Preparing to do first curve

Cara & Sabrina

Cara & Sabrina

Member Since 2021
Hello! Newbie wanting to make sure I understand the basics of the recommendations and process. I started Sabrina on 1 unit of Basaglar on 6/9/21, twice a day. The vet recommended trying Libre Freestyle but after researching, I decided to test at home myself and I got the supplies and did a test run. I work full time and am gone 10-14 hours a day and I'm trying to get her doses as close to 12 hours apart as a I can. Managing the food and feeding times and amounts for her and my other cat is another challenge, but I'll have to figure that problem out later.

I want to do her first curve reading or testing or whatever it's called :-) this weekend. I know that I need to set up her spreadsheet and expand my signature. One question I have is if adding Vaseline to the ear to get the blood to bead up affects the reading?

Do I need to test her BG before every insulin dose from now until the end of time? Or is this only necessary when changing the dose? I can see how it could be the most beneficial thing possible to test BG all the time, but unfortunately I'm not in a position to strive for perfection and going the extra 150%, so I'm trying to determine what is a reasonable and helpful course of action for my situation and limitations. Please be kind and understand that I am committed to helping Sabrina feel better and be safe, but at this time in my life I simply am not as able to center my life and schedule around it as much as some others may be able to. And I don't have others that can help with the dosing or testing or feeding. Thank you for your guidance!
 
Welcome!

I know this is super stressful at the beginning, but it will get easier.

It’s a very good thing you are testing at home. The BG tests twice a day before you give the insulin are some of the most important. It will let you know if it safe to give your cat insulin or if giving them insulin will likely send them into a hypoglycemic event. Especially if you are changing diet to low-carb (which can make a BIG difference), you’ll want to know your cat’s BG. But it might not be until the end of time! If your vet caught the diabetes early, there’s a decent chance she could go into remission.

The Vaseline does not affect her BG, so it will be fine to apply that.

A curve is a BG test every 2 hours for 12 hour, or every 3 hours for 16-18 hours.

I am not an expert in this field at all, but there was a recent post about someone whose work schedule did not allow them to shoot Basaglar reliably every 12 hours. With this particular insulin, that is a very important aspect because of how your cat stores and metabolizes the insulin. I believe ProZinc is a brand that allows you to be more flexible.

Tone can be hard to detect in text, so I want to reassure you that many of us also have many other aspects of life we need to focus on, and this is just another ball to juggle. You do the best you can, and we are here for you whatever that is. This group is a fantastic resource. I’ve learned a lot in a very short time, and so many people here are so very supportive. Best of luck to you and Sabrina!
 
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