diabetic supplies?

(crossposted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav, alt.support.diabetes,
misc.health.diabetes. Follow-ups directed to rec.pets.cats.health+behav)

My 12-year-old cat was just diagnosed as diabetic.
He was admitted this morning for stabilization, and determining
his dosage and whatnot.

I've been reading up on a number of sites about feline diabetes, but
none of them seems to list suggestions about shopping for supplies.

Apparently I will need a meter that uses a small volume of blood,
and "sipping" type strips. I've read that often there are offers
of a free meter when you buy strips, and the price of replacement
strips is the major consideration.

A lot of people recommended the Glucometer Elite or the One Touch Ultra,
and one site suggested that the inexpensive WalMart Relion might be
suitable. It looks like the strips are a lot cheaper, but I haven't
seen any messages from people using one.

So I'm looking for recommendations for types of test strips, lancets,
syringes, and where to buy supplies least expensively, either online or
at local major pharmacy chains such as Walgreens or WalMart. Several of
the online diabetic supply houses I looked at don't list prices, and
seem to cater only to people covered by insurance.

I will certainly look in the newsgroups for responses, but would be
especially grateful to anyone who cares to email reply.

--
jamie )

"There's a seeker born every minute."

"jamie" wrote in message
...
(crossposted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav, alt.support.diabetes,
misc.health.diabetes. Follow-ups directed to rec.pets.cats.health+behav)

My 12-year-old cat was just diagnosed as diabetic.
He was admitted this morning for stabilization, and determining
his dosage and whatnot.

I've been reading up on a number of sites about feline diabetes, but
none of them seems to list suggestions about shopping for supplies.

Apparently I will need a meter that uses a small volume of blood,
and "sipping" type strips. I've read that often there are offers
of a free meter when you buy strips, and the price of replacement
strips is the major consideration.

A lot of people recommended the Glucometer Elite or the One Touch Ultra,
and one site suggested that the inexpensive WalMart Relion might be
suitable. It looks like the strips are a lot cheaper, but I haven't
seen any messages from people using one.

The Glucometer Elite has had a name change and is now called Ascencia Elite.
I have an older Glucometer. My first one was free. Got the second one in
the middle of a cross country move. I'm sure I could have gotten another
free one or at least a good rebate if I had taken the time, but I was very
sick at the time and wanted another meter right away. Thought my old meter
might have been bad because I was getting very high readings on it. Turned
out the high readings were because I was sick and had nothing to do with the
meter. It was a old one though and the new one I got has more features on
it. I've never used another brand of meter, so I don't know much about
them. I do know that there are one or two meters that require a smaller
drop still than the Ascencia. My strips are covered by insurance, so I
don't know what you'd have to pay out of pocket. I think it's about $40 per
50 or $80 per 100. Bayer frequently puts money saving coupons in the box or
sends them to you in the mail. They occasionally send out free strips. All
that is required is that you register with them when you first get the
meter.

So I'm looking for recommendations for types of test strips, lancets,
syringes, and where to buy supplies least expensively, either online or
at local major pharmacy chains such as Walgreens or WalMart. Several of
the online diabetic supply houses I looked at don't list prices, and
seem to cater only to people covered by insurance.

Somebody else will have to help you with that. Since my insurance covers my
supplies, I can't help you there. I can tell you that it isn't necessary to
change the lancet each time. That will save you a bit of money. I usually
get several weeks out of one lancet and find that it is a lot less painful
that way. I only change the lancet when it becomes painful. Of course, a
cat isn't going to like the procedure anyway, so you'll just have to pick a
time frame to change the lancet. And if you decide to test someone else,
you will have to change the lancet, then change back to a fresh one when
you're done.

I will certainly look in the newsgroups for responses, but would be
especially grateful to anyone who cares to email reply.

I wish you the best for your cat. I know how difficult it can be to deal
with a sick one. My cat is very stubborn. I can't imagine every being able
to test her BG. She won't even sit still to get her nails clipped. And the
few times she did need pills, I got scratched and bitten very badly. I'm
stubborn, but she's more stubborn.

