Nights out and alcohol

[JohnCopus]

Can anyone tell me how alcohol and nights out can effect my type 2 diabetes I used to be able to handle a good drink but now I vomit every time is this a side effect ?

 

[Netty70]

Hi John
I also could drink in my day lol but now even after just a couple of drinks I get really bad stomach cramps
So don't bother anymore but I can still party lol


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[LittleWolf]

There are many many threads on this topic x

Alcohol majorly screws with blood sugar. It could shoot it up or drop you low (whilst your liver is trying to deal with the literal poison you ingested) or both.

I've had 2 cans of cider, dropped to a reading so low the meter didn't read it then woke up feeling like death at 19.4mmol

Everyone likes to let their hair down once in a while and I have a little drink ever so often when at my boyfriend's family's house because I hate feeling 'left out' but often end up regretting it.

Like you I USED to be fine with alcohol. In fact an unusually high tolerance. Since the blood sugar went crazy it causes all sort of problems such as hypos (vomiting could be a symptom of either hypo or hyperglycemia) and I get a bad pins and needles feelings in my limbs. A lot of diabetics have gastrointestinal disorders or sensitivities which alcohol can exacerbate

I don't want to preach to you or tell you you can't drink. You can, just be aware of what could happen.

Theres a bunch of threads here with stories like someone went out drinking, had a hypo and ended up in a jail cell , someone's friend died after drinking and falling into a coma. My own T1 partner often has a drink and wakes up with dangerous blood sugar etc

Alcohol is the legal drug of choice for most of the country, just be careful with it ok? Test regularly, have some snacks in hand, dont drink on an empty stomach

Don just take my biased word for it either though if I'm sounding too anti-booze. Just have a look at the many threads on this topic. I believe the forum has a search feature

Have fun and stay safe. I know the world seems a pretty boring place if everyone is telling you you can't do this and that because you have diabetes, it everyone has to be careful with this drug. Xxx


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[Netty70]

There are many many threads on this topic x

Alcohol majorly screws with blood sugar. It could shoot it up or drop you low (whilst your liver is trying to deal with the literal poison you ingested) or both.

I've had 2 cans of cider, dropped to a reading so low the meter didn't read it then woke up feeling like death at 19.4mmol

Everyone likes to let their hair down once in a while and I have a little drink ever so often when at my boyfriend's family's house because I hate feeling 'left out' but often end up regretting it.

Like you I USED to be fine with alcohol. In fact an unusually high tolerance. Since the blood sugar went crazy it causes all sort of problems such as hypos (vomiting could be a symptom of either hypo or hyperglycemia) and I get a bad pins and needles feelings in my limbs. A lot of diabetics have gastrointestinal disorders or sensitivities which alcohol can exacerbate

I don't want to preach to you or tell you you can't drink. You can, just be aware of what could happen.

Theres a bunch of threads here with stories like someone went out drinking, had a hypo and ended up in a jail cell , someone's friend died after drinking and falling into a coma. My own T1 partner often has a drink and wakes up with dangerous blood sugar etc

Alcohol is the legal drug of choice for most of the country, just be careful with it ok? Test regularly, have some snacks in hand, dont drink on an empty stomach

Don just take my biased word for it either though if I'm sounding too anti-booze. Just have a look at the many threads on this topic. I believe the forum has a search feature

Have fun and stay safe. I know the world seems a pretty boring place if everyone is telling you you can't do this and that because you have diabetes, it everyone has to be careful with this drug. Xxx


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[mo1905]

There are many many threads on this topic x

Alcohol majorly screws with blood sugar. It could shoot it up or drop you low (whilst your liver is trying to deal with the literal poison you ingested) or both.

I've had 2 cans of cider, dropped to a reading so low the meter didn't read it then woke up feeling like death at 19.4mmol

Everyone likes to let their hair down once in a while and I have a little drink ever so often when at my boyfriend's family's house because I hate feeling 'left out' but often end up regretting it.

Like you I USED to be fine with alcohol. In fact an unusually high tolerance. Since the blood sugar went crazy it causes all sort of problems such as hypos (vomiting could be a symptom of either hypo or hyperglycemia) and I get a bad pins and needles feelings in my limbs. A lot of diabetics have gastrointestinal disorders or sensitivities which alcohol can exacerbate

I don't want to preach to you or tell you you can't drink. You can, just be aware of what could happen.

Theres a bunch of threads here with stories like someone went out drinking, had a hypo and ended up in a jail cell , someone's friend died after drinking and falling into a coma. My own T1 partner often has a drink and wakes up with dangerous blood sugar etc

Alcohol is the legal drug of choice for most of the country, just be careful with it ok? Test regularly, have some snacks in hand, dont drink on an empty stomach

Don just take my biased word for it either though if I'm sounding too anti-booze. Just have a look at the many threads on this topic. I believe the forum has a search feature

Have fun and stay safe. I know the world seems a pretty boring place if everyone is telling you you can't do this and that because you have diabetes, it everyone has to be careful with this drug. Xxx


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Good advice there Ms Wolf ;-) well said.


