How much alcohol is too much?

[shiftzor]

Hey, im currently at university and with all uk universities theres always this pressure to drink. As a diabetic i dont want to drink all that much and tend to limit it to 1-4 bottles of beer (33cl). if each bottle is what 2units then potentially with that limit i could have 8 units. i dont do this very often not even once a week and I know they recommend 3 units a day. i started off not drinking at all, but temptation started when i went back to Uni. So should i fight harder to overcome this pressure or am i oki with the occasional slight over indulgence?

[Olidus]

Shiftzor,

How much alcohol is too much?
With my experience and readigns it is different from person to person. You really need to answer that question for yourself.

I read that alcohol raises bs for some and lowers for others. I guess like anything else there are so many other factors to take in when drinking.
Like - Do you have food in your stomach?

What have your blood sugars been like after you drink? Have you tested?

[Gordonm]

I rarely drink anymore but when I do I usually limit it to 2 beers. I have gone to 3 maybe 4 but that has only been once this year. I have probably drank a total of maybe 12 beers this year. Don't let the pressure get to you. Set your limit and stick to it. You will thank yourself in the morning also.

[xMenace]

It will raise your BGs early then drop them later as your liver processes the alcohol. If you are on MDI you should let yourself run a bit high. If on a pump, you can experiemnt to find a good treatment. What I do is bolus for each drink then cut my basals one hour for each drink plus one hour by 50%.

I had four beers this Friday and was in range the whole time and next morning. In the past I've been known to go over the top once in awhile. No more.

[HiImDan]

When you find yourself holding onto the grass to keep from falling off the Earth you've had enough.

[Injecto]

Once you've passed out.

That's your body's way of making you stop.

:D

[DeusXM]

You're ok with the odd slight 'over-indulgence'. I drank like a fish when I was at uni.

The only proviso I would add is that if you are overindulging that you know how to manage your BGs whilst drunk and cushion your system with carbs to prevent delayed hypos in your sleep. If you know how to do this then theoretically you can drink however much you want (in terms of blood sugar management, at least).

You don't have to miss out on drinking if you don't want to - nor do you necessarily feel like you have to drink either.

[xMenace]

Once you've passed out.

That's your body's way of making you stop.

:D

Usually God calls me in for a one-on-one on the big white God-phone to tell me to stop.:puke:

[thomasb]

If you know how to do this then theoretically you can drink however much you want (in terms of blood sugar management, at least).

You don't have to miss out on drinking if you don't want to - nor do you necessarily feel like you have to drink either.

Well said. I will get pretty drunk now and then, but try to atleast be sober enough to eat something when i get home, so i wont go low while sleeping. And by pretty drunk i mean really wasted. And by eat something i mean the leftover pizza from earlier.

[pdxdennisj]

You can always tell them you are allergic to alcohol - I would think peer pressure would be the worst reason to drink. Thats just me.

[xMenace]

Well said. I will get pretty drunk now and then, but try to atleast be sober enough to eat something when i get home, so i wont go low while sleeping. And by pretty drunk i mean really wasted. And by eat something i mean the leftover pizza from earlier.

The only issue I have with trying to manage while drinking is ... well ... you are drinking and have no senses. If you think you might get wasted, you are better off not bolusing for the drinks at all and still eat a little extra.

[tanyatype1]

Obviously be very careful - getting hammered just isn't worth what could happen to you. I had one horribly scary night, and I won't let that happen again. (took all the fun out of it!) Have a few, enjoy yourself, wake up the next day.

[gambi]

Alcohol does wonders on my BG, I love it. I like to drink vodka and diet orange soda with splenda. When I am drink I don't take insuling - beside my basal. I did that Saturday while tailgating for the VT/Miami game, my BG never went about 150. But everyone is different, I'm insulin sensitive when it come to alcohol So I back down.

