Recently diagnosed and looking hopeful....

[Kerri & Tigger]

Hello and Happy New Year, new friends!

My Tigger seems to be doing pretty well. . . . It's now been a week since her last Vetsulin shot. (I'm super grateful with my fingers crossed!) I see that she tends to go higher around her PS times. . . . But then she seems to settle into decent numbers. Now I have new questions. . . .

1) I'm thinking I just keep doing what I'm doing--testing but not shooting--unless something changes? I feel like her numbers should be lower to be really good numbers, but maybe these are okay?

2) I read on a different thread that food triggers the pancreas to work. . . . I've been postponing dinner to get the 12-hour time blocks, but maybe I could prevent the PMPS rise by backing up dinner time? (Or, gosh, maybe that just spikes the next AM. Ugh.)

3) Tigger had two rounds of Convenia (11/27/19 and 12/11/19) for UTI. The 12/11/19 shot was same day as our diagnosis. I'm nervous about some lingering infection--though she's behaving very normally now, and I don't really have a reason to think she has one. I've been wondering whether I should visit the vet again to be sure she's all clear--though I also dread the idea of going, she hates it soooooo much.

As always, Tigger and I are so grateful for feedback--and sending our well-wishes to all the sweet sugarcats & parents around the world.

 

[Sarah&Soph]

I think her numbers are looking excellent! Tigger’s numbers look a lot like my cat’s did when she went off insulin as well. Even though some of the preshots are kind of high, the fact that they go down at +2-3 means the pancreas is doing some work. When my cat first went off insulin, I too was very apprehensive that her numbers seemed higher than many of the other cat’s numbers I was seeing, but at the same time, up to 120 is normal on a human meter and it’s not like I know what her “normal” was before I started insulin! 6 months later, shes still truckin along in normal numbers, other than a bout of pancreatitis. The numbers she stays in now are also around the same numbers her nadirs were when she was on Vetsulin, so I’m not sure if there’s some correlation there or if it’s just coincidence.

What is her feeding schedule like? More frequent, smaller meals are easier on the pancreas and can promote healing so doing that might help, if you aren’t already!

I will also tag an experienced Vetsulin user to take a look a see what she thinks

@MrWorfMen's Mom

 

[Kerri & Tigger]

I think her numbers are looking excellent! Tigger’s numbers look a lot like my cat’s did when she went off insulin as well. Even though some of the preshots are kind of high, the fact that they go down at +2-3 means the pancreas is doing some work. When my cat first went off insulin, I too was very apprehensive that her numbers seemed higher than many of the other cat’s numbers I was seeing, but at the same time, up to 120 is normal on a human meter and it’s not like I know what her “normal” was before I started insulin! 6 months later, shes still truckin along in normal numbers, other than a bout of pancreatitis. The numbers she stays in now are also around the same numbers her nadirs were when she was on Vetsulin, so I’m not sure if there’s some correlation there or if it’s just coincidence.

What is her feeding schedule like? More frequent, smaller meals are easier on the pancreas and can promote healing so doing that might help, if you aren’t already!

I will also tag an experienced Vetsulin user to take a look a see what she thinks

@MrWorfMen's Mom

Thanks so much, Sarah! That's really encouraging to hear, about Soph's numbers and remission. Yay for you both!

I always leave Tigger's food out for her; she's definitely a grazer. BUT I notice for AM & PM "meal times" when she gets fresh dish of LC wet, she tends to eat a little, then comes back in an hour or so and eats a good bit more. So, like, a quarter serving, then another quarter. And then she just picks at it through the day. There's usually still a third or so left by the next mealtime--so she is definitely getting most of her eating done early in a cycle, even with the food sitting out.

I used to always keep a bowl of dry out for her, which she loved (shame on me, I know; I have learned), and she really chowed down on that all day. To wean her off, I've been leaving just a smattering of Young Again Zero--teaspoon-sized "scoop" morning and night--and she cleans that up a few bits at a time. I ordered some Dr. Elsey's--thinking a few carbs could be better than no carbs, maybe, to help kick her pancreas in gear? Is that possible? But it only just arrived--haven't given it a try yet. (I figure the crunchies can become just treats eventually.)

