Pika help. Transitioning off sensor, sugars not dropping again.

[Pika and Shellz]

So I think I need to get off the libre sensor… i don’t think I know I need to for Pika. I know it’s not a favorite on this board due to the stress it can place on the cat. Well Pika did really good until this last one…. And when I was brushing him I noticed he has been pulling his hair out in his chest and along his front arm pits due to him wearing a shirt. I did remove his shirt and didn’t put it back on. I had it modified to more a tank top style so he did have more body to lick.. but I’ve seen that he has pulled out his hair. he currently is wearing a mask but he doesn’t like that either. I have 6 days left on my sensor but how do you transition yourself off the sensor… like I have the AlphaTRAK so I can test him… but like how often should I test him? He hates getting his BG checked too he started biting me the last time I did it for a week…. And I’m nervous coming off the sensor since he isn’t under control with his sugars yet.

I’m worried he has another UTI due to his last 4 cycles of not dropping. I know I did some dose reductions when not needed probably. Which didn’t help him at all and for that I’m sorry!! I feel like a failure to him at the moment… and he knows I’ve done it out of love but I’m so worried about him. I have also noticed his fur isn’t as soft at it was.. especially on his back. His belly is still soft just around his hind is feeling course not as soft.. I don’t know if that is due to stress or potential uti… he had a uti diagnosed on 3/29 and we did the 2 week shot. And he got better I think I didn’t take him back for a check.. once again failure of a cat parent.. but he did get his sensor replaced like 2 times since then and all was well but then he started this not dropping again. I’m just confused scared.. and I want my kitty happy.. and he hasn’t been happy.

he is having neuropathy in his hind legs.. can’t jump well. And that started in January. With getting in range he was doing better but then I’ve seen the last two days of him grounded.. thank you again in advance for any help.. I think I just need support. And I love his sensor for me and my sake. But for him….I’m heart broken. I do have one more sensor at home already. But I know he needs a break and I don’t know how to do that and not go crazy…

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Hi Shellz,
With SLGS you reduce the dose when the BG drops under 90. So when you were giving 3 units and he dropped under 90, you needed to drop the dose to 2.75 units. At the moment you are chopping and changing the dose too much. Lantus don’t like this. It likes consistency. The dose is based on the nadir or lowest point in the cycle.
Looking at all the different doses you have given over the last 8 days, I would go back to 2.5 units and stay with that dose unless the BG drops under 90. And hold the dose for 7 days. Before you change the dose, post and ask for help.

With moving to manually hometesting, you need to test before every dose to see it is safe to give the dose, and then test a couple of times during the dip cycles, outlying between +3 and +7 to see how low the dose is taking Pika.

with the neuropathy. You can give a methyl B supplement such as Zobaline which is available from lifelink.com

Does he still have symptoms of a UTI. The high BG could be from not enough insulin or bouncing.

 

[Pika and Shellz]

Hi Shellz,
With SLGS you reduce the dose when the BG drops under 90. So when you were giving 3 units and he dropped under 90, you needed to drop the dose to 2.75 units. At the moment you are chopping and changing the dose too much. Lantus don’t like this. It likes consistency. The dose is based on the nadir or lowest point in the cycle.
Looking at all the different doses you have given over the last 8 days, I would go back to 2.5 units and stay with that dose unless the BG drops under 90. And hold the dose for 7 days. Before you change the dose, post and ask for help.

With moving to manually hometesting, you need to test before every dose to see it is safe to give the dose, and then test a couple of times during the dip cycles, outlying between +3 and +7 to see how low the dose is taking Pika.

with the neuropathy. You can give a methyl B supplement such as Zobaline which is available from lifelink.com

Does he still have symptoms of a UTI. The high BG could be from not enough insulin or bouncing.

okay so tonight I need to give 2.5 when I do his insulin. I know tonight he will be a little over an hour late due to my work schedule. I have to tell myself that 2.5 is what he needs he actually earned a real reduction. I have gone and read the SLGS method and I think I can follow that. I’m sorry I’m such a mess and all over the place!! I didn’t mean to through Pika off I’m so so sorry. Just when he started going into range and not coming back up and then not following his usual patterns I just didn’t know what to do with 130 at his pm shot so that is what put me going all over.. we decided go up his dose to 3u April 20th due to him not getting low enough in sugars. Then it looks like he earned his reduction on the 30th correct.

How do I know if he is bouncing or if it isn’t enough insulin? I know he does a huge rise a lot of the times due to his graphs.

