[howdysf]

Hey all,

brand new here. I was recently diagnosed w/ type 1 diabetes and I wanted to hear from some of you about drinking alcohol... I like to drink, and when I drink, I like to drink a lot! I've been searching all over the internet, but have only found the same textbook type of info on this... 2 drinks only, no empty stomach, etc...

I wanted to hear from some of you who like to go out to bars etc. on the weekends and drink more than 2 drinks... we're talking like 6 to 8 drinks...

any of you "partiers" out there have some advice (other than "don't drink 6 drinks")....

What type of drinks? hard alcohol vs. beer, effects, monitoring glucose, insulin injections while drinking?... any info would be appreciated..Jack Daniel's?

I'm aware that I will obviously need to make lifestyle changes, but I still want to go out and "party with the guys"....

thanks.

[Jill-O]

Well, my last name starts O' ... I named one of my favorite horses "Bacardi" (see him below). So, I can tell you, I like to drink!!! However, I think with diabetes 6-8 is really way too much. My doctor told me I could have 1 glass every once in awhile which I have stretched to "make it okay" (in my book... subject to correction...) to drink one large glass of red wine each day. I think though that the amount you are considering could be very dangerous given your condition and your medication.

[nneighbour]

Hey there,

glad to see you found the forums. I don't drink often, but when I do I tend to drink hard. The key is test, test, test. I usually test before I start drinking, then either ever hour or every two drinks, which ever is first. Also remember to have a buddy to watch your back. Let them know where you keep your glucose tabs and when to give them to you if you get too low, but are still conscious.

The biggest danger seems to be that if you pass out drunk, you can easily go into serious hypoglycemia.

Be careful, and have a drink for me!

[Erin]

I think if you search around you'll find lots of conversations along these lines.

My $.02 is to start slowly. I have had D for more than 16 years, and I spent a few of those years drinking and "partying" a lot. BUT I had 10 years to figure diabetes out before adding drink to the mix.

Figure out what insulin and food does to your blood sugar. then go out and have one drink... test frequently... see what it does. If everything is ok, the next time you go out have two drinks. Then the next time three. The next time four.

My philosophy of diabetes has always been to fit the things that I like INTO my diabetes control, not change what I do. I figure as long as I figure out what I need to do to drink my 6 pints of guinness safely, there is no reason I have to switch to amstel light, (which is probably easier on the blood sugar, as it has less carbs).

Here are a few problems to look out for:
Mixers (soda, juice etc) as well as beer and wine have lots of carbs, which will cause an initial rise in blood sugar.

Alcohol prohibits production of glucose by the liver, which will cause a drastic DROP in blood sugar, a number of hours after you drink, so BEWARE OF THE 2 AM HYPO!!!!

Be very cautious when taking insulin to fix a high blood sugar after a night out... the insulin combined with the drop in blood sugar caused by the drinking can make for some really nasty lows.

TEST, TEST, TEST! you're not going to feel lows and highs the same way you usually do (they may be changed or masked by the feeling of being drunk), and your blood sugar is going to do funny things. You can't take care of yourself if you're not sure what is going on.

Make sure you're out with a few good friends who know you have diabetes, and who you trust to at least call for help if you get into a tricky situation, especially when you are just learning about how alcohol effects your diabetes.

[xMenace]

Know how your basal rates work. Are there risky periods in the middle of the night or early morning that may cause you trouble? Basal test so you can add confidence. You should know that without eating your BGs won't fall or rise too high. Then I would do some isolated tests with your favorite drinks to see how you behave hourly, for maybe 12 hours. Test with a couple drinks, then 4, then 6. Read this for some illustrations: http://www.mendosa.com/DiabetesAndDiet.pdf

[tcc123]

Hey I know exactly what your thinking. About a year ago when I was diagnosed I was searching for the same answers about drinking alcohol. And the truth is their really is no answer that will work for everyone. The best thing to do is test alot.
I just turned 21 a week ago so I do drink a good bit. Normally I will have a night of heavy drinking about once a week. I have discovered that for me light beer ( like miller lite) doesnt raise my blood sugar at all. But for every drink I have I will lower my basal insulin (i am on a pump) to about 50% for 2 hours. So if I have 6 drinks I lower it for 12 hours. If you are on lantus just cut down your lantus dose at night. Recently I have started drinking har liqour again. And I have noticed if I only have shots (tequila mostly, which has 0 carbs) my blood sugar will go up pretty fast. I dunno why, but it does.

The key is if you can drink and have good blood sugars and no bad lows then go for it. It won't hurt you anymore than the next person. But if your body can't handle it or you can't figure it out then you have to make a decision about what is more important.
By the way I also took it slow at first, drinking a few drinks and working up week after week.

Cary

[reybec]

wouldn't everyone be different?

i was recently diagnosed as a type 2 and have been experimenting with different things.

i really enjoy my beer and when i was diagnosed i changed from a full strength beer to a mid strength and have found i'm still able to have 3-4 a day without much change in my readings.

[howdysf]

Thanks everyone!

[kel4han]

I say watch out for the 5am, 7am, 10am hypo. If you drink a ton and are hard to wake and sleep in late, watch out. The following day I tend to have to cut my bolus almost in half to avoid lows the next 12 hours after the drinking too much. (a bottle of wine) I have learned the hard way that I just cant do this anymore. (and shouldn't) It really messes with you the next day, 1000 times worse than the non-diabetic I believe. Just not worth it to me, so as of Friday night, that was my last whole bottle of wine. I will promise to stick to just 2 glasses.