"jamie" wrote in message
...
(crossposted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav, alt.support.diabetes,
misc.health.diabetes. Follow-ups directed to rec.pets.cats.health+behav)

My 12-year-old cat was just diagnosed as diabetic.
He was admitted this morning for stabilization, and determining
his dosage and whatnot.

I've been reading up on a number of sites about feline diabetes, but
none of them seems to list suggestions about shopping for supplies.

Apparently I will need a meter that uses a small volume of blood,
and "sipping" type strips. I've read that often there are offers
of a free meter when you buy strips, and the price of replacement
strips is the major consideration.

A lot of people recommended the Glucometer Elite or the One Touch Ultra,
and one site suggested that the inexpensive WalMart Relion might be
suitable. It looks like the strips are a lot cheaper, but I haven't
seen any messages from people using one.

The Glucometer Elite has had a name change and is now called Ascencia Elite.
I have an older Glucometer. My first one was free. Got the second one in
the middle of a cross country move. I'm sure I could have gotten another
free one or at least a good rebate if I had taken the time, but I was very
sick at the time and wanted another meter right away. Thought my old meter
might have been bad because I was getting very high readings on it. Turned
out the high readings were because I was sick and had nothing to do with the
meter. It was a old one though and the new one I got has more features on
it. I've never used another brand of meter, so I don't know much about
them. I do know that there are one or two meters that require a smaller
drop still than the Ascencia. My strips are covered by insurance, so I
don't know what you'd have to pay out of pocket. I think it's about $40 per
50 or $80 per 100. Bayer frequently puts money saving coupons in the box or
sends them to you in the mail. They occasionally send out free strips. All
that is required is that you register with them when you first get the
meter.

So I'm looking for recommendations for types of test strips, lancets,
syringes, and where to buy supplies least expensively, either online or
at local major pharmacy chains such as Walgreens or WalMart. Several of
the online diabetic supply houses I looked at don't list prices, and
seem to cater only to people covered by insurance.

Somebody else will have to help you with that. Since my insurance covers my
supplies, I can't help you there. I can tell you that it isn't necessary to
change the lancet each time. That will save you a bit of money. I usually
get several weeks out of one lancet and find that it is a lot less painful
that way. I only change the lancet when it becomes painful. Of course, a
cat isn't going to like the procedure anyway, so you'll just have to pick a
time frame to change the lancet. And if you decide to test someone else,
you will have to change the lancet, then change back to a fresh one when
you're done.

I will certainly look in the newsgroups for responses, but would be
especially grateful to anyone who cares to email reply.

I wish you the best for your cat. I know how difficult it can be to deal
with a sick one. My cat is very stubborn. I can't imagine every being able
to test her BG. She won't even sit still to get her nails clipped. And the
few times she did need pills, I got scratched and bitten very badly. I'm
stubborn, but she's more stubborn.

So I'm looking for recommendations for
types of test strips, lancets, syringes, and
where to buy supplies least expensively,
either online or at local major pharmacy
chains such as Walgreens or WalMart.

I have used the One Touch Ultra Glucometer for years and am very happy
with it. It is very easy to use and you only need a very small drop of
blood for testing. I have a client (I petsit for special needs cats)
that was freaked out when I insisted she buy and learn to use a
Glucometer to monitor her diabetic cat, who nearly died because the vet
she was using was not monitoring the cat properly or addressing the fact
that his BG levels were going higher and higher despite the increase of
his dose of insulin (which was the wrong kind) which resulted in him
developing severe metabolic acidosis, crashing, and being hospitalized
for 5 days. It only took a few times for her to get the hang of testing
with the meter and she is very good at it now! Monitoring this cat
closely has made a huge difference in the treatment plan and we have
been able to make on the spot decisions about whether he should even get
a shot at all, or if the amount of insulin needs to be reduced. This has
resulted in helping the cat change from a sick, lethargic, cat who was
on death's door when I met him into a bright eyed, active and energetic,
well monitored cat. Until your cat is regulated, it is imperative that
you test him before each shot and keep a log (a cheap daily planner from
your local office supply is great for this purpose) that shows what his
numbers were at what time and the time and amount of insulin given. This
is a very good way to establish if there are any patterns or whether the
dose/type of insulin needs to be changed. It also is necessary to test
in case his numbers are low enough that a dose might need to be skipped
and will help you avoid having to deal with a potentially deadly
hypoglycemic reaction.

