle numbers would give a better picture of what exactly the insulin is doing, what the low is, and how to adjust the dose.

I think Larry and kitties has some experience with this insulin. Hopefully someone who does will come along. With the longer lasting insulins like Lantus, I would have gave the regular dose on every one of those preshot numbers, but I also knew that my kitty did not swing much on Lantus and Lantus does best on consistant doses, I don't know what applies to N.

The numbers are definitely heading in the right direction and look promising that after a bit more support from the insulin the pancreas will heal enough to work on its own.
 
I would also start at about 1/4 unit of N with BY above say 150. I wold monitor a +4 to see how low Elmo is going. My Twigie is on N and I can generally keep her below 120. If I do not shoot her at these seeming low BGs her BG goes up approaching 200.
 
Thanks so much for all of your help. His BG just about an hour ago was 197, so I went ahead and gave him 1/4 unit with his dinner. We're going to test again at bedtime in a few hours, as Larry & Kitties suggested. I'll keep you guys updated!
 
+4 BG reading is 137. I only gave him 1/4 unit. Going to stick with 1/4 unit if it's over 200 and keep everyone posted. Thanks for the help!
 
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