Smokey AMPS 315 | +6 352....Advice?

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Smokey

Smokey

Member Since 2010
Good Afternoon everyone!

Would you mind viewing Smokey's SS and telling me your opinion? Tuesday will be 1 week since being placed on Lantus and 5 days since being on 2u and I am just not seeing the trend that I thought I would by now. Maybe his shed is still not full!?

Vet would like me to call him on Tuesday, +12 hours to give him a reading, then to make a determination as to the dosage. I'm going to give him the +6 number and +12 number that day when I call him and let him know that Lantus prefers to base dosing on the nadir, not the peak. He stated that the Lantus rep at his seminar (in January) told him to do the +12 when trying to regulate a cat on Lantus...so that should be a fun conversation! I plan on e-mailing him some of the information I have received from this site!

From what I'm seeing...but it is a lot to take in in a week, I need to increase his dosage by .25 at this time. Can anyone comment on this for me?

Thank you!!
 
Hi Denne! Your vet must have attended the very same seminar as mine. His opinion is to base the dose on the +12 as well. I'm anticipating an awkward moment when I begin sharing my info as well. He's not too receptive to any ideas that aren't his, you know what I'm saying? My Gus is still really HI and I'm not seeing the response I expected either. I still have a couple of days to stay on the 2U before raising him. Hope you get some good dosing advice here. I'll be watching to see what you're told and apply it to my situation. Good Luck!
 
It takes roughly 5 - 7 days for the shed to fill. (See the sticky note on the depot/shed.) It's not unusual for numbers to be hgher than you'd like. Since you've increased the dose, I would give this dose more time especially since you're seeing some nadirs in the 200s.

Also, please get at least one test in during the evening cycle. If you can routinely get a before bed test, that would be great. Many cats drop into lower numbers at night. In addition, if you don't test during the pM cycle, you'll be missing half of your data.
 
Hi Denne: I'm not sure I've welcomed you and Smokey to Lantus Land so welcome aboard!!!

When I look at your SS, the thing that stands out is only one nighttime test. It's very hard to tell what he's doing without more tests. Sometimes the high numbers can be as a result of them getting low and then bouncing back up and without more tests, you don't know if he's done that at night or not. While ECID, alot of cats will go lower at night. If he's getting down into low numbers, then his pink numbers the next day can be a result of the liver reacting to the low numbers and releasing hormones which drive his numbers up. I'm hoping others will come by to chime in regarding the dose. I'm not saying that he might not be due a dosecrease, but it will take an experienced eye to tell you and I'm not sure what they will be able to tell you without some nighttime tests....IMHO :lol: :lol:
 
Smokey said:
He stated that the Lantus rep at his seminar (in January) told him to do the +12 when trying to regulate a cat on Lantus...so that should be a fun conversation! I plan on e-mailing him some of the information I have received from this site!
Click to expand...

Would like to know what seminar and which rep.

Really, that kind of information almost sounds more like a mis-communication that needs to be addressed.
 
My goal is to get as many tests as I can. My poor boy's ears appear to hurt so bad I've been trying to give him a break at night....but I definitely see what your saying. I'll do a +3 hour check tonight and see what I get!!
 
Kitty's old vet went to the same seminar. Must have been the same rep! I dragged poor Kitty in to the vet's office for +12 blood tests for months. Of course, we were mis-dosing him the whole time. (And then, we found FDMB.)

Don't be afraid to share our protocol with your vet. Here's the "convert a vet" link from the main Feline Health forum:
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=2509

Print it out and let your vet read the great scientific research. Beats even a Lantus representative! ;-)
 
I would get some advice on how to handle the vet without getting their back up. You could maybe say you see that Smokey is nadiring at X and his +12 is this. Also ask if your vet would read about the Rand protocol from Australia. Mavericks new vet did but this isn't common. Its great that your vet is cool with home testing and Lantus. Two positives.

Regarding the sore ears - polysporin ointment helps a lot. Are you squeezing the poked spot in between tissue or guaze for ten seconds or so to prevent bruising? Warming his ear with a rice sock helps the blood flow. And make sure not to hit the vein. Aim in between the vein and the edge of the ear - more towards the edge. One ear often bleeds better than the other.
 
I will go grab some polysporin tonight! I didn't even think of that, I'm so paranoid that anything I placed would effect BG readings! My husband is making me a little rice sock as we speak! Hopefully that will be easier for me!

Do you all use a special lancing device that isn't so piercingly loud! My new Bayer Contour meter has the loudest one I've heard (it almost rings)! My old lancet was quieter but just didn't work on the first try all of the time, it took many times to get the blood with that one.

Thanks again!
Back to work tomorrow!
Denne'
 
There are some people that like the lancet device. I find it awkward and freehand the poke. I don't use the lancets that came with the Contour. I use BD lancets. It may be that using a wider lancet (e.g., a 28 gauge -- the lower the number the wider the lancet) will be easier until Smokey's ears "learn" to bleed.
 
Same thing here...I used the 28g until we got her ears used to bleeding and now we use BD ultrafine 30g...and we freehand. I think it's quicker and Gracie never moves; but lots of others use the device so whatever works best for you. Try both ways and see which you are most comfy with. Gracie did not like that device or the sound.
 
I don't use a lancet device either. Just put something firm in front of his ear - I use a DIY light as a backing so I can easily see his vein also. The sock should be warm but not hot. And I used it to pet Maverick all over in the beginning, not just his ear. He loved it. Also most of us here have PureBites chicken treats. Pure freeze dried chicken - doesn't affect BG. Its like kitty crack. He got rewarded with this with every poke in the beginning and he was purring through shots and tests. We get them in the dog section at petsmart - its a bigger bag and more cost effective.

Here are some pics.

DSCN0312.jpg


DSCN0319.jpg
 
Do you guys go in at a 45 degree or a 90 when you don't use the device? Do I leave the neosporin (couldn't find poly...hope this was okay) on the ear when I test again or will that effect BG if the blood goes through it?
 
I go in at 45 degrees and I use the neosporin pain relief OINTMENT. I usually clean it off in between pokes and then reapply but it won't affect the BG levels if you leave it on and it will bead the blood. The cream will cause the blood to smear so avoid it.
 
Thanks so much Marjorie and Gracie!! I'm going to give a free hand test a shot tonight at his +6 test! My husband knows of the light and he will get me one! Oh gosh my hands are gonna be shaking! nailbite_smile

That is the exact neosporin that I used so I'm good there!!
 
Glad you know of the light it works great for Maverick. That is the testing position on the dog bed. He would not sit for it but he doesn't mind lying down.
 
we freehand, as well, at a 45 degree angle.
Binks reached the point quickly where test time was "we time" and "treat time"...and he'd head for the test rug before I did!

hang on in there, Denne!

celi & binks
 
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