I want to say his uti did clear out cause he started acting better but he has gone back to being slightly more lethargic and the litter is getting stinky fast again. Not like it was but I’m smelling it more than I should.. I do have an appointment for him on Tuesday to get a recheck to make sure I didn’t miss anything since he was acting better. But his water fountain did get that pink bacteria in it due to me missing cleaning one place in the pump. And I have shed many tears over that. It’s been cleaned very very throughly and new filters and no tap water anymore. I couldn’t keep up with his drinking for a minute.. he was going through so many water bottles (to get him clean water) so I did have them on tap water for probably 1 month. But I do clean their water fountain I promise! I just missed removing one piece from the pump. Never had issues until I used the tap water. But that has me all freaked out that he as another infection especially since his fur isn’t feeling as soft…. And it’s been since the 4 higher cycles so maybe it’s just my mind on the fur.

I’m sure the vet is like stop bringing him in (they mostly have seen him for the sensor) I want to say he has only had the two vet appointments that were due to his diabetes the initial diagnoses then his UTI he had in March/April. Other than that it’s all been just for getting his sugars tested then to replace the sensor….

But thank you so much!! I keep crying today about him. I just want him to get better.. remission is the goal but I feel we are getting past the remission stage…. I still will always have the goal of remission.

Also another question. How do I know if his pancreas is trying to work?

 

[tiffmaxee]

First of all let me put your remission comment to rest. It’s most common to become diet controlled during the first year so Pika is not any way past the window. We have seen cats take two years as well. First goal is to get controlled with insulin.

Testing and appropriately adjusting insulin doses will help you reach your goals. Cats that have p pancreas start to work earn reductions until they become diet controlled. Some hit a breakthrough dose and fly down the dosing scale. Others take their time. For most it’s a marathon rather than a race though.
I hope this helps. Keep asking questions.

 

[Pika and Shellz]

Also pika ss is updated.. and super confused on what is happing during these cycles.. I don’t get what is happening other than pancreas trying to help.

 

[tiffmaxee]

What you see is bouncing from having bg in a lower range than his body is used to.

 

[Pika and Shellz]

What you see is bouncing from having bg in a lower range than his body is used to.

so like today this is a bounce? Or what is this? His nadir was at 7:30pm 30 minutes before his shot is due.. but I’m still at work so he is getting it late tonight

 

[Pika and Shellz]

Help! I am home and ready to do insulin.. and he is around 300 What do I give him. You say in shoot for where he will be in two hours well I have always gave insulin. So in two hours he would be way lower due to insulin kicking in I usually see it kick in 1 hour after injection.

 

[Pika and Shellz]

I did the 2.5. My husband and I are home all night!!

 

[tiffmaxee]

Why are you switching the dose so much? I can’t tell what his dose is. This is not a criticism. I’m trying to understand your dosing decisions. If his dose is 3 that is what you needed to shoot tonight. Lantus likes consistency. A pmps of 200 or more would call for a full dose.

 

[Pika and Shellz]

I know I’m sorry. Full dose story. So we started in Feb 16 on 1u a/pm And then a week later we went 2 am 1 pm. 1 week later Vet wanted 2a/pm I was scared of causing him hypo cause I wasn’t testing I was going blind… and that is when he convinced me to get the sensor so I would be comfortable giving the full 2 units a/pm So after three or 2 days of sensor info we went to full 2 a/pm then I was good cause I had sensor.. then pika did a thing and I didn’t know what to shoot (kinda my issue.. I am so scared of hypo) so then I was blind again and wouldn’t give A full unit to him going lower when he took of sensor. ( this is before I found this community) then I got the sensor placed again and ordered the AlphaTRAK3 And then started giving working him back up to his 2. This is when I found you…. And I know I needed to increase his dose but the vet wasn’t having me do it. So I went rough and slowly moved his dose up to 2.5 in a very ungraceful manor. Then on the April 20th I got the official 3a/pm from the vet…. So he has been 3u since the 20th.

I did 2.5 due to his earning a reduction on the 30th with hitting 60 a few times like we were giving honey (didn’t have any HC food anymore, we have gravy lovers now) by +4 to stop the insulin ( arrow down and 75) then my neighbor also had to treat a 60.. he just kept trying to go down…. And I am comfortable doing the 2.5.. I wasn’t comfortable giving 3 at those numbers due to having previous hypo #s at giving insulin when he was around those numbers….

And then I am new to the low numbers as you can see.. and I have the oh no what do I do. Give less insulin reaction.. cause at night dose.. I sleep hard. I try to wake myself up.. but hours will pass when I wake up and go scan/check him…. I like when he sleeps with me it’s a lot easier to check him then.. but I get super lost when “Pika does a thing” and that is why I was wondering about the pancreas.. like could it be trying. And that is why his nadir went from first half of cycle to second half of cycle.. or is that how all this just goes.. I know it’s a roller coaster. And I am a mess who is trying to get better.