ReliOn Premier Inaccurate

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Scdal

Scdal

Member Since 2020
I have been posting how my cat's glucose has been rising the last few days. My vet had recommended that I increase his insulin by 2 units. Thank goodness I didn't. I gave my cat his regular insulin dose today.
Before insulin this morning, his glucose was 422. At 1:15 pm, after insulin it was 395 At 5:15 pm 332.

Here is where it gets weird. I took a glucose reading tonight at 10pm. The reading scared me. It read 596. Phoenix has never had a reading this high. I immediately took another test with the same meter just one minute later. This time it read 492.

What should I do? I depend on this meter for his glucose readings. How could this happen and what should I do? I did purchase 2 of the ReliOn Premier meters so I would gave a backup. But how could this happen? This has me really shook up!!!
 
Meters are allowed a 20% variance so 20% of 596 is 118. So the 493 is within the 20% variance.
It isn’t unusual to get a different number if you test within a few minutes.I would not worry about it. Both the numbers are in the high range and that is the main thing. If you got a BG of 100 and then one of 450, that would be of concern.
As the numbers get lower the variance is smaller.
I’m glad you didn’t increase the dose 2 units as well. You should only increase in 1/4 unit increments.
I can’t see any numbers on you SS.
 
I just got my spreadsheet set up with help from Marje. She was a great help. I was too tired to enter any info onto my spreadsheet tonight. I mowed an acre of my land with my push mower this afternoon. I was too tired to add the info.

Thanks for responding on the meter readings. Being new to this, I tend to freak at the slightest problem. I am going to trust the advice given on this website regarding insulin doses. I think my vets advice to increase his dose by 2 units was crazy.
 
Scdal said:
I just got my spreadsheet set up with help from Marje. She was a great help. I was too tired to enter any info onto my spreadsheet tonight. I mowed an acre of my land with my push mower this afternoon. I was too tired to add the info.

Thanks for responding on the meter readings. Being new to this, I tend to freak at the slightest problem. I am going to trust the advice given on this website regarding insulin doses. I think my vets advice to increase his dose by 2 units was crazy.
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Im not surprised you are tired mowing that much!
I’m glad Marj was able to help with the SS.sadly a lot of vets have not kept up with FD treatments. You can completely trust the advice here from experienced people.
 
Scdal said:
I have another 4 acres to mow and a deck that I am building. It is a lot cheaper to build it yourself and really quite easy to do. I am 67 and if I can do anybody can. Everything got put on hold when Phoenix got sick. He is my world and nothing else matters.
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Wow you go with building your own deck!! You must be in great shape! Wanna build me a porch? Lol
 
Susan --

I know you are busy and tired. However, we can't really help you with Phoenix's dosing without benefit of a spreadsheet. We do not want to give you a poor recommendation and we need to see the numbers in order to avoid providing bad information. For most of the experienced members here, myself included, I won't give dosing suggestions without benefit of a spreadsheet. We don't want to cause harm to your kitty.
 
Scdal said:
I just got my spreadsheet set up with help from Marje. She was a great help. I was too tired to enter any info onto my spreadsheet tonight. I mowed an acre of my land with my push mower this afternoon. I was too tired to add the info.

Thanks for responding on the meter readings. Being new to this, I tend to freak at the slightest problem. I am going to trust the advice given on this website regarding insulin doses. I think my vets advice to increase his dose by 2 units was crazy.
Click to expand...

I had the same issue the other day with back to back testing and thank for someone responded with the same info about the 15-20% variance. But I 100% get how you feel. I freaked out to because it was right on the range of giving or not giving the shot.

All the vets I’ve been to have always recommended increasing their dose by unit and I now know that’s insane!!! Good for you for not doing it and hang in there! :D As soon as you have the spreadsheet working, folks here will be able to help you immensely! Did you figure out the signature issue?
 
I have the spreadsheet but I cant figure out how to use it. For instance, today before insulin was 333. 4 hours later st 2pm it was 488.
 
What does amps and +1 +2 +3 and so on mean on the spreadsheet? For instance, I started recording his insulin on 4/8. His reading was 311 before insulin. After fur shot, it was 413 at 2 pm and 439 at 6:30 pm. Is there a site that explains these terms and how to fill out the spreadsheet?

Also, if you keep scrolling to the right, it starts over again with 200 300 etc. I am sorry but I am not very computer knowledgeable. I thought it would just have places to record his readings and medications every day. This spreadsheet is beyond me.

