Hattie passed away March 11, 2013

[kitrose08]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

She started on the 10 units on the 26..I dropped her from 11 then..she had been up to 13 units....If I drop her lower then she is just going to have bigger higher levels..she is up to 193 at 9:35 p.m.. I am going to give her the 10 units now..she has never been in the low 200's on 10 units..mid to high 200's and 300's so evidently except for some of these freak readings the 10 isn't working enough either...!

[CarolW]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

I'm not perfectly clear on exactly when you fed, and when you tested. Hattie may digest her food slightly variably; most likely, though, not a lot (speed of digestion).

If you feel uncertain, I'd drop her to 9.5 units this evening. Or you could stay with the 10 units, and check her in a couple of hours.

In principle, though, the way I did things with Kumbi was, held the insulin dose steady, unless it was very obvious he needed me to lower it, and that only happened once.

But Kumbi had been on a very steady and consistent regimen. Hattie is MOSTLY so, with the exceptions of the dose changes she's had.

What I did with Kumbi was: tested at fasting, then fed, then tested just short of 30 minutes later, then gave insulin - normally, I kept his insulin dose the same, as he was pretty well-regulated at the time.

I always gave insulin 30 minutes after feeding. That schedule might suit Hattie well, too. Kumbi would always spike after a meal, and then his numbers would come down, predictably, a short while after his injection.

This is all visible on his charts.

I don't think that reading of 189 assures you she is going to drop low (too low for comfort) again, because what happens depends on the past several days of events, not just on today's.

I'd surely like to see what Natalie or Patty have in mind!

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:46:50 (PDT)

[jesse girl]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

is there any pattern that you see does she drop every other day every third day do you know her pattern at night it seems like she gets that 3rd or 2nd day drop jesse had weird patterns like that I just kept reducing I think with jesse we were backwards started to high and worked her way back down not the best way to to it. If your dog is healthy and seeing erratic drops it may be too much insulin its your choice on what to do we can just give information on what we did with are babys

[kitrose08]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

Hattie has been on the 10 units since the 26th..the readings before feeding dinner on..6/26...8:37p.m...356.....6/27...8:14 p.m...461...6/28...8:13 p.m...268..and tonight 6/29..8:34p.m...189..so I don't know..I always give her the shot usually if she is okay at least 30 minutes after eating because that is how long it takes her to eat..I have to hand feed her...I appreciate all your comments...

[CarolW]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

Hattie has only been on that 10 units for three days. It takes up to a week or even two weeks before you can be sure of the full effect of a particular dose.

So, I guess you gave 10 units tonight. Sounds good to me. Please report on how things go from here!

In general, I suggest, stay the course. You CAN always give syrup or honey if needed. You should have a better idea after a few days, assuming there isn't a large change in the weather, or in Hattie's activity - or - in something like the sky falling!

doG willing and the creek don't rise!

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:26:30 (PDT) (I'm COMING, Camellia!)

[k9diabetes]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

She was lower but a long way from low and it was dropping very very gently - actually quite lovely blood sugar.

How nice of Hattie to so ably demonstrate why you do NOT want to react to a single high blood sugar reading with an insulin increase.

Hattie did a great job of showing how one high reading is just that - one high reading. Something that often will self-correct so best to stick to your routine and wait and see if it's a trend or just an off day. Apparently in this case, Hattie's 461 was an off day.

Where you need to be patient is in increasing the insulin dose.

It is always okay to decrease the insulin dose if the blood sugar is going too low.

So don't rigidly stick to your routine in the face of low blood sugar. Low blood sugar should always result in a decrease in future doses of insulin.

But in Hattie's case, she was a long way from low and I personally would not have worried about giving her the 10 units unless her blood sugar was falling a lot faster or had gone a lot lower... or if I had to leave her unattended, another time when it's perfectly okay to reduce the dose for safety's sake.

In your shoes tonight, I would have given her 10 units if I could monitor it and maybe 9 units if I couldn't. And if I gave 10, I would do some testing to see how she was handling it and intervened only if it started heading low after dinner and insulin.

Her lowish blood sugar today could be a result of the extra insulin she got last night.

The general idea is that you keep dropping the dose until you get rid of all worrisome low blood sugar and then stay rigidly at that dose for a week.

Hope that makes sense!

Natalie

[kitrose08]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

Hattie was at 8:29 a.m...309
11:46 p.m...300
2:10 p.m...282
8:16 p.m...312

...Pretty high but no lows!...June 30,2011..10 Units of Humilin N

[kitrose08]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

Hattie is at 12:13 a.m...261....July 1,2011

...HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

[CarolW]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

Thanks - off to bed now; just fell asleep in the computer chair. Stay the course! (I think!)

Camellia says Hi to Hattie. Kumbi gives her a grin from the Bridge.

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:50:50 (PDT)

[kitrose08]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

June 1, 2011........8:06 a.m...322
10:56 a.m...246
3:22 p.m...241
8:14 p.m...283
11:25 p.m... 266

Pretty consistent..too high.. no low 200's ... .I have to figure something out.

[kidpwr4]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

those numbers look pretty decent. Jasmine had numbers like that the last few days (until today's hot, humid weather!!) and I was very happy with them. Anything level would be nice. If Hattie stays that way for a few days, then you can gradually raise her dose and pray for similar, only lower, results.

Good luck!!

[CarolW]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

June 1, 2011........8:06 a.m...322
10:56 a.m...246
3:22 p.m...241
8:14 p.m...283
11:25 p.m... 266

Pretty consistent..too high.. no low 200's ... .I have to figure something out,,,,,,,,,,,,

That first test was fasting?

Could you put in times Hattie ate, and had insulin, and what the insulin dose was? That would help when reading these series.

I tell ya, KitRose - this is looking REALLY GOOD to me! If you can keep things stable this way, perhaps in another week you can creep in either direction with the insulin dose - up or down, depending on how things go.

For Hattie and you, those are GREAT, rather level, numbers! So keep up the good work!

I think the goal is to reduce testing somewhat, also, as soon as you see a general pattern (trend), with numbers hanging in the 200s and maybe upper 100s, for safety, as you have to be out to work at times. She won't need to come down much from the numbers you posted here!

Off to bed again - sweet dreams - you earned them!
Fri, 1 Jul 2011 21:53:26 (PDT)

[kitrose08]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

Thanks guys It was hot here too in the Upper Peninsula today.. The 8:06 a.m was fasting before breakfast as was the 8:14 p.m ..just hope to get on the right track with these idiots and the fireworks here I tell you I have my hands full with the other 2 dogs..Now Hattie is a different story she is calm and collected and acting very much like a lady!..lol...10 units....

[kitrose08]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

Hattie's readings today..July 2, 2011

Before her meal and shot...8:05 a.m...351

1:36 p.m...224
6:04 p.m...275
" 8:11 p.m...319

On 10 units of Humilen N...Been on it 7 days. Lowest reading was 179..highest was 461.These are still way too high. Something has got to change here.

[CarolW]

Re: Hattie's diagnosis

I don't think those numbers are as much too high as you think they are, especially in view of the previous drops - and the current hot weather.

My vet would probably suggest raising the dose (morning and evening) by a quarter unit - NO MORE THAN THAT! That's half a unit raise per day.

Reason - you seem to be approaching, very closely, the right dose for Hattie. This is the time you REALLY don't want to overshoot the dose.

But I defer to anything from Natalie or Patty!

Sat, 2 Jul 2011 19:28:48 (PDT)