What can I drink and how much?

[shutterbug]

I'm not a big alchol drinker, but I occassionally do have a bear or two or wine.

I'm a new type 2. I've read in this forums about wine etc. So drinking wine doesn't increase the BS that much. What about low carb beers? (like budlight or coorslight). How many beers (say in a can) do you drink and not worry about BS levels? :cheers:

[matingara]

i am not a huge beer drinker. never have been. but i was delighted to find lots of low carb beers in australia! i find these do not affect BG if kept to say 2 bottles.

that said, dry red wine and hard liquor (in my case Wild Turkey) seem to bring my BGL down.

:)

-- Joel.

[princesslinda]

Not a beer drinker, but do have the occ. glass of red wine with no problems. I will also occ. have vodka or rum mixed with a s/f soda, again with no problems. I don't notice much difference in my blood sugars afterwards, good or bad (maybe i'm not having enough? :confused: ;) )

[Dimes]

I drink 2 beers and I don't worry. I drink Canadian beer usually labatts, moosehead, sleemans, rickards. It tends to raise me a bit over the first 2 hours, then drops me a bit afterwards. The amount it drops me down seems to be directly in relation to how much I've drunk. 4-6 drinks has a much stronger effect on me, and requires a snack or small late night meal.. usually that is not a problem with me;) I haven't really pushed past there, so I don't have much to report, but my understanding is you have to be very careful.

The only beer I found that screwed with me was Guinness so I've been avoiding that one, and other dark beers as well. I'm sure one would be fine though.

[Evermont]

I'm also a new Type 2 on diet and exercise only. I like beer a lot, mostly ales, local microbrews, Guinness and stuff like that. I'm not really a "low carb" beer kinda guy.

Now I was putting away 12 per week for a long time but cut way back on beer when I decided to lose some weight - two weeks before Dx.

I have 1-2 drinks about 5 days per week. Mostly red wine, whiskey etc. But I'll still have 2-3 beers per week. I could probably do a bit more but I'm still losing weight.

Here's the thing. You gotta test to know. Do some quasi scientific sampling. Eat and exercise so that you know pretty well what to expect and let your meter decide how much of which and what you can do. That's all. :cheers: Start slow and test a lot, answers will come.

[xMenace]

Here's the thing. You gotta test to know. Do some quasi scientific sampling. Eat and exercise so that you know pretty well what to expect and let your meter decide how much of which and what you can do. That's all. :cheers: Start slow and test a lot, answers will come.

Ya. :stupid1:

[ohcarolina]

Watch out for delicious microbrews- especially unfiltered ones! It's like eating a bagel! The beer snobs make fun of my Coors Lite until I tell them I'm diabetic. Then they feel bad and buy me drinks... heh heh. :cool:

I find that a glass of dry wine or some scotch before bed helps dampen my dawn phenomenon.

[matingara]

Here is a link to the "Pure Blonde" low carb beer ad.

it is quite a hoot (IMHO).

:)

-- Joel.

YouTube - Pure Blonde beer ad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml3ybCxxMRk)

[ant hill]

I like Coopers Sparkling Ale, Stout, Pale Ale, And there is one other too.
The amount of whatever you drink is not affected until you see the hard stuff. Like Rum for instance, Then you will see a drop in BG real quick. Vodka is even faster!! :eek:
Hik*** Err whare is that beer... Arr there you are. :T

[davef]

As Evermont and Xmenace have said, the only way to really know is to test. Suppose it gives you a reason to have a couple of beers!

I had "some" beer last weekend and it worked out okay for me, but generally I stick to red wine as it works really well for me.

[xMenace]

The amount of whatever you drink is not affected until you see the hard stuff. Like Rum for instance, Then you will see a drop in BG real quick. Vodka is even faster!! :eek:
Hik*** Err whare is that beer... Arr there you are. :T

Wrong Peter. Alcohol from any drink can drop you low. I've had beer hypos. But you're probably right that hard stuff is more noticeable as there's next to nothing to bolus for.

I used to let beer's calories compensate for the low, but now I bolus for the carbs and reduce basal for the alcohol.

[Emm]

I have no answer - other than to agree wholeheartedly with what Evermont says here: You gotta test to know. Do some quasi scientific sampling. Eat and exercise so that you know pretty well what to expect and let your meter decide how much of which and what you can do. That's all.
I think that's the best advice you could ever get on the matter :)

And while we're talking about beer and funny commercials...
YouTube - Best Beer Commercial ever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc6U7_-BeGc&NR=1)

[buddy7]

Don't drink my-self, I've always believe in the theory, alcohol and med's are a bad mixed, I suppose some harm can be caused, if you're habitual, and makes it a practice of becoming constantly paralytic.

B/7 ESSEX UK.

[jerryn]

I'm not a big alchol drinker, but I occassionally do have a bear or two or wine.

I'm a new type 2. I've read in this forums about wine etc. So drinking wine doesn't increase the BS that much. What about low carb beers? (like budlight or coorslight). How many beers (say in a can) do you drink and not worry about BS levels? :cheers:
Are you on Bayetta or Metfomin? Both don't mix well with alchohol. I haven't had a bear for a while now. Bayetta has been know to cause pancreatitis for patients that only had a few drinks. Also metformin is brutal on the liver. I actally want to reduce my metformin intake and check to see if a glass of wine before bed will reduce my fasting glucose levels. I think the wine is easier on the liver than the metformin is.
My liver is ok, but it is getting beat up by the Metformin. The Albumin is on the high side of normal. It used to be just below mid-normal.

