Shots and charts oh my

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Lois and Java said:
I drove to my yoga class, parked my car, and then got back in it and drove to my vet. I figured it's easier to beg them for 10 to 15 individual accutrak strips than it is to drive to Sonoma to find a Walmart.

And lo and behold they had ordered an extra 50 strip bottle of Henry Schein strips, so now I am set. I am inquiring what happened!? to the ADW people, because they told me in writing that they shipped my order, then didn't until 4 days later.

I think I will also get a human meter. Better to collect information, not so rushed. I just can't get over the price of the Relion test strips, $18 for 100.

The online Walmart menu said that the ReliOn meter is supplied by ADW. Which is interesting.

It surprises me that there isn't a sticky on this site with more information about meters. There is a whole section on meters in the FAQs, but not one word about Relion! So maybe I can help compile info in one place so it can be updated.
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I think I've read on here that it's the ReliOn Prime model that has the cheap strips ($18 for 100). The down side is that it needs a larger blood drop and some people end up wasting strips trying to get a large enough drop to get a good reading. There's a model called the Micro and one other (name escapes me) that take tiny blood drops.
 
Yeah, tiny drops are definitely appreciated.

I'm kind of not believing these results! 396 at 3:30 p.m. ... That's +7.5. Could a run of everything in the 300s be normal for a bounce kitty?

I would have liked to get back here sooner, but time to the vet time, back from the vet, some hardware needs, and seeing my friend who's doing stuff at Stanford Medical -- she just had surgery #12 on her arm so I dropped in to take her soup and help her with a couple of things. Surgery #10 was an amputation below elbow.

I've been serving a lot of Fancy Feast to Java. There was a run there where he was getting chicken and salmon, maybe I need to go back to that.
 
Lois and Java said:
Yeah, tiny drops are definitely appreciated.

I'm kind of not believing these results! 396 at 3:30 p.m. ... That's +7.5. Could a run of everything in the 300s be normal for a bounce kitty?

I would have liked to get back here sooner, but time to the vet time, back from the vet, some hardware needs, and seeing my friend who's doing stuff at Stanford Medical -- she just had surgery #12 on her arm so I dropped in to take her soup and help her with a couple of things. Surgery #10 was an amputation below elbow.

I've been serving a lot of Fancy Feast to Java. There was a run there where he was getting chicken and salmon, maybe I need to go back to that.
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Yes, a run of high, flat numbers can certainly happen in a bouncy kitty. At least you don't have to worry about him being low while you're out.

Your friend has been through a very difficult time. I can't imagine how hard her struggle is. All we can do is help. I lost two friends to cancer in 2014.
 
407. He seems more droopy, I think. Poor bunny. Fat 1 again.
It almost seems like the insulin isn't doing anything. I'm not sure what's worse, up and down, or elevated flat. Yes, don't have hypo as an immediate possibility.
He's sleeping, eating, excreting, and was enthused about going outside for rain water, so, his normal stuff.
I've heard from several people around here oh yes my cat/ my friend's cat had diabetes and the vet said give them x unit shot in the morning and evening, and the cat lived for another 10 or 15 years. With a bouncy cat, will I ever be able to do that kind of thing, assuming Java's health maintains?
 
Lois and Java said:
407. He seems more droopy, I think. Poor bunny. Fat 1 again.
It almost seems like the insulin isn't doing anything. I'm not sure what's worse, up and down, or elevated flat. Yes, don't have hypo as an immediate possibility.
He's sleeping, eating, excreting, and was enthused about going outside for rain water, so, his normal stuff.
I've heard from several people around here oh yes my cat/ my friend's cat had diabetes and the vet said give them x unit shot in the morning and evening, and the cat lived for another 10 or 15 years. With a bouncy cat, will I ever be able to do that kind of thing, assuming Java's health maintains?
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Those cats were either very "simple" diabetics or just plain lucky. People who come here tend to have more complicated diabetics so it's rare that turns out to be "set and forget" on FDMB.
 