The average cost of the One Touch is between $60 and $75, but if you
look around you will find that there is often a rebate offer on the box,
which may differ (to your benefit) depending on the store you go to.
Test strips are about $80 for 100. if you test twice a day, which is
wise until you can get your cat regulated, you will average about $1.60
a day, although you can expect to use extra strips while you are getting
the hang of testing.

I am also going to vehemently disagree with the other poster that said
you can use lancets more than once, and will add that syringes should
only be used *once* as using a syringe twice not only damages the
needle, but will also introduce bacteria into the vial of insulin and
contaminate it. Syringes and lancets are not expensive and there is no
justification for using them more than once. You can check prices with
local drugstores and discount chains for their "store brands" and you
won't have any trouble getting a good deal on these items. You may even
find a pharmacist that will give you a free box of lancets with the
purchase of insulin. Generally, a box of 100 lancets can be had for
$3-$4, and a box of 100 syringes can be had for $20 or less. Using two
lancets and syringes each day at these prices would average you about 50
cents a day.

One more very important thing to remember is that your cat should be fed
a strictly canned food diet with as few carbohydrates as possible, and
should not be free fed. Feeding canned food on a 12 hour schedule before
you give the shot is the best way to get your cat on the road to being
regulated.


I also strongly recommend that you check out the
http://www.felinediabetes.com website. Read the article on diabetes for
beginners and join the message board, which is comprised of experienced
diabetic cat owners who are very willing to help and answer questions
when needed. HTH.

Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

So I'm looking for recommendations for
types of test strips, lancets, syringes, and
where to buy supplies least expensively,
either online or at local major pharmacy
chains such as Walgreens or WalMart.

I have used the One Touch Ultra Glucometer for years and am very happy
with it. It is very easy to use and you only need a very small drop of
blood for testing. I have a client (I petsit for special needs cats)
that was freaked out when I insisted she buy and learn to use a
Glucometer to monitor her diabetic cat, who nearly died because the vet
she was using was not monitoring the cat properly or addressing the fact
that his BG levels were going higher and higher despite the increase of
his dose of insulin (which was the wrong kind) which resulted in him
developing severe metabolic acidosis, crashing, and being hospitalized
for 5 days. It only took a few times for her to get the hang of testing
with the meter and she is very good at it now! Monitoring this cat
closely has made a huge difference in the treatment plan and we have
been able to make on the spot decisions about whether he should even get
a shot at all, or if the amount of insulin needs to be reduced. This has
resulted in helping the cat change from a sick, lethargic, cat who was
on death's door when I met him into a bright eyed, active and energetic,
well monitored cat. Until your cat is regulated, it is imperative that
you test him before each shot and keep a log (a cheap daily planner from
your local office supply is great for this purpose) that shows what his
numbers were at what time and the time and amount of insulin given. This
is a very good way to establish if there are any patterns or whether the
dose/type of insulin needs to be changed. It also is necessary to test
in case his numbers are low enough that a dose might need to be skipped
and will help you avoid having to deal with a potentially deadly
hypoglycemic reaction.

The average cost of the One Touch is between $60 and $75, but if you
look around you will find that there is often a rebate offer on the box,
which may differ (to your benefit) depending on the store you go to.
Test strips are about $80 for 100. if you test twice a day, which is
wise until you can get your cat regulated, you will average about $1.60
a day, although you can expect to use extra strips while you are getting
the hang of testing.

