They diagnosed him last week with diabetes!

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h3ll000kitt3h

h3ll000kitt3h

Member Since 2014
Hey there! My name is Sammie, and I have three cats. Chaos, Butter, and Hoodie.
Butter is around 7 1/2 - 8 years old. On Jan. 17th, 2014 he was diagnosed with diabetes. He had been losing weight, eating a ton, peeing all over the place and drinking water like there is no tomorrow. This is all very new and I need lots of advice!
We go back to the vet today at 10:30 so they can teach me everything. I'm nervous! Anything you want to know just ask. I don't know what insulin they are giving him yet or else I would list that.
Thanks for listening!
 
Welcome Sammie and extra sweet Butter! Welcome to the best place for sugar cats!!

First, relax. It's rough at the beginning, but you learn fast. Diabetes IS treatable.

Let us know what insulin and dose they suggest when you get home.

What are you feeding? We suggest a low carb wet food like friskies classic pate. BUT don't change food until home testing. It can drop BG significantly which is dangerous when on insulin if not home testing.

Have you considered home testing? It's not hard. Takes a bit of learning but after that it's pretty easy and the best way to keep Butter safe! You can use a human glucometer. Most of us use the relion brand from Walmart. Strips are cheap...I used the confirm since it used less blood. The prime is a bit cheaper but uses more blood. We can teach you to do this if you want!

We're here to help! You CAN do this!
 
We have a very successful protocol that has worked for thousands of cats, getting them regulated and often into remission.

You want a mild long lasting insulin. The ones we suggest are Lantus, Levemir (human insulins that have proved to work well in cats) and ProZinc (an insulin made for cats). All work well. There are other cheaper insulins like Canninsulin and Humulin but they are shorter lasting and tend to be harsher. I hope your vet will (and I would ask for) one of the first three. We are also big believers in starting on a low dose (.5 to one unit every 12 hours) and going slow with increases.

We test our cats at home with a human meter (there is a pet meter but it but it and the strips are very expensive and we think human meters work fine.). It is a little tricky to get started but the vet can show you or we can teach you. It is important to know every time before shooting insulin that the amount you are planning to give is safe and to test midcycle to see how low your cat is going.

We feed wet low carb food. A vet explains why here: http://www.catinfo.org BUT DON'T CHANGE the food till you are testing. (Our Oliver went down 100 points overnight when we switched from dry to wet. If we had not been testing, we would have overdosed him)

If I were you, I would insist on a good insulin, starting at a low dose and asking for help with testing at home. I would not buy prescription food, wet or dry. (Or I might accept it, but would take it back and say the cat won't eat it. Pet food companies accept returns, always)

It's like buying a car, if you are armed with information ahead of time, you will do much better. :mrgreen: good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
Hi Sammie and sugardude Butter and welcome to the message board. :smile:

IF you have not started the insulin yet, and Butter likes canned food, you might want to try switching the food first, before you start giving any insulin. Make sure Butter does not have any ketones first. If he does have ketones, he needs insulin sooner rather than later. As Sue said, the BG's (blood glucose levels) can drop 100 points (thats in mg/dL, USA numbers).

You've already gotten some other great recommendations so I won't add anything right now, so we don't overwhelm you.

Please let us know how things go at the vet.

{{{{{Hugs}}}}} We are here for you.

Be sure to do deep breathing exercises. It helps to relieve some of the stress when you first get this diabeties diagnosis.

Deep breath in, hold, release, deep breath in,hold, release, deep breath in, hold,release..............
 
Hey all! Back from the vet and had an exciting like hour and fourty-five minutes there.
They put my BooBoo on ProZinc 40u/10ml. Today is his first day on insulin so they told me to start him out with 1 unit every 12 hours (twice a day). They told me not to bother to test him until tomorrow night though.
When tested at the vet his blood glucose was 605. When they told me that I freaked out. I looked at the vet tech and said, uh how is he not dead, or have ketoacidosis! She said that's one lucky guy you have there. The vet told me to call them every 3-4 days with an update of that weeks numbers and they will adjust the dosage as needed.
In a day or two I will transition over to Friskies Classic Pate.