Set and forget, good phrase!
+3, 162. Okay, that's more like it. I'll get up at 2 am / +6 to test.
So if that ends up being the low, that creates the bounce?
He drank more water than I've seen him drink before from shower-catch water bucket (usually a drought around here) while I was brushing teeth, then made a gurgling noise and barfed it all up. (TG on the bathroom floor and not on my bed.) Too much too soon? He made thirsty lip smacks. I went outside and got a few blades of grass, rejected (Lily ate). I went outside with him so he could drink from cold stream, kept him from double drinking. He peed, pooped when we came in, ate a little FF slurry, looks curled up comfortably on heating pad cushion. No idea what that was, seems okay now. Bucket is clean catch while water getting hot but maybe shampoo suds dripped in it, a first? He gets subq ringers again on Monday.
 
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I was supposed to go to Ontario this summer with my friend Tess. Canceled because of Java. Tess got her Canada national park pass today. Big anniversary of parks this year for Canada.

I'm hoping my sister can stay here in August so I can get up to Oregon for a bit. A few people responded to Nextdoor.com, neighbors who could shoot the insulin for Java for the one night I want to go away in a few weeks. No one has said they have experience testing BG. I wonder if I could go with flat 1U for one night time and one morning shot without testing? No one else is going to test him in the middle of the night, I might be able to have someone test him in the middle of the day.

He's eating some YA now.
 
Stick with fat 1, I presume.
Yes, the free parks was a draw. I did a circuit of WY, MT, and WA Natl parks last year. Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Glacier, Olympic. Gone 2.5 months. Don't think I can do that this year.
 
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I'm sorry about your friends.
Java nearly fell on his face going down three little stairs, his hind legs not up to par. It makes me see him as so much more fragile. It's late, just took a sample again. I hope he doesn't see this as being tormented. It's the right thing to do, yeah? Re food, either I bring FF to him or put him in front of it. Lily is gaining weight eating the good food around house.
 
My take on the last few days of numbers:
  • maybe bouncing from the blues
  • blues are nice but they're not too low
  • a dose increase is in order - 1.25 u - if you can monitor: get +3, +5, +7 at least.
 
301 AMPS
Okay, 1.25. with odd # nadir zone tests.
I have to stop doing that, in the middle of the night, seeing Doom and Gloom. He's outside enjoying that overnight rain water and the Sun and happily thrashing that tail around. I think coming down stairs is hard. Just did 8 without a hitch though.
 
Lois and Java said:
301 AMPS
Okay, 1.25. with odd # nadir zone tests.
I have to stop doing that, in the middle of the night, seeing Doom and Gloom. He's outside enjoying that overnight rain water and the Sun and happily thrashing that tail around. I think coming down stairs is hard. Just did 8 without a hitch though.
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Banish that Doom and Gloom, Lois! Serves no useful purpose. Just enjoy watching him do his thing. It's OK that he's a bit tottery as a very elderly kitty.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
My take on the last few days of numbers:
  • maybe bouncing from the blues
  • blues are nice but they're not too low
  • a dose increase is in order - 1.25 u - if you can monitor: get +3, +5, +7 at least.
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Oh $#@!?*$#. Got home at +3, and Did Stuff instead of testing right away.
49 at +4
56 at +4.5, so, right direction.
He didn't eat enough this am.
 
Lois and Java said:
Oh $#@!?*$#. Got home at +3, and Did Stuff instead of testing right away.
49 at +4
56 at +4.5, so, right direction.
He didn't eat enough this am.
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Are you using a pet meter? Those are very low numbers. Get some high carb food into him ASAP - gravy from a can of HC with maybe a teaspoon of the food will do. Retest in 20 minutes after feeding. Don't give too much at once because you don't want to fill him up. You might need to continue this for a bit.

It's possible that the bouncing was stopping at the same time as you upped the dose. He's also sensitive to dose changes. For future reference: if you had tested at +3 and saw his BG dropping too fast from 301 AMPS you would start intervening right away with a teaspoon or two of regular low carb food in an attempt to slow the drop.
 
83 at +5
Yes, it's the H Schein pet meter.
Yes, having been through this before, once I saw the numbers, action. He readily had quite a bit of FF, that plus a few dollops of honey in the cheek first/ right away are bringing it back up.
He ate this morning, just not enough to counteract the new dose, I think.
HC is ?
 
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Lois and Java said:
83 at +5
Yes, it's the H Schein pet meter.
Yes, having been through this before, once I saw the numbers, action. He readily had quite a bit of FF, that plus a few dollops of honey in the cheek first/ right away are bringing it back up.
He ate this morning, just not enough to counteract the new dose, I think.
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Whew!!
 
