Scared mom of a newly diagnosed diabetic cat with IBD

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Yeah the vet's office and I had a miscommunication and so I thought he was giving me something different test with, so the only needles I have currently are the 30 G. I am gonna go out tonight to get the 23 or 25 and see if that works better.

I am also tempted to chalk it up and get the ReliOn Micro, as many have told me you need less blood and then use the Ultima I just got as a back up. I figure at this point with all the expense I have put into my Skooterbear, what is another $50 for the new machine and test strips if it will make it easier on him.....

Thanks for the luck, I think I shall need it lol
 
Getting a Micro is a really good idea. It makes a big difference in testing them. I use a lancet and just barely nick the edge of his ear - about 1/8" in from the edge. The Micro works with just a tiny amount of blood. Believe me, you will get the hang of it very quickly.
 
Aaaaaaaaaand scene!

So my first official meltdown just ended a few minutes ago. I went out and got a different meter, the ReliOn Micro, as many people said that it requires less blood than the other meters and figured with my difficulty last night, it might be better. So got the meter, test strips, 26G lancets (that was the lowest number they had).....of course when I was almost home I realized I forgot a pair of socks, rice and neosporain. But since I needed to get home to give Skooter his insulin, I figure I would make it work, I was able to draw blood last night, I can do it again!

Well I couldn't figure out how to turn the new machine on (probably would have helped had I not assumed it was very similar to the other one and read the instructions), so I went for the other meter, thinking I would give it ago. I wasn't able to get a good enough sample, and by the time I did, the meter had shut off, so that was a waste.

So then out with the instruction manual of the new one and figured out how to do everything. I think I tried about five times and got NOTHING. Skooter started making noises and moving his head around and tried to paw at the ear I was attempting to test......so I gave up and let the crying begin!

I am starting to feel like a failure and feeling like Skooter deserves more than I can give him. But I am too selfish to find someone else who probably could do this better because I love him so much. He is so forgiving, as I type this, he is snuggled up on my shoulder, which only makes me feel worse.

After leaving the vet's office the idea of doing a curve test was super exciting, now the thought of it makes me want to throw up as I have no idea how I am going to do this. I am thinking this breakdown was just two months in the making, since I haven't really cried/freaked out since his diagnosis.

This is so hard to do solo, and I know many people do it and eventually I will be able to as well, but right now.....I just feel awful, inadequate, so overwhelmed (with everything, the dx, the treatment, the shots, everything....hence why I think this was in part, a build up from when he was first diagnosed) and very alone. And even though I just caused him pain with trying to test him, Skooter just sits with me and tries to make me feel better, which makes me feel worse.

I think I will try to relax for a bit and perhaps I will try testing a little bit later. I figure at this point, while it is important to know his numbers before insulin and after etc, it is more important I LEARN how to test properly, regardless the time the test is done. So here is hoping that later tonight, I can successfully test him, but right now, I feel like it is hopeless and I will never be able to do this.....
 
A little wine, a little chocolate, a little cuddle with Scooter. Very, very few of us got this on the first few tries. We poked poor Oliver for an entire weekend before we got a drop. One of the things that finally helped us was heating the ear. Until the capillaries get bigger (which they will with more poking) really warming the ear until nice and very warm helps.

Are you using something behind the ear to poke against? We used a small makeup sponger behind his ear. Some people use folded kleenix.

Do some deep breathing, relax awhile and start again later when you are both more relaxed. You will get this eventually.

And no, having someone who can poke but doesn't care as much as you do wouldn't be an improvement. Before long, you'll be someone who can poke and cares both. ((hugs))
 
Take some very deep breaths. Try to relax. If the meter times out, just pull out the strip and put it back in. I have never used the sock or warmed Max's ear. I massage it gently until it feels warm. The Relion is easy to use once you know what to do. Put the strip part way in. Massage the ear. Prick the ear and hold on tight. Max shakes his head every time. Then push the strip the rest of the way in until you hear a beep. It will show you the last test and then will wait about 10 second or so and then you will see the ready sign. Where in your place are you doing the tests? I put Max in a bathroom sink because it is the right height and he can't get out easily. At the beginning he would jump out if I forgot something. Now he doesn't budge. Don't forget to reward even if you don't succeed in drawing blood. He will associate the treat with the process.

Now, to start a new thread, go to the main fdmb forum. You will see a place that reads new topic. Click on it and you will be ready to go. You don't have to do this but every time I go to the main forum and I look at the dates and if it is old often don't look further. I bet others do the same thing. This way you might get more help. Maybe someone will live near you and be able to help. Most of us start a new thread every day. Then when you can click on view your posts you will still see every one that you write. You will find your subject will change as you master BG testing for example and then have different questions.