Also forgot to add, he was just amazing when we were testing him. He layed down and was purring like an engine. He didn't fuss or cry when I pricked his ear with a needle tip ( the vet tech told me those are easier to use than lancets, so I am just going to use those and do it by hand). He didn't even flinch when I gave him his shot. Man I love my cat lol. I'm lucky to have it so easy with him!
 
Fantastic! Sounds like your vet is a keeper! Here is our protocol for ProZinc:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=109077

That's a high number. It will be interesting to see how much was stress - your first number at home should tell you. And the wet food can make a big difference.

You might get him ready for testing and then start tomorrow with the first shot? Sometimes it helps to have something to warm the ear. We used a rice sack - raw rice in a small, thin sock warmed in the microwave until very warm. Maybe pick a spot where you are going to test, take him there, warm his ears and give him a treat. Then you are all ready for the first test, same place, same treat.

Here is a list of low carb treats: Lo carb treats

When transitioning food, you might start with 75% old and 25% wet and increase with each feeding. Some cats can switch right over with no problem; some have a few tummy issues.

Glad you are started on your journey. Ask any questions you have. We love to help!
 
Is BooBoo one of Butter's nicknames? :smile:

Testing now, even though your vet said it's not necessary, gives you some practice and experience and gets your cat BooBoo used to testing and both of you more comfortable with the process.

Cats BG numbers can be 100-180 mg/dL higher at the vet, due to stress. So, part of that 605 number could have been due to stress.

We strongly recommend that you be testing before every shot, especially since you are planning to switch to a low carb food in a couple of days. That switch can lower the BG numbers 100 points or more.

Plus, you have started giving Butter insulin.

With all 3 of these factors now in play, you might see some big changes in Butter's BG numbers. Keeping our fingers crossed for you.

The best part of this journey, is how close you will become to your kitty. The special bond you will develop, taking care of him with the diabetes, is unparalleled.

Please keep us updated. We love to know how our kitty familys are doing.
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
Fantastic! Sounds like your vet is a keeper! Here is our protocol for ProZinc:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=109077

That's a high number. It will be interesting to see how much was stress - your first number at home should tell you. And the wet food can make a big difference.

You might get him ready for testing and then start tomorrow with the first shot? Sometimes it helps to have something to warm the ear. We used a rice sack - raw rice in a small, thin sock warmed in the microwave until very warm. Maybe pick a spot where you are going to test, take him there, warm his ears and give him a treat. Then you are all ready for the first test, same place, same treat.

Here is a list of low carb treats: Lo carb treats

When transitioning food, you might start with 75% old and 25% wet and increase with each feeding. Some cats can switch right over with no problem; some have a few tummy issues.

Glad you are started on your journey. Ask any questions you have. We love to help!
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He actually got his first shot this morning at 11:10 AM after testing his BG which was 605. When I tested him at the vet all I had to do was rub his ear a few swipes and pricked, and voila- a nice amount of blood appeared! Thanks for the tips on lo-carb treats. That is one thing I forgot to ask the vet tech that worked with me today. They are great at my vet, the woman who taught me everything has a diabetic kitty too so she taught me how she does it on her kitty. Plus gave me a break with 10 free U40 syringes. My vet said to test time tomorrow night I know, but do you think it would be a waste to taste him at +7 today? Will it help me learn anything more if I test him sooner than they said? Lots of questions I know =)

And yes BooBoo is one of his nicknames, along with a twist on it (BooBoo Bear). lol
 
I think the more testing the better. Data tells you everything - how a diet change is impacting him, whether it's safe to shoot the dose you are planning on, how the insulin is working mid cycle (how low he is going) Data is your friend, especially with PZI, as you individualize the dose to fit what your cat is doing.

So I vote for a test! :mrgreen:
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
I think the more testing the better. Data tells you everything - how a diet change is impacting him, whether it's safe to shoot the dose you are planning on, how the insulin is working mid cycle (how low he is going) Data is your friend, especially with PZI, as you individualize the dose to fit what your cat is doing.

So I vote for a test! :mrgreen:
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Alrighhhht ya talked me into it! I had a question about ProZinc. I'm not sure where to ask this since I'm not an "experienced" insulin user yet. Is there a different between the ProZinc I get from my vet vs. BCP PZI? All of the costs for everything I need is adding up quickly so I am trying to find the cheapest/most reliable form of the insulin that Butter uses. I read in other threads that BCP PZI was cheaper w/ low shipping costs. I am having my favorite vet tech call tomorrow hopefully to see the price. But I just wanted to find out what, if any, difference there was.
RIght now a vial of 40U/10mL is $82.00 at my vet. If we keep going with 1U in AM annd 1U in PM I'm going to go through it in 20 days, and probably less than 20 days if they decide to raise the shot dosage when I call them on Monday.