I know, it's all action Jackson without getting hyper around him, which wouldn't help. He's good about eating, if I bring the food to him.
Going over in my mind what was different about today besides the dose change. Bringing food to him before I left. He ate some FF in the kitchen, and he has a bowl of YA in the kitchen and on the bed at all times. But I usually follow him around with another bowl of FF after coming in from outside, and I didn't, just the bowl out in kitchen.
I think this was the cause of the hypo several weeks ago too. Argh, I know this about him and the food and the hypo! It's like I used up all my attention units talking to (houseguest) Maria about cooking food for Java and this basic thing went out the window. I feel bad for Java, stupid distracted thing to do.
167 at +6.
 
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Lois and Java said:
I know, it's all action Jackson without getting hyper around him, which wouldn't help. He's good about eating, if I bring the food to him.
Going over in my mind what was different about today besides the dose change. Bringing food to him before I left. He ate some FF in the kitchen, and he has a bowl of YA in the kitchen and on the bed at all times. But I usually follow him around with another bowl of FF after coming in from outside, and I didn't, just the bowl out in kitchen.
I think this was the cause of the hypo several weeks ago too. Argh, I know this about him and the food and the hypo! It's like I used up all my attention units talking to (houseguest) Maria about cooking food for Java and this basic thing went out the window. I feel bad for Java, stupid distracted thing to do.
167 at +6.
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We're only human, Lois!
 
Lois and Java said:
83 at +5
Yes, it's the H Schein pet meter.
Yes, having been through this before, once I saw the numbers, action. He readily had quite a bit of FF, that plus a few dollops of honey in the cheek first/ right away are bringing it back up.
He ate this morning, just not enough to counteract the new dose, I think.
HC is ?
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HC = "high carb" food.
 
Kris, you think it's safe to test him before I go to sleep, which will be about + 3 and then just wake up around +6 to check?

Maybe you know the answer to this, I'm sure there were other answers to my question about B vitamins, but they've gone away, or, am I losing my mind?

Edit, I just looked again and all the old ones are there now, plus some other new ones that weren't there when I looked 2 minutes ago. I'm confused, but apparently I have not lost my mind, there were other emails!
 
Lois and Java said:
Kris, you think it's safe to test him before I go to sleep, which will be about + 3 and then just wake up around +6 to check?

Maybe you know the answer to this, I'm sure there were other answers to my question about B vitamins, but they've gone away, or, am I losing my mind?

Edit, I just looked again and all the old ones are there now, plus some other new ones that weren't there when I looked 2 minutes ago. I'm confused, but apparently I have not lost my mind, there were other emails!
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Yes you can do those tests - all data is good data. Is your SS up to date?
 
Yes, SS up to date. Fat 1 U.
I've always awakened easily by alarm before for middle of night test. Wow, couldn't figure out the alarm or the phone, I was so sleepy last night. Didn't take up FF in kitchen, he might have had a little between 4 or 5 and 9 am, or Lily perhaps, a small amt was eaten.
 
Oh goody, Control + End works to go to the last entry if I'm on the laptop. Which I rarely am, but, good to know.
Did a little maintenance on the SS.
I feel so blue about Java today. sigh. I wasn't sure whether to infuse him with Ringer's today or not. He was due yesterday but it wasn't the day to do it. I'm not sure today is either, except maybe he'll feel perkier if he gets rinsed out, so to speak, so I'm warming the Ringer's now.
Let me post this right now, in case you are on. What do you think re the Ringer's? Go ahead? Wait a day? I have some other things I'd like to pick your spicy brains about, in a separate post.
 
Hi Kris, How are things going with Teasel? I saw someone comment that it looked like he was giving you a heck of a time, and tried looking at your SS to figure out what they meant. Sorry it's difficult.
So I'm still thinking about whether or not I can go away, not for two days, but for a day, when former roommate Mona visits. That raises some Qs I want to ask you. And I just need to talk about him, thanks for listening.
First, I'm feeding him in his bed. I take him bowls of FF and he eats it readily. He has YA on the bed and he eats that also. Pro: I mix with water, he gets some water with his slurry, they're good calories, helps keeps his weight up. Con: does have carbs, so it affects his BG more than YA only would.
So second, if I go away for a day, I need to recruit Sarah and Maria (neighbor and houseguest) to come and make sure he's eating FF from a bowl in bed. I think that's what happened yesterday, he didn't get enough FF in the AM and the higher dose was too much without it.
It's not a bad thing, feeding him FF, is it? Should I even try to get him to be YA only, given his age? I think not, just wondering what you think.
If I go away and have to rely on Sarah and Maria to feed him FF ... what amount of insulin in the AM? Should I be doing anything in the days before that to lead up to it? This'll happen sometime the week of March 13, 14.
 
