Tired and frustrated

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Likameow

Likameow

Member Since 2014
When Ben was diagnosed on 8/23/14, his sugar was 300 at the vet (the vet!!) Now, I'd be grateful to see a number like that. I feel like I'm doing something wrong and hurting him more than I'm helping. Any advice would be appreciated
 
Hey Lisa!

I'm sorry you're feeling a bit **** about the journey thus far! I can't give you any dosing advise as we use different insulins and my journey with Java is still in the early stages, but I can pass on some very valuable advise about patience pants. (I have an ill fitting pair at the best of times!!)

Pop those suckers on and do up the belt! Each kitties journey is different, and in no way are you harming Ben by testing, tracking and trying to find a dose and protocol that works!

Have you tried posting on the pro zinc board?

You've got this! Charlene
 
I have never used Prozinc so I am not sure how it works. I know with Lantus you need to keep the dose consistent. I agree with Charlene that the members on the Prozinc board may be able to give you some good advice.

Hometesting does not hurt your cat and most are not even bothered by it.

What are you feeding Ben? Is he your only cat or do you have other cats you are feeding a different diet to? If so, he may be sneaking some of their food.
 
I know that sometimes we all get down about our kitty's health. Its not a easy row to hoe at times but I was told something that really helped me a lot.
Its not a destination - its a journey! And its a slow journey.
I hope that this statement helps you as much as it helped me.
On days when I cant get any blood out of my turnip or I cant get her to eat or I have to chase her down to get a pill down her throat, I think about this statement.
So grab a chair, sit down and catch your breath or even grab a glass drinking24
It will get better!!
 
Sending lots of hugs and bean calming vines....

I am a Lantus user, but I do believe they can bounce on ProZinc as well, and it seems to be that is what he is doing.....what we consider a normal range, Ben considers way too low right now because he has gotten so used to the higher numbers. So when they go into what we consider the normal range and Ben considers way too low, his body goes into panic mode and feels the need to compensate... As he gets more used to the lower numbers, he will hopefully not have as big of bounces, they will clear faster and happen less frequently....

As suggested, it may be time to pull out a pair of patience pants....they are my least favorite because I am not really good at the whole patience thing....This isn't a sprint, it is a marathon.....and remember Ben didn't become diabetic overnight and probably was diabetic for awhile....so it will take some time to get him regulated....

If you take a look at Skooter's spreadsheet, you will see it took awhile for him to see those better numbers more consistently......
 
I think your Ben is a bouncer! If he were mine, I would try a siding scale.

Here's what I see. On 9/6 he started with a 499 and dropped over 50% on .8. That's a big drop so the .8 looked like a good dose. On the 467 preshot on 9/9 the one unit for yhe 467 dropped him 50% and then he stayed low and flat for pmps (189). Giving him one unit for pmps (189) was probably too much insulin. He could have gone lower overnight and bounced.

With ProZinc, I have seen bounces that look like an definite bounce, immediately or in the next cycle. I have also seen high and flat cycles after a lower number. It sorta looks like Ben may do both.

50% is a good drop. The insulin is definitely working. But 50% on a 499 is a different scenerio than 50% on a 200. How about giving one unit on those high pink preshots (350-400+) and less on a blue or yellow (.6 or .4) preshot?

It is really hard to decipher what is going on at first. His body is starting to work with the insulin and he has an infection/antibiotic to deal with also, right? A vet who posts here once had a great post explaining how complicated this whole sugar dance is. She said you can't give a shot 2 times in a row and expect the exact same result. There are lots of factors included: stress, excitement (oh look, a squirrel!) even a good or difficult BM. :mrgreen: and if you throw an infection in the mix, it is that much more complicated.

If you can, think of this time as data gathering and being patient. I'd lower the dose on the lower preshots a little and see what things look like. Your job right now is to keep him safe and let his body and the insulin work together. Take deep breaths. If he helps, post daily with his numbers and get advice.
 
Patience pants. Gotta get me some o' them. Tired and frustrated here, too. Sending waves of empathy your way, Lisa.
 
Also know your cat is more than a glucometer reading - Check out the 5 Ps below.

The 5 Ps
Purring - is the cat exhibiting customary signs of contentment or happiness?
Playing - will the cat play and interact with others?
Preening - is the cat maintaining its fur and cleanliness?
Peeing - occurs, and is a normal volume?
Poohing - fecal material is formed and passable? )Constipation may happen with a food change; adding a tablespoon or so of water may help, plus ensures the cat is hydrated properly.)

See my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for additional assessments you can make to evaluate your cat, such as urine ketones and glucose, weight, dehydration, and more.
 
Thanks for all the advice and support. I'm trying to wear my patience pants but they are indeed ill fitting. I know I'm not hurting him with the testing. He'll gladly following me into the bathroom to get it done. I was more worried about the internal damage with all these high numbers. He seems none the worse for wear. And will sit in my lap purring quite happily.

He's been on antibiotics more than he's been off since we started this journey. Once for a UTI and now prophylactically after a possible aspiration event.

I will try the sliding scale and see what happens. Would it be better to post in the Prozinc forum for further dosing advice? I don't want to clutter up the main forum with questions that are insulin type specific.

Thanks again. I was singing the praises of this board to my vet and shared the website information. I also gave her a copy of his spreadsheet. She must figure that you all are a better resource for me as I haven't heard one thing from her about dosing or doing glucose checks at the office.
 
You could post on PZI if you want. It's a really small forum right now. We have a number of people who check in every couple of weeks with cats who are on their way to remisssion but no one except me and a few others who post on a regular basis. Most of the "older" PZI users are successfully doing their own thing and although there are several new users here on Health, they haven't moved over. Up to you. :-D I'll be happy to follow you there if you go and maybe we can get some of others over so you can support each other.
 
Oh, my... You seem as discouraged as I am. It has been such a struggle for Hannah and me, and we don't seem to ever see much progress, either. Where on earth can I find those "patience pants"? I have already gone through at least two pair and can't seem to locate any more. :roll: just like Ben, Hannah seemed to be doing better before we started the insulin. Sort of makes me wonder just exactly what the heck this journey is all about. But I know I must hang in there and try to learn to get this right for my fur baby. Hope you will be able to do the same. We wish you much success. In the meantime, here is a big hug for both you and Ben. :YMHUG:
 
I'm wondering about your feeding schedule for him. How did you feed him before the diagnosis and what are you doing now? His blood sugar is so high in the mornings it makes me wonder if he's used to being a night eater? You may be able to better control his blood sugars by getting him on a different feeding schedule - to allow you to give him the insulin he needs without so much fluctuation in his values.
 
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