Thoughts about starting PZ and Question

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AliciaG

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Hello all, sorry to bother but I am looking for another point of view from those who are already working with the insulin. I saw an awesome new vet today and though very no nonsence was very helpful and understanding of my situation.

My question is...is that the doctor looked over the spreadsheet and said that Juliet is really in a grey area and suggested taking a few more weeks to see if her numbers keep lowering as it looks like Juliet is slowly rebooting her system. While she was willing to start the insulin she was worried about ruining her progress so far. I went with the option of stricter diet control and exercise for the next four weeks and then a meeting to see if there was a decent change and decide about insulin then.

I guess my question is, should I have gone for the insulin instead of waiting another four weeks? I just want to do whats right but feel like I'm not taking good care of my baby. I also currently have an untouched bottle of Prozinc, but I'm not sure I should try to dose until the results of the next visit.
 
What kind of food are you giving Juliet?. It is great that you are home testing and have already set up a spreadsheet. You are doing great taking care of Juliet. It appears that you need to dip into that Prozinc. Have you had a chance to read the Prozinc protocol? Most start at 0.50u.
 
She gets the fancy feast classics 4% carbs or less. As of yesterday reduced her portions as vet said she was getting too much. I feel bad about that as shes a great eater (of course) and always seems hungry before feeding time again. Id like to break it up into smaller meals but no one's home in the middle of the day and She's got three other kitty mates.

I'm terrified of starting her on insulin. With our life and schedule so erratic,I'm afraid ill botch it. If i don't start it today ill have to wait another week as i want to be able to be home so it would have to be a weekend.

Had anyone here dosed on their own without their vets? I'm also afraid of telling my vet hey yea let's wait but then just going on and dosing without consulting her. I've had so much conflict lately, I'm just cringing at the thought.:(
 
I'd wait if I were you. The no shoot number for new users is 200 and she has already given you below that on a number of occasions. Also, even a small dose could take her too low. I would continue testing/ monitoring as you have been. If she starts giving higher numbers then contact the vet about dosage. Just my opinion and I am fairly new at this myself....diagnosed in March.
 
Why don't you give the vet a call? Let her know that you're concerned about the higher numbers and considering giving a tiny dose just to see if that bumps her a little lower? That way, the vet won't feel that you've just changed it all up on her.

ETA: I'm not saying her numbers are high. They're not really that bad at all. But if you call the vet, you could get her opinion and ALSO...see what numbers she thinks you should be looking for to start insulin?
 
She does seem to be slowly getting into higher numbers. i agree with Cindi - looks like some insulin is needed. We would usually suggest dosing above 200, though a very small dose - like Cindi's 0.5 or even a few drops lower. The idea of feeding even lower carb is good, but it is usually hard to get below 4% without dipping into fish too often. (We suggest only feeding fish a few times a week because of the Mercury.). The longer she stays above 250 (what we think is the renal threshold) the less time her pancreas has to heal.

About your vet. Many people dose with advice from the forum, keep it in the spreadsheet and send that daily to the vet. The issue is that a vet is not available at amps and pmps when you need advice. And holding a dose is too dangerous, even at a tiny amount, when home testing shows you she is going too low. That is generally what a vet will stay - dose this amount for a week or two and call me. Since you like this vet, I think I'd propose a plan to her (remember you are the customer, she works for you and you are Juliet's best advocate).

My idea would be to practice giving drops. Pull up some water tinted with food coloring. Pull up 0.5 or the lowest amount you can accurately dose. Let the colored water out by drops, counting them. Then you know how many drops are in 0.5. When you want to give 2 drops for example, pull up 0.5 and let out drops, save two.

Then start giving Juliet maybe 3 drops of insulin, maybe 0.5, (we are making tiny amounts - there won't be a whole lot of difference) on a cycle when you can carefully monitor. Be sure you know what to do if she drops below 50.

How would you feel about asking your vet about this plan? Or starting today and seeing how it goes and talking to her tomorrow? (If you can monitor during the week, I'd wait till you talk to her.)
 
Her number before food this morning (it only took three trys, Juliet is not a morning kitty) was 181. I'm going to test food middle numbers today 4-6 hours after food to see where her numbers fall. Thanks, I'm super gittery over the whole thing. Ill call her this week and see about possibly starting Saturday. Its a little late in the morning already to start on a 12 hr dosage. Other than the weekend, we're normally out the door by 7am.

Thanks for the advice, note it's time to actually work on it. Definitely going o practice the mini shots until I'm comfortable with it.
 
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That sounds very nice. Definitely wouldn't dose at that number. Maybe just watch and if she is the high 200s again, consider a tiny dose. Her cycle yesterday suggested a slow rise into higher ranges, but your amps is a lovely surprise.
 
The large 300 number is what the vet clocked at the hospital. She was super stressed out. It was also done with an alpha track where my relion read into the high 200's instead. So I'm not quite sure what to really make of it. I'm paranoid enough to want to get an alpha track but can't afford the strips at the rate we go through them.:)
 
The strips are expensive. Your ReliOn will read about 30 points lower than the vet's AlphaTrak so if it was within those parameters, it was a normal difference. We are looking at ranges and patterns so ReliOn is fine and what most people here use. (It becomes important at low ranges so that is why I mentioned it. We wouldn't want to tell you a 60 was fine and don't intervene if you were using an AlphaTrak)

If the 300 was at the vet under stress, then I would wait until you see a string of numbers above 200.
 
If the 300 was at the vet under stress, then I would wait until you see a string of numbers above 200.
Sue's point here is especially important, given that you are also going to be reducing Juliet's food portions now - this, in itself, may further drop her #s. :)

I sometimes think that overfeeding is more of a problem than we even realize, as it's so very hard not to give in to a kitty we love who feels hungry all the time, which is (unfortunately and more often than not) mainly due to the diabetes not yet being resolved. I think that we, as humans, often tell ourselves, "Just one more tablespoon can't hurt possibly hurt ..." --- but we forget that while a tablespoon of food is a tiny amount in our own bodies, it is not at all tiny in a cat's body.
 
Today is starts reduced portions all way around. But I'f plates are unfinished they go on the cat tree where she can't get them. Since our youngest is only14 weeks now, iv been suplimenting his food, also on the kitty tree. Poor Juliet just looks mournfully up at him. I'll take her outside latter. :cat:. I'll also post again in about a week to let everyone know if she had significant changes. You're the best guys.
 
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