[shutterbug]

Jerry,
I'm taking metformin. From what you are saying, I guess beer and metformin doesn't go well together!

[ant hill]

And while we're talking about beer and funny commercials...

OK Emma, You know what I like, Can you see a particular beer comercial that I would pick?
MMmm... I need some beer to go with dinner.

[williamcrawford]

If you're not a "heavy" drinker, you probably don't drink a lot of liquor. Yet, from a standpoint of carbs, it's your best option. Basic "hard" liquors like vodka, whiskey, gin, even rum are distilled. The end product has no sugars left because they are used up in the distilling process. So, if mixed with diet soda, soda water, or low sugar mixers they are fine.

Dryer wine equal less sugar, though tread lightly, there are so many different wines and wine makers, they vary.

Beer is the same way. "So many beers, so little time."
A regular beer, like Budweiser or MGD, has about 1 carb per 1 ounce. The light version of these beers has about about half of that. BEWARE, MICRO BEERS AND SPECIALTY BEERS CAN HAVE UP TO 25 CARBS FOR A 12 OUNCE BOTTLE. For example, Guiness, Sam Adams, Newcastle and many more. You can google it to find out more specifics about certain beers and wines.

Well I hope that helps.
Just because you're diabetic it doesn't mean you're not human.
CHEERS!!!!

[solox316]

Article in last week's Diabetes Forcast spoke of benefits for people with diabetes to drink 2-3 drinks per day. This was as long as alcohol was a part of your lifestyle already. I thought that was a bit much... I have a beer with dinner/prep 4-5 nights per week.

[Eddy]

The amount of whatever you drink is not affected until you see the hard stuff. Like Rum for instance, Then you will see a drop in BG real quick. Vodka is even faster!! :eek:


I used to be a Mountain Dew fiend. Are you saying that I should have been an alcoholic instead? ;)

[amandadawn222]

Hi Chris,

I was just at my endocrinologists the other day and she states that women should have no more than 9 drinks a week and men should have no more than 14 drinks a week...she also stated that these shouldn't be saved for 1 time :T

I drink red wine and white wine and I find that my blood levels don't go up or down....margaritas and pina coladas on the other hand will make my sky rocket!

Another thing, regarding a good light beer.....when I do drink beer I will have Sleeman Clears, they are not only a lo-carb beer, it's one of the best tasting beers I have ever had!

Hope that helps!

[Pote05]

On the Border & Baja Bob's Original Margarita Mix Both have a sugar free, zero carbohydrate and zero calorie mix that is great for a "Parrothead" that likes his margaritas and so far they don't bother the BS!

[Oddball]

I was a partyhead during my late teenager years. Since I am Diabetic, I drink less and less. I guess it has something to do with my age (37). I recalled my New Year Eve 2005 and drank too much of alcohol, so I recognized a chalky taste in my tongue, so therefore, I knew that my sugar level was too high. It is very rare for me anyway because I don't drink that much lately. I tend to get low sugar levels a few times. I can tell the differences between low and high sugar levels by feeling shaking or tasting so chalky. The body will tell you that. Weird. :eek:

[Achilles]

The alcohol / metformin issue is something I've been struggling with. I'm currently on 500 mg Met / day, low carb diet, and exercise. My Dr. said I could have 1 - 2 alcoholic drinks / day.

I'm not really much of a daily drinker though. I can go all week without drinking a single beer. Being a bachelor though, I like to go out on the weekends just to get out of the house and be sociable. If I go out for 3 - 4 hours lets say, I used to drink a couple of beers in the first hour and then say 1 beer an hour after that. So I would wind up drinking 4 - 5 beers in a 4 hour period once a week. I guess some would consider this "binge" drinking but i see people who drink a LOT more all the time.

Now I'm kind of afraid to do this or drink at all. Based on my blood work, my Dr. said my kidney function looked normal. I didn't even bother asking my Dr. about drinking more than 2 beers / day because I believe he would have to stick with the recommendation of 2 drinks / day max.

I work hard all week, and used to enjoy myself on the weekend by drinking a few beers. This has been the hardest thing for me while on the Metformin to accept. I feel like besides all the other restrictions that diabetes has caused I've also had to give up this part of my life too. This is really hard.

From some reading that I've done, it appears that lactic acidosis is very rare, and usually affects elderly people more who have some other problem such as kidney function. Then I've read that Metformin and acute or binge drinking may cause problems.

Anyone here taking Metformin for a while and experimented with have more than the 2 drinks / day on the weekends or for a wedding reception party, etc.? I guess since I'm very new to all of this, I'm being extremely cautious; at the same time though, am I being overly conservative?

[gleny]

hi,
I am new last week and am just taking 250 mg of metfromin right now am and pm.I am going out tonight and like to have a couple drinks.I was told by classes at hospital vodka or rum clear stuff is better and mix it with diet soda or flavored water. I have not drank anything on metfromin yet and want to have 2 drinks tonight..but don't dare. How long after taking metformin can you drink>? Thanks Gleny

[Emm]

Metformin works on the liver - and alcohol keeps the liver busy - so I think it's wise to go easy on drinking when you're taking Met.

I couldn't drink when I was on met, it actually made me get totally trashed on just a couple of drinks! I haven't come across anyone else who had this reaction - perhaps it's my own personal oddity.

[red]

I've heard that a few beers have less carbs, but I don't know which ones. It's the carbs that are important.

I have a rum and diet coke when I go out these days. Or vodka and soda. (Tonic has sugar in it, but not soda.)