ALCOHOL AND DIABETES

[dan92]

Hi all,

I am looking for some advice. Since being diagnosed with Type1 diabetes most times when I drink, if not all, I have ended up blind drunk to the point I am unable to recall anything that has happened.

I have always drunk and socialised regularly and this was never previously an issue. I am aware how alcohol effects your blood sugars (spikes and hypos) however even when my bloods are well managed and within target (which is most of the time) this still occurs. I always monitor my glucose levels when out drinking and always try to eat a carby meal before I go out.

Prior to having diabetes I could go out on an empty stomach, drink copious amounts, get drunk (maybe make a fool of myself on occasion) but always remember my night!

I am honestly at a loss and can no find any more information. Drinking and socialising is a big part of my life and I am keen to understand what is going on and how I can manage this.

Does anyone else have the same issues?

Any advice is welcome please!!

(Type1 diabetic, diagnosed 2017 aged 24)

Thank you

 

[wiflib]

Stop drinking so much.

 

[Mike d]

Dunno what you drink, but you need to curb the intake. Maybe a lot

 

[Antje77]

Are you experiencing more drunk than before or finding out the next day? Could you have nighttime hypo's as a result of your drinking?
You say you carb up before drinking, but the usual advice is to have substantial carbs before bed as well to prevent hypo's in your sleep.

 

[Cobia]

Mate your going to get pretty much the same advise about alchol i agree with them insulin and alchol is not a good mix.. which is your choice.... watch the hypoes.... get a libre to see whats happening it maybe an eye opener. In the end its understanding what is happening.

 

[Member496333]

Never mind diabetes. From the description of your drinking habits, it seems like you’re consuming far too much alcohol, period. Sounds like you’re not far away from alcoholic blackouts. Clearly that is your choice but, as you asked for advice, mine is to knock it on the head pronto.

 

[Deleted Account]

I think you have enough lectures about the evils of drink.

So, to focus on your actual question - this is not something I have experienced but do wonder if @Antje77 is correct and your loss of memory is due to night time hypos.

As you probably know, our livers "drip" glucose into our blood stream 24 hours a day.
Our liver has other functions such as "filtering out" the toxins from alcohol.
Livers are not good at multi-tasking. So, when it is dealing with the alcohol, it is not dripping glucose. As a result, when we cannot control our basal insulin levels (because we inject basal only once or twice a day and it is expected to be released at exactly the same rate 24 hours regardless of activity), our BG drops and we hypo.

When this happens, sometimes, another part of body will take over and force our liver to release a huge amount of glucose. AS a result, if you do not wake during this interaction, when you wake in the morning, your BG may be "normal" or high making you think there was no hypo.

This can be confirmed with a CGM, Libre or lots of finger pricking during the night.

To avoid this, you could eat some carbs (without insulin) before you go to bed (as well as before you go out) to avoid the hypo.
Another way is to avoid drinking but, if that is an important part of your life it sounds to me like diabetes controlling your lifestyle rather than your lifestyle managing diabetes.