Tucker dosing thread 2

LoveforTucker said:
Hmm.. seems like he did better on the higher dosage..
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The preshots are usually the last to come down.

My spreadsheet isn't the greatest to compare to because of the steroid influence, but you can kinda see in the first half of our spreadsheet when Jess had her lowest mid cycle numbers (especially the lime greens) the following preshots for a few cycles were generally higher/bounce inflated.

As you get more mid cycle test data you'll start to see your patterns too.
 
Looking throughout the week, even though with limited data due to my job and the curve today.. I'm wondering if 1u dose is a little bit low?? IDK.. I felt like Tuck was getting better numbers at higher dose. What do you think @Deb & Wink @JanetNJ
 
LoveforTucker said:
I was thinking about increasing to 1.25, then doing another curve next Saturday??
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Sounds like a plan.

Flat yellows can sometimes signal that the bounce is about to break. But doesn't look to me like that is what is going on this time. Mentioning it, as it is something to know for future reference. Looks like Tucker bounced up again at PMPS 7/19/20. Cats can go from one bounce, right into the next one. I think that is what is going on with Tucker.

p.s. You put a picture of Tucker on the SS! How cool is that?
 
JanetNJ said:
Why did you go from 1.75 all the way down to 1? I would have tried 1.5 I think.

Yes try 1.25.
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Aww.. Janet, You recommended this to me on my other thread..This is a reply from you from my other post "you are new without much data ... SKIP THE DOSE this morning. If it were my cat I would reset the dose to 1 unit starting tonight. 1 is the recommended starting dose... I think your vet started you at much to high a dose. If after a few days we see 1 isn't enough, then we will recommend 1.25, then 1.5... It might be a little higher tonight with the skip, but it's MUCH SAFER then shooting a low number like that. Better too high then too low."
I switched to 1.. To see how he would take it. After the curve today. I feel like I need to go back. Look at the reply on the JamiandTuckershow Maybe I misunderstood..
 
Deb & Wink said:
Sounds like a plan.

Flat yellows can sometimes signal that the bounce is about to break. But doesn't look to me like that is what is going on this time. Mentioning it, as it is something to know for future reference. Looks like Tucker bounced up again at PMPS 7/19/20. Cats can go from one bounce, right into the next one. I think that is what is going on with Tucker.

p.s. You put a picture of Tucker on the SS! How cool is that?
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I actually increased his dose tonight at 1.25.. I accidentally put down 1.0u.. (I edited that).
LOL Thank you!! ! His little face is so cute!
 
Do try to get at least 1 more test in the PM cycle.
A +2 is a good one to get, as that can tell you what direction the BG is headed.

More than a number range, think of the percentage of the drop at +2, that may tell you if your cat is going to drop much lower. Think of that +2 as being an indicator of what direction the BG levels may be headed.
With Prozinc, if you see a 40%, 50% or greater drop, between the pre-shot and that +2, that's a serious heads up warning.
If you see a 20-25%, 30% drop, not quite so worrisome. But still be cautious.

Your cat drops 2 color ranges between pre-shot and the +2, pull out your hypo kit and plan on staying up to test.
Your cat drops 2 color ranges between pre-shot and the nadir, that is to be expected. But you don't want the drop to be much more than 50% between pre-shot and nadir with Prozinc.
Cats tend to bounce high if the drop is 50% or more from pre-shot to nadir.
So you steer those mid-cycles with food, to slow down the steep drop and stop the bounces from being too high.

The steeper the drop, the higher the bounce.

It's a balancing act.

The +2 is like an "early warning" for most cats!
If the +2 is about the same as the PS, it's usually a pretty normal cycle...dropping down to nadir and then rising back up again. (About the same means taking meter variance, that 15% variance that hand held glucometers are allowed to have into account)
If the +2 is higher than the PS, that usually signals a bounce, and those are the cycles when you can usually take a break from testing.
If the +2 is lower than the PS, that's your "Early warning" that kitty might be going much lower later in the cycle so it's important to plan on getting another test or two (or 6) in.

It doesn’t work every time or with every cat. But it does hold true most of the time, so keep this in mind for next time.

It also kind of depends on what BG pre-shot your cat started out the cycle with. Lower than normal, keep a closer eye on the cycle. Lower than you are used to shooting, a number you may not have given insulin before, keep a closer eye on the cycle. Stalled and number rose some, but you did a reduced shot, maybe another test or 2 to see how much the number is rising.

