The value of home glucose tests

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Voula

Voula

Member Since 2014
I went to bed last night feeling that it was possible we may see lower glucose levels this cycle or the next though I was not that concerned about a very low reading. I was woken at 1.00 am by a text message from my neighbour about a concern she had so I did a BG test and saw there was a good drop in BG at +3 which then alerted me to set the alarm for a few hours later though the +3 was a very safe reading. I did another test at +6 and found that Lucy's glucose level was 2.5/45 and it may have gone lower in the previous few hours. I am so glad I do home glucose testing.
Our previous post:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...3-70-pmps-76-1-108-5-187.137357/#post-1416592
 
How true! That is precisely why home testing is so important. I find it amazing that some vets still don't recommend home testing.
 
Ann & Tess said:
How true! That is precisely why home testing is so important. I find it amazing that some vets still don't recommend home testing.
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I agree Ann. I also can't believe the reason some vets do not recommend home testing which is that the cat's quality of life is lessened by the daily tests. Well I think quality of life after a serious hypoglycemic episode or prolonged hyperglycemia is far more serious. My experience is that Lucy occasionally gets stressed if I am doing tests every half an hour like when her glucose is low but otherwise she is more interested in eating while I do the test. She is a very feisty cat and vets can't really handle her though our current lovely vet can manage to do examinations now but she is fine with the home testing and the insulin injections too. I would be even more anxious without being able to do home glucose testing.
 
I do understand that some cats may not accept daily glucose testing but most seem to.
 
Good catch Voula. Congrats on the reduction. And thanks to your neighbour too!

I remember how panicky I was the first couple of months before I started home testing. It brings a sense of calm when you know what they are really doing. And Neko really looks forward to her test treats.
 
Good catch Voula!!

I can't even imagine trying to deal with this disease without home testing, especially after learning everything I've learned here! Makes me cringe every time I hear someone saying they just shoot what the vet tells them to and take their cats in once a month!

If I'd seen your spreadsheet last night, I would have probably advised you to set that alarm too...while that +3 was still a very safe number, it was a pretty significant drop from the PMPS! So glad your neighbor texted you!

Nice dip into the lagoon Lucy...but remember, there are sharks out there in the deep water! Stay a little closer to shore next time!
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Good catch Voula. Congrats on the reduction. And thanks to your neighbour too!

I remember how panicky I was the first couple of months before I started home testing. It brings a sense of calm when you know what they are really doing. And Neko really looks forward to her test treats.
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Thank you Wendy. I agree and I always do a test before I leave the house so can know if I need to stay home or leave higher carb food out. I was the same way before I could do regular tests where I would worry every moment I was away from the house. Well I still do in a way but it does help a lot to know what is going on with Lucy's glucose levels through the day. Give Neko an extra treat from me and Lucy next time you do a test. :cat::) Thank you again.
 
YAY Voula! good catch!
Home testing is so scary at first. Now I just say "Jack lets get your number" and he comes straight to me. He is my first diabetic and we have been through a lot of trial and error and numerous pricks of the ear to get this good. Glad you got a reduction!
 
Chris & China said:
Good catch Voula!!

I can't even imagine trying to deal with this disease without home testing, especially after learning everything I've learned here! Makes me cringe every time I hear someone saying they just shoot what the vet tells them to and take their cats in once a month!

If I'd seen your spreadsheet last night, I would have probably advised you to set that alarm too...while that +3 was still a very safe number, it was a pretty significant drop from the PMPS! So glad your neighbor texted you!

Nice dip into the lagoon Lucy...but remember, there are sharks out there in the deep water! Stay a little closer to shore next time!
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Thank you Chris. I knew I should get up to test after the +3 test and even at PMPS I thought I should get up at about +3 or so to test as I thought we were due for more green numbers soon. But it is good my neighbour sent me that text message.
 
Linda and Scooter & Jack said:
YAY Voula! good catch!
Home testing is so scary at first. Now I just say "Jack lets get your number" and he comes straight to me. He is my first diabetic and we have been through a lot of trial and error and numerous pricks of the ear to get this good. Glad you got a reduction!
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Thank you Linda. My deepest condolences on the loss of your Scooter. Our Rosie died from lymphoma last year and I understand how hard it is to go through the loss of such a loved one. Lucy and I miss our Rosie every day. Jack sounds very cute to come straight to you when you tell him about getting his number. That is so great. It is amazing how cats come to learn to accept the tests.
 
Better a little too much honey than not enough! :) Lucy's giving you some great numbers recently and earning reductions too...looking great! :D :D

And absolutely agreed on the home testing. It's a life saver...literally!! When I told my vet what I was doing she actually asked me if I thought I could do that...I'd already been doing it for a week at that point. Shooting blind made me way too nervous - there's no way I could have done that long-term!
 
Thanks for sharing your story! I also felt a vague anxiety in the first 2 months of punkin being diabetic when I was shooting blind. Learning how to read his curves and how to be able to predict what might come next was an incredible relief.

Then when I learned about other diabetic cats and how they can go up and down in just a few hours - from 400 to 40 to 400 over the course of 12 hours, or how a cat's pancreas can heal and the dose that used to be just right is now too much . . . well, I'm especially glad that people helped me learn how to hometest. Punkin never minded it and he very much appreciated the treats after every poke. :D
 
julie & punkin (ga) said:
Thanks for sharing your story! I also felt a vague anxiety in the first 2 months of punkin being diabetic when I was shooting blind. Learning how to read his curves and how to be able to predict what might come next was an incredible relief.

Then when I learned about other diabetic cats and how they can go up and down in just a few hours - from 400 to 40 to 400 over the course of 12 hours, or how a cat's pancreas can heal and the dose that used to be just right is now too much . . . well, I'm especially glad that people helped me learn how to hometest. Punkin never minded it and he very much appreciated the treats after every poke. :D
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I agree about being able to know what might happen next is a relief. So after a quick dip down to 2.5/45 now at AMPS we have a bounce.
 
Bron and Sheba said:
Hi Voula, good to see you. Sorry Lucy has a bounce, I think they are the 'In' thing with all the cats at the moment. A lot of them are bouncing
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Hi Bron. I think we should think that my Lucy and your Sheba and other kitties who have a lot of bounces that their glucose levels will bounce all the way to remission. :) Your Sheba had some good numbers last night and a good AMPS this morning too. I have noticed something interesting though and that is when Lucy's glucose levels bounce high after going lower that she doesn't have any diabetes symptoms. If she has high glucose levels from skipping a dose of insulin then the diabetes symptoms come back. I am relaxing more about the bounces now.
 
I have noticed the same think Voula! Sheba can be bouncing with numbers in the high 20s (400s) and she doesn't want to drink more or wee more and she acts fine.
I wouldn't care if Sheba bounced all the way to remission, if I thought remission was in the picture. But being the second time around and 18 months into the second time, I think her chances are slim. I would settle for regulation at the moment, although remission would be wonderful.
 
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