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[martwolves]

This is 100% legal. Try drinking less, it is alcohol, not a drug you can be convicted for. Maybe have a soft drink between alcoholic ones so you drink less. It's not a crime or a poison but a drink. Try moderating, my friends know I'm diabetic and that it's not big and clever to down as much as them/i can. Don't be brow-beaten, just do what feels good. I used to just have tomato juice when first diagnosed until I found my own personal boundaries. I'm a father and husband, I can enjoy alcohol, especially on nights like tonight, without getting drunk. Some people are shortsighted when it comes to taking illegal substance, but can be all high and mighty over the legal pint. So much for cannanbis not being paraonid inducing and relaxing in quality. good luck mate!

 

[mo1905]

This is 100% legal. Try drinking less, it is alcohol, not a drug you can be convicted for. Maybe have a soft drink between alcoholic ones so you drink less. It's not a crime or a poison but a drink. Try moderating, my friends know I'm diabetic and that it's not big and clever to down as much as them/i can. Don't be brow-beaten, just do what feels good. I used to just have tomato juice when first diagnosed until I found my own personal boundaries. I'm a father and husband, I can enjoy alcohol, especially on nights like tonight, without getting drunk. Some people are shortsighted when it comes to taking illegal substance, but can be all high and mighty over the legal pint. So much for cannanbis not being paraonid inducing and relaxing in quality. good luck mate!

More great advice ! This evening, we are blessed ! Hope all is well Mart ?



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[martwolves]

Take care, bud! Just take things steady and keep an eye on spikes and sudden drops in BG levels. Don't panic if you go a bit high, alcohol (in sensible quantity) level themselves out. Even if a bit high, take a small snack before hitting the sack. There's no exact application as we all respond differently. My pancreas is knackered and does nothing, for all I know you may produce a bit of insulin. I'm no professor, just a regular guy trying to get on with my life. I would advise against going gung ho, as you'll be in a poor position to make a reasonable decision and take and informed choice re: drug readings. You'll figure it all out soon enough! Take care.

 

[LittleWolf]

I wasn't trying to brow beat Mart, do not bring the cannabis debate into this or imply that I am paranoid.

I'm just trying to remind people that alcohol (ethanol) is a drug just like caffeine, cannabis, opiates or any other kind.

They all have potential dangers. This is not a legality debate it's reminding people that just because it is freely available for people to use and just because you might not necessarily get drunk doesn't mean it cannot harm you.

There is no question alcohol majorly screws with blood sugar the same way There is no question that is a mood altering drug (a depressant)

Look. At. The. Facts.

Psychoactive drug. Solvent. Fuel. Would you pour another kind of alcohol like isopropyl down your throat?

Please read about the chemical structure, properties and and toxicity of alcohol

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol

Because it IS toxic. This is not my opinion.

I tried not to be too one sided, told the OP to not worry too much, I understand that most like to have a drink now and then and no one like feeling left out or being told what they can and cannot do.

If you wish to turn this into an alcohol vs cannabis debate I and others have written to local MPs on the matter and they have replied stating that they know how dangerous alcohol can be though many can enjoy it in moderation but the nation as a whole has a drinking problem but it is ignored and alcohol remains legal because it has become so socially ingrained. In case you do not remember it was considered so dangerous as to be made illegal (prohibition era) but was legalised again because people rioted and the government realized that it only increased black market sales of unregulated alcohol that was /even more/ dangerous.

Which is why, as pro cannabis as I am, I don't go running around saying it should be banned and no one should ever drink ever. Just made the OP aware of what it could do pretty much immediately. As opposed to anecdotal evidence of say cannabis possibly harming a small demographic decades down the line.

I am not the one who turned this thread into an alcohol vs cannabis debate, you brought it up. I am also trying to keep personal feelings out of it too. Civilly. Maturely.

I'd appreciate it if the debate stopped here because you cannot deny that a diabetic has to at least be cautious about alcohol intake as the results could be *immediately life threatening* Again, it being '100% legal' has nothing to do with it. It's only legal because it is ingrained in society and people riot or manufacture it illegally if it is taken away.

I honestly don't think I've been unreasonable or anything other than encouraging here. Mart you confuse me.


Sorry about the thread derailment OP

Bye. I'm not diabetic anyway so I'm not going to worry about anything I put into my body anymore because it is legal. Like carbs and battery acid. Can't possibly do me any harm if the government allows it.



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[martwolves]

Glad you can multi-task. Both speak and listen...err hang on. You make me smile LW, go safely.