Lois and Java said:
Oh goody, Control + End works to go to the last entry if I'm on the laptop. Which I rarely am, but, good to know.
Did a little maintenance on the SS.
I feel so blue about Java today. sigh. I wasn't sure whether to infuse him with Ringer's today or not. He was due yesterday but it wasn't the day to do it. I'm not sure today is either, except maybe he'll feel perkier if he gets rinsed out, so to speak, so I'm warming the Ringer's now.
Let me post this right now, in case you are on. What do you think re the Ringer's? Go ahead? Wait a day? I have some other things I'd like to pick your spicy brains about, in a separate post.
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I have zero experience giving subQ fluids, Lois, so I can't advise.
 
Lois and Java said:
Hi Kris, How are things going with Teasel? I saw someone comment that it looked like he was giving you a heck of a time, and tried looking at your SS to figure out what they meant. Sorry it's difficult.
So I'm still thinking about whether or not I can go away, not for two days, but for a day, when former roommate Mona visits. That raises some Qs I want to ask you. And I just need to talk about him, thanks for listening.
First, I'm feeding him in his bed. I take him bowls of FF and he eats it readily. He has YA on the bed and he eats that also. Pro: I mix with water, he gets some water with his slurry, they're good calories, helps keeps his weight up. Con: does have carbs, so it affects his BG more than YA only would.
So second, if I go away for a day, I need to recruit Sarah and Maria (neighbor and houseguest) to come and make sure he's eating FF from a bowl in bed. I think that's what happened yesterday, he didn't get enough FF in the AM and the higher dose was too much without it.
It's not a bad thing, feeding him FF, is it? Should I even try to get him to be YA only, given his age? I think not, just wondering what you think.
If I go away and have to rely on Sarah and Maria to feed him FF ... what amount of insulin in the AM? Should I be doing anything in the days before that to lead up to it? This'll happen sometime the week of March 13, 14.
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I think his safety is paramount when you're away. That boils down to two main things - 1. enough calories and high enough carbs to keep him from diving; 2. some insulin but a dose that's a little lower than ideal to keep him from diving.
 
Yes, makes sense.
Going with fat 1.
218 at 2.5.
114 at 5.5, he woke me up, by getting up .5 before my alarm. to pee, eat, drink. He'd have had YA on his own if I hadn't gotten up also and put FF under his nose. I don't keep wet food on my bed.
 
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This is the first morning that he hasn't wanted to go outside. :( The weather is gorgeous, too. Seems like he feels okay, eating well, no obvious discomfort.
364 AMPS, ate well, FF.
Fat 1 probably.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
Then he's OK and just wants to hang out indoors with you. ;)
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Yes. I like that idea of course!
Went with Fat 1. He's due for B12 shot today. I'll do that closer to noon, let insulin work alone for now.
Thanks for hanging in here with me Kris.
Edit to add, tonight, I'm not going to jump in with FF in the middle of the night, since he demonstrated to me to that he will eat YA if I leave him alone. I want to see if that alone brings down his AMPS.
 
Java just came into the kitchen looking for food. He hasn't done that in awhile. Food's up except YA because it's pre test. I'm thinking of testing him now, and then going ahead and giving him food after. It would be 10.5 hours after his AM shot instead of 12. Should be okay?
Edit: 357 at +10.
I think it should be fine because Prozinc is in and out, and it's clearly out. (I'm getting it!)
Fat 1.
 
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Lois and Java said:
Java just came into the kitchen looking for food. He hasn't done that in awhile. Food's up except YA because it's pre test. I'm thinking of testing him now, and then going ahead and giving him food after. It would be 10.5 hours after his AM shot instead of 12. Should be okay?
Edit: 357 at +10.
I think it should be fine because Prozinc is in and out, and it's clearly out. (I'm getting it!)
Fat 1.
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Should be OK but I'd aim for no more than an hour off schedule even with in-and-out PZI. Try taking the YA up too in case it has a small effect on BG pre test.
 