More deep breaths. It will get better. :YMHUG:
 
I, too, got instructions from my vet on how to test. But I don't test the way she showed me. I put Oliver on the sofa and put the meter on the coffee table next to me. Then, I pick an ear and turn it inside out so I can see the underside. I then prick the ear at the edge, about 1/8" in from the edge. I don't so much stick as prick. I use a small gauge lancet. I don't use a rice sock. I just put my finger behind his ear. I haven't pricked myself yet, but it probably wouldn't hurt to put a folded paper towel on the other side of the ear just to be careful. Occasionally, I prick him on the furry side of his ear, but I have found that I can see what I'm doing better on the underside.

Don't despair. The first few times I tried, I was completely unsuccessful and Oliver's ears were bruised and purple. I felt terrible and I thought I would never get it. Then I developed a technique that works for me and it was smooth sailing from there. (I have gone through 150 test strips in the last three weeks. LOL. I am, perhaps, overdoing the testing.) I occasionally miss and have to prick him several times before I get the blood. But he doesn't seem to mind. And really, the Micro requires so little blood that a tiny prick will do it. The Neosporin helps, too. I don't put it on every time I prick, but he seems to like it and his ears seem to heal a little faster.

Please don't get discouraged and give up. Just keep at it and you will get it in no time.
 
So my first official meltdown just ended a few minutes ago.
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Oh Honey! We all remember those first scary weeks when we were learning to take care of our newly diagnosed kitty. Big HUGS to you and hang in there, it does get easier.

Yes, it sure can be overwhelming at times but just step away and remember why you are doing this. We can tell you love your kitty Skooter and are just trying to help make him feel better.

It will take time to become proficient at the home testing. Three strikes and you're out applies not only to baseball, but to ear poking. If you haven't gotten a successful test after 3 tries, give Skooter and yourself a break and come back later. Treats all around for both of you for at least trying to get a test. I always treated myself to a nice piece of Dove Dark Chocolate. Hope you have a special treat you like.
 
The day after the big first meltdown.....

After reading some great supportive messages on here and taking some deep breaths, I was able to calm down some. As weird as it sounds, I think I kind of needed to have a meltdown just to get it all out. I took the rest of the night "off" and just chilled with my main man, Skooter figuring I could give it another go today.

So this morning was still a bit rough, BUT after several attempts (a few hisses and a few paws trying to bat me away from his ear) I got a small sample, I thought for sure it would not be enough, but much to my relief and surprise, it was enough!!!!! As a newbie, I have no idea why anyone would use anything but the ReliOn Micro, it amazed me that it truly does take less of a sample then the ReliOn Ulitma I got a few days ago. His test this morning was at 413.

When I got home tonight, we had another go at it, and once again, it became very challenging. Just as I was about to give up, I got a little bit and once again, it was enough! (Have I said how much I ADORE the Micro vs the Ultima yet?!) His test at 18:10 was 363. I was flying high, until I realized this is all practice and in preparation for a home curve on Saturday. The idea of testing him for the curve makes me a bit sick to my stomach, but I am hoping with a little more time and practice, I will become a pro. I am just WAITING for the time when his ear learns to bleed and it becomes super simple.

I know his numbers are still high, but we are still trying to regulate him. My vet was almost giddy when I came in to learn how to home test so I could do a curve this weekend. We both decided that we would wait for the results of the curve to see what he needs to be increased to. We are both thinking that he will need to go up to at least 5U 2Xday. From what I have read, this is not necessarily uncommon in a cat who is on Budesonide (for his IBD).

Thank you again for all the wonderful kind words and thoughts that have been sent my way. I am hoping one day, in the not so distant future, I will be reading a post from a newbie on here and be able to shed some light, encouragement and words of wisdom to them, as so many wonderful people have done for me.

Amazing what the support of family, a group of people on a forum and an amazing vet clinic --- all who want to see both Skooter and I succeed, does to a person's mood.

Tomorrow is a new day, and hopefully it is a new day that includes an easier time testing.....

Thanks again to everyone!!! <3 <3 <3
 
Deep breathing exercises are highly recommended to help you with the stressful moments of this sugardance.

Deep breath in, hold, release, deep breath in, hold, release, deep breath in, hold, release, deep breath in, hold, release, deep breath in, hold, release. Repeat as needed. ;-)
 
So Skooter just wasn't acting like himself yesterday after his shot (he tested 455....so waited a bit and he was still high at 427....

So faxed in my tests from this week as he was a bit water obsessed...so we decided to forgo the curve today and up him to 5U and do the curve next Saturday when he's been on it awhile...

He got 5U last night and when I tested this morning.....254!!!!!!!!!

