Vacation may be over

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Squalliesmom

Squalliesmom

Member Since 2015
Good morning, all. It looks like our little vacation may be over; Squallie's AMPS was 241. :(

My immediate concern today is how much insulin he should receive. I thought 1 unit would be appropriate until I remembered that I will not be here to monitor during +4 to +6 hours as I have a doctor's appointment that I really shouldn't cancel (for various reasons, Dr's and mine, it's already been delayed for over 2 months). I think it would probably be safer to go with .75 under those circumstances. Does this sound reasonable? I will monitor him up until I have to leave and if he seems to be in trouble, or headed for it, obviously I will cancel my appt.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
Either 1/2 or 3/4 of a unit would be OK based on my look at your SS. the 27th with 3/4 units got low of 69 form 193 so 3/5 is likely OK from a PS of 241.
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Thank you! I already gave him a scant 0.75, now wishing I had gone with 0.5, just to be safe. I based the dose largely on his numbers on the 27th, too. I think he'll be fine with 0.75 today, I just worry when I know I wont be here to monitor him but, honestly, I'd probably still worry just as much if I'd given him the lower dose!
 
Oh Lucy, I am sorry to hear that Squallie went up. But, the good news is that it is only in the 200's. Perhaps a little refreshing is all he needs. What a roller coaster! Fingers and Paws crossed for y'all.
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
Oh Lucy, I am sorry to hear that Squallie went up. But, the good news is that it is only in the 200's. Perhaps a little refreshing is all he needs. What a roller coaster! Fingers and Paws crossed for y'all.
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Thanks, Bobbie!
granadilla said:
241 isn't terrible and I think 0.75 should be okay. Like Bobbie said, maybe he just needs a reminder. :) I would still get the U100 syringes for days when you need to give mini doses.
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Hoping so! I'm going to try to get the U100's today.
 
It is probably the pancreas taking a rest. This isn't an either/or project. It seems to work for a while and then it rests and then it works again. Your 0.75 looks like a good dose (you are really getting good at this!) You'll get him back on track.

Find those patience pants and see if they still fit. :D
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
It is probably the pancreas taking a rest. This isn't an either/or project. It seems to work for a while and then it rests and then it works again. Your 0.75 looks like a good dose (you are really getting good at this!) You'll get him back on track.

Find those patience pants and see if they still fit. :D
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Thanks, Sue, I'm putting those pants on now, lol! :):)
 
I checked Squallie's BG before lunch, planning to feed and then go to my Dr's appointment. Of course, he was down to 51. So there went that appt, couldn't reschedule till late October! But I steered Squall with a spoonful of gravy and his BG is coming up just fine. Figured
I would check him again and if he's still rising I will go ahead and feed lunch.
 
Of course he went too low for you to go to the doc! :facepalm: I guess next time go with the smaller dose if you have plans to be away from home for a few hours. He probably did that on purpose so he didn't have to be alone with only feline companionship. :)
 
Squalliesmom said:
I checked Squallie's BG before lunch, planning to feed and then go to my Dr's appointment. Of course, he was down to 51. So there went that appt, couldn't reschedule till late October! But I steered Squall with a spoonful of gravy and his BG is coming up just fine. Figured
I would check him again and if he's still rising I will go ahead and feed lunch.
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Oh Squallie! What the heck??? A dog would never do this to us....... Am I allowed to say "dog: on this forum?
 
Yeah but dogs can't go into remission....

With his pancreas possibly helping (have you tried testing before/after food to see if our guess about the pancreas is right?) it makes dosing more challenging. You might go with a lower than usual dose for a few cycles and see if that helps? Maybe 0.5 if he is in the 200s?
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
Yeah but dogs can't go into remission....

With his pancreas possibly helping (have you tried testing before/after food to see if our guess about the pancreas is right?) it makes dosing more challenging. You might go with a lower than usual dose for a few cycles and see if that helps? Maybe 0.5 if he is in the 200s?
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Yes, I'm going to try "chasing" his numbers tonight. He was 104 at PMPS; there's no point in stalling, I know he won't come up high enough to shoot within an hour, so I just fed him and will start testing him again in a couple of hours.
 
Well, I just tested SquallieBear again and he's still only come up to 134. Tomorrow AM I will try testing just before and 20 minutes after breakfast to see if his BG goes up or down after he eats.
 
We used to joke in the PZI forum that Mr. P (for pancreas of course) would come to stay in the spare room but suddenly reappear and disappear in the middle of the night. I think it's not a bad analogy for what the process is like. It works, then it stops for awhile, then it works again.

You are doing a great job keeping Squallie in safe numbers while Mr. P continues to be a rude house guest. It is definitely a challenge - sorry about the doctor appointment.
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
We used to joke in the PZI forum that Mr. P (for pancreas of course) would come to stay in the spare room but suddenly reappear and disappear in the middle of the night. I think it's not a bad analogy for what the process is like. It works, then it stops for awhile, then it works again.

You are doing a great job keeping Squallie in safe numbers while Mr. P continues to be a rude house guest. It is definitely a challenge - sorry about the doctor appointment.
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That is a great analogy!

I overslept this morning (something I almost never do) and when I woke up and tested him his BG was 336! I was going to give him 1 unit, but maybe .75 would be better? I don't want him to drop too low and start bouncing, but I also want to get that 336 down!

Thanks for the encouragement, I really need it right now, I'm not coping well with the roller coaster ups and downs. He was doing so well, I hate to see him slip back into high numbers. :( I know it's not because of anything I have done but it still feels to me like it's somehow my fault.
 
@Sue and Oliver (GA), I tried testing before breakfast and then again 20 minutes later; he started at 336 and after food was 297. I don't think that's enough of difference for me to say he dropped, that could just be normal variance. Rats!!!
 
