HyperMike (very very long, sorry)

Krista -- this diagnosis explains a lot! Based on Marina's kitties, I'd
think pretty positively as she has 2 of them. We'll be purring for the
Tapazole to improve things greatly. I don't think I'd want to do the
surgery unless I had no other choice -- less invasive and may not be needed.
Many, many purrs going out in your direction for little Mike and for you!
Hugs!
Christine
"LOL" wrote in message
om...
I have always called him that as one of his many nicknames, but now
it's official - we got the blood test results back today and he *is*
hyperthyroid.

We started Tapazole this afternoon - I just *woke him up* to give him
his second dose, poor baby. He is very hard to pill, but not so hard
to give liquid meds. We got ten days worth of pills from the human
pharmacy (Laura, our pharmacist, already knows we're crazy cat people
and has filled Mikey's prescriptions before) while we wait for a
delivery from the closest compounding pharmacy, at the other end of
the state. We are hoping they have watermelon flavor!

Since TED had mentioned his suspicion of the hyper-t, I've been
reading up on it. The preferred treatment is the radiation, and in
fact TED said while discussing it with us this afternoon that it would
automatically be the recommended treatment elsewhere. Elsewhere would
be where the closest vet schools are, all of them hundreds of miles
away, and where we'd have to go to have this done. I was hoping
against hope, when I read about this treatment, that there would be
some closer facility, but no, it is as I suspected. Mike's **not** a
good traveler, and we would have to leave him there for some time, so
it's not really practical as a first choice. So we decided to try the
Tapazole first to see how it goes - TED said that if it were *his*
cat, that's what he'd do.

I like our vet very much, and to get any kind of specialized
treatment, as mentioned above, we would have to go to a vet school far
away. Our vet is smart and *cares about* and *likes* the animals. (I
have seen some who don't, or certainly don't seem to, and wonder
whatever the hell possessed them to become vets.) But it's a sad fact
that in this area cats *still* do not get much vet care. Not nearly
as much as the farm animals, or even the dogs. Cats seem to be
expected to fend for themselves, by and large, killing rodents in the
barn. Grrrr.

So, though TED suspected, and nailed, the correct diagnosis, this is
only the second case of feline hyper-t he's ever seen. So I'm a
little worried; I do have confidence in our vet, but would he spot a
complication early, not having encountered it before? He said his
other patient is on Tapezole and doing well and is "even older than
Mike." (One of these days I'm gonna slug him when he talks about
Mike's age like this. HE'S ONLY ELEVEN!!) He said give the meds 30
to 60 days to be effective, but though he didn't say it I am hoping in
my heart that this length of time is for effective stablization,
maybe, rather than it taking such a loooong time to have any effect at
all? Poor Mikey is miserable, and needs relief soonest.

So, once again, if any spare purrs could be sent Mike's way, we would
appreciate it. And if any of you who have experience with thyroid
problems would like to pat my hand and say "there, there" that would
be appreciated too, as I am a worried catmom. And a tired one, since
the only way I have found that works to calm Mike down for the past
several days is to hold him still in "his" chair and talk to him,
right in his face so he has to focus on me, for up to an hour at a
time until he settles down. Otherwise, he paces from window to door
to window literally for hours, growling and yowling, and jumps up on
things and falls back down off them, as his coordination is off from
the valium which does help some, but not enough. We don't have a good
place to confine him, and I am honestly afraid he'll hurt himself.
It's like talking down a tiny little speed freak, night after night,
until 3 or 4 am. (Have I ever mentioned Mike is sort of a *difficult*
cat?!?)

------
Krista
Who loves her kitty, and who seems to have begun an awful lot of
sentences with "so"

"JBHajos" wrote

Hobo's crash last Sunday was so explosive and dramatic, we never,
*ever* want to see that again.

Purrs that you never have to experience that again, but that Hobo's blood
glucose stays stable from now on.

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

Purrs for Mike.

Tribble (RB) was difficult to pill and I had to give him Tapazole for
his thyroid problem. Then I discovered the wonders of cheese - maybe
you can find something Mike likes, and coat the pill with it (or hide
the pill in it) to make pilling easier. After coating Trib's pill with
cheese I never had another problem getting him to take his medicine.

