5/19 Jude | AMPS 91; +3.25 43; +3.75 51; +4.5 68; +5 71; +10.5 104; PMPS 128; +2.5 124; +5 101

I think what significantly contributed to Jude's lower numbers this a.m. cycle is the l-tryptophan in the Cystease. Jude is typically a very good grazer, and he sort of does his own food bumps throughout his cycles. I think the l-tryptophan has him so relaxed that he isn't waking up to eat. I noticed after I gave him the +3.25 test, that hardly any of his food had been eaten. I think I might switch him off the Cystease (which has the added l-tryptophan and hyaluronic acid) back to the Cosequin.
 
Good luck Mary, seems he may want that reduction.
And if you don't want to give up the Cystease, could you just give it in the am cycle? That way you can monitor if he's eating.
Safe surfing, Jude! 🐈 😻
 
I think what significantly contributed to Jude's lower numbers this a.m. cycle is the l-tryptophan in the Cystease. Jude is typically a very good grazer, and he sort of does his own food bumps throughout his cycles. I think the l-tryptophan has him so relaxed that he isn't waking up to eat. I noticed after I gave him the +3.25 test, that hardly any of his food had been eaten. I think I might switch him off the Cystease (which has the added l-tryptophan and hyaluronic acid) back to the Cosequin.
Yep, that's a little too relaxed. Ironic story, years ago I had a rescue dog that could not and I mean absolutely could not be left alone... he would hurt himself and whatever perceived enclosure would be destroyed (like my jeep, three times!). He also liked litter box treats... so I had jurry-rigged the upstairs bathroom door so the cats could get in but he could not. Long story short I started taking tryptophan to help with anxiety and help me sleep, well it worked! In the middle of the night Scrappy got into the bathroom and locked himself in, the poor dog tore a huge hole in the sheet rock wall, the door, and bent the door knob trying to get out -I slept through the whole thing and never took tryptophan again.
 
That was unusual for Jude. Too relaxed to remember to eat - that's no good!
Will you be going to 2u again Mary?
Technically, Jude hasn't earned a reduction. He is considered a long-term diabetic, I think. He was diagnosed last March, went into remission in April, but then came out of remission in October. I think we count his diabetic status from the point he was initially diagnosed (and not from when he came out of remission). And he didn't go below 40, which is the number for reduction on TR. Plus, I really am thinking that this low number was a combination of him being lower than normal at his AMPS, and not eating at the beginning of the cycle. I'm happy to hear any thoughts/opinions on this, though.
 
Yep, that's a little too relaxed. Ironic story, years ago I had a rescue dog that could not and I mean absolutely could not be left alone... he would hurt himself and whatever perceived enclosure would be destroyed (like my jeep, three times!). He also liked litter box treats... so I had jurry-rigged the upstairs bathroom door so the cats could get in but he could not. Long story short I started taking tryptophan to help with anxiety and help me sleep, well it worked! In the middle of the night Scrappy got into the bathroom and locked himself in, the poor dog tore a huge hole in the sheet rock wall, the door, and bent the door knob trying to get out -I slept through the whole thing and never took tryptophan again.
WOW. That's a powerful supplement!
Good luck Mary, seems he may want that reduction.
And if you don't want to give up the Cystease, could you just give it in the am cycle? That way you can monitor if he's eating.
Safe surfing, Jude! 🐈 😻
Thanks, Staci! I can't monitor in the a.m. cycle because I work (I've been off this past week). What I might do is continue giving him Cosequin and purchase l-tryptophan separately and give him a smaller dose? I'm not sure.

For sure I'm going to switch him back to just the Cosequin to see if I'm right about the l-tryptophan relaxing him too much.

The goal is to find something that will relax him--to minimize his stress which leads to FIC flares. My vet has prescribed Prozac, but I really don't want to put Jude on an anti-depressant medication. Prozac is often prescribed for cats with FIC.

Thanks for helping me think through it, though, and if you have any other suggestions, I'm open.
 
WOW. That's a powerful supplement!

Thanks, Staci! I can't monitor in the a.m. cycle because I work (I've been off this past week). What I might do is continue giving him Cosequin and purchase l-tryptophan separately and give him a smaller dose? I'm not sure.

For sure I'm going to switch him back to just the Cosequin to see if I'm right about the l-tryptophan relaxing him too much.

The goal is to find something that will relax him--to minimize his stress which leads to FIC flares. My vet has prescribed Prozac, but I really don't want to put Jude on an anti-depressant medication. Prozac is often prescribed for cats with FIC.

Thanks for helping me think through it, though, and if you have any other suggestions, I'm open.
I think lowering the dose of Cystease would be worth a try if it's getting you closer to the numbers you'd like to see.

Which product are you using... thinking it would be great for anxious cats like Xander and maybe Esse to try. And it's all natural!
 
I think lowering the dose of Cystease would be worth a try if it's getting you closer to the numbers you'd like to see.

Which product are you using... thinking it would be great for anxious cats like Xander and maybe Esse to try. And it's all natural!
If I lower the dose of the Cystease (which contains glucosamine, hyaluronic acid, and l-tryptophan), I lower the dose of the glucosamine, which isn't causing Jude a problem, and which he needs to heal the lining of his bladder. So I'm thinking of switching back to the Cosequin, which is just glucosamine (and something else, but not a relaxant). Then I might try purchasing l-tryptophan separately so that I can give a smaller dose?

The product brand (I think that's what you're asking) is Feliway Cystease.
 