The shot was at +10.5. food right after +10 test.
357 to 107 in 3.5 hours. That's big drop in a short time. (Yes?)
He's eaten some fresh FF.
I'm not sure if I should give him hi carb treats or honey or not. (Didn't)
Edit: I spent +3.5 to +4.5 encouraging him to eat fresh FF, he's eaten maybe 1/5-1/6 can, then retested. He's now at 127.
------
PMPS 357
+3.5 - 107
Intervened, encouraged FF
+4.5 - 127
+5.25 - 193
This is pretty close to +6 and it doesn't seem dangerous, Now I wonder if I overreacted.
I'll be up sometime between 2-4 am and will retest. I think it's safe to get some sleep now.
Edit
+7.5 - 311
He was eating YA, will just leave FF on counter.
 
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Lois and Java said:
The shot was at +10.5. food right after +10 test.
357 to 107 in 3.5 hours. That's big drop in a short time. (Yes?)
He's eaten some fresh FF.
I'm not sure if I should give him hi carb treats or honey or not. (Didn't)
Edit: I spent +3.5 to +4.5 encouraging him to eat fresh FF, he's eaten maybe 1/5-1/6 can, then retested. He's now at 127.
------
PMPS 357
+3.5 - 107
Intervened, encouraged FF
+4.5 - 127
+5.25 - 193
This is pretty close to +6 and it doesn't seem dangerous, Now I wonder if I overreacted.
I'll be up sometime between 2-4 am and will retest. I think it's safe to get some sleep now.
Edit
+7.5 - 311
He was eating YA, will just leave FF on counter.
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It's OK to intervene with a little low carb food like FF if he's dropping too quickly. It *might* stave off a bounce. The high carb interventions happen when the BG is hovering near hypo level - 50 on a human meter and 68 or so on a pet meter.

Nice blues, though. I'd stick with the fat 1 u for now.
 
Where does the 99-70 stand? Should I have intervened, or let it go that low?
I'm sorry to see the AMPS and PMPS creeping up. That's what maybe 1.25 could help with, yes? It's this middle part...The dance between FF and not eating and BG and insulin, darn it!
He ate about a tsp. of FF this am, which is 12 hr from last night, then I shot, wanting insulin in him right away. Now I'm following him around with a bowl, asking him to eat more. It can take hour or more to get more food in him.
He'd peed at 3 am, and once more by this am. He's doing normal things, unlike yesterday. He doesn't want to go out, is ok with indoor water, but is lying in sun in picture window, watching people and dogs walking by. That's normal.
Am going to try diff bowl of FF. It's been 30 mins since shot already.
 
I wonder about giving him FF only pre and ~1-2 hrs post shot, then only YA until next shot.
The YA literature says go YA only asap. I could try (hard if he asks for it). It'd be awesome to level him out, try to stay or reverse the neuropathy. His poor legs, tissues.
He had another tsp of FF.
 
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It's an hour after shot, he's had about 4 tsp FF. I make a slurry and he laps that, high water content. Lily will eat it straight from can, easier to measure.
Photo, Java eating on couch, bowl propped to angle towards him.
 
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Lois and Java said:
Where does the 99-70 stand? Should I have intervened, or let it go that low?
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99 is great and 70 is "pay attention" if you're using a pet meter. I'd intervene with a LC snack at 70, wait 20 minutes or so and retest to see if BG is level, going up or going down. Repeat as needed - ie., if BG is falling.

Lois and Java said:
I'm sorry to see the AMPS and PMPS creeping up. That's what maybe 1.25 could help with, yes?
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Yes, a higher dose could bring those down but it can't be at the expense of the nadir. The nadir rules because if it's too low it's dangerous.
 
Possibly. His hind legs in that photo...Sort of limp and useless compared to his prime. He was eating YA when I got home, good! Keeping FF up.
 
I wasn't able to test him around + 3-4. He asked for FF around 5:30pm but was fine with YA. If I don't offer FF after pm shot, then I'd worry about him going too low over night. Coming up on PMPS soon.
So far, so different from yesterday! So much higher. He isn't going to hypo, I'll test between now and AMPS if I wake up but not setting alarm.
 
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Tonight is so different from last night (342 at +3).
His BG is barely down from PMPS (383)!
He's having some YA now.
 
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