Tapazole was the only treatment option mentioned to me for Trib's
problem, though. Radiation treatment was never mentioned.


Jeanne Hedge, as directed by Natasha

http://www.jhedge.com

"LOL" wrote in message
om...
I have always called him that as one of his many nicknames, but now
it's official - we got the blood test results back today and he *is*
hyperthyroid.
snipped
Purrs for the Tapezole to stabilize Mikey.
Sam

"JBHajos" wrote in message
...
On 19 Feb 2004 23:30:20 -0800, (LOL)
wrote:

I understand a bit of what you're going through. No experience
with hyperthyroidism but constant worry and sleeplessness with Hobo's
newfound diabetes.
snipped
Piggybacking with purrs for Hobo and yourself, Jean.
Sam

That truly is scary!
Lots of best wishes and purrs for it to never happen again,
--
Polonca & Soncek

"JBHajos" wrote in message
...
Hobo's crash last Sunday was so explosive and dramatic, we never,
*ever* want to see that again. Though I'd been advised by RCPAers to
give him Karo, I was so upset I didn't even think of it. When the
second crash came Tuesday, we knew what was coming and I did get a
little Karo into him (which he *hated*) and it must have made the
attack less severe. While at the vet, I asked how much he should be
given and was told 3 ccs. That looks like an awful lot of syrup, a
lot more than I'd gotten into him!

Thank you for your responses and your good wishes. Believe me, your
experiences have proved very helpful.

Jeanne

CATherine wrote in message . ..

My vet didn't know anything about feline diabetes; but he contacted
the vet college and the specialist at purina and learned a lot. He
doesn't make a decision about Sheba's care without their input.
Computer contact works great. Could your vet keep in contact with the
far-away vet college via computer or phone?

Purrs for Mike,
CATherine


Thanks for the purrs, CATherine. I know that our vet does quite a lot
of reading and research; also, he is a graduate of our state's vet
school and I believe does stay in touch with them re. new
developments, etc. And he got Mike's blood test results by e-mail
from the vet school in Alabama and looked up possible Tapazole and
valium interactions on the computer while we waited. Computers are a
marvelous invention. :-)

I am not worried that TED might not be able to figure something out,
really; just that it might take *longer* to figure it out. I am
probably just worrying too much about my little darling Mikey-boo. It
wouldn't be the first time. ;-)

------
Krista

wrote in message ...

Hi Krista,

I had a cat who needed to take Tapazole for several years, from about
age 17 to age 21 (when she finally died). She did fine on it and I'm
sure it lengthened her life. So I'd say it has a good chance of working
for Mike, too. I hope you don't end up having to travel hundreds of
miles to get him radiation! One step at a time. This is a hopeful one.

Joyce


Thanks, Joyce. I am hopeful. We now have some tuna-flavored liquid
Tapezole on its way from the compounding pharmacy via UPS (they didn't
have watermelon flavor, alas) which should make the meds easier and
less stressful for Mike. It's good to hear about other kitties who
have had this and done well.

------
Krista

"Adrian" wrote in message ...

Sending lots of healing purrs, and hoping the Tapazole will keep Mike
healthy for many years to come.


Thank you. That's what we're hoping too. :-)

------
Krista

"Christine Burel" wrote in message ...
Krista -- this diagnosis explains a lot! Based on Marina's kitties, I'd
think pretty positively as she has 2 of them. We'll be purring for the
Tapazole to improve things greatly. I don't think I'd want to do the
surgery unless I had no other choice -- less invasive and may not be needed.
Many, many purrs going out in your direction for little Mike and for you!
Hugs!
Christine


Thanks for the purrs and hugs, Christine. I think it may indeed
explain a lot, and I am wondering if/hoping that medicating this
condition may resolve some behavior issues. I have wondered if some
of the behavior problems we have had in the past could have been
earlier symptoms of the hyper-t, just less extreme than the pacing for
hours he's been doing lately. I will certainly be happy with having
him healthy, without the racing heartbeat, weight loss, and endless
pacing, etc., but I must admit it would be nice if the spraying,
aggression, and agitation turned out to be related. If not, okay.
There are worse things than a biting, spraying kitty. No kitty at all
would be *much* worse. So I do have high hopes for the Tapazole, to
make my boy healthy again. I miss my HappyCat and I want him back!

------
Krista