Questions About Remission

Hello Everyone,
We have had a strange couple days. I finally caught up the spreadsheet. After having Lucifer bottom out and staying up all night with him and ensuring he got Karo and carbs he leveled out. That day we went to see the new vet as it was previously scheduled. So I will add a couple days prior to this we finally found a LC wet food for him that he’ll eat. (Weruva). We had switched him off of MC to LC (I didn’t realize I was still feeding MC).

So anyways we go get him checked out and they aren’t really sure what’s going on and if it’s the food change. Amazing vet by the way so much better than the last. He had great sugar levels when we were there but kind of low. She advised not to give him any insulin that night and to call in the morning for a read to see whether to give and how much. So in the morning it was 115. She said to hold and only give him 1 unit if he is around 250 or above for now. So he was close to 250 that night and I gave him 1 unit.

Since then (3 1/2 days ago) he has not had insulin and the highest he has been is 183 but mostly in the double digits as per the chart. Today she told me to keep holding off and keep the LC food and keep testing for the next week or so because he may be in remission. Has anyone ever had this happen from the food change?

 

Holy #$% Ashley that is wild. I can't answer your question but I must say those numbers are something else, with no insulin. Crazy! I mean he is very young, it seems to me most of the diabetic cats are older, so maybe his pancreas bounced back super quick? So interesting.

I am curious to see what some of our gurus say, I am watching this thread!!

 

I am completely puzzled? I mean it’s wonderful that he has good numbers but I’m just like what’s going on lol?

 

When did you start and finish the food change? And when did he start the medications for seizures?

I have heard tell of - but not yet seen for myself - that sometimes a hypo can kind of "shock" the pancreas back into order. Nobody can really explain it, but he did have that 32 the one night. That said, his numbers were already coming down a bit before that happened.

I think perhaps the more plausible explanation is food change, and possibly the medications for seizures depending on how bad they were and if they're resolved.

 

The food change was about a week or so ago. His seizure medicine started the beginning of April. He only had seizure activity one day but it was continual. It was awful. They put him on Gabapentin and Zonisamide. They discontinued his Gabapentin so right now he takes Zonisamide once per day.

 

Melissa is correct. We've seen cats on the Lantus forum that have had low numbers or even been hypoglycemic and were either incredibly sensitive to insulin for a time after or went into remission.

 

I’m going to continue to monitor him to be sure he’s still doing okay with numbers. Can they go back into needed insulin after remission? Like can they go back and forth?

 

Cats can fall out of remission. Sometimes, it's a matter of their needing dental work, they have a UTI, etc., need a steroid for an illness, or their pancreas poops out. There are cats that have gone into and out of remission several times and others who go into remission and never look back.

(Talk nicely to Lucifer's pancreas!)

 

Thank you. I appreciate all the wisdom and help so very much. And yes we will be very kind to the pancreas and wish it the best to stay on track