Also, when I click on the spreadsheet, it does not let me enter any data. The keyboard does not come up. It says cut, copy. and paste.

I have found the site that explains how to enter the data but now I can't enter it. Someone please help!
 
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I have emailed Marje so maybe she can solve it for me. So far, I think a spreadsheet that I could print out and then just scan and email would be a lot easier.
 
Here's a link to the sticky explaining things: UNDERSTANDING THE SPREADSHEET/GRID

It's just a short post, so I'll also copy it here, highlighting a few key concepts:

"The colored headings at the top are the ranges of glucose values. They are color-coded to clue you in as to meaning.

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning, pre-shot, test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +7 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening, pre-shot, test)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

The nadir is the lowest glucose between shots. There is a general period when it will happen which is specific to the insulin being used and testing then helps make sure your cat doesn't go too low.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required."
 
Scdal said:
Also, when I click on the spreadsheet, it does not let me enter any data. The keyboard does not come up. It says cut, copy. and paste.

I have found the site that explains how to enter the data but now I can't enter it. Someone please help!
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Oh, whoops, I guess you already found the sticky I copied above!

I'm guessing you are on a mobile platform (phone, iPad, etc.), which I don't use for this, so this may not be helpful, but here are a couple of things to try:

1) if you click inside a cell to enter data, do you get a keyboard then?
2) the link to the spreadsheet that is in your signature is not editable-- it's just for other users to view. To get to the editable version, you have to go through your own google account and the copy that is on your google drive-- again, since I don't use a phone to access it, I don't know how you do that on that kind of platform or if there are other tricks.

Sorry I can't help more!
 
Nan & Amber (GA) said:
Here's a link to the sticky explaining things: UNDERSTANDING THE SPREADSHEET/GRID

It's just a short post, so I'll also copy it here, highlighting a few key concepts:

"The colored headings at the top are the ranges of glucose values. They are color-coded to clue you in as to meaning.

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning, pre-shot, test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +7 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening, pre-shot, test)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

The nadir is the lowest glucose between shots. There is a general period when it will happen which is specific to the insulin being used and testing then helps make sure your cat doesn't go too low.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required."
Click to expand...

Thanks Nan, I tried to copy and paste this and it wouldnt work for me. sorry
 
I figured it out and have entered all the info. A keyboard doesn't pop up on my phone. Instead, it works like a text message. You enter the numbers at the bottom and it adds it to the spreadsheet. You can now view Phoenix's info.

I am beginning to wonder if maybe I am giving more fur shots than I realize. I am picking up longer needles on Tuesday.

Thank you all for putting up with my stupidity. Before I retired, I did medical coding on a computer. But when we had a problem, we just called the tech guys to come fix it.
 
After you give a shot feel the fur, if it is wet you dont know how much has gone in, so you have to be patient and NOT shoot again ok? Also Insulin has a very distinct smell. If the fur is wet and that order permeates the air...FUR SHOT.
You are about to learn everything you never thought you'd need to know about diabetes. ;)
 
I believe you about all the learning. I have to admit that I get scared and start to panic. I know I worry too much but I feel like his life is in my hands.

This isolation is also rough. I already live alone on five acres but I used to meet friends for lunch almost every week. Now all that has stopped. I won't even go into Dallas to go to Whole Foods. I do most of my shopping by curbside service or delivery.

How are the rest of you coping?
 
We ALL got scared when our kitties our babies got the dreaded diagnosis. But with knowledge we learned here the road became more safe. We learned to put our big girl and boy panties on and take control of our own fears. You will too. THAT I PROMISE.

I am already pretty "reclusive". I dont mind staying home. I had ENOUGH of the workforce I belonged to and learned that there is more in life. Now I garden, spend some time here, in hopes of being a calming voice in all the noise that IS diabetes. I remember how scary it is. Hubby is in an essential business so he still goes to work but only half days due to the virus closure. We have been together since 1971... and are still in love. I walk, I swim, I live. That is how we cope. Sending many positives and prayers for you and Phoenix. Its going to be ok.:bighug:
 
These are scary times, no doubt. I think we are all just keeping going as best we can, with whatever supports we can find, whether they be activities, pets, partners, internet friends, whatever. This too shall pass...

For Phoenix: looking at his numbers, yup, he's been high pretty consistently. I am not used to looking at and interpreting the 1x/day dosing, though.