Myself, I am on welfare and have a hard time coming up with so money money, ah. Don't get me wrong though, I would do anything for Butter.

*sighs*
 
$82 dollars is a pretty good price for regular ProZinc. Yes, BCPPI is cheaper and for most people works fine. The only complaint I have seen is that it is compounded so the strength may vary vial to vial. So you have to be a little cautious when changing vials as the strength could possibly be weaker or stronger. You also can get BCP PZi in U100 strength. The advantage to that is that you use U100 needles (availabe at the drug store) and they are usually cheaper than the U40 at the vet. You also can dose in smaller increments with U100 needles. (Although you can do that with U40 as we have a conversion chart for you to use.) if you only got a few syringes from your vet, you might ask if they have heard of the conversion chart and if you can use U100 needles. You don't need their permission, but they seem pretty cool and you seem to like them.

The only unwelcome questions are the ones you don't ask. :mrgreen:
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
$82 dollars is a pretty good price for regular ProZinc. Yes, BCPPI is cheaper and for most people works fine. The only complaint I have seen is that it is compounded so the strength may vary vial to vial. So you have to be a little cautious when changing vials as the strength could possibly be weaker or stronger. You also can get BCP PZi in U100 strength. The advantage to that is that you use U100 needles (availabe at the drug store) and they are usually cheaper than the U40 at the vet. You also can dose in smaller increments with U100 needles. (Although you can do that with U40 as we have a conversion chart for you to use.) if you only got a few syringes from your vet, you might ask if they have heard of the conversion chart and if you can use U100 needles. You don't need their permission, but they seem pretty cool and you seem to like them.

The only unwelcome questions are the ones you don't ask. :mrgreen:
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Does anyone have any clue in how much the strength varies? I'm going to bet my vet will want to keep him on ProZinc for now being that its more reliable from what you said, ad we need to establish a good shot dose(s). In regards to the U100 strength and needles, do they come in a certain size? Whats the price difference? I was told to use 29 gauge, 1/2" needles. I have no idea what CC but maybe you can elaborate since ya know more, heh. The vet wanted to charge me $24 dollars for 100 CT U40 syringes, but I went to my local rinky dink pharmacy and they sold them to me (with prescription) for $20 dollars for 100 CT. Am I getting good prices for things? I am trying to find all the lowest cost options available. I already have the syringes for the next 50 days, so I would love to learn more so I can cut costs next go round.
 
The syringes you got from the pharmacy, are they U40 or U100? I ask because usually pharmacies only carry U100s, as human insulin is (I think) only sold in U100 strength.

Normally, a U40 syringe will be 29 gauge, with a 1/2 long needle, and a total capacity of .5cc which equates to 20 units of U40 insulin.

There are more options as far as gauge with a U100 syringe. They can be 31 gauge, which is actually a smaller diameter needle. The higher the gauge, the skinnier the needle (which sounds backwards, but true). They also come with various needle lengths. They can be 1/2 inch long or 5/16ths inch long. And usually the total capacity is .3cc which equals 30 units of U100 insulin.

As far as Prozinc vs. BCP PZI - they work pretty much the same way. Prozinc is only made in U40 strength. Compounded PZI is usually made as U40, but it can be special ordered as a U100. Either way, you need a vet prescription to buy them. And the U100 would cost more since it's a higher concentration.

I used compounded PZI with Bob. The first vial was VPA PZI, in 2011. When Bob had a relapse last year, VPA was no longer making PZI so I bought BCP PZI. VPA and BCP are just the acronyms for the pharmacies that do the compounding. Both were "PZI" U40 insulin.

Compounded PZI and Prozinc differ as far as where they "come from". Prozinc is made from human insulin, while "PZI" is made from bovine insulin. Both are engineered to more closely match a cat's natural insulin.

