Question regarding BG timing and injections

[Cini Mini's Mom]

Hi, in my effort to refine my technique I noticed something about the way I give Cini his injections and do his BG readings. (hopefully I can ask / explain this correctly)

When does the interval start between when I check his BG and give an injection and the next reading?

Example: His next BG check and injection was scheduled for 11am. I checked his BG right at 11am, but by the time I disposed of the lancet and test strip, got his food out and warmed it up, searched for him to feed him (by now he has run off insulted that I stuck his ear), apologized profusely for daring to soil His Highness' ever glorious body, wait for him to eat some food, THEN I give him the Insulin injection, it's now closer to 11:30am. There's a half hour delay.

So do I do the +2 BG at 1pm or 1:30pm and push back all other BG checks the same way?

 

[PeterDevonMocha]

Hmmm .. That's a good question .. When we were testing/shooting mocha our routine went like this:

7:45 Get cat food out and ready
Get testing device ready
Get mocha and test her
After test feed her (she ate in about 5-10 minutes) draw out insulin while finishing up fuds
Snatch her as soon as she was done eating (if possible, there were lots of mornings we had to chase her)
8:00 Give insulin

Usually insulin was given within 10-15 min of testing her so we always counted her BG readings as her shot times .. it was easier for me to keep track of the + times on an even number .. But that was just us .. others probably will have different answers

 

[Blue]

Hi, in my effort to refine my technique I noticed something about the way I give Cini his injections and do his BG readings. (hopefully I can ask / explain this correctly)

When does the interval start between when I check his BG and give an injection and the next reading?

Example: His next BG check and injection was scheduled for 11am. I checked his BG right at 11am, but by the time I disposed of the lancet and test strip, got his food out and warmed it up, searched for him to feed him (by now he has run off insulted that I stuck his ear), apologized profusely for daring to soil His Highness' ever glorious body, wait for him to eat some food, THEN I give him the Insulin injection, it's now closer to 11:30am. There's a half hour delay.

So do I do the +2 BG at 1pm or 1:30pm and push back all other BG checks the same way?

The clock starts ticking when the syringe with insulin pierces the cat's skin and is injected - your +1 is 1hour or 60min after the injection time.

 

[jan and Hep and sara (GA)]

Hi Cathy,

Gayle is right your +1 etc come from the time you give insulin. I did the same thing Devon did and got Sara's testing basket and food ready before hand. I would test her then feed her. As she was eating I would get her insulin ready.

Hope it goes better for you.
Good luck.

 

[Cini Mini's Mom]

Thanks for everyone's input and suggestions. I didn't realize I could give Cini his insulin while he was eating, I thought I had to wait till after.

 

[jan and Hep and sara (GA)]

You just want to make sure they have eaten enough. Or if you have a picky eater it would probably be better to wait till they are done. It wouldn't hurt to wait till they are done just so there are no problems. While Sara was eating I would go and prepare the syringe. By the time I came back she was almost done eating.

You just need to clean up your routine and you'll be fine. Getting things ready first is key. Also don't worry about disposing the lancet and the strip till after your done.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

With shorter acting types of insulin, it's important to get food on board before you shoot. With Lantus and Lev, the onset is roughly 2 hours after you inject so it's less important to have food on board. So, if you have a cat that grazes, it's OK with Lantus but not so good with insulin like Humulin N. I test then shoot while Gabby's eating. This all happens in less than 5 min.

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

we test, then get the food ready and the insulin syringe ready, then set the food down and shoot. there isn't more than 5 minutes from start to finish. i have started putting the insulin back into the fridge before leaving the kitchen with the food and insulin, just to keep from forgetting it out on the counter.

you'll get faster as you go along.