Reducing Insulin

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amousm

amousm

Member Since 2021
Hi!

I'm taking care of someone else's diabetic cat for the next 6 months or so. His name is Blue. I'm Amy. He came to me on 7/11 and had a combo diet. He is obese. I've switched him to a canned food diet and reduced the amount of food he's receiving. I'm familiar with slow weight loss goals. I also know that the cold turkey switch from kibble to canned food means the insulin needs to be lowered.

I thought we were doing well until this morning. His amps was 44. Blue was fine-acting. We didn't give any insulin and did feed him. He ate well.

I'm now worried that I didn't reduce his insulin dose enough with the diet change.

We've got an AlphaTrak meter. Blue is on PZI. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do for this evening's dose?

I see lots of information on how to start giving insulin to a newly diagnosed cat. I am not seeing (although I'm sure it's there) how to reduce insulin doses.

Thanks!
 
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Hi Amy. Welcome to the message board! I can't advise on a dose, but I can absolutely say that 4U is entirely too much with all of the low pre shots and low numbers you've been getting. My Jack is on 4.5U of prozinc, and his preshot numbers are in the 400 and 500's. It looks to me like dropping to a very low dose, and taking it from there, would be the right thing. I'll tag some other members who can advise you. @JanetNJ and @Panic
How wonderful that you're taking care of someone else's sugar baby. Blue is a lucky boy.
 
I have a feeling you missed a few other lows. He eared a reduction for sure when he was at 67. I'd go down to no more than 3 and definitely get a mid cycle AND evening cycle reading. Even safer with the food change would be 2.5. You may find you need to go even lower than that.
 
JanetNJ said:
I have a feeling you missed a few other lows. He eared a reduction for sure when he was at 67. I'd go down to no more than 3 and definitely get a mid cycle AND evening cycle reading. Even safer with the food change would be 2.5. You may find you need to go even lower than that.
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Thank you for your help! I will try for more mid cycles. When is an evening cycle reading? I go to bed about an hour after his pm shot. I can extend bedtime or wake up in the night. I am an animal welfare worker in the middle of kitten season 2021. I sleep when I can.
 
amousm said:
When is an evening cycle reading? I go to bed about an hour after his pm shot. I can extend bedtime or wake up in the night. I am an animal welfare worker in the middle of kitten season 2021. I sleep when I can.
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An evening cycle reading is a reading in the PM cycle (night time)
If you could get a+2 before you go to bed, that might give you an idea if it is going to drop further…..if the +2 is the same or lower than the preshot BG it can mean that the cycle will be an active one and the BG could drop quite a bit, so in that case I would set the alarm and get up and test a few hours later, depending on the size of the drop at +2. Does that make sense?
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
An evening cycle reading is a reading in the PM cycle (night time)
If you could get a+2 before you go to bed, that might give you an idea if it is going to drop further…..if the +2 is the same or lower than the preshot BG it can mean that the cycle will be an active one and the BG could drop quite a bit, so in that case I would set the alarm and get up and test a few hours later, depending on the size of the drop at +2. Does that make sense?
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Yes. It does. I can do that!
 
JanetNJ said:
Ok way way too low. drop that dose down to 1 unit. Normal on am alphatrack is 68-150. This cat is just barely above that. I'm so glad you did 2.5 and not 4 u! I have a feeling he is working on going into remission very soon from this food change.
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Thank you! I didn't see this recommendation to reduce to 1 until after I had given the am 2.5 units. He is due for his pm shot in an hour. His +11 was 198. Do you still think a reduction is in order?

I think I need to figure out what the goal is. I have been reading, but not enough to get comfortable with the goal BG.
 
amousm said:
Thank you! I didn't see this recommendation to reduce to 1 until after I had given the am 2.5 units. He is due for his pm shot in an hour. His +11 was 198. Do you still think a reduction is in order?

I think I need to figure out what the goal is. I have been reading, but not enough to get comfortable with the goal BG.
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I think do 1 for a few days and if it proves to be not think we will go to 1.25. If that's not enough then 1.5. 1 is the recommended starting dose and I think blue needs to go back to the beginning. It's safer to have him run just a little higher than normal rather than have him hypo.
 
Thank you! That makes sense. We're doing a curve today. I have the time and have been doing some reading/research. I am feeling much better.
 
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