What can I drink and how much?

[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!!

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

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.

[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.)

[Isometric]

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?

I'm in almost the exact same boat, Achilles! In fact, I was just at my doctor's office today talking with him about this very issue. I've just had my annual blood/urine screen for liver and kidney function, as well as cholesterol, and everything came back pretty solid (little low on the HDL, but only by a point or two). I told him that ever since my diagnosis, when I started on metformin only (no insulin or other meds), I'd been scared beer-less to touch alcohol because of the information sheet that came with the metformin. He checked on his pharmacological information sources and said that the "beer-or-two" with the guys for a football game is pretty safe. The problem with alcohol and metformin, so he says, is excessive intake. Naturally, that's going to vary from person to person, so I'm sure he didn't mean that be a blanket statement for every person on metformin. I take 1000mg twice a day, for a total of 2000mg (generally regarded as the maximum effective dose), and I feel safe enough to try having a beer or two. I had my party days in the distant past as well, so I also know that that amount of alcohol isn't enough to knock me over by a long shot. Assuming I survive this little experiment , I'll report back to this thread and let you know how it goes.

[chris24541]

Dude It's all going to hurt you in the end. Just say no man.

[Isometric]

I did say no for 5 years, and I'm not talking about binge drinking - I'm talking about the freedom to have an adult beverage or two here and there.

[soso]

I drink, in moderation and sometimes (and I mean sometimes) a bit more and I am in good health.. live a little...don't kill ypurself.. a few drinks is OK for most.
I like what Mae West said.. you only live once, and if you do it right, once is enough..