Diabetes and alcohol

[Amanda84]

Am aware of the alcohol and hypo relationship. But, how do people out here deal with the need to drink? I love my wine in the evenings and will happily quaff if not half a bottle then a bottle - especially on a Friday and Saturday evening. Does anybody have any bright ideas in order to cut back?
Maybe I've been a Type 1 for too long and this is just an easy way to feel better about the whole thing.
Must point out I'm not staggering the streets. I'm at home sometimes with friends and husband drinking or by myself. Have done the talk at the AA equivalent (or AAA -depending which country we're in).
Being able to just have a glass of wine would be a godsend. Any ideas, experience out there?

[Cluck]

Am aware of the alcohol and hypo relationship. But, how do people out here deal with the need to drink? I love my wine in the evenings and will happily quaff if not half a bottle then a bottle - especially on a Friday and Saturday evening. Does anybody have any bright ideas in order to cut back?
Maybe I've been a Type 1 for too long and this is just an easy way to feel better about the whole thing.
Must point out I'm not staggering the streets. I'm at home sometimes with friends and husband drinking or by myself. Have done the talk at the AA equivalent (or AAA -depending which country we're in).
Being able to just have a glass of wine would be a godsend. Any ideas, experience out there?

I enjoy a glass of wine 4 or 5 times a week. I usually have the wine with my evening meal so there are no hypos.

Even having a snack with the wine would probably do the trick, but perhaps not for several glasses. I don't know.

It's hard to tell from your post whether or not you want anyone to pay attention to the amount you drink or the AA reference. PM me if you want.

[Harold]

Wine is a problem for me, since I do wild and crazy things when I drink too much, like the whole bottle. It always seemed to me that once it was opened it would not be any good the next day. Came up with two solutions. One is to make sure there are enough people present participating that I can only have one glass or two. The other solution was to drink whiskey. I do not have a need to drink. but I do enjoy an adult beverage or two with dinner. Even in a festive social setting I know better than to have more than 4 drinks in a 3 or 4 hour period.

[Amanda84]

Thank you for responding nice people.
Cluck what does PM mean?

[morrisma]

PM is private message - forum email.

I enjoy a beer or a glass of wine on a fairly regular basis. I cannot drink much more because I do not like how I feel the next day rather than because of diabetes.

I take insulin for half the carbs in a beer and none for a glass of dry red wine.
Mike

[art]

I have a martini almost every night.
If I dine out add to that at least half a bottle of wine.
Remember you're eating. Food has carbs.. The drinks offset some of the carbs in the food.

Now if you were out on the town just hammering down incredible amounts of booze I'd suggest you bring along some twinkies.

And no, I'm not calling AA.

Art

[genie86333]

Must point out I'm not staggering the streets. I'm at home sometimes with friends and husband drinking or by myself. Have done the talk at the AA equivalent (or AAA -depending which country we're in).
Being able to just have a glass of wine would be a godsend. Any ideas, experience out there?

Glad you at least are in a safe location when you do drink. However, maybe if one glass effects you enough that you can't stop at just the one, maybe that one glass is one glass too many.

[buddy7]

Most people with diabetes can enjoy a drink from time to time, as long as its done in moderation, actually small amounts is generally considered to be a benefit to our health.

I generally have a glass of wine after a good meal, I see this no harm to my health, in the same breath, I'm always aware, excessive alcohol intake can impair the management of my diabetes.

[Amanda84]

Yes Genie you've hit the nail on the head, that one glass is one glass too many. See how I go tonight. Thank you. And, to be quite honest, hangovers and hypos really aren't that great.

[isis_rainbow]

What I do is eat something before I start drinking, maybe 20 carbs, DEFINITELY something that has protein in it. Then I choose a beverage with a few carbs in each one...5 or 10 per drink. I might drink 5 or 6, so it does add up. If I eat anything else I take the normal amount of insulin for it. My blood sugar is usually where I want it the next day.

I don't do it on a daily basis...it does make my bs a little high (200-220) the night I'm drinking...but it goes down during the night, so for me it has to be.

You just have to try some different combinations of things and see what works for you. As long as you don't get so drunk you puke you'll probably be fine (obviously you want to be able to eat something in case your blood sugar DOES get too low because of the alcohol).

[cynthiazinn]

I think the larger picture that is being ignored here is the heavy toll that being diabetic puts on your internal organs. I deal with end-stage renal patients constantly. Many of them thought an occasional drink was ok too. However, their kidneys are now paying the price. Now I'm done preaching! In the real world we do like our alcohol! What do I do? My husband and I have a tradition of having a glass of wine on our anniversary and I take communion on Sundays. Less is better!

[genie86333]

Yes Genie you've hit the nail on the head, that one glass is one glass too many. See how I go tonight. Thank you. And, to be quite honest, hangovers and hypos really aren't that great.