As far as which works better? I only used the compounded bovine style, so I can't compare one to the other. What I have read here is that Prozinc can last a little longer. My PZI was supposed to last 8-10 hours. Prozinc is advertised to last 10-14 hours. But every cat responds differently to insulin. And results vary on a day to day basis. Bob responded well to the compounded PZI back in 2011, and after ten weeks or so, he went into remission. A dose seemed to last about 10 hours. He may have done just as well with Prozinc. He got compounded PZI because that was what my vet had prescribed in the past. It was also about $50 for a 10ml vial, while Prozinc was over $100.

Hopefully that wasn't too much information to throw at you at once :-) I tend to be "wordy"...
 
Oh good lord. I messed up. I knew $20 was too good to be true. So the ones I got at the pharmacy are for U100 insulin. Crap. The 10 U40 ones they gave me at the vet for free go up to 20 units, whereas the U100 go up to 50. Everything is the same about the syringes (they are both 29 gauge, 1/2", and 1/2 CC) the only difference is that the plastic part of the syringe is smaller. Can I still use these? Should I take them back? Help, lol. I do have 10 syringes to get me by for 5 days, so I won't do anything with the U100 until then.

Also I caught a glance of the insulin measurement conversions when using U40 insulin with U100 syringes. If I use that chart it says that I should give him 2.5 units on the U100 syringes. When measured out in a U40 syringe I can barely tell that there is insulin in the syringe. I assume it looks like much more in a U100 syringe. IF I used that chart am I still giving him 1 unit of the U40 insulin? Is my mind playing tricks on me? AHH. I just want to be able to use the syringes that I bought (but will take them back if I have to). But I DON'T want to mess up. What are the chances of me messing this up?
 
h3ll000kitt3h said:
Oh good lord. I messed up. I knew $20 was too good to be true. So the ones I got at the pharmacy are for U100 insulin. Crap. The 10 U40 ones they gave me at the vet for free go up to 20 units, whereas the U100 go up to 50. Everything is the same about the syringes (they are both 29 gauge, 1/2", and 1/2 CC) the only difference is that the plastic part of the syringe is smaller. Can I still use these? Should I take them back? Help, lol. I do have 10 syringes to get me by for 5 days, so I won't do anything with the U100 until then.

Also I caught a glance of the insulin measurement conversions when using U40 insulin with U100 syringes. If I use that chart it says that I should give him 2.5 units on the U100 syringes. When measured out in a U40 syringe I can barely tell that there is insulin in the syringe. I assume it looks like much more in a U100 syringe. IF I used that chart am I still giving him 1 unit of the U40 insulin? Is my mind playing tricks on me? AHH. I just want to be able to use the syringes that I bought (but will take them back if I have to). But I DON'T want to mess up. What are the chances of me messing this up?
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U40 Syringes have RED caps...U100 syringes have ORANGE caps.
If you are dosing 1 unit of ProZinc using a U100 syringe, you draw up to the 2.5 unit mark.
If you are going to use the U100 syringes and conversion chart....please make a note on your spreadsheet AND always use the U40 dose amount so we are all on the same page...most ProZinc users use the U40's and we are ALL used to dealing with that dose number. EX: Use 1.0 not 2.5

BTW....$82 is not a bad price for ProZinc. It might last longer than you expect.....Butter might require less as time progresses. :smile:
 
Thanks. I'm glad I can get some use out of the U100's. I'm hoping he doesn't need a lot more insulin going forward. But I'm a realist and don't expect miracles to happen. I just know I can't afford $82 a vial more than twice a month. Still going to call the vet tomorrow to talk to them about BCP PZI and at least get prices and see if my doctor will go for it if he needs a lot more insulin over the course of the next few weeks.
 
The other "give away" on the syringes is that the U40s should have red caps over the needle. The U100s should have orange caps. That's a safety feature so you make sure the right ones are being used.

And yes, you are reading the chart right. If you draw up one unit of Prozinc in the U40 syringe, it would just reach the first mark on the scale. If yours are like mine, the first actual number on the scale is "5"? That would be five units, and there should be four lines between the 5 and the "zero line".

And if you draw up one unit of Prozinc into the U100 syringe, it should read the 2.5u level. If those syringes have marks for half-units, you would be at the 2.5 mark. If they only have full unit marks, the plunger should be in between the second and third mark.

And no, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. The U100 syringes have a smaller diameter barrel so it "looks like" more insulin, but it isn't.

