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Type 1 diabetes and alcohol
- Thread starter Laura-kay
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As you say your diabetes isn't under control yet I would be very cautious about drinking alcohol, however if your adamant that you do want to have a few drinks then have a word with your DSN, they will advise you on taking sensible measures to prevent any problems.
AndyS
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+1 for noblehead.
If your BG is all over the place still then be cautious. The thing to be aware of with alcohol is that, depending on what you drink, your sugars may go up but then a few hours later they will start to drop and you could go hypo.
The reason for the later drop is that your liver is too busy dealing with the alcohol so doesn't release sugar. I have found that sometimes if I have had a few drinks I can see a drop as much as 12 hours after I stopped drinking.
That being said I have found that a glass of a dry wine doesn't seem to have much impact on my sugars, others find differently so you kind of need to keep testing so you can understand how your own body responds.
In terms of tips, well if I am going to have something which has a carb content, like beer, then I usually end up rolling that in with a meal and dose for those carbs (sometimes with a slight reduction to allow for the drop) but if I am not eating then I go for something that has little or no carbohydrate content. SO wine or spirit with a sugar-free mixer.
I do strongly suggest that you discuss with your DSN and really go for super moderation until you get your levels under control a bit. Being new it really is just a case of keep really good detailed logs and test plenty so you can learn how you respond to things.
Hope that helps a bit.
Best of luck.
/A
If your BG is all over the place still then be cautious. The thing to be aware of with alcohol is that, depending on what you drink, your sugars may go up but then a few hours later they will start to drop and you could go hypo.
The reason for the later drop is that your liver is too busy dealing with the alcohol so doesn't release sugar. I have found that sometimes if I have had a few drinks I can see a drop as much as 12 hours after I stopped drinking.
That being said I have found that a glass of a dry wine doesn't seem to have much impact on my sugars, others find differently so you kind of need to keep testing so you can understand how your own body responds.
In terms of tips, well if I am going to have something which has a carb content, like beer, then I usually end up rolling that in with a meal and dose for those carbs (sometimes with a slight reduction to allow for the drop) but if I am not eating then I go for something that has little or no carbohydrate content. SO wine or spirit with a sugar-free mixer.
I do strongly suggest that you discuss with your DSN and really go for super moderation until you get your levels under control a bit. Being new it really is just a case of keep really good detailed logs and test plenty so you can learn how you respond to things.
Hope that helps a bit.
Best of luck.
/A
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- Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
Well I haven't stopped drinking but have cut down a lot as a way of looking after general health. I've observed that beer lowers 'my' BG to worrying levels although I never drank much of the stuff anyway. I'll drink a glass of wine with a meal or the odd spirit with a sugar free mixer (such as Pepsi Max).
As noblehead states, it's a good idea to speak to your DSN.
But if you decide to go it alone and you're exprimenting, I'd suggest you go slow at first as it's difficult to take corrective action when s**tfaced! Make sure your friends are aware of the situation as hypo's can easily be confused with drunkeness. Check your BG's before and after to find out what the alcohol is doing to you.
Edited: - Alcopops = Sugar !
As noblehead states, it's a good idea to speak to your DSN.
But if you decide to go it alone and you're exprimenting, I'd suggest you go slow at first as it's difficult to take corrective action when s**tfaced! Make sure your friends are aware of the situation as hypo's can easily be confused with drunkeness. Check your BG's before and after to find out what the alcohol is doing to you.
Edited: - Alcopops = Sugar !
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Richard F
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If it's just a glass or two adjust you're insulin accordingly. I often adjust @ bed time because I'm not sure if I'm going to one glass or four.
If it's a session be very very careful, particularly @ bedtime (worth having some supper before going to bed) and the following morning.
I will reduce insulin @ breakfast and risk running slightly high rather than have a sudden hypo catch me out.
The other thing to watch (and not often discussed) is a session followed by energetic "bed exercise" on an empty stomach.
If it's a session be very very careful, particularly @ bedtime (worth having some supper before going to bed) and the following morning.
I will reduce insulin @ breakfast and risk running slightly high rather than have a sudden hypo catch me out.
The other thing to watch (and not often discussed) is a session followed by energetic "bed exercise" on an empty stomach.
Beckie2014
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Hehe this made me chuckle "bed excercise"
Got to be honest tho, I have noticed that and was too shy to ask if it's normal!!
Got to be honest tho, I have noticed that and was too shy to ask if it's normal!!
An article worth reading about the effects of drink @Laura-kay,
To drink safely you need to first understand how alcohol affects you and me differently than it does the sugar-normals. Do you know anything about your liver? It does all kinds of things for your body. It has more than 500 different functions, actually. But most importantly to our discussion today: It's a blood filter. It removes toxins from your blood. Toxins like alcohol.
