Tonka 8/3 AMPS 83, +4 63, +6 97, +8 85, +10 72

[jmalasiuk]

Yesterday: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...-124-7-90-9-92-11-25-112.134205/#post-1384687

Today Tonka had a wee bit of an inversion, but still in good numbers. He's been having a blast running about and chasing things. Teeger is annoyed that I don't want to leave the door open for him to come and go at will (it's sunny and warmish in the sun outside, but the wind is still cool and I don't feel like keeping said door open all day for cats that just object to closed doors on principle).

He's been keeping to the greens yesterday pm and throughout today, following the meals that he was eating Evo for. But I don't know that that alone is necessarily the reason for the slight drop: it's a pretty minimal difference in carb count from his DM pate; and he ate a whole 3 oz can of Fancy Feast last night at +5 when he claimed to be starving, and he was still in the greens this morning. I'll be feeding him his usual diet (1/2 can DM and 1/2 3 oz can of FF) tonight to see if it does make a difference. If not, does it look like he is ever so gradually working his way down to no more insulin?

 

[Laura&Chichi (GA)]

Nice day for Tonka, and nary a blue number in sight! I cant even begin to imagine what giving 2 drops is like! Like you said,wondering does the DM has just enough more carbs thats keeping her from staying in all greens? Hopefully you find out tonight!

 

[Vyktors Mum]

I just caught up on the rest of your yesterday and see that you're driving yourself a bit bananas trying to figure things out. I remember being the same way when Vyktor started throwing me inversions just before going OTJ. I recommend you strap on a pair of patience pants. Tonka will call it when he's ready. I wouldn't mess with the dose at this point as you're getting almost perfect numbers.

 

[jmalasiuk]

Sounds like a plan. I just don't want to have to worry about him dropping too far during the day, but it doesn't look like that's too likely to happen - given the general absence of a nadir, I'm guessing that the drops of insulin are just helping his pancreas do the rest, and the microdose shouldn't be enough to actually put him in danger (unless he starts out too low before his shot?)

How do you know when they're ready to stop the shots? Is it just waiting for a week or so in all normal numbers, and then stopping to test it out (of course, if he keeps having his highest point in the middle of the cycle, I'm not necessarily going to catch it if he's still a bit too high to go it without insulin), or do you wait for one last drop below 50 with the insulin?

 

[Wendy&Neko]

The next reduction is earned by 14 cycles (7 days) in normal numbers or one drop below 50. I get the feeling it won't be too long now. To keep him safe during the day, I'd still leave food out in case he goes lower.

 

[jmalasiuk]

Okay - sounds good. Are the "normal" numbers those below 130 or 120 on the human glucometer? I think I had seen 130 on BJM's glucometer notes (or somewhere on the site, in any case), but I've seen others focusing on keeping their cats less than 120. Or is that just another lower number for the longer term diabetics who are being treated that much more aggressively to get them back into remission?

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

there are different numbers elsewhere on this site, but the TR document uses 50-120 as the normal range for a cat on insulin. He's got 5 days of normal numbers except the random 137 and 124 on those two cycles. Let's see what others think, but i think if the overall cycle is under 120, i'd count it as a normal numbers cycle. In other words, with 2 more cycles like he's had the last 5, i'd try doing an OTJ trial.

But when it comes time for it, let us know and let's get more than one opinion on it.

 

[jmalasiuk]

Good to know. Thanks everyone, for the advice and encouragement.
(And now that I have a chance of keeping Tonka healthy, I get to switch gears and focus on my newly diagnosed hyperthyroid and potentially kidney damaged elder-cat, Teeger - who is acting perfectly content, by the way ... hoping I can get all of his imbalances balanced out and keep him that way: those two need each other and I need both of them)