For now, use the U40s. We have five days to make sure you are confident with the others and with the conversion chart. :-)
You can also try it yourself. Get a thimble or some really tiny container that'll hold water. You can add a drop of food coloring to make it easier to see. Use a "used" U 40 and draw up 10 units. Empty the thimble, squirt the 10u back into it, and draw it up into a U100 and see if it comes out to 25u. Oh, you shouldn't reuse the U100 after doing that , so the experiment will cost you one U100 syringe.
 
Sammie,
That 10ml vial of Prozinc will last longer than a month. There's 400 units of insulin in it. Bob was on insulin for 10 weeks, and his doses ranged from half a unit to as much as four units. Twice a day. When he went into remission, there was still enough left in the vial for a couple more weeks. You won't need to buy more for quite some time.
 
Carl & Bob (GA) said:
Sammie,
That 10ml vial of Prozinc will last longer than a month. There's 400 units of insulin in it. Bob was on insulin for 10 weeks, and his doses ranged from half a unit to as much as four units. Twice a day. When he went into remission, there was still enough left in the vial for a couple more weeks. You won't need to buy more for quite some time.
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Er.. I don't mean to interrupt with being a newbie and all but I'm pretty sure there is only 40 units of insulin in the 10ml one. OMG. Just went in the fridge to double check the vial. TURNS OUT Mr. Butter isn't getting ProZinc. The lady at the vet (not the doctor) told me it was PZI but then another 20 minutes later referred to it as ProZinc. I'm so confused. The vial says 40 units, BCP PZI. I read/was told that when the veterinarian (my doctor is the owner of the clinic) orders insulin from companies like BCP, that they can tack on their own fee to make some money (the doctor can). I wonder if its cheaper to get the insulin straight through BCP with a prescription. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. I have to admit I never imagined that I would have to learn so much. I knew it wasn't going to be easy. But I can't keep my head on straight with the doctor/vet tech telling me one thing and it being completely different. :shock:
 
No, there's 400. U40 has 40 units per ml. U100 has 100 per ml.

If it says BCP PZI, it should also say 100% bovine on the vial someplace. If so, it is compounded PZI and it came from BCP labs in Texas most likely.

If you have a prescription number, you can order it direct from BCP over the phone. I bought a 10 ml vial direct in November, and it was $50 which included overnight UPS delivery.

"PZI" and Prozinc have become interchangeable because PZI stands for "protomine zinc insulin". Prozinc is a brand name, made by a company called Behringer (might be spelled wrong). It is a human rDNA insulin made for use on cats. Compounded BCP PZI is a bovine.based insulin made to work for cats.
 
Um, let's try to clarify a bit for you.

U-40 is the concentration of the insulin, not the number of units in the vial.
That means there are 40 units in each 1 ml of solution.
The number of ml in the vial, tells you how much is in the vial.
A 10 mL vial of U-40 insulin contains 40 times 10 or 400 units.

You dose by number of units, not by ml.

So your vial of BCP PZI should say what concentration it is (U-40) and how many mL the vial contains.
You may have gotten a small sample dose of this BCP PZI insulin from your vet. In that case, you probably do have a smaller vial than the normal 10 mL.
 
This might help as well.

I kept Bob's old insulin as a souvenir. Here are some pics of the box and the vial. I had planned on keeping it until he passed, and sending him to the Rainbow Bridge with it, but when he did pass in November, I had him cremated and they wouldn't let me put a glass vial with him. So the box sits right next to his urn/box on his special shelf. That might sound sort of strange but Bob getting diabetes was life altering for both he and I, and if that had never happened, I'd never have come here, so it makes sense to me. ;-)

Notice how it says 100% bovine, and also "40iu/ml". That's 40 insulin units per ml, and there's 10 ml in the vial. So 400 total. There's about 2 ml left in the vial, so I used 8ml over a ten week period. He got about 320 units of insulin over that time frame. On average, a little more than 2u per shot for 150 or so shots.
 

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You may have gotten a small sample dose of this BCP PZI insulin from your vet. In that case, you probably do have a smaller vial than the normal 10 mL.
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...and if that is the case, and your vet charged you
RIght now a vial of 40U/10mL is $82.00 at my vet.
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...
Well like I said above, you can get 10ml for $50 direct from BCP, so the vet is making a decent profit even if he did give you a 10ml vial.
 