Not gonna lie, stood up and danced around....FINALLY it feels like all this is working!!!!

Please forgive spelling errors, sending from phone because too excited to go get laptop...had to share!
 
Now hold it steady for a minimum of 3 days to let the depot stabilize. The depot is formed when Lantus is injected under the skin. It crystalizes and then those crystals slowly dissolve. This genrally takes more than 12 hours, so as 1 dose is waning, the next dose is starting to work. That overlap helps keep the glucose levels very stable.

If the budesonide is daily, there may not be much impact on the glucose levels overall. If, however, it is on an alternate day, or other less frequent schedule, there can be a cycling effect on the glucose. Be aware of that and if you detect that, really monitor nadirs closely on days he does not get the steroid, so he doesn't go too low.
 
Oliver is on prednisolone for IBD and I give it in the late afternoon. I can definitely see a spike in his BG several hours after I give him his pred.

Now that you are becoming more comfortable with testing, you might want to test more often and see if you can identify his spike.
 
Skootersmom said:
He gets it daily....I normally give it around 10pm
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That is helpful - many cats actually go lower at night, so it may offset some of the steroid effect.
 
The board was down most of the day and somehow "ate" your am post. Hope it went okay. I was concerned that you shot under 200. We advise new diabetics not to shoot under 200, but to wait 20 minutes without eating. And retest. You want to be sure the number is rising, not falling and that it is closer to 200. Once you get some data and can predict what might happen, you can shoot lower preshots, as many Lantus users do.
 
Thank you for thinking of us :-)

I was able to swing home over lunch and tested him real quick and he tested at 313....he actually came to greet me at the door when I came home tonight for the first time in a long time...

I am going to test, feed and shoot him in a few minutes....

I did come up with another question (shocker, I know lol)...

He does still seem a little weak in his hind legs...not overly concerned at this point as he is finally just now testing where he needs to be. I noticed several people suggest I think it was a B12 injection for that....would it be harmful to Skooter to have that if he isn't suffering from neuropathy?
 
I think B-12 is fairly benign, but you should ask his vet.

You know, your objective should be to get his BG lower than it is now. It is certainly an improvement, but 300+ ( or even 200+) is still too high. You just need to do it slowly. You don't want to overdo it and put him into hypoglycemia (less than 40.) From my own experience, I know those low numbers can appear very suddenly and you need to be prepared to deal with them. Do you have a hypo kit? You need to keep some high carb food and Karo syrup handy in case you need to raise his BG in a hurry.

Someone with much more experience than I have can walk you through the steps you should take to get his numbers lower. BJM posted a really good message last night, but it seems to have been lost this morning. Maybe she can repost it.
 
Methylcobalamin, a specific form of Vitamin B-12, may be given orally, sprinkled over food, to help recover from diabetic neuropathy. It is water soluble and any excess would be excreted via the kidneys. It takes time to work and has to be aided by good glucose control.

That said, other causes of weakness in the hind legs include various electrolyte disturbances, such as too little potassium. Before treating, a vet visit is suggested to make sure it is NOT an electrolyte disturbance, as those can be fatal.
 
So I THINK I might have finally figured out how to do the spreadsheet thing and attach it to my signature line.

Can anyone tell me how to make it so I am the only one who can edit it?

Thanks!
 
ThE original document is the one you bookmark on your computer. Only you can edit it. For the one to share with us, first go to the right hand side and choose "Share with anyone with the link". Then on the left hand, choose Publish to the web. A url will come up in the box. Highlight and copy it. Then go back to the forum, control panel, edit signature. Paste that url in your signature.
 
Hi just jumping in here when Trey was first Dx my DH was doing the testing and I was a basket case ....hate needles . He was always tell Trey how sorry he was he had to do this and was stressed himself..lucky for me and Trey he got called away for a few days. Well cried and pulled up my big girl panties ..took lots of deep breaths and never say you are sorry. They feel your mood...you are stressed and sorry then they feel it is wrong and they don`t want it done. You have to be very calm and surround yourself with beautiful white peaceful light. wrap kitty in a towel and say we are going to help you feel better will only be a smill pick...do it let her go treat done!!!!! 1st time I tried took 5-6 pokes most never touch the ear was so scared did the above and sap done Trey never felt a thing...shortly after that he became my cat. even today he got up on the table laid on his towel and waited for me...I just throw his towel over his shoulder a comfort thing I guess. Its all about your mood...if you can remain calm and then so will try it what do you have to lose....Hugs and peaceful white light and healing green light surround all you furry one and peeps. Hugss Kath ~O) breath :YMSIGH: cat(2)_steam

You are doing an awesome job ((((Skooter & Mom)))))))))))))))tons of healing green light for an awesome day!!!
 