But the liver only does one thing at a time. Everyone and everything else just has to take a number and stand in line until it's finished the job at hand. And on that list of 500 jobs is "remove excess insulin." Unless, of course, alcohol is in line first. Then the insulin just builds up in your blood while your liver is dealing with the alcohol. It takes hours for the liver to "clear" a good binge, and all that time the insulin stays in your system. It's like taking an extra shot of basal. Big-time hypos hit 8-10 hours downstream from last call, when you're sleeping it off.
http://www.healthline.com/diabetesm...revisiting-drinking-diabetes-with-uncle-wil#1
To drink safely you need to first understand how alcohol affects you and me differently than it does the sugar-normals. Do you know anything about your liver? It does all kinds of things for your body. It has more than 500 different functions, actually. But most importantly to our discussion today: It's a blood filter. It removes toxins from your blood. Toxins like alcohol.
But the liver only does one thing at a time. Everyone and everything else just has to take a number and stand in line until it's finished the job at hand. And on that list of 500 jobs is "remove excess insulin." Unless, of course, alcohol is in line first. Then the insulin just builds up in your blood while your liver is dealing with the alcohol. It takes hours for the liver to "clear" a good binge, and all that time the insulin stays in your system. It's like taking an extra shot of basal. Big-time hypos hit 8-10 hours downstream from last call, when you're sleeping it off.
http://www.healthline.com/diabetesm...revisiting-drinking-diabetes-with-uncle-wil#1
Richard F
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AndyS
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darrenh04
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I was quite lucky and got hold of a freestyle libre when they first came out. It really helped me not only understand the immediate impact on my levels but what happened over night afterward. Careful experimentation is best. I found beer drives levels up, a shot with diet mixer down and wine just about holds steady.
L3wisr
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I've probably 'tested' drinking out a little too much since diagnosed but one thing I would reiterate is to make sure you have a little bite to eat before bed to ensure a drop sugars won't result in a bad hypo. I was also told by the diabetic nurse to sneak in a little glass of coke every 3 pints of beer, not sure what that equates to in other drinks or if it's the best advice but it seems to work for me
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I think I worry so much because my levels are never consistent, the clinic keep saying that I'm a "special case" :-/ I still like to go out with friends for a few drinks as I'm still young (ish) lol... I do find that the next morning I'm very shaky and my levels are lower than normal, I guess in the long run I will work out what's best for me, just need to test more frequently on those occasions. Thanks again for helping me 
Richard F
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I use an accu-chek mobile. 50 tests in a cassette and a finger pricker with 6 lancets clipped to the side.
It slips into a pocket without having to be in a bulky wallet and is self contained. I find it very convenient when out and about.
It slips into a pocket without having to be in a bulky wallet and is self contained. I find it very convenient when out and about.
novorapidboi26
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the most important thing to know about booze is that, in its purest form it lowers the blood sugar, due to livers normal output of glucose being disrupted as the liver tries to expel the booze..........
so in the first instance, being aware of what you have had to drink before you sleep that night is important, as well as getting into a routine of eating carbs uncovered by bolus/quick acting insulin and/or reducing your background insulin. Drinking is a good example of when a split basal dose would be handy....
not all alcohol comes as spirit, so there may be some that come with carbs in them like beer, cider, vodka mixers............all of these can be bolused for if you are familiar with the effect the booze has on you.............for example, I could have 3 pints of lager, take a bolus, 10g per pint, go home and not worry about reduced basal or carbs, having more than this amount of booze will effect my liver and therefore I will need carb/basal reduction.....
so its all trial and error, have fun doing it, but be extra careful and take care.......
so in the first instance, being aware of what you have had to drink before you sleep that night is important, as well as getting into a routine of eating carbs uncovered by bolus/quick acting insulin and/or reducing your background insulin. Drinking is a good example of when a split basal dose would be handy....
not all alcohol comes as spirit, so there may be some that come with carbs in them like beer, cider, vodka mixers............all of these can be bolused for if you are familiar with the effect the booze has on you.............for example, I could have 3 pints of lager, take a bolus, 10g per pint, go home and not worry about reduced basal or carbs, having more than this amount of booze will effect my liver and therefore I will need carb/basal reduction.....
so its all trial and error, have fun doing it, but be extra careful and take care.......
Spencer67
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I was also looking for some low carb beer myself for a treat and found quite a comprehensive list >>>
Coors Light seems to be the one most readily available for me locally, i always wondered what was lite about it as it wasn't the calories but if you compare it to 126 calories and 10g of carb of (12 fl.oz) Guinness i guess it is.
I've had a few on the list here not realising they were so low carb. Brill Thin Ice Pale Ale is the lowest @ 1g of Carb lol get in. Tesco sell it for £1.99 in an offer any 3 for £5, Taxi!!!!
fyi 12 oz is about the equivalent of just under 3/4 of a pint (0.6 imperial pint). I had to look it up too.
Source http://lowcarbediem.com/atkins-low-carb-250-beer-comparison-chart/
Coors Light seems to be the one most readily available for me locally, i always wondered what was lite about it as it wasn't the calories but if you compare it to 126 calories and 10g of carb of (12 fl.oz) Guinness i guess it is.
I've had a few on the list here not realising they were so low carb. Brill
Thin Ice Pale Ale is the lowest @ 1g of Carb lol get in. Tesco sell it for £1.99 in an offer any 3 for £5, Taxi!!!!fyi 12 oz is about the equivalent of just under 3/4 of a pint (0.6 imperial pint). I had to look it up too.
Source http://lowcarbediem.com/atkins-low-carb-250-beer-comparison-chart/
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