Wow. I completely misunderstood. 400 units !! That is the best freaking news I have heard all day. Combine that with a cheaper price of approx. $50 if I order it directly from BCP. You guys have now given me hope. My boyfriend threatened to leave me today and is now sleeping in a different room, he basically said "i'm not going to give my life up for a cat". Man why is it all the men I've ever had in my life except my dad , hate my cats. I feel like some days they're my reason for living. So I just tried to get Butter's pre-shot glucose. He isn't being as pleasant as he was at the vet this morning. Little rascal. I need to invest in some treats. So I went through 3 test strips and by accident gouged his ears a couple of times (I am using needle tips and doing it free hand). Anyway I did it right the 1st time and the test strip said Error 3. I tried again. Error 3. Tried again, error 4. Now of course this is my grandmothers old meter (freestyle lite) and she definitely didn't put the directions in there so I have no idea what I did wrong. I decided 3 pokes was enough and tried to give him his insulin as he is squirming around. And the other cats are all in my face like "whats going on?". I decided I'm going to wait a little bit before I give him his insulin because momma needs to breathe. Is it always this hard in the beginning? I feel so bad that I poked him and I could tell it hurt him a little bit (unless I'm imagining things). *sighs* I'm down in the dumps.
I'm sorry if I seemed snarky before about the 40 vs. 400 units things. I'm just stressed and all you guys are doing is trying to help =(
 
You guys have now given me hope. My boyfriend threatened to leave me today and is now sleeping in a different room, he basically said "i'm not going to give my life up for a cat".
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Unfortunately, that's a knee jerk reaction to a stressful situation. Just to give you some perspective....
In May 2011, I came home with a very sick diabetic cat who "belonged to" my wife. A couple days later, he was also diagnosed as "DKA", and needed to stay at the ER for three days. Huge $$$. My wife said "we can't afford that. We need to put Bob to sleep". The best decision I ever made in my life was saying "no, we aren't going to do that." I used my savings, almost all of them. 10 weeks later, Bob went into remission. He lived for two and a half years longer without any vet bills other than routine shots and junk. In November 2013, I had to let him go. The diabetes came back, but something else was gone wrong too, and I don't know what or why. But he got two and a half more years of life, and a good healthy life, just because I said "no" to a knee-jerk response from my wife. In those two and half years, for reasons having nothing to do with Bob or his diabetes, my wife became my ex-wife. And from the first shot on the first day of diabetes, Bob became "my cat". I took 100% of the responsibility for his care and any expenses related to his care. Bottom line? Losing Bob was sad, very sad. A million times sadder than losing my wife of almost 30 years.

Your boyfriend isn't going to "give up his life" because Butter became a diabetic. Whatever he gives up is all on him, not on you, and not on your poor kitty. It might mean changes in your routines, it might mean some stress and sleepless nights, it might mean an occasional expense that you haven't planned for. But if he loves you, he loves everything about you and that includes Butter. There's no such thing as "just a cat". Maybe only "cat people" understand that? You can ask many of the ladies who post here what there experience has been as far as the spouse or significant other goes. I think that some of them "go it alone" at least at times, and probably more "at the start" than as time goes on. Eventually, things settle into a new routine, and both partners adjust as needed. Some people do end up doing it all themselves, but I think in just about every case there is at least emotional support. Even my ex-wife gave that much to me and Bob. So just let him digest this, and I'm hoping he'll realize that his comments today might be little more than a way to deal with a brand new stressful aspect of your lives together, and he won't be sleeping in another room for long.

And please believe me that every one of us understands your stress level right now. I know I was a basket case for at least a couple of days. I'd never given a shot before, and was convinced I was going to screw something up. I didn't have much trouble with getting blood luckily. What I did was I used the lancets, but I didn't use the device that they came with. I just used the lancet "free-hand". My suggestion? Step back and breath, just like you're doing. If you're stressed, Butter is going to feel it too. Spend some time just rubbing his ears with no "poke" so he doesn't associate the experience with stress. And treats are a fantastic "bribe". Fresh Shrimp was the key to Bob. He'd have let me cut off an ear for a couple of shrimp :lol: A lot of people will tell you this, and it was very true with Bob.... at some point, Butter will look forward to the tests. Up until the day he passed, when there was no BG testing going on for over two years, if I ever went to the drawer where the meter was stored, and I unzipped the case, Bob would come running to me from wherever he was in the house, and he would lay down at my feet waiting for the ear poke because he knew it meant "shrimp!!!". I used to do it just to make him come running, it was funny as hell. And I never did it unless I had some shrimp ready for him to snack on.