So I do believe I have FINALLY figured out the spreadsheet thing. Could someone click on the link in my signature line and tell me if it works?

I fear I have screwed up Skooter's system as we seemed to be on the right track of getting numbers in the 200s before his little blip at 143 where I then gave him 4U instead of his 5U. I am hoping we can get back to where we need to be soon. I cannot believe I am saying this, but I am rather looking forward to doing his curve on Saturday as I am very interested in seeing how the Lantus metabolizes in his system for the 12 hour period. I am also toying with the idea of doing it after his PM shot and a few times after he gets is IBD medication, just to see how it all goes....we shall see how tired I am by the end of the day :)

On another note, mini milestone at our house.....Before Skooter was diagnosed I noticed he wasn't jumping up on the bed like he used to and would just sit there and wait for me to pick him up....well last night, he FINALLY started to use the stairs I got from my sister and her husband to get on the bed.....I am going to take that as a sign we are moving in the right direction!

I got the rest of the supplies for testing (sock, rice, neosporain with pain relief) and now I will need to go get a "Hypo" kit....other than Caro syrup, is there anything else I can give him? Keep in mind with is IBD, his stomach is VERY sensitive and he basically throws up any food, other than his prescription diet food, so unfortunately I do not think the food that others sometimes use would work with him. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and again, if someone could click on Skooter's spreadsheet link below and confirm it works, that would be great!

Thanks everyone and have a great day!
 
Check how responds to any of these sugar types:
Dextrose - may comes in packets for diabetics
Sucrose - table sugar, derived from sugar cane
Fructose - fruit sugar
Honey - may contain pollenfrom numerous plants
Molasses
Jam/syrup from fruit

For high carb with the IBD, you may have to make up some single ingredient gravies and test each when he is OK to see if they cause problems (check what he eats for ideas).

Basically, take about 1-2 teaspoons of a specific flour (ex corn, wheat, rice) and make a roux, then extend it to make a gravy. Test when you don't need it to make sure it doesn't exaccerbate the IBD
 
Feeling pretty good and proud of myself as probably the most non-computer person I know, I was able to figure out the spreadsheet thing....yes it was done in parts and I screwed up setting it up a few times, but now it is there!

I also have to say I am feeling more confident that Skooter will get back to the low 200s/high 100s soon and be well on the road to "regulation" (as much as he can be)....I am starting to see some signs of my "old Skooter" coming back....the past few days he has greeted me at the door with a few meows, something he has not done since around the time he was diagnosed....

Also right around the time he was diagnosed, I also noticed he had a hard time jumping on the couch and wouldn't even try to jump on my bed. He would simply come sit next to the bed and wait for me to pick him up. My sister gave me a set of stairs they had gotten for their dogs in their bedroom, which they would never use. Skooter refused to use it, in favor of just waiting for me to pick him up....Well he is now back to jumping up on the couch ANDhe is using the stairs to come up on my bed and he goes right to "his spot" that he has had since I got this bed.

His fur has not been this soft and non-dry in I do not know how long AND he is also getting use to the new litter I had to get due to the amount of glucose in his urine (his litter would basically become paste and get stuck in his paws). For the longest time he would only urinate in the litter and do his other business on the cement....he is now using the litter box for both....

I do not want to jinx myself, but I am starting to feel a bit better about all this. While it is still difficult to go this road alone (not having someone here who can share the load of shots, testing, etc) but it is finally starting to feel like all our hard work is finally paying off....

cat_pet_icon drinking24
 
Yes! SS (spreadsheet) up and running! Good job!

Isn't it wonderful when you start to see those signs of improvement? Keep it up Skooter! :RAHCAT
 
You should be proud! Think how much you have learned and accomplished in the last few days! This is such a steep learning curve and you just kept on working. Remember when you thought you were not a good mom? betcha feel better now!

Like the whole cat report. He sounds like he is feeling MUCH better.
 
Meltdown #2 tonight....

While I know this one really didn't have much to do with the whole diabetes thing, but I ended the week (and night before his first home curve) with a fur shot :cry:

I arranged my entire weekend around curving him on Saturday, and while it will not be the end of the world to curve him Sunday, it does mean I had to cancel some plans and I am still not sure how "valid" the curve will be on Sunday....

KPassa has been very kind and has given me some encouragement, but am still pretty bummed.....
 
So, you don't have to do a whole day curve. You can get the same information by getting maybe a +3 and maybe a +7 one day and then a +4 and a +9 another day. What you are looking for is data. Lots of people don't do all day curves. Some like to get different times on different days and put that data together.

Would that be better for your weekend plans?
 
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