Shaikha 8/21 - new vial! Advice?

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wombat88

wombat88

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Shaikha has been throwing much higher numbers lately. I wasn't sure if it was something going on with her or if her old bottle of PZI was just not up to snuff. I got a new bottle Friday and decided I'd better start it. Look at her numbers today (and her SS). She may have bounced, or it is possible that she simply didn't get enough insulin, either because I'd cut the dose or because the old bottle of insulin was not up to par. At any rate, I took her back to 1U at mid-day and used a new vial. Hope that wasn't a mistake. I'll do a curve this afternoon now to ensure she doesn't drop too low. How do you all deal with a new vial and what should I look out for? The other vial we'd used since she started PZI in March. She still has a tiny bit left in it. I must have had something to it because she did get a green yesterday, but I've had to increase dose which made me suspect the other insulin was less potent. Ideas?

8/20 PMPS = 175, gave 0.8U (this was a dose drop from 1U; I was afraid to shoot more overnight)

8/21 AMPS = 258, gave 0.9U (this was what she was getting for several days before I increased to 1U yesterday at AMPS and MDPS)
(no midcycles this time)
MDPS = 409, gave 1U (new bottle of PZI)
+3 = 235
+4.5 = 153
PMPS = 376, gave 1U (tested/fed/shot at +7.5; trying to get back on schedule for work)
+7 =
 
Wendy, you'll have to wait for Miss Kim to chime in! she is our NEW vial expert!! The problem is Shaikha uses so little insulin that who knows? I go through a vial a month and I never see any difference between vials but I'm sure Kim will have another opinion. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Hi WEndy,
Here is my opinion....
I have been through a couple of vials ( of course not as many as Kim :lol: )
thr first new vial I saw a really big difference....
the second vial I did not see any difference so I think if you are gonna lower your dose
dont go too low but make sure you can watch her

let us know what happens

Denise and Shakes
 
Did someone say NEW VIAL!!!!!

I have used many, and they do vary in potency. Some of the new vials have shown more potency, while others provided little difference from the old vial. But, I would always reduce some and test the first cycle of a new vial.

Good Luck!
 
I was thinking Kims knows best also! :lol: I did just start a new vial & it did seem to have more potency than the old one, that's one reason I'm all confused again!
 
Usually when I open a new vial, I get lower numbers for the first 2 weeks or so, but the last vial I opened in July didn't seem to be that different in potency from the old vial.
After a vial has been opened about 3 weeks I see a slight drop in potency.
 
Interesting! I don't know what to think but so far she's not bottoming out like I worried she might. She was 409 at mid-cycle (ugh), 235 at +3 and 153 at +4.5. She usually nadirs between +4 and +6 like Payne. So far, not seeing much of a change despite the fact that she got a full unit. So, either my old vial was still okay or she's got something going on. No ketones, I checked. She finished her AB's a few days back so perhaps that is part of it. She's still got a good appetite for the most part. In fact, she's under my chair now wanting food but she'll have to wait or I'll throw off the curve.
 
kse said:
Did someone say NEW VIAL!!!!! I have used many, and they do vary in potency. Some of the new vials have shown more potency, while others provided little difference from the old vial. But, I would always reduce some and test the first cycle of a new vial. Good Luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks, Kim! We knew you were the new vial queen. :) I actually didn't lower her dose, but so far it looks like we are good. Will continue to test her.
 
Just wondered how Shaikha was doing?
Wendy, you may be busy or out of town but hadn't seen an update in a few days.
I hope she is feeling better.
 
How nice of you to think of us! I've been swamped at work. I have a new position and it is playing havoc with the TID schedule, so Shaikha has been doing BID for the past few days. She's actually doing pretty well, though her PS levels are higher than I'd like. That said, I did a test the other day and her pancreas IS working. She didn't get insulin for 12 hours so I fed her and retested after two hours and her BG level went down over 100 points despite not getting a shot. She's a steroid-induced diabetic and different as a result, but I've been getting some unusual results lately that made me suspect that her pancreas was starting to work better than it had been. She seems to be feeling better too, so I hope that holds. I've got to do some curves on her this weekend as I've got no idea how low she's going but her PS levels have been in the 300s and I know that she's going down into the mid-blues at least. I can get that better I know, but I need a curve to decide on a dose. She's been doing okay on less insulin though so something is happening that I hope continues. Other symptoms that make me suspect her pancreatitis is getting better is that her stools are finally firming up and her appetite has been very good, which are also good signs. Her stools are pretty foul-smelling, but that's her IBD. I've added another probiotic which hopefully will help. I've got to reduce her flagyl dose so I'm hoping I can do that soon as higher doses can lead to neurological problems with chronic use.

No idea yet whether the aranesp is working. We'll retest her PCV next week and go from there. She gets her next shot tomorrow. It is really too soon to tell though as it always takes a few weeks for it to kick in. Anyway, that's the update. I'll try to post something better and update her online SS this weekend. I've got a major, major project due next week so I'm going to be scarce until then. After I finish that, I've got another due five days later related to this new position so it's going to be tough for me to get much "fun" online time. I really hope she likes BID because I do not see how I can return to TID at this rate, especially with the travel that will be involved. My husband's schedule won't allow him sneaking home either.

I did check earlier and was going to post about the people in the hurricane zone. Hope they all stay safe! Been there, done that. Rode Ivan out years ago and heard pieces of the house blowing away (shutters only on part of the house; that got fixed after the storm), but would never do that again. We had a person in hospice in the house that could not be moved so we gutted it out. It was not fun, but we had a generator and had prepared as best we could. The tornadoes were the scariest part. That was a wild storm. We weren't in danger of storm surge but the wind was pretty awful. I really hope that this storm goes east for you all! Back to the salt mines.
 
That great that her pancreas is starting to work again.
Shaikha and you deserve a break!
Glad she is starting to feel better.
Hope she gets a good report from her bloodwork.
 
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