Trying to post Argyle's spreadsheet

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jackie

Member
Hi -

I created a spreadsheet for Argyle and am trying to post it. We'll see if this works. Since I was playing around with the timing of her shots, the data didn't fit neatly into the 12/12 format. I changed the format slightly - each shot is on a separate row and I added a column for how much time had elapsed since the previous shot.

Let me know what you think. I could really use some help interpreting all this.

Thanks,
Jackie
 
Hi Ginny -

No - I'm now shooting every 12 hours, but over the past couple of months I've tried different schedules. I tried shooting every 8 hours and also tried going a lot longer between shots because it seemed like Argyle did better that way. I couldn't figure out how to put that neatly into the 12/12 format of the spreadsheet template which has one day on every row, so instead I used one row for every shot. Depending upon the timing, a day could have one or two or three rows. The last BG reading in each row is usually the PS value for the next row. Now that I've worked with the template a little, I can go back and try again to get it into the normal format to make it easier to read.

Hope Alex is doing ok today.

Jackie
 
I guess I've become so accustomed to my format that I'm having difficult following it.
In looking at your doses, you are giving really, really tiny ones, huh?

Alex does seem happier today, but that boy sure can eat!!!
 
Jackie
What type syringes are you using?
Carl
 
Hi-

I'm using U100 syringes, so I'm working down around the first hash mark. I had been trying the "skinny 0.1" or "fat 0.1" type of doses for a while, and had stuck numbers for these into the first spreadsheet, but I changed these to "0.1s" or "0.1f", which might make the spreadsheet easier to read.

I made a couple of other changes to the spreadsheet which might help. Each shot is still on its own row, except for the couple of times that there was more than 24 hours between shots. In those cases, I wrapped around to the next row. I bolded all the measurements that were also PS values for the next shot.

I had taken Argyle to the vet on 9/8 just to see if there was anything else going on, and the vet said to give her 0.2U twice a day. This didn't seem to work out too well, although maybe I'm not giving things enough time? It seems like she was doing somewhat better when I was trying the t.i.d. schedule.

Anyway - thanks for looking!

Jackie
 
Wonderful that you got your spreadsheet up, but I do find it confusing. Since you dosing every 12 hours, how about putting both shots on the same line for awhile?

If you are using U100 syringes, are you sure using the conversion chart? Or are you using BCP?
(Regular ProZinc is a U40 insulin and to use U100 syringes, you have to convert) http://felinediabetes.com/insulin-conversions.htm. Most BCP ProZinc is U100 insulin so you don't have to convert.

Let us know so we can understand exactly how much insulin you are giving.

Also, it looks like you may have seen some ketones? Are you measuring with ketone sticks and urine, and what kind of results are you seeing?

Any chance you could do a bit of a curve today and get some more numbers for us to look at? A number at +3, +6 and maybe +9 would be very helpful.
 
If you are using BCP PZI which is what i used, make sure and look at the vial and/or the box. It comes apparently in either u40 or u100 ( which i was unaware of. ) mine was u40. Very critical you know which one you have.
carl
 
Jackie
Do your u100 syringes have hash marks that show half units or whole units. Are there hash marks on both sides of the vertical line or just on one side?
carl
 
Hi -

I'm using U-40 ProZinc and Walgreen's U-100 syringes. The syringes have hash marks on both sides of the vertical line, so the first hash mark is the 0.5U line. I have been using the conversion chart - as I understand, the first hash mark would correspond to 0.2U with the U-40 insulin. Yes?

I'm measuring ketones with Keto-Diastix. Luckily (or unluckily) Argyle can't really squat down all the way to pee when she isn't feeling well, so I can stick the test strip right into the stream. I do have to ignore the dirty look she gives me, but who can blame her...I had gotten some 'trace' readings on 8/28-8/30, the last of which was probably because I had gone 28.5 hours between shots. These went away, but they came back the evening of her vet visit on 9/8 and have been off and on since. I had been giving her 0.2U twice a day after the vet visit, and it seemed like her numbers were up, so I switched to 0.1U twice a day. Her numbers did seem to come down, but the ketones were still "trace" sometimes, so for the last couple of days I have gone back up to 0.2U twice a day. Also, I got some Ringer's Lactate from the vet on 9/8, so when the ketones show up, I give her 50-75 mL of fluids a day. I haven't gotten any readings above "trace" and so far today she is "negative".

