RUMPELTEAZER - 3-16-13
- Thread starter misty1477
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BJM
Very Active Member
Given how she dove on you the last 2 days, I wouldn't shoot either! And 216 is within 20% of 200, so essentially the same number.
See how she is about 2 hours after breakfast. You'll likely see a food spike, which is normal.
If you can break up feeding into mini meals, that may help keep her glucose more level. This may be done by freezing part of a meal to be nibbled on as it thaws, using a timed pet feeder like the PetMate 5 (see our shopping partner Amazon to search for it), and smearing the food across a nice wide plate.
See how she is about 2 hours after breakfast. You'll likely see a food spike, which is normal.
If you can break up feeding into mini meals, that may help keep her glucose more level. This may be done by freezing part of a meal to be nibbled on as it thaws, using a timed pet feeder like the PetMate 5 (see our shopping partner Amazon to search for it), and smearing the food across a nice wide plate.
misty1477
Very Active Member
Good Morning, BJM !!
I will feed now and test again in 2 hours.
She will love having the 'mini-meals'. How many time do I 'mini' .... how many hours apart?
Please bear with me...I am still a little confused as to what to do in the AM and PM. That's why I post reading and wait for instructions. I will get the hang of it soon....I hope. Feel bad driving everyone crazy every day.
I will feed now and test again in 2 hours.
She will love having the 'mini-meals'. How many time do I 'mini' .... how many hours apart?
Please bear with me...I am still a little confused as to what to do in the AM and PM. That's why I post reading and wait for instructions. I will get the hang of it soon....I hope. Feel bad driving everyone crazy every day.
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
That's exactly what we want you to do, Misty. since her two dips into low numbers, her numbers are very unpredictable. The encouraging part is that she is lowering on her own (from 300s last night to 200s today with no insulin. Let's see what she does with some mini meals today.
Do you have U100 needles? I ask because you can give smaller doses easily with those - like .2 instead of .5. We also have a way for you to give a "drop" of insulin. I am just thinking if she doesn't drop into double digits on her own, she might need a drop to help her. (Just for reference, to be considered in remission, she needs to range from 40-120 with the majority of the time in double digits, off insulin, for two weeks)
Do you have U100 needles? I ask because you can give smaller doses easily with those - like .2 instead of .5. We also have a way for you to give a "drop" of insulin. I am just thinking if she doesn't drop into double digits on her own, she might need a drop to help her. (Just for reference, to be considered in remission, she needs to range from 40-120 with the majority of the time in double digits, off insulin, for two weeks)
BJM
Very Active Member
misty1477 said:
Mini-meals - instead of putting all the food down at once, you divide it into 2 or 3 amounts and give a portion roughly every 2-3 hours. This means all the calories are spread out rather than coming in as one bigger meal. If you can be home, you can put it out. Another option is to freeze half and put out both at the same time. As the frozen thaws, the cat can eat it. Finally, check the cost of the PetMate 5 on our shopping partner, Amazon. It may be in your budget range.
It is possible to use a U-100 syringe with a U-40 insulin using a conversion chart. With U-100 insulin, there are 100 units per mL. With U-40 insulin, there are 40 units per mL, ie it is only 40% of the U-100. If you fill a U-100 syringe with a U-40 insulin, you get 40% of what the U-100 syringe shows. Ex 0.5 marking on U-100 syringe times 0.4 = 0.2 units of the U-40 insulin. We have a chart that can be used.
Doing drops of insulin: take a U-100 syringe. Push and pull the plunger in and out a few times so it will slide smoothly. Fill it with water to 0.5 units. Slowly squeeze out drops of the same size and count how many you can do of the same size. Then you dose based on the number of drops.
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
This sounds wonderful, Misty. She is continuing to come down, without insulin.
Remember, you don't have to worry about lower numbers as she has not had a shot in 24+ hours. This is all her body doing the work - the insulin is gone. Cats can normally run in the 40-60 range, off insulin.
Remember, you don't have to worry about lower numbers as she has not had a shot in 24+ hours. This is all her body doing the work - the insulin is gone. Cats can normally run in the 40-60 range, off insulin.
misty1477
Very Active Member
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
Cool !!!! dancing_cat
So....the mini-meal schedule I indicated sounds okay?
When should I test her again. I want to be sure she doesn't drop down too low....again. :roll:
I just wish the peeing in litter boxes would slow down.....good grief.....my garbage man must be wondering what is making these bags so heavy all of a sudden! :lol: Plus....I am going through litter like no tomorrow....luckily it is on sale until end of June at my local supermarket. YAY!
One of my gang had a MAJOR barf + poop issue overnight!!! Very ugly mess to clean up this morning :roll: :YMSIGH: I think I know which one it was...canned food must not be working too good for her.