It makes a big difference if your cat starts the cycle in the pink 300-399 mg/dL range (16.6 - 22.16 mmol/L) then if they are in the blue 150 mg/dL range ( 8.3 mmol/L).
 
LoveforTucker said:
Aww.. Janet, You recommended this to me on my other thread..This is a reply from you from my other post "you are new without much data ... SKIP THE DOSE this morning. If it were my cat I would reset the dose to 1 unit starting tonight. 1 is the recommended starting dose... I think your vet started you at much to high a dose. If after a few days we see 1 isn't enough, then we will recommend 1.25, then 1.5... It might be a little higher tonight with the skip, but it's MUCH SAFER then shooting a low number like that. Better too high then too low."
I switched to 1.. To see how he would take it. After the curve today. I feel like I need to go back. Look at the reply on the JamiandTuckershow Maybe I misunderstood..
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Gotcha. Totally forgot about that. Yes. Go to 1.25. You were getting weird numbers which is why we started over.
 
Deb & Wink said:
Do try to get at least 1 more test in the PM cycle.
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Oh! I forgot to put it down last night. Added this morning. :)
Deb & Wink said:
With Prozinc, if you see a 40%, 50% or greater drop, between the pre-shot and that +2, that's a serious heads up warning.
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Excellent! Thank you! Just looking at my SS.. I only did 1 +2, and that was on a day I couldnt get a PS. DOH!! I'll make sure I get them routinely.. I wont be able to until Friday now! Working today -Thurs, off Friday this week.
Deb & Wink said:
It's a balancing act.
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No kidding!! :bookworm:
Great info!! Thank you! I"m printing this out and sticking it onto his cabinet!!
 
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JanetNJ said:
Gotcha. Totally forgot about that. Yes. Go to 1.25. You were getting weird numbers which is why we started over.
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HAHA!! I figured! You respond to so many different ppl on here! Plus with my new thread.. Yes.. he was really throwing me wild cards. Had that huge vet stress bounce day, then recovering from that took a minute!
JanetNJ said:
Crossing fingers we see some blue!

Of his ears are sore you can use a tiny bit of neosporin ointment with pain relief.
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I wish I was going to be home today. I traded someone a day off grr... I have neosporin! Thanks! Good tip!
 
LoveforTucker said:
HAHA!! I figured! You respond to so many different ppl on here! Plus with my new thread.. Yes.. he was really throwing me wild cards. Had that huge vet stress bounce day, then recovering from that took a minute!

I wish I was going to be home today. I traded someone a day off grr... I have neosporin! Thanks! Good tip!
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that was a facepalm moment.
I was distracted the last two days with my own cat issue which thankfully I think is resolved now. My cat didnt eat for a day and was throwing up all over. She really gave me a scare because she has a lot of medical issues that are hard to balance. She's feeling better now.
 
JanetNJ said:
that was a facepalm moment.
I was distracted the last two days with my own cat issue which thankfully I think is resolved now. My cat didnt eat for a day and was throwing up all over. She really gave me a scare because she has a lot of medical issues that are hard to balance. She's feeling better now.
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Oh no!! Poor kitty! She does have a lot of issues. I was looking at your SS :( Is she better now? I wonder what was causing it? :(
I have a tendency to read something, then take it in a complete different direction. *eyes roll* I re-read that post probably 10 times before I asked, LOL
 
LoveforTucker said:
Oh no!! Poor kitty! She does have a lot of issues. I was looking at your SS :( Is she better now? I wonder what was causing it? :(
I have a tendency to read something, then take it in a complete different direction. *eyes roll* I re-read that post probably 10 times before I asked, LOL
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She started eating normally again yesterday afternoon. She's got acromegaly which is a tumor in the pituitary gland that causes the diabetes and makes her a high dose cat. At her most she was getting 12.5 u twice a day. Some acro cats need 20 or even 50 units twice a day, so I guess we are lucky. Lately she's only needed 6-6.5. On top of that she had hyperthyroidism, kidney failure, arthritis (acromegaly also causes bone growth making her elbows arthritic and bend outward), and a heart murmur. Despite it all she's happy and still the alpha leader of the house. This is my most recent picture of her checking out the new kitchen mat.
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Oh HI MISS KITTY!! Oh my goodness, she is SO pretty! I just wanna scratch that bellah!!
oh dear! 12.5 u! Gracious! Poor thing! Poor you! I'm sure you are stressed over her conditions. I sure know I would be. She's a lucky girl though, having you to take care of her!! ((HUGS))
 
Tuckers cabinet all organized and ready. This is his testing area. If I do his testing near the food, he's more willing to let me test ;)
The labeled 'MC' side if for hypo emergencies.. aaand for the neighborhood cat "Orange Cat"
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Today is my Friday! I have a 4 day weekend. Excited because I get to test Tucker and spend more time with him yet disappointed because he has another vet check tomorrow, which means I'll be riding the crazy vet stress BG roller coaster for a few days :arghh:
Last night he was riding right at a PMPS 201 . Since it was below what he normally tests preshot *according to my cabinet cheat sheet* I gave a reduced dose on 1u. right?? Then +2 he was in the 300s.
 