[REDLAN]

Hi I like to drink too (",), and see no reason why diabetes should be a bar to enjoying a night out.

stuff to watch out for...

alcohol can impair your liver's ability to release glucose - it's too busy trying to mop up the alcohol, so night time hypos can be a very risky proposition (a significant proportion of deaths due to hypos have alcohol mixed into the equation). You can also be much more at risk of hypos way into the next day.

If it's your first few forays into drinking then you are better off being cautious - it's way way better to correct a high in the morning when you wake up, than try and correct a hypo when you are asleep and still drunk.

fortunately a typical night out - usually involves drinking followed by the munchies and a stop at the kebab shop (in the UK at least), which fits in pretty well with keeping yourself safe.

I personally bolus for the carbs in alcohol the same as I do for a meal, with a bit of a safety margin - but it has taken quite a bit of testing and practice to get to this.

[mark_in_toronto]

Recommendation, rum or rye and diet coke vs. beer....having to bolus for beer's carbohydrates is tedious and risky, I drink rum and diet coke which has no effect on blood sugar.

[xMenace]

Originally Posted by mark_in_toronto

Recommendation, rum or rye and diet coke vs. beer....having to bolus for beer's carbohydrates is tedious and risky, I drink rum and diet coke which has no effect on blood sugar.

You'll have to prove that statement. Literature has stated the contrary for years. Your right in thinking it adds no sugar, but it does affect your basal sugars. It can shut down basal sugar 'production' completely. Your basal insulin, meanwhile, marches on.

Risk of Low Blood Sugar


If you have diabetes and take insulin shots or oral diabetes pills, you risk low blood sugar when you drink alcohol. To protect yourself, never drink on an empty stomach. Plan to have your drink with a meal or after eating a snack.

How does alcohol add to your chances of having low blood sugar? It has to do with your liver.

Normally, when your blood sugar level starts to drop, your liver steps in. It goes to work changing stored carbohydrate into glucose. Then it sends the glucose out into the blood, which helps you avoid or slow down a low blood sugar reaction.

However, when alcohol enters your system, this changes. Alcohol is a toxin. Your body reacts to alcohol like a poison. The liver wants to clear it from the blood quickly. In fact, the liver won't put out glucose again until it has taken care of the alcohol. If your blood glucose level is falling, you can quickly wind up with very low blood sugar.

This is why drinking as little as 2 ounces of alcohol (about 2 drinks) on an empty stomach can lead to very low blood sugar.

When you mix alcohol and exercise, you increase the risk of going low. This can happen because exercise helps lower your blood sugar levels. Let's say you just played a couple of hard sets of tennis. You have a beer after the match. But in the hours after the game, your body is still working. It is replacing the energy your muscles used up. To do this, it clears glucose from the blood and adds it to the muscles' store. This is why exercise can cause your blood sugar level to go down.

If you take insulin or diabetes pills, they too are working to clear glucose from your blood. Unless you eat or your liver adds glucose to your blood, you could be heading for a low blood sugar level. If you drink a beer, the alcohol will stop your liver from sending out any glucose. Your chances of going low are even greater.

Check with your health care provider to see if it's OK to combine alcohol with your diabetes medications.

Low blood sugar when drinking is less of a risk for those with type 2 diabetes who control their diabetes with meal planning and exercise alone.

[Cyborg]

When I drink, I try to either drink straight liquor or light beer. I try to test every 2 hours and, based on the bg, I may graze on food if possible. I try to avoid sweet mixers or sweet liqueurs. I always set my pump to a drinking basal rate, which is my lowest rate and does not increase to compensate for DP in the morning as I find that I do not have DP after a night of drinking. Common sense goes a long way when drinking...

[mark_in_toronto]

xMenace
Senior Member
I am a: Type 1 Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Rothesay, New Brunswick Canada, eh
Posts: 1,657

Quote:
Originally Posted by mark_in_toronto
Recommendation, rum or rye and diet coke vs. beer....having to bolus for beer's carbohydrates is tedious and risky, I drink rum and diet coke which has no effect on blood sugar.

You'll have to prove that statement. Literature has stated the contrary for years. Your right in thinking it adds no sugar, but it does affect your basal sugars. It can shut down basal sugar 'production' completely. Your basal insulin, meanwhile, marches on.

You're right, saying Rum has no effect on blood sugar was my individual reaction, not everybody's. However, I can drink several rum and diet cokes with ZERO blood sugar rise (after months of testing) although rum DOES have calories if you're trying to lose weight. Your saying that "it does affect your basal sugars" is assumption also, as it does not affect ALL diabetics. Related, some people don't have coffee affect their sugars, but for me instant coffee makes my sugar rise. My doc doesn't believe this everytime I mention it "oh your basal must be too low". Everybody is unique and we can't assume things for other diabetics, I've learned this in the last year since going back to regular doctor correspondence.

[maya0606]

wel lI am partying tomorrow and I dont know how to do this with my food and insulin intake :S I will also be eating but how much insulin should i put???? I am not big fan of beer so I will most likely be drinking Liquor & wine so basically no carbs, now if i eat something that has 70 carbs I am technically suppose to put 7 units of insulin, but if i have liquor how much should i put so that i wont have any lows?