Drug/Alcohol Use and Diabetes

[morethanyouknow]

Hello All,

I am new to the forums and I'd like to thank all the contributers for your posts. I have a new friend that has Type 1 and this site has helped me answer a lot of questions.

My friend is always testing her bg and has the pump. I was hoping you all can touch on OR point me in the right direction for information about Diabetes and Drug/Alcohol use.

1. I know drugs like marijuana and cocaine are illegal and not good for you if you have diabetes or not. However, if one was to use... could they be even more harmful to someone with diabetes? And if so, why?

2. What about alcohol? I have read that dehydration could be a concern. Is there anything else to be concerned about?

Sorry about the wierd question. I am a concerned friend.

Thank You =)

[Jackets]

It is important to respect that marijuana and alcohol impair judgement. Diabetics must essentially act as their own nurse in order to stay healthy. I don't recall ever seeing a nurse high or drunk while taking care of a patient, obviously.

That being said, it is still possible to manage taking care of yourself while having a good time as long as you're extremely careful.

For weed, I find that my blood sugars have a tendency to increase ever so slightly without eating any food. But the real obstacle is the munchies. Marijuana really makes eating more enjoyable, which is a double edged sword for a diabetic (it's nice to enjoy food, not nice to let it get out of control).

Since marijuana is illegal there haven't been many conclusive studies for the health problems that could arise with a person's lungs. Smoking is obviously unhealthy though, so I'd suggest your friend invest in a vaporizer if their nervous about that sort of thing.



Alcohol is far more risky and dangerous. In general it will raise your blood sugar, then make your body more sensitive to insulin as time lingers on. This has to do with the fact that the liver usually regulates insulin, and with the more alcohol a diabetic has in their system the more distracted their liver gets away from doing its primary job. I learned this the hard way when I was 18; I fell into a seizure the day after a lot of drinking because my liver hadn't quite handled all the alcohol yet. It didn't help that I foolishly took a massive shot to cover a small meal. But the experience was enough to teach me to respect the **** out of what could go wrong, especially the day after when you think you're in the clear.

There are some specifics I'd like to go into regarding alcohol that I've learned over time:

Beer: Different beers affect my blood sugar in different ways. For example, I have to take a shot for a bottle of Miller High Life as if it were its own meal! Meanwhile Budweiser doesn't seem to affect my blood sugar as drastically. It's important to experiment with different beers to see how it affects blood sugar before going gung-ho on a night of beer drinking. (Why can't we get nutrition facts for beer? Is their a scientific reason for this?)

Hard booze: I try to stay away from all hard booze. This really puts a strain on the liver and increases the unpredictability of blood sugars by 100 fold. Add to that the "black out" potential of all hard booze and you've got yourself a risky night ahead of you. For me, insulin becomes incredibly strong when hard booze is in my system. Even so, I don't shy away from starting off with some whiskey to get the night rolling along. It's the continued drinking of hard alcohol in the night that really makes me nervous.

Monitoring sugars: I try to test once an hour during a night of drinking. If not once an hour, then as much as possible.


There's nothing wrong with a diabetic wanting to have fun. It will always be a learning experience though, sober or not. Every diabetic is different too, so it's important for your friend to learn how these things affect his/her blood sugar individually.

[johgn]

Beer: Different beers affect my blood sugar in different ways. For example, I have to take a shot for a bottle of Miller High Life as if it were its own meal! Meanwhile Budweiser doesn't seem to affect my blood sugar as drastically. It's important to experiment with different beers to see how it affects blood sugar before going gung-ho on a night of beer drinking. (Why can't we get nutrition facts for beer? Is their a scientific reason for this?)



If you look hard you can find out the carb counts of beers, I bought a book on amazon.com for this. I generally drink two beers every night. Miller light doesn't do much and I don't even bolus for it but I usually drink Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Guinness and I bolus a little for them.

[Jackets]

Hey, thanks johgn! I never thought to just look it up before.

No wonder! (http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/miller-brewing-miller-high-life-5percent-alcohol-by-volume-10482.htm) (I usually drink a 40oz, actually)

[LancetChick]

About alcohol: I find that I have to shoot up for beer and champagne, but not dry wine. I avoid fruity cocktails altogether, since they contain so much sugar, and their action is hard to predict (sipping over a long period of time vs. eating a meal). The real danger is that alcohol ties the liver up while it is broken down, so you need to know how much to lower your basal insulin, or you'll get hypo..... possibly seriously so. I can drink a bottle of wine no prob, but here's what I have to do (it's different for everyone, of course): first night, lower Lantus by 2 units; second night, lower by 2 more units; third night, lower by 1 more unit. By the third night, that's 5 units less than my usual 9 unit dose (my total normal dose is 17 units). After the third night, it plateaus, and I don't have to lower it any more, but I don't usually drink that much!

[morethanyouknow]

Thank you all, your answers were exactly what I was looking for.

[Dan Gato]

Morethanyouknow, Even my doc & diabetes educator, they say one or 2 drinks a day are OK. such as lite beers, wine. it helps in a sense to reduce the BG's. no regs beers, or loaded sugary well drinks, too many carbs.
cheers :dancing2: :cheers:

[ProudNanaof5]

I drink Bud Select when I drink beer. It has I think a little over 3 carbs a can. :beer:

[Cyborg]

Life doesn't have to end because you have diabetes. You need to learn how alcohol and "other" substance affect your body. Moderation is the key, along with frequent testing. Once you know how your body reacts, you can learn your limits. Personally, I'm not against alcohol or marijuana in moderation, but I am against hard drugs.

