Zoe By My Side- Our Journey with Cushings

[jmac]

I missed it too!

Happy birthday, Zoe!

I am so glad she was feeling happy and energized!

Julie & Hannah

[apollo6]

A belated Happy Birthday
Hugs Sonja and your secret admirer Apollo

[addy]

Thank you.

Wont have stim results until next week
Had a bit of a run in with IMS today. She totally flip flopped about twice day dosing and when I asked why she gave me this talk about a conference last June she attended and twice day dosing is really only if cortisol is controlled and symptoms are rebounding at night. I pressed her and she seemed ticked off at me.

Zoe's kidney values are fine she said. Everything normal. I told her the white plaque spots are gone on her shoulders. She said she knew, she checked and that she did not have to tell me how rare that was even if we caught her calcinosis early. I felt weird when she said that, like I did not know how to take it.

Anyway, I think she is ticked off at me because I mentioned about the papers I have been reading about the benefits of twice day dosing and that Dr. Feldman's studies indicated a dog could be controlled with less Trilostane per day.

She made some negative comment about the endocrinologists. I probably need to be more tactful with her.

End result is she feels since Zoe is not having any side effects now, there is no reason to go to twice day dosing if we have to increase her dose next week. If she starts having side effects, then we can consider it. I was just trying to prevent that from happening in the first place because I think we will have to up her again next week to 40 mgs. She gained weight and is 18 pounds now.

I guess I will be Addy Scarlett and think about it tomorrow.

[Altira]

You know what? I delt with a Cushings IM specialist for about a month and she was the same way. At one point she siad..... if I was having a problem with her she could get someone else to take over. Geez, if things aren't already bad enough as it is, you don't need to be treated so... Like.... how dare you question anything I do!!! All that does is make you feel like they don't know what they are doing.

Then again... all vets give me that feeling.....

[Jenny & Judi in MN]

I think with all of the research you've done you should go with your gut. I'm with you, why wait for more crap for Addy to go through that you can deal with later. hugs, Judi

[lulusmom]

She made some negative comment about the endocrinologists. I probably need to be more tactful with her.

Really? Unless your IMS is a senior citizen, I dare say that she probably had to buy a textbook or two co-authored by Dr. Feldman when she was in vet school. I don't believe there is anyone living or passed who possesses such impressive credentials.

Dr. Feldman is Board Certified in Small Animal Internal Medicine and is currently Professor in Medicine & Epidemiology at UC Davis. He has taught small animal internal medicine for more than 25 years and authored more than 50 book chapters, authored or co-authored more than 140 peer-reviewed scientific publications and more than100 scientific abstracts. Dr. Feldman is a cofounder and former president of the Society of Comparative Endocrinology, a special interest group open to all veterinarians. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Norden Distinguished Teaching Award, the California Academy of Veterinary Medicine's Award for Teaching Excellence, and SmithKline Beecham Award for Research Excellence. He has co-authored two textbooks, the Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine with Dr. Stephen Ettinger, and Canine and Feline Endocrinology and Reproduction with Dr. Richard Nelson.

[addy]

Hi Glynda,

I know Dr. Feldman's credentials and so does IMS but IMS got ticked off. She said she knew the study I was referring to but would not budge and then made a negative comment about "these endocrinologists". I dlont remember her exact words.

And what confused me more is I know that was the study she had read last September when she first suggested going to twice day dosing.

I dont get it and I dont know if I should do it her way or insist on my way.

I guess I have all weekend to think about it. Probably all next week too

Tempermental doctors!!!!!

love,
me

[addy]

Okay, maybe we have had a change of heart here. IMS just called me Unheard of!!!!

Pre 3.7 post 7.3
Zoe always has to make the call hard!!!!

I feel she is still displaying symptoms, she is still very hungry, still at the water bowl has an accident in the house every other day. I can't say her symptoms are worse at night. She has had an accident at differen times of the day. Once in the morning, once after supper. On the plus side, plaque deposts are gone on her shoulders, she is playing with Koko, she has spurts of energy and wants to play. She is more alert. But she gets up so darn early!!!!!!

IMS thinks she can handle the 40mg sid and that it is easier for me and easier to know what is going on. BUT if I feel better doing BID, she is fine with it. Why didn't she said that yesterday??????

I am worried that we are getting up there in dosing and I worry about her pogo problem which is I wanted to go to BID.

I could try 40mgs SID and see how she does.

I am so confused now. We have colitis, allergies and allergy eyes. I dont think she can stay where she is. I wish I could say she could but I am afraid she will pogo back up.

IMS is on the fence because of me. She really believes Zoe should do 40mgs SID. She really thinks Zoe will handle it. I make her second guess herself, I think.

Baby, baby, let me sleep on it!!!!!!!!

addy scarlett

[Bailey's Mom]

Hi Addy -
My vote.....which is the same as I said before...is twice a day. From all you have explained, I think you should move on this. How long is it that you've been trying to figure this out? (I do NOT mean that harshly.) When the dosages are available, it just makes so much sense to me to even it out. Instead of "hitting" Zoe with 40, you give her 20 and later, after some of the 20 has "been used" you give another 20. I don't remember what her dosage is now....can you remind me?

I just looked back to the information I kept on Palmer......and I don't think your numbers are all that high.....just a tad higher than the range.......am I right about that? Whatever the dosage is, I would go up by something. That's me.

With love,
Sus

[addy]

If I truly do not have to worry about her pogoing back up, once a day dosing if I use Vetroyl will cost less. If I buy Vetoryl and have to buy 4 packs of 10mgs I will spend double, over $200 a month. I am now spending $100 (about) a month for her eye drops.

I paid $98 for two boxes of 10mgs=60 pills.
I paid $65 for one box of 30 mgs=30 pills

Dr. Allen did say he thought once I found her
dose" she would level out and stay there for a while.

I guess I'll bump to 40 SID and hold my breath. I want to review all my charts first.

love,
addy