Red Wine and Metformin

mcdod · #1 (**permalink**) 09-28-2009, 07:44 PM

Does anyone have any feedback/incite/kowledge regading red wine consumption while on metformin?

xMenace · #2 (**permalink**) 09-28-2009, 07:53 PM

Both met and alcohol increase risks of liver damage. Moderation!

cyberus · #3 (**permalink**) 09-28-2009, 11:19 PM

It was my *understanding* from my doc that met and booze don't mix ... but that depends on how much, at the 500-1000mg/day range a glass of wine (or its equivalent) or 2 on occasion isn't harmful .. daily consumption not a good idea.
At the 1500mg or more/day level alcohol is not a good idea due to the aforementioned potential liver damage.

jkane13 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 08:28 AM

My doc said a drink or two would be OK. He would not say an exact amount, nor say what long term effects it for sure would have.

You gotta live your life. Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt are not an acceptable way of life in my book! I am willing to take the risks to enjoy life just a bit more.

jer.lawrence · #5 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 08:46 AM

I take 500mg of Met ER and will occasionally have a glass of red wine at night. It's not an every day thing, but I haven't noticed any detrimental side effects.. yet. :P

Abra · #6 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 01:59 PM

This topic is of real interest to me, because I live in France where wine is every day. I'm on no meds now so logically met would be the first one to try, but I can't imagine not drinking wine. Well, I can imagine it, but it's not a nice thought.

davef · #7 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 02:09 PM

I'm on a total daily dose of 1000mg Metformin (500mg morning and evening). Red wine would be my drink of preference and I would drink it most weekends. I have not encountered any issues, I do make sure to test often and always eat when drinking.

Abra · #8 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 12:01 PM

Can anyone explain to me why there's so much moralizing against wine and alcohol on this forum? Does it pose some special danger to T2 diabetics? I participate in several online communities and I've never encountered one where there's so much anti-alcohol sentiment expressed. I know it's a little off-topic, but it truly mystifies me.

themarquis · #9 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abra

Can anyone explain to me why there's so much moralizing against wine and alcohol on this forum? Does it pose some special danger to T2 diabetics? I participate in several online communities and I've never encountered one where there's so much anti-alcohol sentiment expressed. I know it's a little off-topic, but it truly mystifies me.

yeah, it's interesting, esp. considering the fact that for most folks, alcohol ends up lowering blood sugar slightly. It (wine, at least) also provides cardiovascular benefits. So you'd think everyone here would be into it!

I think it may be part of the "anything delicious or enjoyable must be bad for you" phenomena. I have had some people make little comments like "oh, I guess you shouldn't be drinking that wine" the same way they like to tell me that with diabetes, I "shouldn't be eating that bacon" or butter or any number of delicious things that don't hurt diabetics in the least.

People obviously have different perspectives on this, but the fact is that there is no *special* danger to diabetics from occasional to moderate alcohol consumption (minding the danger of using sugary mixers or alcohols with residual carbs like beer.) In other words, alcohol consumption is just as dangerous and/or harmless (depending on your point of view, I suppose) to diabetics as it is to non diabetics.

The only exception would be mixing it with certain meds (and of course diabetics may be taking more meds than the general non-diabetic population). I don't know the answer to the met + alcohol qustion. When I was taking it, I was drinking a bit, but very cautiously. My fear was the potential of liver damage ... as well as the fact that you can get particularly tipsy and/or sick on it when taking met (since your liver isn't processing the alcohol as well.) I know some meds are truly, truly dangerous with even small amounts of alcohol (for example, benzos and tranquilizers for obvious reasons) , but met seems fairly compatible with alcohol, as long as one is careful.

DiamondTeddybea · #10 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 01:03 PM

I'm in the same situation. My bestfriends birthday is next week and we always drink for our birthdays. My numbers are still kind of high since I just started the Met, but i really want to be able to drink a couple glasses of vodka/seltzer or Clear unflavored rum/seltzer.

yannah · #11 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abra

Can anyone explain to me why there's so much moralizing against wine and alcohol on this forum? Does it pose some special danger to T2 diabetics? I participate in several online communities and I've never encountered one where there's so much anti-alcohol sentiment expressed. I know it's a little off-topic, but it truly mystifies me.

look up metformin and alcohol. thats why. it can be dangerous.
no doubt about it.

jkane13 · #12 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 01:22 PM

I said this in another post a few months ago. It might be worth repeating!

When I was first diagnosed and started taking Met, it was like less than a month in. Maybe only 2 weeks. I was not really paying attention one weekend while out camping. I ended up drinking 2.5 bottle of wine by myself one night. I splurge sometimes when I know I don't have to drive, and have no reason to get up early.

The next 3 days were the first time I ever really had a hang over! It had to be the Met.

Now a year later, I have my weight down by 120 lbs and BS is in the "normal" range. I am still taking 500 mg twice daily, but can drink a bottle or so in one evening and not feel bad the next day. Don't know if it's tolerance build up, or BS being lower, or the weight loss which includes body metabolism up by at least 3 times what it was, but something has really made me feel 20 years younger!

My point is, watch your quantity! There was something weird going on for me last year. I was actually scared for a while about it. Can't say exactly what.

I did ask my doctor about the ketosis thing that Met and your kidneys can have. He said that since my kidneys were in very good shape, the combination of alcohol and metaformin was not a concern. He also said to not drink 2 bottles at one time anymore. Actually, he might have even said not to drink even 1 whole bottle in a single night.

So, the FACT is that if your kidneys are bad or borderline, avoid alcohol and metaformin together. The CONSENSUS, without studies to prove it, is that if your kidneys are good, then, in moderation, drinking some wine is not going to kill you in the next few months.

Tonight we are having a dozen friends over for a monthly home made beer, mead, and wine party. Since everyone brings their own, there will be a lot of different things to sample. Since it is at my house this month, I don't have to drive, so my samples will be more than 1/2 oz shots of each.