Alcohol blackouts...

[SRO]

Hi all,

I am not a big drinker. Weddings, special events and the odd weekend (once every few months at most) are really the only times.

Been diagnosed T1 for 8 months now, and since ive been on insulin, ive experienced something odd.

Ive had 4 drinking sessions this year, 3 big events, and 1 weekend session (yesterday).
I have been blackout drunk each time, not remembering the night before AT ALL. I thought the first few times it was down to the volume of drink (which is a reasonable assumption, knowing the volume i did drink). Yesterday, however, i had around 16 units over a 5 hour period (too much, probably, but not ridiculous based on what i drank pre T1)!
I do not remember getting home (i was with the Mrs, so was safe), or injecting when i came home, but checked my meter and i did check my blood.

Has anyone experienced this, and of course other than drinking less, does insulin have an effect with alcohol to cause these blackouts?

P.s. i am so embarrassed about being 'that guy'.

 

[himtoo]

Hey @SRO

there are loads of threads on the forum about drinking , insulin and what to do to be safe.

It sounds as though you were "very merry" combined with a possibly falling blood sugar which could cause the blackout.

ways to prevent this are alternate alcoholic drinks with water,
test during the evening , and don't inject extra bolus.
have a carby snack at around finishing drinking time ( or even slightly before )

I have been on a few drunken evenings but somehow always remembered to test and eat something to avoid a bad hypo

 

[knackered]

Glad you posted this. I was about to start a thread about drinking and glucose monitoring results.

Here's something we can all do for each other, take an alcohol test.

We all should have an idea of what our levels will be after a normal diet, but throw alcohol into the equation and we all get lost...

I would like to see what the effect of say two cans (500ml) of 5% strength lager has on blood sugar levels at 1,2, 3 and four hours do to the members who post on here as our very own experiment..

I bet our readings will all be way down and confirm a thought I have had for some time, that any alcohol consumption makes blood sugar levels testing, a waste of time.

I have the libre freestyle on its way to me and the first thing I will do is assess the effect of alcohol on my readings. I love a drink and it is the one thing I will find hardest to control. I use it as a reward, an anti depressant, a toy to throw out the cot, you name it!.

I can almost guarantee, I will have to abstain from booze from now on and I will miss it sorely.

BUT, that's better than my kids and grandchildren missing me sorely I tell myself.

Diabetes and booze are a diagnostic 'monkeys tea party'

They just don't mix.

Was that a rant?...

 

[himtoo]

haha -- it was a bit of a rant....................

i successfully combine alcohol with D -- but i mainly stick to dry white wine and red wine -- which are very low carb
so dont cause the spike one gets from beer ( followed by the drop later )
i test through the evening and eat a carby snack at bedtime

 

[Jaylee]

haha -- it was a bit of a rant....................

i successfully combine alcohol with D -- but i mainly stick to dry white wine and red wine -- which are very low carb
so dont cause the spike one gets from beer ( followed by the drop later )
i test through the evening and eat a carby snack at bedtime

Indeed. Or voddy & Diet Coke... 1,2,3,4 hours later? Beer don't do me no favours on the BS..

@SRO ,

I wouldn't say I've "blacked out".. But the routine of testing, logging & injecting basal before bed I have woken & thought "did I?" The night before had ended a little fuzzy with the last clear memory before bed of getting undressed..
Though my morning levels prove otherwise along with the record kept on my device with the decimal point in the wrong place contrary to the meters recorded use.. Lol Normaly my lantus pen is left out by the bed too..! All the clues of a sensible night of carnage..

 

[tim2000s]

This is where a pump is helpful. You don't have to remember to test and inject, and cgm also gives an excellent record of a night on the beers.

I'd tend towards the @Jaylee experience. Beers really put my bg levels up so I have to deal with them!

 

[Type1Bri]

I wrote a piece on how I deal with alcohol, feel free to check it out and give feedback https://type1bri.com/alcohol-and-t1d

 

[jinatki]

Your blackouts may be seizures triggered by a huge volume of alcohol leaving your system combined with a lowered blood sugar level. I have had these events happen to me. I was dependent on alcohol until I went into rehab 7 years ago, I have been sober ever since .
make sure you never drink alone & make sure your companions knows what to do in the event of a hypo.
Binge drinking can be as dangerous as dependency for type 1 diabetics.

 

[lisal]

Hi,im type2 and on metformin,januvia and gliclazide,ive had a few blackouts where ive lost a few hours whilst ive been out drinking..its happened a few times now,on sunday i met up with a few friends around 2oclock,we shared a bottle of rosè then went to another pub had anither bottle and thats all i can remember,my bloods where 7.2 in the morning but i have no idea how i got home or anything,my friend told me she put me in taxi at 5 but i never got home till 8.30 have no idea where id been in between,has anyboby else had anything similar,this has happened about 4 times now over the last year or so,most of the other comments are frm t1s,not sure if its anything to do with diabetes or not x