You're welcome. I hate to be right about something like that, however. :/

And...hangovers in combo with hypos, I'd imagine to be even worse.

[ak3000]

I was diagnosed when I was 16, I'm 27 now and i've never had an alcoholic drink in my life. I've always wondered if i'm missing out on anything, but when I was young I was under the belief that alcohol was bad for diabetics due to the whole hypo thing. When I got to the point of where I was told it was okay to drink in moderation I had no interest in alcohol... one of those "what if" things I guess...

[Amanda84]

Cynthiazinn, what is end stage renal? I mean, what happens and how soon before you notice anything wrong? Although diabetes an insidious disease and complications slowly creep up.
Ak3000 good for you, never any booze.
My mother was very anti- alcohol which made me want to drink as well but am getting better in the last few days - a whole lot better. Genie, keep thinking what you said about maybe that one glass one glass too many. Am using it as a mantra!

[erik316]

End stage Renal is the final step in Kidney Failure if I remember correctly. My grandmother is going through it now although shes not at End stage

[cynthiazinn]

End stage renal is after the kidneys have completely shut down and no longer have any ability to filter toxins from the blood, like alcohol, to form urine. This person must be on daily or continuous hemodialysis, a method that uses a machine to filter the blood. If the person is not eligible for a transplant they will likely die within 6 months. About 40% of patients with end stage renal are diabetic, making it a major complication of diabetes. The others are due to hypertension and rarely, other causes. As diabetics we should not be putting extra strain on our kidneys with drugs and alcohol. Remember that anything you put in your body will ultimatley be filtered by your kidneys, which are already strained with filtering your increased glucose.

[susieq214]

Hi all
I have been drinking 2-3 glasses of wine every night for years. Went to doc a couple of weeks ago, A1C was 9, up from a 7 last time. Dropped the wine completely, joined Calorie King, started counting carbs and walking. Doc wanted to put me on insulin, and I asked him for 3 months to get my act together. AM fasting reading already went from 188 to 120. I am done with wine for now. I may have a glass on a special occasion but am no longer stocking it in the house as it is too much of a temptation for me. I thought I needed it to make me sleep but I sleep much better now without it. My sister also laid off the wine and has lost most of her belly fat in 4 months (also she's on Weight Watcher's) and went from prediabetic to normal. I would rather stay away from stuff that makes me gain weight than take more meds. Just my opinion but it's working for me.

[matingara]

As diabetics we should not be putting extra strain on our kidneys with drugs and alcohol. Remember that anything you put in your body will ultimatley be filtered by your kidneys, which are already strained with filtering your increased glucose.

Cynthia, Hi, These statements seem a tad on the "FUD"dy side to me.

but i may be completely wrong.

It is not diabetes that puts strain on the kidneys, rather it is constantly high blood sugars. If a diabetic has well controlled BGLs then there is no reason why the kidneys should be "strained with filtering your increased glucose".

BTW, i do not drink alcohol and my BP (which i measure several times a week) is normally around 100/70. that does not mean, however, that i do not get my kidney function checked regularly.

:)

-- Joel.

[Abra]

SusieQ, I just want to point out that you changed a number of variables at once, the antithesis of good science. You stopped drinking wine, started counting carbs, and started walking, all at the same time. Since the latter two are almost guaranteed to drop your BG, you have no way of knowing the effect of the wine.

[matingara]

SusieQ, I just want to point out that you changed a number of variables at once, the antithesis of good science. You stopped drinking wine, started counting carbs, and started walking, all at the same time. Since the latter two are almost guaranteed to drop your BG, you have no way of knowing the effect of the wine.

i was going to say the same thing!!!

:)

[matingara]

Doc wanted to put me on insulin, and I asked him for 3 months to get my act together. AM fasting reading already went from 188 to 120.

i think that avoiding insulin so you can "get your act together" are not related goals.

insulin is a great tool to help manage BGLs. it isn't an end-game death sentence.

this is not an "either/or" situation. i.e. "Either you get your act together OR you WILL have to start taking insulin".

why not adopt insulin as a tool to help you get your act together? it could make things a lot easier for you!

just my opinion.

:)

-- Joel.

[lark 27]

Cynthiazinn, what is end stage renal? I mean, what happens and how soon before you notice anything wrong? Although diabetes an insidious disease and complications slowly creep up.
Ak3000 good for you, never any booze.
My mother was very anti- alcohol which made me want to drink as well but am getting better in the last few days - a whole lot better. Genie, keep thinking what you said about maybe that one glass one glass too many. Am using it as a mantra!

Good for you Amanda to take Genie's comment and turn it into a mantra if that's what is best for you. Keep up the good work!

[Pote05]

I enjoy Miller Lite and a good Crown & water on the weekends...