One paw forward and another one back
Everything I do is one paw forward and another one back at the moment. I need to start by saying thank you to you all for your love and concern. I really have felt very unwell and haven’t known what to do with myself. Now, just as I thought there might be some good news, I’m reacting badly to the steroids I’m on. I don’t know how much Pebbles has explained, but I’m going to be frank with you. Things don’t look good.
The prognosis
I have an insulinoma. They are almost always malignant in dogs and even if operated on are likely to come back and metastasise. It causes my body to release too much insulin, which pushes down my blood sugar making me hypoglycemic. Without intervention, that can lead to seizures. So not great.
Surgery would require me to be on my back under anaesthetic for quite some time. Given my back problems that is not a good idea and I’ve discussed surgery with the vet and ruled it out. After the pain I had with my back in May, I really don’t want to go there again. I was screaming it was so bad.
Medical Management
I’ve opted for medical management. All the studies I’ve read suggest that could give me an average of two to four months from diagnosis if everything went well. Me being me, it isn’t going well. I’ve had to come off some of the pain medication for my arthritis, that isn’t helping me on a day to day basis. Mum and I have been focussing on stabilising my blood sugar. Whatever Pebbles might have said, a 4am Bonio would be far nicer for fun than because I’m having a low blood sugar episode.
We have taken advice from some wonderful people and as a result I’ve changed my diet. We’ve added some rice bran (which fyi is disgusting) and I started taking steroids last Friday. I’m also wearing a constant blood sugar monitor. After some days of pretty wild fluctuations, my blood sugar stabilised on Wednesday night when the steroids fully kicked in. Sadly, so did the side effects. Prior to that I’d eat and around two hours later my blood sugar would plummet. Now it is mostly staying in the normal range.
Steroid side effects
Whilst I have more stable blood sugar, I also have full blown side-effects from the steroids too. Apparently around a quarter of dogs experience side effects from steroid medication. If we’re only on a short course then that is manageable as it is around the time our course of treatment finishes. For me, I need to remain on them, so it isn’t manageable. When we looked it up online it is described as my nervous system being in a ‘constant, drug-induced “fight-or-flight” state.’ I’m agitated, uncomfortable and barking for long periods. I’ll be honest with you, I’m only happy when I’m asleep. When I’m awake, I really am finding it difficult to cope.
There is no suggestion that these side effects will settle down. I’m discussing my options with Mum but once Dad is home, it might be time to make a difficult decision.
Please keep me in your thoughts. I shall probably get Pebbles to carry on writing again tomorrow. She’s fed up as she’s going to stay in kennels a little longer to give me some time with Mum and Dad to work things out.
All my love
Wilma
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