So far today her numbers are

AMPS 321, shot 0.2U
+6.75 281

I will get the +9 and +12 numbers and do a curve to get the whole +3, +6, +9 tomorrow. I'll also go back and fix the most recent part of the spreadsheet. That should at least make September's numbers more readable. Before that, I don't think there is any hope of making it legible.
 
It will be good to see your other numbers. It looks like you have been worried your dose might be too high? I think you could definitely increase. If you can test at nadir during the day, I would consider .5 units at 12 hour intervals. A regulated kitty is in the low 200s at pre shot and double digits (but above 40) at nadir. Your kitty has room to move down. Would you be comfortable with that?

The nice thing about PQroZinc is that if increasing the dose isn't the answer, you can reduce quickly.
 
I'm using U-40 ProZinc and Walgreen's U-100 syringes. The syringes have hash marks on both sides of the vertical line, so the first hash mark is the 0.5U line. I have been using the conversion chart - as I understand, the first hash mark would correspond to 0.2U with the U-40 insulin. Yes?
Click to expand...

Jackie,
Thanks for the clarification. You are correct, the conversion factor ratio is 1:2.5 so, a .2 would be a .5 on the u100 syringes. Now your doses make more sense to me, although if you can tell the difference betwee a skinny and fat .1, you must not be as sight challenged at my bi-focular self!

I agree also with what Sue just said. As long as you are comforable with seeing Risky dip down into the 50s or 60s at nadir, you could afford to increase the dosing. I know that "close to hypo" is scary, and requires that you be there to test, test, and test again though. It all depends on your level of comfort, and on how Risky reacts to mid-level greens.

Keep in mind that there is always someone online to help when you need help.
If you can't get someone's attention, send them a PM.
Carl
 
Hi -

Here are the rest of the numbers for today

AMPS 321; shot 0.2
+6.75 281
+9.25 544
+12 403; shot 0.2

I fixed the spreadsheet a little. The days since 9/8 work out nicely - before that it's problematic, so still confusing.

I have been trying to lower Argyle's (not Risky) dose since she was in the hospital in March. She was up to 3.5U of Lantus twice a day before that, and I think she was getting too much insulin for quite a while before that. I haven't seen a green number since she was hypo in the hosptial and before that it was last May when she was having her teeth done (although I wasn't testing enough back then). I'm worried that somehow her metabolism is really messed up from getting insulin she didn't need for so long. She was doing kind of steady low yellow-blue on lower doses mid July to mid-August, which was what led me to skipping shots.

She's been weak, and losing weight, so it does seem like she needs more insulin, but the couple of times I've tried 0.3U lately weren't good. On 8/7, she hit 600, on 8/11, it gave her the first pink numbers I'd seen in a while, and on 8/24, it gave her the first red numbers she'd had in a while. I didn't give the 0.3U dose consistently because I was so freaked out. Are those numbers just something she would have to work through?

Jackie

PS - I know I can't tell the difference between a fat 0.1 and a skinny 0.1 - it's just an indication of how far gone my brain is that I thought that something like that would help. Desperation doesn't make any sense...
 
Sorry but I missed your intro/background.

It looks to me like she was doing ok on .2u a while back and now not so much.

I'm really glad that you have now gone to twice a day shooting. Kitties need a steady dose of insulin for every 12 hour cycle especially with trace ketones showing up now and then. Ketones are usually a result of not enough insulin and can be very dangerous, even life threatening to kitty, you can go over and read through Risky's threads for some great info and thoughts on ketones.

At this point you have enough room in Argyle's bg's to increase the dose. Have you checked for any infections that might be causing the higher bg's?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top