 

[martwolves]

:/

 

[martwolves]

Hi John, apologies, to reiterate, it is not a crime. Take time to experiment and find out what works. I am diabetic and like the odd drink. I was chucked a curve ball a year ago to the day (bar two) where I went to my mates Indian wedding banquet and a free bar with loads of mates I hadn't seen in ages. I bolussed for the food and the drinks pretty much looked after themselves, peaking and troughing. It may be a bit different for you, but I ate well that night! Six course dinner and appetisers inbetween. I think the alcohol was pretty well absorbed. Just test when you have a drink, before/after and compare different volumes, obviously noy 8 ponts vs 14. I'm not promoting drinking, but after a long week working and this glorious sun I often have one of a friday if my brummie mate comes down from Manc-land. I tell you what, at the back of the mailbox, it's rude not too in this weather. You know what you're about and fair play. Thank you for your polite response.

 

[charon]

I normally test between 4.5 and 6.
I have just started a residential week at a university. They said there would be a cold buffet but that turned out to be lettuce. I tried the pasta, meatballs and Parmesan at 17:50. Went to 7.1 an hour later.
Since starting testing I've not had more than a few glasses of red wine with a meal and usually test in the 4's after. This evening I had 3 pints of grolsch (to test) between 21:30 and 23:30. At 23:50 I tested at 10.1 (first time above 7.5 for a couple of months).
Went for a long walk then at 01:18 came in at 4.2.

For me red wine brings the bg down but might have a spike first - could just be timing.
I have noticed before that after drinking the bg goes down but the next day goes up a bit (maybe 0.7) and takes a couple of days to come down again. Not sure how consistent that is or if it was the alcohol though.


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[martwolves]

Thanks Charon!!! It is all about timing and not drinking before you eat. Especially be mindful of slow burning starchy foods that suddenly vanish when we're not looking. I generally know off the cuff what I'll need once I've decided on food, I focus on proteins, then carbs then fibre. I try to get a balance and a bead on what I guess my reading will be. I do this through a carb countibg guide from my DSN. It really works.

 

[Marfmama]

Another thing to consider is how it affects you the next day - I always have a hypo mid morning the day after drinking - I'm fairly new to all this and maybe in the future I will be able to prevent this but so far I have not been able, no matter what I eat before going to bed or for breakfast! I rarely drink a lot these days as it makes me feel so rubbish the next day, but I went out last night and had the inevitable hypo at 10.30 - had a can of coke and got on with my day! In my student days I could drink a full bottle of Jaegermeister before even leaving my house, but now a couple of beers is enough!!


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[martwolves]

A bottle of Jaegermeister in the morning? I'm glad you've knowcked that on the head for your liver and kidneys sake.

 

[Marfmama]

Ha not in the morning - I meant in the evening before leaving to continue drinking in bars! I often think about how different it would have been if I had been diagnosed at 18 instead of at 24 when I had already got all that partying out of my system, had a small baby and a "proper job", it was a lot easier for me to accept at that age as I was already living rather healthily... At 18 I would have struggled !!!


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[Squire Fulwood]

Depends what you call a good drink really.

Having drunk my way through the keg beer years, the real ale years and the wine years as well as partying my face off when I was young I am in a position to offer the following advice about puking.

Have you ever heard someone give a loud burp after drinking a gassed lemonade or coke? If you drink three pints of gassed beer then the burp will have lumps in. Keg beer, gas driven pumps and lager fall into this category but the keg beer is far more volatile for some reason. You can dramatically lessen the effect by drinking real ale from a manual pump.

If you drink spirits then the ones with a powerful taste will be the worst but if you have a tasteless one (vodka for example) the mixer will be the only thing you can taste when puking later. After much experimentation I found that vodka and bitter lemon could be held onto almost indefinitely.

Wine is tricky but nice. The weaker it is the more sugar it is likely to have in it. These are known as dinner wines. You might not actually be sick but just wish you could be. Stronger wines have less sugar in them normally (but not always). You have to drink a lot to actually be sick but it is quite possible believe me.

I hope this helps.

 

[martwolves]

By reading into some of the "rationnel" implied here, an illegal drug is ok and a krispy kreme should be banned because it's harmful. This comes from a non-diabetic. As long as you come to terms that prolonged supping can lead to liver and heart complications and drink sensibly and to identify your yield/threshold, I'm sure you'll be fine. Check your pre and post pintage readings and later readings once the alcohol has transformed into sugar and been reintroduced into your system and dose your insulin accordingly. However, I would suggest you apply the doses incrementally, not one or two mmol, but not the whole dose, because as people suggest, quite correctly, at some point the blood does suddenly plummet and the alcohol drop would certainly exacerbate this and you could be caught out. Especially late at night. Just be careful and find the food/alcohol/insulin ratio you need and apply that formula to quantity. Do be careful, don't go on the lash as some have knowing you have neither kit, insulin, nor emergency glucose with you. The outcome is while quite beyond belief at times, is also pretty shocking and dangerous. Diabetes is not the end of the world, but do not turn your back on the beast for a second. It'll be on you like a rat up a drainpipe.

Good luck friend. I do try to help, though often get mistaken in my views.

 

[nicola38]

hi mart i wish i.was optimist as you drinking alcohol and eating donuts daily well your body is coping n burning so keep it up nicky

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