Eileen's Mildred

[eileen]

Hello,
A quick introduction, My Border Collie mx, Mildred has been diabetic now for over 4 years. I started blood testing on day one using The One Touch Ultra, then the Asencia Contour and now the Accu Chek Aviva. I test Mildred every day at least 4 or more times, always at fastings so know by comparing her numbers with previous readings just how she is doing.
Eileen and Mildred

[eileen]

Re: My comparison of Glucopet Meter & Reli On Ultima meters

I would love to post a pic of Mildred but haven't figured it out yet on this forum, if you could point me in the right direction I'll do it. Mildred became blind within 2 months of diagnoses, she had to remain blind for about 10 months before I had the cataracts removed in both of her eyes with a lens implanted into each. During those 10 months she fell deathly ill with a growth on her gall bladder, she required emergency surgery to remove her gall bladder at U C Davis. A month later her eye surgery was performed.In July I went to completely home cooking, before that I fed her half and half. She's about 9 years old, weighs 31.5 (at last weigh in) and receives both N and R insulin twice a day. Eileen and Mil

[k9diabetes]

Re: Eileen's Mildred

Hi Eileen,

I set up a thread just for Mildred. Will be back in a minute with some links and advice about uploading pictures.

Welcome to the forum... I'm looking forward to seeing Mildred too!

Natalie

[k9diabetes]

Re: Eileen's Mildred

There are instructions for how to add your Avatar - that's the picture next to your posts, and how to add a picture that's already online to the body of a post here: http://www.k9diabetes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18.

The user photo album is a new function. If you click on your own profile name, you should see a spot on the right hand side of the screen in your profile that allows you to add a photo album. It's pretty easy - you just upload pictures from your computer! Hope this link will take you to your own profile: http://www.k9diabetes.com/forum/member.php?u=322

Holler if you need more help, okay?

Natalie

[eileen]

Re: Eileen's Mildred

thanks so much Natalie for straightening me out! I might also add that I also had a diabetic cat named Bobby, he was diabetic for 3 years but in remission for 10 months before he sadly passed away in July of 2007 from congestive heart failure. Eileen

[CarolW]

Re: Eileen's Mildred

Hey, Eileen! You MADE IT! I've never seen a picture of Mildred before. Good heavens; she is BEAUTIFUL!

I'm so glad you found your way here. (Dear friends all - Eileen and I have known each other on another place, which kind of seriously fell apart recently; ha!)

So, Eileen, I'm looking forward to your continuing posts!

Love and hugs, and a big fat welcome to you - it feels strange to me to be in a place before you were here, as you've always been a member Senior to me!

Wed, 5 Nov 2008 18:52:59 (PST)

[eileen]

Re: Eileen's Mildred

Thanks Carol for your warm welcome! also for suggesting this forum. Looking forward to continuing the learning process with this disease as it is so unpredictible we must stay on our toes. Eileen and Mil

[CarolW]

Re: Eileen's Mildred

Hehe, Eileen - well, with dogs - cats too - we always need to be on our toes!

Thu, 6 Nov 2008 07:40:06 (PST)

[We Hope]

Re: Testing BG..

Eileen,

Are you using Humalog (rapid acting analog--needs a prescription) or Humulin R (fast-acting--no prescription needed)? Wondering because I believe you were using Humulin R in addition to the NPH insulin.

Kathy

[eileen]

Re: Testing BG..

Kathy...I was using R but found it to be too unpredictable with afternoon overlap and occasional lingering. I switched to Humalog about 2 weeks ago and am seeing much better numbers now without the worry of any overlap with the NPH, I can see that it is 'in and out' in about 4-5 hours. Yes, it does require a script. Eileen

[We Hope]

Re: Testing BG..

Do you mind taking a minute and updating that on Mildred's "portrait" post, as well as what you believe the switch has done for her?

http://k9diabetes.com/forum/showpost...6&postcount=13

Thanks!

Kathy

[Patty]

Re: Eileen's Mildred

Eileen,
I pulled your old post so I wasn't going way off topic on the free meter thread.

I understand the need to be as accurate as possible when you're using Humalog as well. I used Humalog with Ali when we were doing a trial of Lantus - strictly as a correction bolus. Just a 1/2 unit could bring her down 100 points over several hours.

I'm curious how much of a rise Mildred gets with meals and how much NPH/Humalog she's on.

Do you draw from a vial or from pen cartridges?

Take care,
Patty

[eileen]

Re: Eileen's Mildred

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner Patty.

To briefly bring things up to date....

In the early part of December Mildred suffered what we are guessing to be a stroke. I awoke one morning to find her walking in circles with a far away stare in her eyes. I took her to several vet appointments which finally thru extensive blood work her cholesterol and trigylceride levels were found to be thru the roof. Vet put her on a very strict ALL veggie diet which cut out the need for Humalog and cut her NPH requirement to less than half. After 3 weeks of this diet we retested her levels. Her cholesterol dropped dramatically as well as her triglyc. level down from 6330 to 68. We have since added only white fish to her veggies which is still not requiring Humalog. We will retest the early part of Feb.
Great news is that almost as soon as she started this veggie diet she completely pulled thru her stroke.

To answer your question regarding Humalog/NPH requirement...

Before all of this happened she ate a diet of extra lean hamburger, brown rice and veggies. Her postprandial spike would be as much as 150-250 points. Depending upon where her fasting was she would receive between 1-2 units of Humalog and most recently 11 units of NPH. She was a 31 pound dog, diabetic for 5.3 years and most always a difficult dog to regulate.
Since her recent diet she is down to 25.6 pounds which I would say is her ideal weight.

I buy her Humalog in vials as I have had internists say it can be used up to 60 days which I do with the results being fine....I am still throwing away alot. I have friends who do use the pen vials, I just haven't gone this route.

Eileen/Mil

[Patty]

Re: Eileen's Mildred

Thanks Eileen. I was just curious...always learning what others are doing. What's your main source of "fiber" to carry her through the insulin peak? Ali's on a raw diet due to allergies and that's always a struggle for us. I feed her 4x/day and her 2nd meals now have yams and carrots in it which helps.

So glad she pulled out of it and her trig/chol decreased! That's a huge drop!

I asked about the pen cartridges because I have a coupon I'm not using for them. May pass it on to the free clinic.

Take care,
Patty

[Soaphie & Sydney's Mom]

Re: Eileen's Mildred

Wow Eileen! I can imagine how scarey that had to be!

You are such a dedicated dog-mom - kudos to you!

Tami & Soapher