Save this thread, bookmark it. And a month from now, go back and read it over. You're going to be amazed at how far you go from "here" to "there" in just a matter of a few weeks. And I promise to not pipe up a month from now and say "Told you so!!" :lol:

Carl
 
Definitely treats. And I would argue for a lancet instead of the needle. It will help you aim and you can adjust the depth. Lancets are inexpensive. Get the 25-27 gauge as they make a larger hole at first till the capillaries fill up. (it's like the ear learns to bleed)

Freestyles aren't great. Are the strips butterfly? They are pretty unreliable. Relion from Walmart has the cheapest meter and strips. ( the strips are the expensive part). The whole deal should be under $40.

It's a little expensive at first for the lancet, meter and strips, but the good equipment makes this process easier. And you want it easy in the beginning. :mrgreen:
 
Thank you guys so much for understanding. I think another reason why the boyfriend is mad is because I was confused about the whole 40 unit vial when it really is a 400 unit vial. Here we were thinking oh my gosh, we are going to go through 1 vial in just a few days time. I would tell him of my blunder but he refuses to speak to me. I don't think the test strips are the butterfly ones. I found out my mistake anyway. I went on Freesyle's website and downloaded the user manual for the "lite" and it was ALL me doing it wrong. I thought you put blood on test strip and then put it in the meter. So I made Butter hurt because I can't get it together. I left him (Butter) alone for awhile and then scooted up next to him and managed to get in his PM insulin shot. The first time I tried to do it I, by accident, poked through the other side. I guess I just have to learn to be fast. I think he could sense I was out of my element, because he didn't squirm this much when I was in the vet office, and of course I did it perfectly there, lmao. Any ideas on how to get him more comfortable with the poking and prodding? Treats are a must I know. But what else?
 
Is your boyfriend paying for all of this? Or just reeling over the time and schedule investment? Either way, it's a bummer he's not more understanding but it's hard not to see where he's coming from. This is all pretty dramatic until you get a routine. Maybe show him this board, which is full of people who're continuing to live a life with a happy, well-adjusted sugarcat?
 
Hon, breathe! I know it's brain numbing at first, but in a few short weeks you'll have it all down pat.

I cried for the first 10 days, couldn't get a test, cat fought tooth and nail! I had to 'kitty burrito' him for 6 weeks until he relaxed and hasn't given me trouble since. The first 10 days, I was trying to use the blasted lancing devices. No luck at all until I threw the dang thing across the room, grabbed the lancet by hand and did it freehand. No more problems. :thumbup

Everyone has to find what works for them and it's hard and it takes time, but you will get a grip on everything. In a few short weeks, you'll look back and be amazed at how upsetting this all was. Then you'll be helping others in the same situation you're in now, just like everyone here is doing with you. :-D

As for the boyfriend? Can't help you there, I threw out a bf 25 yrs ago because he didn't like my cats and thought he would make me choose between them. I did. ;-)

Hang in there girlie, there is enough knowledge among the members here on FDMB to sink a battleship. There is nothing you will face that others here haven't already been there and done that. You and your baby are in good hands.

Big Hugz! :YMHUG:
 
Arienna said:
Is your boyfriend paying for all of this? Or just reeling over the time and schedule investment? Either way, it's a bummer he's not more understanding but it's hard not to see where he's coming from. This is all pretty dramatic until you get a routine. Maybe show him this board, which is full of people who're continuing to live a life with a happy, well-adjusted sugarcat?
Click to expand...

He's helping me pay for a significant cost. But I am still paying what I can, I'm not expecting him to just absorb all of these costs. He is also reeling over the time and schedule. He is worried that we won't be able to go on vacations and stuff. I'm focusing on the right now. I do see where he is coming from but I dealt with an abusive ex-husband for 6 years that used to tell me little Butter was a horrible cat. So basically I have no tolerance for cat hating bullsh*t. Meanwhile today yes I was absorbed with the whole diabetes thing and trying to find the cheapest supplies, but guess what, all my searching today has led up to me finding significantly less expensive insulin, cheap syringes, cheap test strips, cheap meter, and cheap lancets if I so choose to use them. He just can't see it I guess. Oh and I doubt he cares about this site. I'm 24. And he is 42 and only his opinion matters if you know what I mean. :roll:
 
Oh dear. :/ I'm sorry, I don't know what to say to that.