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Yep, that's a little too relaxed. Ironic story, years ago I had a rescue dog that could not and I mean absolutely could not be left alone... he would hurt himself and whatever perceived enclosure would be destroyed (like my jeep, three times!). He also liked litter box treats... so I had jurry-rigged the upstairs bathroom door so the cats could get in but he could not. Long story short I started taking tryptophan to help with anxiety and help me sleep, well it worked! In the middle of the night Scrappy got into the bathroom and locked himself in, the poor dog tore a huge hole in the sheet rock wall, the door, and bent the door knob trying to get out -I slept through the whole thing and never took tryptophan again.
Omg! That’s an insane story, Laurie!!!
I hope poor Scrappy was ok! ❤️‍🩹
 
If I lower the dose of the Cystease (which contains glucosamine, hyaluronic acid, and l-tryptophan), I lower the dose of the glucosamine, which isn't causing Jude a problem, and which he needs to heal the lining of his bladder. So I'm thinking of switching back to the Cosequin, which is just glucosamine (and something else, but not a relaxant). Then I might try purchasing l-tryptophan separately so that I can give a smaller dose?

The product brand (I think that's what you're asking) is Feliway Cystease.
Interesting,
It IS insane--and it sounds to me like Scrappy needed the l-tryptophan, too.
Ivy may need l-tryptophan too. She’s so hyper at the vet. I may have to inquire.
I wonder if it would be better for her than gabapentin???
 
Interesting,

Ivy may need l-tryptophan too. She’s so hyper at the vet. I may have to inquire.
I wonder if it would be better for her than gabapentin???
I'm not sure. There are several products that are "calming" for cats that contain l-tryptophan, though. It might be worth a try.
 
I was just reading about it, and saw that it can cause diarrhea (btw: when I have Spelling Bee nightmares, the word I get in the nightmare is diarrhea because I can NEVER spell it without spell-check). Jude had a soft stool this morning 🙁 , so that's another reason I probably should discontinue it. Here's what I'm reading, and it says it helps with mood stabilizing and calming, so maybe it's an alternative for you:

Brand Names and Other Names of Trytophan​

  • L-tryptophan has limited availability for use in humans but is obtainable in combination with other substances for use in animals. 5-HTP is available OTC in US pharmacies and is marketed for use in humans
  • Human formulations: Various generic preparations
  • Veterinary formulations: Nutricalm® (Rx Vitamins)

Uses of Tryptophan for Dogs and Cats​

  • Tryptophan and 5-HTP have been used to decrease aggression and impulsivity in dogs and cats. They also have both mood stabilizating and calming effects.
  • Tryptophan and 5-HTP have also been used as a primary or adjunctive treatment to palliate obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Precautions and Side Effects​

  • While generally safe and effective when prescribed by a veterinarian, tryptophan can cause side effects in some animals.
  • Tryptophan should not be used in animals with known hypersensitivity or allergy to the drug.
  • The most common side effects are vomiting and diarrhea. Unwanted gastrointestinal effects may result from the drug’s known stimulatory effects on propulsive contractions of dogs’ proximal small intestine.
  • Tryptophan may interact with other medications. Consult your veterinarian to determine if other drugs your pet is receiving could interact with tryptophan. Such drugs include certain antidepressants and other “behavior modifying drugs,” as the effects may be additive.
 
Whoa! Seems like everyone's finding limes today! 😬 Great job getting him back up so quickly! Hope it was a one-off because of being too out of it to get up and eat like you thought.

Thank you for thinking of us, @Laurie & Petey ! I was touched coming in here and seeing that. 🥺 It's definitely something to keep in mind for if the Gabapentin ever stops being enough.
 
Which product are you using... thinking it would be great for anxious cats like Xander and maybe Esse to try. And it's all natural!

For a while last year we were using some 'calming treats' that have thiamine, L-theanine, and chamomile BUT they were high carb so we had to stop. I should look again to see if I can find a lower carb version, they had a very subtle relaxation effect, good for things like having multiple guests over at the house. My bf and I have also used (human-formulated, lol) L-theanine for balancing out caffeine jitters.
 
I was just reading about it, and saw that it can cause diarrhea (btw: when I have Spelling Bee nightmares, the word I get in the nightmare is diarrhea because I can NEVER spell it without spell-check). Jude had a soft stool this morning 🙁 , so that's another reason I probably should discontinue it. Here's what I'm reading, and it says it helps with mood stabilizing and calming, so maybe it's an alternative for you:

Brand Names and Other Names of Trytophan​

  • L-tryptophan has limited availability for use in humans but is obtainable in combination with other substances for use in animals. 5-HTP is available OTC in US pharmacies and is marketed for use in humans
  • Human formulations: Various generic preparations
  • Veterinary formulations: Nutricalm® (Rx Vitamins)

Uses of Tryptophan for Dogs and Cats​

  • Tryptophan and 5-HTP have been used to decrease aggression and impulsivity in dogs and cats. They also have both mood stabilizating and calming effects.
  • Tryptophan and 5-HTP have also been used as a primary or adjunctive treatment to palliate obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Precautions and Side Effects​

  • While generally safe and effective when prescribed by a veterinarian, tryptophan can cause side effects in some animals.
  • Tryptophan should not be used in animals with known hypersensitivity or allergy to the drug.
  • The most common side effects are vomiting and diarrhea. Unwanted gastrointestinal effects may result from the drug’s known stimulatory effects on propulsive contractions of dogs’ proximal small intestine.
  • Tryptophan may interact with other medications. Consult your veterinarian to determine if other drugs your pet is receiving could interact with tryptophan. Such drugs include certain antidepressants and other “behavior modifying drugs,” as the effects may be additive.
Interesting. The diarrhea side effect concerns me (but otherwise it’s interesting). Thank you for informing us! ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹
 
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