Tipper - adrenal tumor/breathing issues

Marianne:
Thank you for the help. I needed to hear it from one of you, what you would do, to give me the courage to do this. My Vet called and said he agrees the dose must be increased to 30mg. He said he talked to the Vet at Dechra on Friday and the Vet told him not to increase anything until the urinalysis was done today. Dr. Fox at Dechra said no increase if she has any infection, or crystals. Well no crystals on the test today, and the infection is gone. So I guess the crystals were from sitting in the refrigerator and then being sent out, as my Vet had told me. Well he was right about one thing at least!!!.My Vet said he will re contact Dr. Fox, and see how we should dose this -20mg in the morning and 10 at night, or 10, 10 and 10. Anyone have any experience with, or can shed some light on the dosing I appreciate the help in this decision. I kinda think the 20 10 is the best way to go if she can tolerate 20 at one time. Let me know what you all think, as I am taking baby steps here trying to be cautious. I am the nervous Nelly, I swear this has aged me 10 years. I never had bags under my eyes before this from not sleeping. Oh well, I have no right to complain, as my beautiful girl has suffered tremendously with this, and keeps on going like a trooper. I just need to put an end to this starving all the time as she has to be miserable from it, and it is about to drive me insane as well.

If it were me, I'd go with 20mg in the am and 10mg in the PM. That way, if the next acth stimulation test looks great but symptoms have still not resolved, you can add another 10mg to the evening dose. IMO, baby steps are always much safer for our dogs.

I totally agree with Glynda, do 20 mgs am and 10 mgs pm if you dont want to do 30mgs all at once.

It will be okay, we are all nervous nellies and will hold your hand.:)

See there you go. Some good advice and those who have been through this same thing. :) You aren't alone in the journey.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Hi everyone: I just got off the phone with Dechra. I talked to Theresa and relayed what is going on with Tipper since I haven't heard from my Vet. She is going to ask Dr. Fox's advice as to raising the dosage. She said since Tipper was a 1.4 pre and 8.7 post she would be afraid of her going too much in the wrong direction. I don't understand this stuff and need help. I thought the only number to worry about was the post. Now I find out thru her that the pre is also important. I do not know what in the heck to do now. Also I called a local Medicine Shoppe, the pharmacist told me she can take a 10 mg capsule of my Vetoryl and make it into 2 -5mgs. That way Tipper would get 25 mg a day instead of 30. I would have to give her 15 in the day and 10 at night. I know this is a baby step and very, very expensive to have the pharmacist do this, but I am now scared after talking to Dechra to give her another 10mg. I am just about ready to melt down. Please advise me if you can I surely need the help and support. Theresa asked if there could be some other underlying issue explaining the hunger, as her numbers are in a good range, and she should not be hungry. I know of none, and the only logical answer is the drug needs tweaked, as this has never been an issue before cushings. Please help, I am so disgusted with all of this and don't know where else to turn, but here.

I totally understand why you are frustrated and upset -- let's wait and see what Dr. Fox has to say. In honesty, what Theresa has told you makes no sense to me and is contrary to Dechra's own published information and guidelines. I wonder who Theresa is, anyway :confused:. Yes, the "pre" can warrant scrutiny if the "post" is also too low. But with Tipper's "post" of 8.7, I don't see how anybody would worry about imminent oversuppression. And Dechra's dosing protocol clearly advises increasing the dosage if the "post" is over 5.4 and symptoms are unresolved.

I am disturbed with Dechra if they are allowing underqualified personnel to answer these types of questions. If "Theresa" needs to confer with Dr. Fox, probably she shouldn't have been fielding the call and giving her own feedback in the first place!

Now, if he tells you the same thing as Theresa, I will need some help with picking my jaw up off the floor! :rolleyes:

Marianne

Marianne:
Thank you for feeling the frustration with me. I am about to go looney tunes. I assume Theresa is a Vet tech., as I think my Vet told me before they field the calls. I am waiting on my Vet to take his good old time to help me get this resolved. Tipper has been very restless, starving and more water than usual. Both of us hardly get any sleep since she sleeps next to me we are up all night. The Vet just doesn't get it. No sense of urgency ,because he is not the one having to deal with all this. Last night I had to leave her in my room and go in my office to make her stop crying for food. It is really wearing both of us down at this point. I am about ready to have one of my sessions with the Vet again about the importance of getting on these matters before they escalate into other things. He and I have had it out several times when I feel he is not doing his job, and not doing right by Tipper. He is one of few Vets around so I can only hold his feet to the fire every so often, or I will have no Vet. It is terrible to have to settle for a Vet like this though. He has a gigantic ego, and thinks because I am so involved in Tipper's care that I step on his toes. Oh well too bad as this is my dog and I will fight to the finish for her care.I am paying him enough too, he is quite expensive, especially if he knows you love your dog -if you know what I mean? As if it is not enough dealing with this disease he has to make it more stressful for me. Since today is Friday he probably will not call back until Monday. Sorry to go on a tirade, but I have had it with the lack of understanding on his part, and he will just act like nothing is wrong when I get upset.

I hate it that you are having to go through all these hassles in order to get informed advice! How were things left with Dechra? Is Theresa going to call you back or will Dr. Fox contact you directly?

Marianne

Marianne:
Theresa said she would grab Dr. Fox as he came out of a meeting, that was several hours ago, She said she would call me back. I am wondering if they are waiting to see if my "take your good old time" Vet is going to call them?? If not I am not too proud to call her again, if I don't hear anything by 4pm ET. I am so sick of struggling with all these people not wanting to do their jobs, I am worn out mentally.As soon as they call or I call them I will post for you to see. Thank you for your help and support, it is well needed.

Marianne:
Dechra's Theresa just called and said my Vet finally called Dr. Fox. She said because Tipper's UTI is gone and she concentrates her urine well, that she can have the dosage raised. I was going to go to 25mg and have the Med Shoppe make the 5mg out of my 10mg- but when I talked to the person who would be doing it they said it would cost like 60.00 a box to do. I told them that is outrageous, and more than the drug itself costs. So that would add like 240.00 more a month. I do not have a money tree in the back yard. Theresa said they were discussing a dose of 30mg split 20/10. She said the final decision in my Vet's, and he has not called yet. So I guess it will have to be 20 in the morning and 10 at night. I pray to God that this is not too much for her since she is so sensitive to drugs. I will just have to suck it up and buy 3 boxes of 10 mgs a month. I will not give her 1 30mg dose that is not even a consideration. I don't want her to be a zombie, or crash so I have decided to do it this way. Although it is way more expensive, it is just safer for her, and that is what matters the most to me. I have already cut back on things so a little more belt tightening will work. Please pray for my Tipper as when the Vet calls and gives me the ok, she will get the 20 in the morning. I am scared to death to do this, but I must help her out of this misery. Please pray for us to get thru this. Thank you all for all the help and encouragement it means so much to me.