My SO is military and lives over by the base and I live over here by my college so the only one really messed up by this is me and Theo. :) I pay extra rent for a small apartment right on campus, but I've never been so glad to pay it since it means I can visit home between classes and stick to a food and shot schedule without messing up study groups and labwork. It is going to make visiting the SO a little more difficult for a little while :)
 
Arienna said:
Oh dear. :/ I'm sorry, I don't know what to say to that.

My SO is military and lives over by the base and I live over here by my college so the only one really messed up by this is me and Theo. :) I pay extra rent for a small apartment right on campus, but I've never been so glad to pay it since it means I can visit home between classes and stick to a food and shot schedule without messing up study groups and labwork. It is going to make visiting the SO a little more difficult for a little while :)
Click to expand...

My ex-husband was Army while we were married so I know the feeling. That's good that you can come home between classes and get all the testing and shots out of the way. Off topic but what post (base) if I may ask?
 
Seymour Johnson (Air Force!), here in NC. I grew up as a military brat so it's almost a good thing for me - I like to have my space and my independent life. It's only an hour or so drive but there's another kitty and a dog over there. We're discussing how to control who eats what and whether or not we should take this opportunity to put the rather fat Elphie cat on the low carb wet food diet too. :) But I won't go visit for at least a month, going to get Theo cat under control and healthy before we introduce any crazy variables..
 
Oh cool cool. The last time I switched my cats over to wet food like 2 summers ago (had to switch back to cheap high carb food because I didn't have an income) I switched them all over. It just makes everything easier. And it really is healthier for them all in the long run. My Butter lost some weight and muscle due to not being diagnosed right away (no muscle or nerve damage though) but the vet said he could stand to lose another 1 pound maybe a few ounces over a pound. My other cat Hoodie is huge. And I know its so KEY to get him on wet food stat so I can't prevent him from getting diabetes too. My other cat Chaos is a skinny minny. He never really gains weight or loses weight. He's like my one healthy cat lol. Another thing about feeding all of your cats wet food, is that you don't have to have like separate feeding times or anything, or have to worry about them fighting over food.
 
Welcome to FDMB.

Folks have covered most of the important stuff so far.

Perhaps the following on what the test numbers from different meter types mean will be helpful.

Comparing a human glucometer to a pet-specific glucometer is like reading temperature in Celsius vs Fahrenheit. Both are correct. You just need to know the reference ranges to interpret what the numbers mean.

[Glucose reference ranges are unsubstantiated and have been removed by Moderator]


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *​

How to use the glucose reference values chart:

When you get a test, look for the number on the chart that either equals, or contains, the test value you have. Read the information. As needed, make a decision and act.

Ex. You are a new insulin user and you test your cat before giving insulin. The test is 300. It probably is safe to give insulin.

Ex. You are an established user of Lantus, following the Tight Regulation protocol. You've tested around +5 to +7 to spot the nadir. It is 200 mg/dL. You probably need to increase the dose, following the instructions for the protocol.

Ex. Your cat is acting funny. The eyes are a bit dilated. You are concerned and test the glucose. The number is 35 mg/dL. ACK! The cat may be in a hypoglycemic state. You quickly follow the HYPO protocol linked in the glucose reference values chart. (which we really, really, suggest you print out and post on your refrigerator.) Funny you should ask that.. let me find it.
 
So glad we could "make your day" by clearing up how many units of insulin where in that vial. ;-)

Sammie hon, there is so much information to absorb at first, that it's easy to get overloaded or confused. Sometimes, you just need someone to say something in a different way so you understand better. Please, ask for us to explain as many times as needed until you get it. That's what we're here for.

We are all 'paying it forward' to all the folks that helped us at the beginning.

You will develop a routine. You will be able to have a life and spend time with friends and family. Maybe, telling your BF that this is like cramming for final exams right now, and you need to spend some dedicated time with your Butter, will help to put this in perspective for your BF.
 
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