Please help - Low numbers right after shot

A

Anna S

Member Since 2026
Requesting urgent input if possible! My Leela is a newly diagnosed diabetic. We’ve been on quite a ride for the past week and a half and I’m trying to do my best while working with a vet who doesn’t seem the most knowledgeable.

I was advised by my vet to increase her dose quite quickly to 1.5U twice a day. All seemed well until we started waking up to AMPS around or below 150mg/dL. I started reducing the dose on my own or even skipping while waiting for the vet to call back. Eventually she did today, and said to do 1U based on my spreadsheet numbers.

Leela was at 182mg/dL PMPS today. She appeared to by rising and I maybe stupidly felt comfortable giving 1U between that and my vet saying to do so. It was a pretty skinny 1U.

Well then the Libre sensor completely gave out right after. Luckily I have a Relion and thought it best to test her. She tested at 115 +1 and 79 +2 and am FREAKING OUT.

I gave her food immediately both times and she’s happy to eat. Do I need to get more drastic? I have honey on hand and high carb food for this purpose.
 
I know this is an hour later....but feeding her with her numbers like that is what I would have done. It is super frustrating when the libre cuts out. But good job doing testing with the relion! I am still fairly new to all of this so I can't give you more advice. But have some hugs! *Huge hugs* If you want to try adjusting doses on your own, you should look at the sticky about dosing methods, then people can help you out more.

@Bandit's Mom is the person who has helped me around this time of night.

Good luck and remember to breathe!
 
Thank you so much! We have tested every hour since. Unfortunately only dropping more. 79 +3 and 74 +4. These aren’t huge drops but she hasn’t hit nadir and has been hitting nadir near the end of each cycle anyway… we’re a long ways off. My partner just went to sleep after staying up to help test. I’ll be trying to do the other hours on my own although I may skip an hour of testing as she’s fed up with us. I keep feeding each hour. I’ve already given up and will be taking tomorrow off (I’ve used so many of my vacation days since her diagnosis… she’s worth it, but I am medically complex myself and it’s hard).

I greatly appreciate the support.
 
79 and 74 are essentially the same number, well within meter margin of error. Are you feeding low carb or ?

Cycles where they break bounces tend to have later nadirs. This isn't one of those types of cycles.

Keep this post handy. Don't Panic! or How to Handle Low Numbers. I printed it out, just on case of power failure. Which happened once with lower numbers.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
79 and 74 are essentially the same number, well within meter margin of error. Are you feeding low carb or ?

Cycles where they break bounces tend to have later nadirs. This isn't one of those types of cycles.

Keep this post handy. Don't Panic! or How to Handle Low Numbers. I printed it out, just on case of power failure. Which happened once with lower numbers.
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree they aren’t too far apart so I’m not too worried but she hasn’t hit nadir and had a very late nadir for several cycles. Are you saying you can tell this one will be different? That would be a huge relief. Could you tell me how you know that? For my understanding in the future.

She is eating low carb. I’ll admit I have gave her a little higher carb dry food tonight because I panicked. But she was switched to low carb when she was diagnosed.

I already had that printed on my fridge and have read it forwards and backwards 100 times tonight. Unfortunately it made me panic more if I’m being honest. The last bit at the end about monitoring your cat if they are already below 100 and nowhere near nadir…. It’s looking like I’ll be going 36 hours without sleep dealing with this.
 
Bandit's Mom said:
Hi, I'm here if you need help.

Are tonight's tests with the ReliOn and not the Libre? When did she last eat high carb dry food
Click to expand...
Everything past the PMPS tonight is with the Relion and not the Libre. I gave her some higher carb dry food around PMPS +2. It did nothing to raise it, which is weird. But it’s sounding like I shouldn’t have done that maybe? She’s never had numbers in the green and definitely not before the insulin even kicks in.
 
Anna S said:
I gave her some higher carb dry food around PMPS +2. It did nothing to raise it, which is weird. But it’s sounding like I shouldn’t have done that maybe?
Click to expand...
It's good if you can avoid dry food - even low carb - but that dive at +2 meant that she needed something higher in carbs. Next time, you want to feed higher carbs at +1 itself, if you see a sharp drop like you did tonight. Feeding carbs earlier in the cycle (in cycles like tonight) helps slow drops.

She has been pretty flat for the last 3 hours which is good. That's exactly what you want when you're aiming for regulation and ultimately, remission - a nice green surf!

Her numbers look great for a newly diagnosed cat. Some caregivers have to wait weeks, if not months to see such wonderful flat cycles and such long stretches of blues and greens. It looks like she wants to get with the program (paws crossed)!

Do you think you can stay up for a +5? Has she been eating LC after the +3 and +4?
 
We are now at 108 +5. I feel bad, now I feel like I’ve ruined it in my panic! She has only eaten LC canned (fancy feast pate) after +3 and +4. I appreciate the encouragement that she’s doing great. Now only if I don’t get in her way!
 
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