Question for people with diabetes?

Question

...Does an insulin shot make you feel better instantly? I am wondering because my 14 yr old cat has diabetes and sometimes he won't eat right away and just meows until I give him his shot.

Does he know it's gonna make him feel better... enough to eat? I want to know how he's feeling, and what's going on, but he can't tell me obviously.

Diabetics, help me out!

Answer 1

I'm in the same boat you're in--I have Type II, and am diet controlled, but my dog is insulin-dependent.  I think she does feel the effects right away, though--after the very first time I gave her her shot, she goes to where I gave it to her the first time, sits down, and sticks out her leg when she hears me mixing her insulin.  Somehow she's associated  feeling better with the shot.

Answer 2

Gnerally, it take 10-15 minutes for insulin to take effect.  Even so, it's not the insulin that makes you feel good.  Insulin just lowers your sugar level.  KEEPING the sugar level low is what makes you feel better.

That being said, when I was a kid I had a diabetic dog.  She did the same thing.  She'd mope around first thing in the morning, but AS SOON as I gave her the shot, she'd run around the house and go jump on the bed and wake my brothers.

So when I take MY shots I still rmember that dog.  But I think the response is Pavlovian (do you remember Pavlov's Dogs -- Ring the bell and they salivate?) -- in other words, it is associating the shot with a temporay improvement in the conditions is what triggers the respones, more than the insulin itself.

Answer 3

Unfortunately it's not instant relief.  Depending on what type you use, it takes 15-30 minutes to start working, and if his blood glucose is high it might take an hour or two to feel better.  I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually started getting the connection between shots and feeling better, though.  Cats are pretty smart!  Check with your vet about giving him a daily shot of long-acting insulin to act as a baseline between meals, such as Ultralente or Lantus.  It's a little pricey, but without it your kitty's blood glucose will always be on a rollercoaster.

Answer 4

Depending on the type of insulin it starts working in anywhere from 15min-2 hours.

http://tinypic.com/avj510.gif

this link has a chart showing to types of insulin and how long they last and stuff.