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
She can't drop too low if she is not on insulin. You can test around +6 just to see where she is.
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
Looks like she is finally headed up. How about practicing some drops? You pull up some water in a syringe (the smallest amount you can consistently measure accurately) and then let drops out. See how many drops are in the syringe and mark that syringe as a model. Then, when you want to dose by one drop or two, put that amount in the syringe and let drops out until you know there is one or are two left.
If she is up in the 300s tonight, you could give her a drop. But you would want to get a +2 and +6. Any chance of that with your work?
If she is up in the 300s tonight, you could give her a drop. But you would want to get a +2 and +6. Any chance of that with your work?
misty1477
Very Active Member
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
I will try practicing 'drops'.
Do you mean a +2 and +6 after PMPS and food? If yes...I might not be able to.
If PMPS+Food is at 7:30PM, I must get up for work at 10:30PM and won't be home until 8:30AM Sunday. Based on her 7:30PM PMPS+Food tonight, I will "hopefully" be in bed by 8:00 (another 2-1/2 hours of sleep before work :sad: ). For Sunday work, I am on a super-limited time frame so I would not be able to swing home to test. Did I ever mention "I HATE MY JOB!!!"
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
You want to stay on that 7:30 schedule? If it doesn't matter, you could shoot a drop earlier than that if it would let you get in a +2 and +6 after that shot, before you have to go to work. Is that a possibility? That will mess up your schedule but I have a feeling from now on, you may be " chasing" her numbers while she has long cycles and you shoot drops once she is up in a safe range. It that is the way it plays out, it shouldn't be for long.
I know I am being overly cautious, but I don't think I would give any insulin if you can't at least get +2 and +6 after the shot. I remember how she sank at +2 on .5 and I don't want that happening while you are not there. You can always start again tomorrow when you can monitor.
I know I am being overly cautious, but I don't think I would give any insulin if you can't at least get +2 and +6 after the shot. I remember how she sank at +2 on .5 and I don't want that happening while you are not there. You can always start again tomorrow when you can monitor.
misty1477
Very Active Member
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
I would like to stay on the 7:30....but...it won't work for today if I have to do +2 and +6 after shot. In order to do the +2 and +6 before work....I would have to have given shot at at NOON to get a +2 (2:00PM) and +6 (8:00PM). It will be almost impossible for me to test when I get up for work....I am lucky I put my clothes on correctly at that time + I have been over-sleeping (some days 1 hour late!!!!...NOT good) everyday since this 'having to test-feed-shoot' schedule started....and...DST doesn't help either (my body could never in my life adjust to DST). It is definitely NOT an option for me to be late for work on Saturday nights. Every tell ya ... "I HATE MY JOB" ????
I don't know what to do now. Maybe test her at 3:30 (like NOW) and see where she is?
OH YEA.....I AM LOSING MY MIND. I am trying soooo hard with my schedule....but it is sooooo crazy !!! :YMSIGH:
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
IMHO, I would just skip tonight. Will you have some time tomorrow to try a drop and monitor? She will probably be high by then, but we just can't predict what she might do and it could be deadly if you are not around.
I am sorry about your job. It does seem like the hours are terrible.....
I am sorry about your job. It does seem like the hours are terrible.....
misty1477
Very Active Member
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
I will be home all day tomorrow so I can try a drop and monitor. But...let's see how her results are in the morning. Yes?
I hope someone will be "on" in the morning....people with "normal" jobs get to have weekends off and sleep-in....especially on Sundays (Lucky...Lucky....Lucky).
I am planning on a mini-feed today @ 5:30PM.
Will test at 7:00PM and see where she is at.
Hopefully....I can let her "eat-her-fill" at 7:30PM.
I will be going to bed by 8:00PM. It sucks!!!
My job is a nightmare. I didn't "have a life" social or otherwise before....now it is even worse. But I must do what I must do.
BJM
Very Active Member
Better a day too high than a moment too low.
Go for the drop approach tomorrow.
Also, do not return the drops to the insulin vial; the lubricant in the syringe contaminates them
If you get a chance, test for urine ketones. See my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for ways to do this.
Go for the drop approach tomorrow.
Also, do not return the drops to the insulin vial; the lubricant in the syringe contaminates them
If you get a chance, test for urine ketones. See my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for ways to do this.
BJM
Very Active Member
Its a low enough dose that it should be OK given how high the glucose is.
Look over the spreadsheet and see how much she dropped with 1 unit. If you halved the dose, it should drop less and quartering it drop even less. It won't be an exact amount of drop per dose amount. A quarter unit may leave her high in the morning but it should be safe.
Look over the spreadsheet and see how much she dropped with 1 unit. If you halved the dose, it should drop less and quartering it drop even less. It won't be an exact amount of drop per dose amount. A quarter unit may leave her high in the morning but it should be safe.
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