If you shot 2x/day (12hrs apart), would that work for you? You wouldn't necessarily have to test all through the night as you do the day, but could you get at least one night-time test after shooting?

Not recommending that you shoot 4U 2X/day, not yet. I'd like some of the more experienced folks to take a look at your spreadsheet and make a recommendation first. But regardless of the dose, cats do much better with 2x/day dosing with their fast metabolism, so hopefully you'll be able to move to that to help get Phoenix down to better numbers soon.
 
Scdal said:
I figured it out and have entered all the info. A keyboard doesn't pop up on my phone. Instead, it works like a text message. You enter the numbers at the bottom and it adds it to the spreadsheet. You can now view Phoenix's info.

I am beginning to wonder if maybe I am giving more fur shots than I realize. I am picking up longer needles on Tuesday.

Thank you all for putting up with my stupidity. Before I retired, I did medical coding on a computer. But when we had a problem, we just called the tech guys to come fix it.
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We’ve all felt like that at first but you will get the hang of it. I’ve posted this on another thread, unused to worry like crazy about fur shots and I’d sniff her fur immediately after to make sure I didn’t smell any insulin but the only thing that puts my mind 100% at ease is using a portable flashlight to see the spot and the needle going in and especially going out as I shoot her. I got a small portable one and I hold it in my mouth and aim at the post so I can see. I do it at night and during the day because even with sunlight it still makes it easier to see. I swear by it!!!
 
Shooting Lantus once a day doesn’t work with cats because of their fast metabolism. You will just continue to get high numbers in the am because you have left the pm cycles with no insulin. Lantus like consistency and dosing once a day is messing with the depot which will give you wonky numbers as well.

Phoenix would do much better dividing the current dose into two and give 2 units in the morning and 2 units in the evening 12 hours apart. Don’t be tempted to give more than that or you could run into trouble.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
Shooting Lantus once a day doesn’t work with cats because of their fast metabolism. You will just continue to get high numbers in the am because you have left the pm cycles with no insulin. Lantus like consistency and dosing once a day is messing with the depot which will give you wonky numbers as well.

Phoenix would do much better dividing the current dose into two and give 2 units in the morning and 2 units in the evening 12 hours apart. Don’t be tempted to give more than that or you could run into trouble.
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I’m not an expert, but I do agree with everyone on that. I’ve been giving Minnie 2 shots a day every 12 hours since she was diagnosed last year and I believe you’ll see the numbers will stabilize once you try that. You’ll see the amps and pmps numbers look similar and those will be the peaks with a low number (nadir) at about the 6th hour in between cycles (every 12 hour). I’ll also say I’ve had my share of bad vets who gave me bad advice like the shots don’t need to be 12 hours apart or you don’t need to test or do a curve on Lantus, and on and on. I don’t think they mean harm they just don’t know enough about feline diabetes. I trust the folks here way more than any vet because they’re doing it everyday and they’ve seen what works and what doesn’t work on their cats and others. It’s like they have a self taught PHD in it! Give it a try splitting up the dose twice a day for 7 days and you’ll see for yourself the difference in the numbers ;)
 
Alessandra Franco said:
I don’t think they mean harm they just don’t know enough about feline diabetes. I trust the folks here way more than any vet because they’re doing it everyday and they’ve seen what works and what doesn’t work on their cats and others. It’s like they have a self taught PHD in it!
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I was one of the lucky ones! My Vet was the first to admit she didnt get a lot of training on FD. Once I directed her to this site she was ALL ON BOARD with the advice given here. I think if HALF the Vets that get these cases would admit the same there wouldn't be bad advice given anywhere. AND maybe just maybe Vets would get over themselves and be open to learning. (JMUO)
 
Alessandra Franco said:
I’ll also say I’ve had my share of bad vets who gave me bad advice like the shots don’t need to be 12 hours apart or you don’t need to test or do a curve on Lantus, and on and on. I don’t think they mean harm they just don’t know enough about feline diabetes. I trust the folks here way more than any vet because they’re doing it everyday and they’ve seen what works and what doesn’t work on their cats and others. It’s like they have a self taught PHD in it!
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And we're trying to get everyone else that joins here, at least a Bachelor's Degree in treating and managing feline diabetes. ;)

Plus, we read and peruse many vet and scientific websites, to learn more about feline diabetes all the time.
 
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