sunday brings rain and dissapointment

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RobbiesMom

RobbiesMom

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Maybe because it was such a glorious day out yesterday but I did feel optimistic even if the numbers weren't exactly leading me in that direction - now after a PMPS +7 of 200 and a "breakfast test" at PMPS +10 of 246 and a can of Fancy Feast Cod, Shrimp etc. I wake up to give him his shot at 7am (AMPS) and he's 431 I KNOW he just ate a bit under 2 hours ago I cannot get this eating, testing, shooting schedule to jive - he's always been hungry all the time and especially since we took him off of free feeding on dry food when he was DX for the first time - he misses that darn dry kibble and always lets me know. As I've said feeding him every few hours when he was OTJ worked fine I didn't chart his numbers when he was OTJ and I really hadn't tested him in months before I noticed the tell tale signs of large pee clumps and drinking lots of water. However, certainly he was fine by all outward indications up to about 3 weeks before it all clicked and I tested him and realized the honeymoon was over.
NOW how do I get him to not want and expect all those little meals? Some times I don't even think he's actually hungry - cause he'll settle for a cuddling or if I play with him - like right now he came over to me, jumped on the sofa, cried and started to knock over the lamp on the table (his FEED ME now BS move) so instead I got up and played with him with his catnip mouse and a feather toy and he's mellowed out just sitting with his toys now (wheezing up a storm from the activity but I gave him a hit of albuterol already this morning cause this is his tough allergy time).
We're at 4.25 and have pretty much done the scale up here with the ONLY real run of blues being when we started out at 4.00 - I worry I missed the chance by going down and working back up- if that's possible - now his body just seems to need more and maybe 4.25 isn't enough? He's going in to the Vet on Wednesday (if I can get out of work) for a discussion and tests for the IAA and anything else that might be an issue (teeth looked at closely etc.) and I KNOW the vet will tell me to up to 5 or perhaps work up to more a bit more quickly. I'm fine with that if its going to work.
I have been following him into the LB room with a long spoon and the Ketone strips all morning and no luck yet (although he did make a small poop which relieves me and I'm sure him a bit as I know he's seeming a tad constipated) . Guess I'm just looking for some HANG IN THERE type of comments or certainly anything more insightful is welcome.

and now he just curled up in the dog bed with his girl Ginger (the dog) and is sleeping - I guess I could keep him high half the day to cut down on the eating - I wonder if cat nip causes the munchies?
 
We don't use PZI so take this with that in mind....KT free feeds other than the last 2 hours before his shot. I leave out a bit of soft food on his table all the time. He too is a 'HARD FOOD' junkie and will pull all sorts of tricks to get into it. I bought some EVO dry that's 8% and give him a few pieces when he starts that 'hard food chant.

I know this has to be so frustrating for you but sounds like you're getting it all back together. I guess I'm REALLY lucky with KT and ketone tests - I just tell him to pee on my stick when he first gets in the lb. He no longer even pays attention when I move his tail and draw the stick thru the stream. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR ATTEMPTS!

GREAT BIG OLE LONG HUG!!!!
 
I am happy to say "HANG IN THERE"! :smile:
I wouldn't make any changes before the vet visit, just in case there is some underlying cause for the high numbers and the non-responsiveness at this point to the insulin.
I don't know about the "going back to one" thing, but that's what I thought and said when you first started posting. It isn't too late (never too late) to try that.

To me, this rise to the 400's looks like he just isn't getting 12 hours out of the dose for some reason. The 200s don't look terrible, but your curves seem to indicate "more juice is needed". What makes me hesitant to just agree with that is that you are getting into the high doses that would indicate a "problem" whether it's a dental thing, an infection, or a high dose condition like acro/iaa. So at this point, I'm pretty much confused like you are. :YMSIGH:

Not sure that helps any...

Carl
 
Thank you both - I can't believe he'll ever let me lift his tail and just test LOL he looks at me like I'm INSANE when I even follow him and stand there. However, I'm still plugging away at that.
Carl if you recall I did go down to 1.50 for a week - with the only blues happening when I basically doubled up his shot. I would be very hesitant to go to 1u or less at this point since our best numbers were in the beginning when we started out at 4.00 but we'll see what the vet has to say - although he's not one for lowering the dose at least not until we've explored going up some more. I am anxious to have him checked out for any underlying conditions.
 
Just RAN in after Robbie as he headed towards the LB - he wouldn't let me near him as he peed and lierally jumped from one box to the other (they are next to each other) and so I let him go and than I stuck the stick in the clump... I have NO idea if that is worthless or what - it was neutral. Next time hopefully I won't be tripping over the dog and will have time to grab the long handled spoon before he's into the process already.

On a less messy note - I am putting off dinner till right after his shot - hoping to get a totally un food related number when I shoot. I've found that diverting his attention with toys and catnip really works - it's time consuming but works - although at amps +8 I did have to give him ONE soup spoonful of watered down FF as he was clawing at my legs.

24 minutes till shot time - and he's curled up sleeping.
 
at pmps he was 377 - shot the 4.25 I've been doing this weekend and gave him his dinner which consisted of one can of FF chopped grill feast mixed with lots of water and than he gets 3/4 of that - I save the other 1/4 for +5 snack which we can't seem to divert him from.
 
Ellen -

Like Carl said, it's never too late. We'd been all the way up to 4.5, then 5, then 6 units... seeing flat to 25% decrease cycles. Then I did a reboot.

First cycle - no shot. He continued to drop as he had w/ the 6 units.

Second cycle - cut dose in half to 3 units. Held for about a week. Again, same kinds of numbers... but he was less hungry. Saw a string of yellows - now that's something I hadn't seen in ages!

Following week - reduced to 2 units. Still getting about the same drop initially, but lower preshot numbers. Since then, he's had flatter cycles. Until this afternoon when he started to zoom... but at PMPS+4 he's back down to where he started. Will he go high or low? No tellin!

On the lower doses, he's not ravenous. Don't get me wrong - he LOVES to eat, and he's eating... he's still checked for ketones at every opportunity, and he's still getting fluids... but he's acting more normal.

We are having the blood drawn tomorrow for the IAA and Acro tests as well as a simple glance at his teeth. Maybe they'll either be able to confirm that they DO, in fact, need more insulin... or will serve to rule these conditions out, and we can continue to seek out the right dose for our boys!

Hoping for a great week for both of us!

Lu-Ann
 
Nothings simple it seems. FWIW I did the reduction strategy. I did it in the beginning of all this. Vet prescribed 4.00 - did 4/3 for the first week than after lots of input here and some research on my own part I did reduce and started at 1.50 and have now worked back up to 4.00. I'm going to hold at 4.25 till we see the vet and if he suggests upping I'll go as high as 6.00 I think but we'll see cause we're also going to test and check teeth - so we'll see but right now I gave the low doses a chance - Now I have to make sure he's getting enough juice before I consider going back over ground we just covered (for the most part). So glad you're getting a good response - ECID - and man they all prove that every day don't they? :smile:
 
So hope you can figure out what is going on with Robbie. I think the cats get depressed in this rainy, cold weather. Tomorrow is another day. Hope the vet visit goes well.

lori
 
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