Rousseau's Insulin Spreadsheet-High BG

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Jnfr

Jnfr

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I'm very concerned about Rousseau. His BG #'s have been very high. He doesn't seem to be getting better. I am unable to test him throughout the day during the week, only in the morning and at night. I'm hoping the numbers aren't always that high and they're high because it's been 12-13 hrs. since he got his last shot and meal. I have been leaving out high protein, low carb, dry food (Blue Wilderness right now) for the cats to snack on throughout the day. I've been feeding him Fancy Feast Classics (on Janet & Binky's list). Should I try a different food? Any thoughts?

I attached his spreadsheet which I filled out as best I could. I didn't start doing home BG testing right away and I don't know what the vet's numbers were. I will get those from him and add them.

Thanks,
Jennifer
 

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Hi Jennifer,

We need a few mid cycle numbers to see where he is getting too little or too much insulin. If he is dropping down low at midcycle, and bouncing back up, that could be too much insulin. If he is flat across the cycle, it could be too little insulin. There is no way to know without those middle tests. I know they are hard to get. Some people set their alarm and get up at about 6 hours after the night shot, take a test and go back to sleep. A pain, but if you can't get daytime tests.......

Your spreadsheet has to be downloaded to be seen. Not ideal. Can I help you set up the one we use? It allows us to view it without downloading. Sign onto Google, then google docs, then search templates for FDMB spreadsheet. After you save your copy and allow anyone with the link to view, you go over to FILE on the left hand side and choose Publish to the web. That url is the one that goes into your signature.

If you want help with the spreadsheet, send me a pm.
 
I just did the Google docs spreadsheet and added the link to my signature. Please let me know if it works.

Thanks,
Jennifer
 
It looks great! Fast work! If you want, click on the title 12/12 insulin spreadsheet and you can rename it Rousseau's spreadsheet

Now to fill it up with blues and greens and mid cycle numbers. :mrgreen:
 
Last night when I tested him the # must have been so hi that the meter only said HI instead of giving a number. I gave him 2.5u and fed him and tested him one hour later but his BG was still over 500. I tested him again an hour after that and it was 271 which made me feel better. I got the HI reading again this morning but I had to come to work. I gave him 2.5u and fed him after the test. I'm hoping it will go down like it did last night. There's a lot of info on what to do if the #'s are really low but hardly anything about what to do if the #'s are really high. Is giving him a little more insulin than usual the right thing to do? I'm really worried about my sweet Rousseau. :sad:
 
I agree with Sue that mid-cycle numbers will really help with finding out what's going on. Notably it sucks :P I did it with cello for a few weeks to figure him out.

I set an alarm for 1am (+6), or the random night i was up late I tested a bit early at midnight...... if i couldn't get back to sleep I tested at 3am as well ;-) it really helped us figure out the dosages because most days I couldn't come home for a mid-cycle number either..... Hopefully it's only a short term problem, just need lots of morning ~O)
 
Your spreadsheet isn't working. Looks like a few of the characters dropped off. Go back to your original spreadsheet and choose File/Post to the web again. When you put it in your signature, paste it, then highlight and go up to the top of the page and click on the URL button. That should get it in there. Then submit.

We have this saying, better too high for a day than too low for a minute. Without knowing those mid cycle numbers, it's a guessing game. (Hope you got some; I'll check it out as soon as it comes up.) We just had a poster in PZI. She was getting 400s at preshots and had no midcycle numbers. She got two the last 2 cycles and the kitty is in the 100s at nadir. Really changes the picture!

To protect him while he is in high numbers, be sure you test daily for ketones: ketones
 
Thanks Sue. Please let me know if the spreadsheet is okay now. I published it and re-pasted the link in my signature.

Regards,
Jennifer
 
It looks great, Jennifer. I am hoping you will have some time to test this weekend. If you could get us even a few mid cycle numbers, we could probably tell whether you need to increase or decrease. The sooner the better. It is not good for him to be in those highs.

You are testing for ketones, right?
 
I'm glad it's working. I haven't tested for ketones. I'm going to have to get the device that tests using blood. I have 3 cats and 3 litter boxes so it would be difficult to test his urine.
 
Except for the 12 last night, I would say that 2 units is not enough. However, the 132 tend to indicate that 2 units is too much. Before the 132, did R eat OK and were there any abnormalities that could account for the 132?
 
I don't know what would've put him at 132. I was actually glad to see it that low. He ate the same as usual, a can of Fancy Feast Classics. There didn't seem to be any abnormalities. He was sleepig right before I took the test so maybe being so relaxed caused his BG to be lower.

Today his BG has been consistently high. I will try to do a few more tests tonight.

Thanks,
Jennifer
 
There can always been a off test - bad reading whatever. Based on the numbers today, an increase looks right. Maybe 2.25 if you can't test often. 2.50 if you can monitor?

You do want to keep an eye on the increase. It looks like he needs more but that you started high complicates the picture and makes us less sure. We have so little data to work with. Can you manage a mid cycle number most days (or nights)?
 
Unfortunately the only days I can do mid cycle tests are on weekends. My commute to work is 60-80 min. one way. I can do one, maybe two tests at night during the week. I could increase his injection to 2.25.

How often would I need to test his ketones? I was going to buy the Abbott Precision Xtra meter which uses blood to test for ketones but the ketone strips are really expensive. He does still seem to be drinking a lot of water and urinating a lot.

I'm concerned that I'm not taking proper enough care of him or able to do everything that is needed.

I'm going to start leaving out frozen tuna for them to snack on throughout the day as it thaws, hopefully that will help.
 
I think 2.25 would be okay given that preshot number. But like Sue said, if you can get any mid-cycle tests, we'd have a much more clear picture about what the insulin is doing. You do have a couple of number that make it look like it's working. Not only the 132, but the 271 the night before. If those numbers are correct, then it could also be that the insulin is working maybe too good....
Today's cycle, it doesn't look like it did much at all. Any chance you could get 2 or 3 mid-cycle tests tomorrow?

Carl
 
I can test every couple of hours tomorrow like I did today. I've been giving him his shot in the scruff of the neck. Would it be better to inject him somewhere else?
 
Some people set their alarm for +6, wake up and test and go back to sleep. Is that a possibility?

I would be testing at least every other day while his numbers are high.

You can freeze wet food- it would better than tuna. I got a silicone cupcake pan that a can of FF fits in perfectly.
 
Do you mean test his ketones every other day (while his #'s are high)? The Precision Xtra Blood Ketone strips are a little over $50 for 10 of them. I can't afford to test every other day at that price. I guess I'll have to try and do the urine test by watching when he goes to the litter box.

I can try to wake up and test his BG a couple times during the night but I have a hard time with getting enough sleep as it is due to my own health issues.

This is frustrating and stressful. :sad:
 
It is stressful until you get some numbers and see some patterns and trends. The more data, the more confidence.

I don't know if this is feasible, bit we put Oliver in a room with a clean litter box filled with aquarium gravel. He'd have to christen the box (cats can't stand clean boxes) and the gravel won't absorb it. Could you alternate a method like that with the meter strips?

Oh, check eBay too. You may be able to find some a lot cheaper.
 
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