[shiftzor]

Alcohol does wonders on my BG, I love it. I like to drink vodka and diet orange soda with splenda. When I am drink I don't take insuling - beside my basal. I did that Saturday while tailgating for the VT/Miami game, my BG never went about 150. But everyone is different, I'm insulin sensitive when it come to alcohol So I back down.

Thats a dangerious game, replacing insulin with alcohol. Im sure it wouldnt work over a long period, however yes i like that effect and although i dont use it to lower my sugar level, it would be nice.

I am more worried about my kidneys packing up, pre 21s i drunk like a fish and i hope that it dosnt come back to bite me. I think i will just be more careful in future, try to stick to 2 pints and remember to wake up for breakfast (catch any lows early).

[gambi]

Thats a dangerious game, replacing insulin with alcohol. Im sure it wouldnt work over a long period, however yes i like that effect and although i dont use it to lower my sugar level, it would be nice.

I am more worried about my kidneys packing up, pre 21s i drunk like a fish and i hope that it dosnt come back to bite me. I think i will just be more careful in future, try to stick to 2 pints and remember to wake up for breakfast (catch any lows early).

I don't do this all the time, just once in a while it's nice to kick back, have a few drinks and not worry about how high my blood sugar is. I'm at a football game for crying out loud! What I'm saying is I don't take any mealtime insulin because if I did it would get ugly! I still use my pump for my basal rate and monitor with CGMS. Like I said I cannot mix alcohol with insuling, especially larger amounts like at mealtime, I will go low. So if I want to have a few drinks what do you suggest that I do that would be a better idea? I'm not trying to be a smart ***, I just didn't want you to think this my normal everyday practice and I also want to know your suggestion.

I am one of those I only eat when I am hungry people, if I am low I take glucose tabs. I will eat a small amount when drinking but usually not a full blown out meal, hence another reason I do not take mealtime insulin.

Unfortunatley football season is almost over so this will not be a regular thing, well there is always my vegas trip next week... and those free drinks at the blackjack tables are nice, :)

[Cyborg]

Check your bg often and don't drink to the point where you aren't in control. Beware that alcohol will cause the liver to reduce or stop producing glucose for awhile, so if on a pump with basal rates set to compensate for DP you should change to a different (flatter and lower) basal profile.

[scara]

If it's important to you to drink fairly freely then you need to do the research on how your body will react to it. Try out a few days where you have a very predictable acting lunch and dinner then in a safe environment where your friends know the potential complications, have a few drinks. Use your meter every hour or whatever and record everything. Then make sure you are not too drunk that you won't pay attention and make sure you don't pass out. (THAT WOULD BE REALLY REALLY BAD, glucagon shots don't work when you are passed out from alcohol) Set your alarm to wake yourself up throughout the night and keep testing.... keep some pop or sugar pills on you for a walk home and beside your bed as well.

As Cyborg says, your liver will not dump out the walking around sugar when you are drunk cause it's dealing with the alcohol, so the basal insulin in your system can go unchecked and bring you low... so keep sugar handy.

Like everything else with diabetes, if you are willing to do the work and figure out your patterns it gets a lot easier to do what's important to you.

Cheers!

[MJM]

One or two beers, depending on your alcohol tolerance, probably wouldn't do you any harm. However, if you get drunk on it, you are putting yourself in a very precareous situation. Cyborg is totally right in what he says, so be very very careful where alcohol in concerned.

[Stealthman80]

I drink up to like 6 , more if it's a special occation. My blood goes up sometimes really high like 18-19, even after I take insulin, then I take more later whn I eat or whatever. and its always good when I get up in the morning

[JediSurfer]

Too much would be when its having a severe impact on your diabetes and putting you in dangerous situations. Stay sensible, always test and most importantly of all PARTY ON DUDE!

[Wildbill]

When you find yourself holding onto the grass to keep from falling off the Earth you've had enough.

Or, when you cant' get the next bottle of wine opened before you pass out?:)