I am also going to vehemently disagree with the other poster that said
you can use lancets more than once, and will add that syringes should
only be used *once* as using a syringe twice not only damages the
needle, but will also introduce bacteria into the vial of insulin and
contaminate it. Syringes and lancets are not expensive and there is no
justification for using them more than once. You can check prices with
local drugstores and discount chains for their "store brands" and you
won't have any trouble getting a good deal on these items. You may even
find a pharmacist that will give you a free box of lancets with the
purchase of insulin. Generally, a box of 100 lancets can be had for
$3-$4, and a box of 100 syringes can be had for $20 or less. Using two
lancets and syringes each day at these prices would average you about 50
cents a day.

One more very important thing to remember is that your cat should be fed
a strictly canned food diet with as few carbohydrates as possible, and
should not be free fed. Feeding canned food on a 12 hour schedule before
you give the shot is the best way to get your cat on the road to being
regulated.


I also strongly recommend that you check out the
http://www.felinediabetes.com website. Read the article on diabetes for
beginners and join the message board, which is comprised of experienced
diabetic cat owners who are very willing to help and answer questions
when needed. HTH.

Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

jamie wrote on 12 Jan 2004 20:28:08 GMT:
(crossposted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav, alt.support.diabetes,
misc.health.diabetes. Follow-ups directed to rec.pets.cats.health+behav)

My 12-year-old cat was just diagnosed as diabetic. He was admitted
this morning for stabilization, and determining his dosage and whatnot.

Sorry to hear that.

I've been reading up on a number of sites about feline diabetes, but
none of them seems to list suggestions about shopping for supplies.

Apparently I will need a meter that uses a small volume of blood,
and "sipping" type strips. I've read that often there are offers
of a free meter when you buy strips, and the price of replacement
strips is the major consideration.

As a matter of interest, what is the "normal" blood sugar level for a
cat? Is it the same as in humans?

--
jamie )

--
Alan Mackenzie (Munich, Germany)
Email: ; to decode, wherever there is a repeated letter
(like "aa"), remove half of them (leaving, say, "a").

jamie wrote on 12 Jan 2004 20:28:08 GMT:
(crossposted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav, alt.support.diabetes,
misc.health.diabetes. Follow-ups directed to rec.pets.cats.health+behav)

My 12-year-old cat was just diagnosed as diabetic. He was admitted
this morning for stabilization, and determining his dosage and whatnot.

Sorry to hear that.

I've been reading up on a number of sites about feline diabetes, but
none of them seems to list suggestions about shopping for supplies.

Apparently I will need a meter that uses a small volume of blood,
and "sipping" type strips. I've read that often there are offers
of a free meter when you buy strips, and the price of replacement
strips is the major consideration.

As a matter of interest, what is the "normal" blood sugar level for a
cat? Is it the same as in humans?

--
jamie )

--
Alan Mackenzie (Munich, Germany)
Email: ; to decode, wherever there is a repeated letter
(like "aa"), remove half of them (leaving, say, "a").

To follow up to my own post, I found this deal online which is
excellent:

http://www.diabeticdrugstore.com/sto...04&sku=4382180

Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

To follow up to my own post, I found this deal online which is
excellent:

http://www.diabeticdrugstore.com/sto...04&sku=4382180

Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

"jamie" wrote in part ...

So I'm looking for recommendations for types of test strips, lancets,
syringes, and where to buy supplies least expensively, either online or at
local major pharmacy chains such as Walgreens or WalMart. Several of the
online diabetic supply houses I looked at don't list prices, and seem to
cater only to people covered by insurance.
__________________________________________________ __________________

I use the One touch UltraSmart -- it is not even close to being the cheapest
one out there, but it does satisfy your requirements for small sample and
"sucking" type strips. You may want to try Hocks.com on the net. They have
the best prices on strips that I have found.

Arnie -