Hi, Lucy:bighug: - From here, it looks like you're seeing a bit of bouncy-bounce this morning, since he'd dropped so deeply from 241 after he had 0.75 yesterday morning. Did you get those U100s marked on the 1/2 unit yet? Those will help you so much with the dinky-dosing routine ...
 
What did you end up dosing? Since he had such a drop from 0.75 yesterday, I probably wouldn't have gone up to 1. But even if you gave 1 unit it's fine since I know you'll be around to test and steer as needed. :)
 
Robin&BB said:
Hi, Lucy:bighug: - From here, it looks like you're seeing a bit of bouncy-bounce this morning, since he'd dropped so deeply from 241 after he had 0.75 yesterday morning. Did you get those U100s marked on the 1/2 unit yet? Those will help you so much with the dinky-dosing routine ...
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I pick up the syringes tomorrow. Can't wait! :)
 
Robin&BB said:
Oh, goody! :D Because I think you're heading toward Dinky-Dose Land with Squallie. (And then we can both complain about our kitties' shots making us go blind ...:p)
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Lol, it's always more fun when you have a "complaint companion!" My bifocals already are failing me, trying to eyeball small doses! I definitely misjudged today, at +4 Squallie's BG was 43. So he got a tiny bit of gravy and Karo, which is apparently his new favorite. o_O And he is super-chipper today, trilling and chirping at the other cats (he never does that, he thinks they are beneath his disdain!), wanting to play, and trotting around behind me wherever I go. I tested his BG again about 20 minutes after his gravy and Karo, and on the Relion it was 54, but I also tested him with the Alphatrak, for the vet, and it said 91. It confuses me because if I was only using the Alphatrak, I would not have treated him for a hypo unless it was below 68. I have noticed this before, too. Seems like if he went to 68 with the AT then he would be way below 50 with the Relion.o_O
 
Squalliesmom said:
I'm not coping well with the roller coaster ups and downs. He was doing so well, I hate to see him slip back into high numbers. :( I know it's not because of anything I have done but it still feels to me like it's somehow my fault.
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Oh Lucy, you are SUCH A FANTASTIC CAT MOM!!!! I read your posts and threads all the time, and I get a clear message that you are so, so devoted to Squallie! Please hang in there!
 
Squalliesmom said:
Thanks for the encouragement, I really need it right now, I'm not coping well with the roller coaster ups and downs. He was doing so well, I hate to see him slip back into high numbers. :( I know it's not because of anything I have done but it still feels to me like it's somehow my fault.
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NOT your fault, Lucy!
 
SpecklesandMe said:
Oh Lucy, you are SUCH A FANTASTIC CAT MOM!!!! I read your posts and threads all the time, and I get a clear message that you are so, so devoted to Squallie! Please hang in there!
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Aww, thank you so much! I really appreciate the encouragement. I am devoted to him, and to all my kitties. My kids joke around that I love the cats more than them, lol, I tell them, "The cats don't argue with me!"
 
Squalliesmom said:
I spend so much time trying to do everything exactly right for him, to help him get better, that it feels like a personal blow when we have a setback.
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OMG! This is like a direct quote from a conversation I was having with someone last week. This is exactly how I've felt a lot of the time. The truth is that there are so many factors that are out of our control that can influence their health. Although I know if we could control everything, your cats would be 100% healthy all the time because of how much love, energy, and effort you put into them! ;)
 
Squallie's BG was up to 227 at +7 (due in large part to the gravy and Karo, I'm sure) and then he started coming back down; at +10 he was down to 167. So another night with no insulin, and if he's high enough to shoot tomorrow AM, he will definitely get only .75 or less! @granadilla you are so right, he is responding really well to Vetsulin, seems to be super sensitive to it now!
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
I think he is responding well to the insulin but it is also complicated by the way his pancreas is working periodically. Lucy, this makes it really hard to predict what his numbers will do. You are doing the best you can - this is a difficult time because he is so unpredictable.
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When he needs insulin, I've got to remember that his pancreas is trying to help and lower the dose accordingly. I tend to forget that, and give him more insulin than he needs. But I'm learning!
 
Well, I only gave Squallie 0.5 u today, and he's up in the pinks and yellows, but I think some of that is probably a bounce, from yesterday. I'd rather he spend a day a little high than risk a hypo! Also, I think the low dose/higher numbers will help any bounce settle down.
 
Hey Lucy, sorry about the roller coaster ride. Somehow, I missed all these threads yesterday and I don't know how that happened?? Hope he and Mr. P will shape up and fly right!
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
Hey Lucy, sorry about the roller coaster ride. Somehow, I missed all these threads yesterday and I don't know how that happened?? Hope he and Mr. P will shape up and fly right!
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Oh my goodness, I'm pulling my hair out! He started the day high, in the low 300s' but I only gave him 0.5 units based on his drop yesterday, and knowing I had to go out today. I tested him again when I got home and his BG was 285; I figured it might fall a little farther, but not so much I'd have to worry about it. So imagine my surprise when his PMPS test just now read 113! Now I feel like a negligent Mom for not checking him again after that 285! I have no idea how low he might have gone in the hours I didn't test, thank heavens he's okay! And now, of course, another no-shot night for The Bear.
 
Those patience pants look good on you, Lucy! ;) Sorry to hear that Squallie is on the invisible trampoline. He and Mr. P are having fun messing with you!
 
granadilla said:
Those patience pants look good on you, Lucy! ;) Sorry to hear that Squallie is on the invisible trampoline. He and Mr. P are having fun messing with you!
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Well, I'm glad somebody's enjoying the roller coaster, lol! Yeah, getting real used to these pants, now! :)
 
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