[BriOnH]

Personally, I'm not against alcohol or marijuana in moderation, but I am against hard drugs.

Ditto

Considering in general what coke does(ever done it, never cared too), I would imaging high blood sugar + coke could equal a lot of necrosis.

[morethanyouknow]

Hello All,

I found a great write up on the affects of different drugs and alcohol. It confirms alot of things I learned on this forum and adds some too.

Alcohol

-Impairs judgment; can affect an individual’s resolve to maintain tight control.
-Burns like fat and contains almost as many calories per gram as fat (7 calories per gram of alcohol, 9 calories per gram of fat).
-Promotes hypoglycemia and impairs the manufacture, storage and release of glycogen. (Even one alcoholic beverage on an empty stomach can send blood glucose plummeting, raising the risk of sudden hypoglycemia and possibly even loss of consciousness. The risk of low blood glucose can persist for hours after alcohol consumption, especially if little or no food is consumed.)
-Could delay needed treatment for low blood glucose, since hypoglycemia and inebriation appear deceptively similar.
-Interacts with other drugs such as chlorpropamide. (Some diabetes medications stipulate limits on alcohol consumption.)

Tobacco Smoking

-Serves as a potent vasoconstrictor (narrowing fragile blood vessels).
-Significantly influences oral and intravenous glucose tolerance tests.
-Increases the risk of eye disease, kidney disease and impotence.
-Can decrease insulin absorption.
-Increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
-Can exacerbate nerve disease.
-Increases the risk of limb amputation. (Smokers account for an estimated 95 percent of all diabetic limb amputations.)

Marijuana

-(Its effect is highly related to dosage, but the strength of the main active chemical in marijuana, known as THC, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, can vary widely.)
-Causes problems with memory, concentration, sensory and time perception, coordinated movement and problem solving, which may affect control.
-Increases appetite and can cause overeating and subsequent hyperglycemia.
-Impairs short-term memory during intoxication.
-Can cause profound impairment when mixed with alcohol.
-Can impair glucose tolerance and cause hyperglycemia when heavily used.

Amphetamines/Cocaine/ Psychedelics

-Can increase blood glucose and change eating habits.
-Can cause high blood glucose as a result of increased liver glycogen breakdown (highly variable among individuals).
-Alters perception, which can affect the ability to manage diabetes.

Opiates/Heroin

-Can change eating habits, which can affect blood glucose.
-Alters perception, which can affect the ability to manage diabetes.

SOURCES: Gopi Memorial Hospital, India; “Recreational Drugs and Diabetes,” by R. Keith Campbell, RPh, and Gwen G. Rushman, MN, Practical Diabetology, September/October 1985; Diabetes New Zealand; American Diabetes Association.

[BriOnH]

Is it just me or does it seem the legal drugs are worse for diabetes then the illegal ones? The illegal ones, minus one, obviously are extremely detremental to the body in general though.

[Cyborg]

Makes you wonder why some states are opposing the federal government and semi-legalizing certain "substances"... :bandit:

[BriOnH]

Makes you wonder why some states are opposing the federal government and semi-legalizing certain "substances"... :bandit:

Indeed it does.

[sbuff28@charter]

I know drugs like marijuana and cocaine are illegal and not good for you if you have diabetes or not. However, if one was to use... could they be even more harmful to someone with diabetes? And if so, why?

Provided you keep you blood sugars in good control. No it will not affect you any worst being a diabetic or not. Cocaine will make your BS irractic though... if you can monitor it effectivly while doing it...then it should be no different. Marijuana will have no effect on your BS, but beware of the munchies.

2. What about alcohol? I have read that dehydration could be a concern. Is there anything else to be concerned about?

Again... Provided you are able to keep your blood sugars in control it shouldn't be an issue. I have waken up many times with a massive hangover and a Bs of 230 from drinking too much the night before. Alcohol seems for me much harder to control the more i drink. So use caution and babysteps to compair and contrast how your body reacts to your favorite drink.

I find the most helpful thing for me and drinking is repitition. stick with one drink and know how you react to it. The biggest hurdle is the first time drinking which you will have to test a ton. after you get a good regimin down its easy.

alcohol is quite possibly the hardest "drug" to diabetics;... the hardest to do and keep good BS control .

[Cjohnson202]

I drink occasionally and I usually stick to hard alcohal. I reduce my N dose at night by 1/3, and always drink the alcohal (usually vodka or rum) with regular pop as opposed to diet. I check my BG's often, but have always went to bed a little high and woke up between 4-7.

[sugarfree76]

Cocaine is extremely bad for diabetics, even more so than the regular person.
It increases the heart rate...and us diabetics are more likely to develop heart disease.
Cocaine is friggin dumb. Drains your wallet. Just go to starbucks for a kicker :banghead:

There are soooo many studies out there about alcohol and what it does to a diabetic. I had a fight with my dietician (well, went to her one time) about alcohol. She said that it lowers bg readings. I told her that it raised mine. Somehow she thought she knew my body better than I. :stupido2:
I always eat something when drinking...and always bolus. Sometimes I'm right on with readings *110, for example* and other times I wake up at 270.

Like everything else, you need to do it in moderation and know how it affects YOU.'

be well
be safe