I'll try offering her some fresh wet more frequently. She definitely likes it better if I've only just served it up!

Thank you again for your reply!

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

Tigger is looking great but some of her numbers are still a bit higher than ideal. Normally when numbers start improving, we'd reduce the dose down to 0.25u then 0.10u and then even a drop to give the pancreas extra support and get the numbers down. I agree we never know what was normal for our furkids before the diabetes and some kitties will just naturally run a little higher than others.

Looks like you've been doing a fair bit of monitoring so if you get a pre-shot of 150 or higher on a human meter again, then I'd suggest trying a tiny dose of 0.10u if you can monitor the cycle and see if that helps bring those pre-shots down. You can draw up 0.10u by having the rubber on the plunger just below the zero line (the first long marking on the syringe nearest the needle).

Her numbers may continue to improve with time even without further insulin support and right now she is basically in normal range with some being at the upper levels of normal.

 

[Kerri & Tigger]

Tigger is looking great but some of her numbers are still a bit higher than ideal. Normally when numbers start improving, we'd reduce the dose down to 0.25u then 0.10u and then even a drop to give the pancreas extra support and get the numbers down. I agree we never know what was normal for our furkids before the diabetes and some kitties will just naturally run a little higher than others.

Looks like you've been doing a fair bit of monitoring so if you get a pre-shot of 150 or higher on a human meter again, then I'd suggest trying a tiny dose of 0.10u if you can monitor the cycle and see if that helps bring those pre-shots down. You can draw up 0.10u by having the rubber on the plunger just below the zero line (the first long marking on the syringe nearest the needle).

Her numbers may continue to improve with time even without further insulin support and right now she is basically in normal range with some being at the upper levels of normal.

Thank you so much, Linda! Let me double-check--the 150 is for the human meter, not the AlphaTrak? (And apologies for my bounce around between meters--I imagine that's not ideal.)

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

Yes actually that was something I was going to mention regarding the meters. Best to pick one meter and stick with it so as not to confuse folks. I've used both meters so picked up on the initials with the readings but others might not. We have no way of knowing what the equivalent of 150 on a human meter might be on the AT2 but as a guideline, I'd stick to a no shot limit of perhaps 185 or so with the AT2.

 

[Kerri & Tigger]

Yes actually that was something I was going to mention regarding the meters. Best to pick one meter and stick with it so as not to confuse folks. I've used both meters so picked up on the initials with the readings but others might not. We have no way of knowing what the equivalent of 150 on a human meter might be on the AT2 but as a guideline, I'd stick to a no shot limit of perhaps 185 or so with the AT2.

Got it! Thank you so very much!

 

[Kerri & Tigger]

Looks like I jinxed us. . . . Highest levels today that we've had in a week. I had a feeling we hadn't spent enough time on the juice. . . .

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

She didn't per chance see a critter out the window or hear something that spooked her? Anything of that nature can shoot their BG up in a hurry but will also fall more quickly too.

 

[Kerri & Tigger]

She didn't per chance see a critter out the window or hear something that spooked her? Anything of that nature can shoot their BG up in a hurry but will also fall more quickly too.

Oh gosh, I didn't know that. I don't think so. . . . She was quiet / sleeping in the bed with everyone this morning before that higher AMPS. We were out a lot of the day, though; we sometimes have a neighbor cat who visits our yard and that does stir her up. So that's possible. . . .

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

Just something to be aware of. She may need a little extra support too so just monitor her and see how she does. She's definitely on the right path.

 

[Kerri & Tigger]

Thank you so much!

 

[Kerri & Tigger]

Hi @MrWorfMen's Mom,
If you have a chance to chime back in. . . . I'm afraid I've slipped back into skipping some doses / maybe not giving quite the right amount for others. ( 0.25 v. 0.1). I wonder if it looks safe to drop my no shoot a little lower than 185? (This morning at 176 I did follow my gut to give a dose, but only 0.1.) I keep feeling like all the skipping isn't great, but I also want to be patient and conservative. Thank you, thank you for all your help. . . . I am also wondering if I should try to buy the 100u for finer dosing? (I think you recommended that to someone else--I understand that I would need to be very careful with the conversion/chart.)