Vetsulin/bouncing?

I am new to this! I want to start doing a glucose curve today.
Last night:
I didn't test before meal *and* forgot to shoot so I measured 1.5+ and it was 128. No shoot.
Today, 12 hrs later:
Pre-food 144, 1+ 108. I didn't shoot.

We are two hours post meal, when should I retest? I am horrible at getting blood. It usually takes me several tries. I'm using the two in one Relion things that look like a pod. Pretty sure he has bruises in his ears.

Background:
Carl, 21lb 10yr old Siamese, Dx 1/2020, was stable on Vetsulin 2U every 12 from Nov 2020 to Feb 2021. His numbers were high (200) last week 4+ after meals, which are usually Fancy Feast pate 2 cans. After an episode of eating regular dry Purina One for two days (early March2021) and the ensuing vomiting, he never regained his appetite and his water intake decreased from a pretty steady 8ounces/236ml every 24 hours to 100-150ml every 24. He refused food the first week and was given subQ fluids and famotidine for nausea. His appetite returned and his BG has been a pretty steady 140-144 *at the vet once a month* they don't want me to home test, I am starting right now.

I've had to tweak his food to get him to eat. He is a dry food junkie! Currently he gets one can FFCP mushed up with half a can of FF primavera. He gets one half cup of Dr Elseys Clean Protein sprinkled with about ten pieces of DM kibbles because he won't eat it otherwise. The CP dry is available to him all day but he barely touches it.

The evening of Mar 20, 2021, he had his meal and one half hour later I completely spaced out and did not shoot. So 90 minutes post meal his BG was 128. I waited a half hour then tested again, 118. He doesn't need insulin tonight, apparently. He got the night off.

(Poor guy, he was not in the mood for testing and I missed the vein so many times. One ear is a better donor than the other.)

 

2+ 78 he has had no insulin for 26 hours

 

Please don't give any insulin until you've been advised to by @JanetNJ and @Deb & Wink

 

You don't want to be aiming for the vein, as this is painful for them, you should be trying to prick the area in-between the vein and the outer ear. As you keep testing, more capillaries will develop in this area and it will be much easier to get blood. Also, it helps to warm the ear up beforehand. Lots of members use a rice sock put in the microwave, I am using a USB hand-warmer, but it definitely makes a big difference.

 

Thank you both, I'm aiming for that area near the edge. When I put a flashlight on him I could see the little bruises from previous attempts. I'm alone and done have help with him often. He's wiggly and not interested in being messed with.

I also forgot to mention that he's always had high BG it was 500 for the first few months. He went low once before the vet changed his dose. I'll test again soon to see what it is.

Why would he, in the absence of insulin, sudeenly go low?

 

Because he might have been overdosed? Cats can spontaneously heal themselves and produce their own insulin.

 

At the beginning of the month he gained access to regular car feeder and spent two days gorging on carbs - it made him really sick. He vomited and refused to drink or eat. I wonder if that "reset" him. My vet is ....less than helpful.... but my resources are limited and it is all I can do at the moment. I'm taking him tomorrow but more than likely will only get to talk to the tech.

 

You already scheduled an appointment? Or is it his diabetes you're going there with?
If it's "just" the diabetes, save your money and get advice here instead.

 

He's supposed to get labs beyond glucose and I have to take two other cats there anyway. It's $15 for regular labs. I asked for it two weeks ago when he was throwing up and not drinking/eating. I am trying to write a note to the vet because I don't think the messages are getting to her..

 

Looks like it's pancreas is waking up. Let's see what it is later. I think you need to lower that dose. If it's 150-200 don't give more than 0.5 units over 200 maybe 1 if you can monitor.

 

+33 since last dose of insulin, BG now 140.

 

Would be awesome if you could keep tabs on when he's eating, the BG will rise when they're eating but when a cat is ready to dump the insulin then it will go back down on it's own.

 

I know when he eats because I've had to put him in his own room ): and I pulled his Clean Protein bowl since I was doing the curve. He doesn't eat it anyway. I weigh it when I measure his water and it's always the same. The other cats won't eat it either.

When he was at 78 I gave him a snack of cooked chicken, about a tablespoon which is a typical midday snack for him.

Last Monday he was 200 4+ but that was at the vet. It's a long car ride and he hates it, plus I have no idea what meter system they're using.

 

Maybe there's an admin can help me?
Carl has been testing under 200, mostly 120s since Sunday morning, which is the last morning he had insulin. I'm monitoring his food carefully. Today: pre meal was 200, 215 +1, 160 +2, 258 +9 and 316 +1 post dinner. I didn't and won't get a full day testing until Saturday. He's on Vetsulin, was on 2U. I hope I did the data right.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o2TtT2zwAgZtGINxtkb8nu_Ye_6Y0eKhZyJpO8ew7mA/edit

 

+2 was 235 so no insulin!

 

@Sienne and Gabby (GA)

@Wendy&Neko

@Deb & Wink

@JanetNJ

Thanks ladies, trying to help @EarthyCarbonCookie

 

Sorry, I can't help with Vetsulin dosing. One thing you can do to help us help you, is complete the spreadsheet. I see no units given since March 3rd? If you skip a shot, could you put NS for no shot, or Skip, so we know you didn't just forget to enter the dose units given.

 

His last unit was the 20th. I didn't have my own meter until then. He's been on Vetsulin since May 2020 but Im only now testing. I will correct the spreadsheet now. Thank you!

 

There's nothing March 3-20 because I wasn't testing. I had borrowed a meter on the 3rd because he had been throwing up. Should I delete that date? From 3rd until 20th he was getting 2U after meals, every 12 hours, no testing

 

Keep in mind that on a human meter normal is 50-120. I do think he needs a little insulin support. The last two days he's gone over 200. Maybe when it's over 150 try giving 0.5 u and lets see what that does. We really want to see numbers closer to the 80-110 range for part of the day.

 

This had been happening! His number Rose

Do I still give .5u every 12 hours or as needed?

 

I would give it at shot time as long as the preshot is over about 150. Obviously if the preshot is too low, then don't. If that worries you, you could do .25 dose if it's 130-175, and 0.5 if it's over 175. It looks like you test pretty consistently.

 

Thank you for the reassurance! This has been such as stressful time, getting this all figured out.

He was still over 200 tonight so I gave him .5

+1 after the insulin he was still at 216. I just want to get him balanced and it seemed like food was the way to do it. But if I can keep him level on a lower dose, I'll be happy with that.

 

You aren't going to see the insulin kick in that quickly. ProZinc usually starts working 2-3 hours after the shot. Try this for a few days. If it's not enough you can up it to 0.75.

 

here is an update on Carl. I bumped him up to 1U on March 29 per the vet. today I sent the weekly report to the vet and asked him if we could move to some other insulin like Lantus. I wasn’t able to complete testing on the 31st as my reader gave me error after error! And then it was giving me goofy numbers like 10 or 149 and 148 - I went through a dozen strips. So I don’t know if I got a bad set of strips or if it’s the meter. I’ve been in touch with Shel at Diabetic Cats In Need, and hopefully if the vet decides to change either the meter type or insulin type.

I've attached a link to the report from PetDiabetes Tracker as that's what the vet will see.

Thank you for all the support!