PLUS, he is also due for his vaccinations. I have a feeling this is going to change his numbers drastically! Sigh.. I wonder if I should put that off for now.
 
If the vet check is only to check the BG levels, or improvement in symptoms, you could certainly skip an in person vet visit. You are certainly doing some BG tests at home. Would a phone call or email with the vet work as well? Is there something else going on with Tucker, that necessitates a stressful vet visit?

Which vaccinations does Tucker need, and does your state mandate those? Could Tucker receive a waiver, because he is diabetic? Is Tucker an indoor cat only, and could some of those vaccinations be skipped for now? For instance, I only do the 3 year rabies vaccine with my indoor only cat. No other vaccinations for her. Not in years. Of course, there are no other outside pets, no dogs that go in and out and could bring something inside to infect my cat.

All questions to consider and discuss with your vet.
 
Deb & Wink said:
If the vet check is only to check the BG levels, or improvement in symptoms, you could certainly skip an in person vet visit. You are certainly doing some BG tests at home. Would a phone call or email with the vet work as well? Is there something else going on with Tucker, that necessitates a stressful vet visit?
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I'll call today to see if that could be feasible. It seems as though they just want to check BG levels. I'm going to call. When I told the vet last time I was testing him. It seems as though he only prefers the alphatrak meter.
Deb & Wink said:
Which vaccinations does Tucker need, and does your state mandate those? Could Tucker receive a waiver, because he is diabetic? Is Tucker an indoor cat only, and could some of those vaccinations be skipped for now? For instance, I only do the 3 year rabies vaccine with my indoor only cat. No other vaccinations for her. Not in years. Of course, there are no other outside pets, no dogs that go in and out and could bring something inside to infect my cat.
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It looks like we have a rabies vaccine mandate. BUT, Tucker never goes outside. We have bob cats and bald eagles.:nailbiting: That would snatch him up.
He doesn't need the FVRCP
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Deb & Wink said:
Not likely. Tuna is pure protein, so no carbs to raise BG levels.
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Yeah.. Silly question on my part. When I started giving him that treat, I started seeing the reds on the SS again.
Deb & Wink said:
p.s. Tag didn't work quite right. There are spaces in my User Id. Like this @Deb & Wink See the spaces on either side of the & sign?
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HA.. Not surprised! I was using my phone while posting that.
Deb & Wink said:
p.p.s On early. Too hot to garden here.
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EW!! Its so hot here too! Blech.. I still have a lot of green tomatoes, but my sun gold tomatoes ripened pretty fast. Natures candy! YUMMERS!!
 
I mean to get a +2. I got busy washing my windows. +3 157. Tuckers SS for his AMPS wont show the number on his SS.. just a yellow box. AMPS was 257
 
LoveforTucker said:
Yeah.. Silly question on my part. When I started giving him that treat, I started seeing the reds on the SS again.
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There are no silly questions. Except for the ones you don't ask.
LoveforTucker said:
Tuckers SS for his AMPS wont show the number on his SS.. just a yellow box.
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I think I can faintly see some white numbers within the yellow in the box. Yup, I zoomed up to 150% and the number is there. Simply in white text instead of the expected black, so it doesn't show very well at all.

Try copying the formatting from another yellow color coded cell and paste it in the box for the AMPS. That should do the trick to make the number show up in black instead of white. Like on 7/23 or 7/24 AMPS. You need to manually color code the cell. The same thing you need to do if you put more than one test number in a cell.

I'd hold the 1.5U dose for another cycle or two.

p.s. Happy b'day to you, you youngster! Here's some cake for you. Every color in the rainbow, so there should be at least 1 color you like.
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Just don't share it with Tucker, since that frosting will send him into a sugar high!
 

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Thank you for the advice on the ss cells!Tucker was at 306 Pmps.. 1.5u
Thank you for my bday cake! I had a birthday margarita at late lunch today, no frosting Lol. Tucker had a tuna treat. Hes such a sweet kitty! I'd give my kidney for him!
 
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