Alcohol?

[jessica16]

Best alcohol drink for type 1? I'm going out in a few weeks and my partner is very protective of me having a drink in case my sugars go all over the place like they have done before. What's the best drink I can have that will also keeps sugars ok??

 

[Micky25]

Stick with spirits and diet mixers such as vodka or gin and diet coke or similar. However, alcohol will affect people differently. Test regularly and prior to sleep, have a snack as it's possible for the alcohol to cause a drop in levels many hours after your last drink. Be sensible and enjoy.

 

[noblehead]

I find red wine has no effect on bg levels and I don't seem to get the delayed drop in bg levels the next day as I did when drinking beer.

You have to be careful when drinking alcohol as it can increase bg levels temporarily and then send them crashing down many hours later, if your unsure how to go about drinking alcohol whilst staying safe then it's best to have a word with your DSN or Consultant.

 

[Emmotha]

I find vodka and soda is good for me. Initially this has 0 affect on raising my BG, all I have to be careful of is a drop overnight, so I have carbs before bed

 

[Micky25]

Jessica, why don't you experiment with a few different types of drink prior to your night out ? Lastly, try to get bottled mixers as those pumps cannot always be trusted, especially in a busy, loud environment. Some bar staff just think a coke is a coke.

 

[azure]

I find wine suits me. I either have a glass of red wine or, if I want a longer drink, a white wine spritzer made with dry white wine and soda water.

If I'm drinking without food, then I tend to nibble on small amounts of carbs, eg crisps, as sometimes in the past I've found alcohol on an empty stomach can make my blood sugar go down a little. Obviously, don't overdo the crisps else your sugars will go high!

Spirits with diet mixers are also very good, as mentioned above, but i prefer wine because it lasts longer and so I get more sips per unit of alcohol.

I always test my blood sugar when I'm drinking, and I don't drink a lot. Maybe a couple of glasses maximum, spread out over a reasonable length of time. If you're drinking with a meal, it should be easier as the food 'soaks up' the alcohol, meaning it doesn't get into your bloodstream so fast.

 

[jessica16]

Thank you so much for all your comments, they've all helped me

 

[Marieukxx]

I'm not allowed to drink atm due to liver problems which are getting better but when I am allowed which will be around Christmas the doctor estimates I am going to go for vodka and diet drinks with it. Low calorie and low sugar which is good.

 

[Emmotha]

I find it difficult to find low calorie mixers on a night out as I don't like to drink diet coke before bed due to the caffeine. That's why I go for soda water. It's much cheaper, and as the drink doesn't taste great u're not tempted to drink too much

 

[moz1]

I try to combine a meal into my night out so have some normal carbs to go with alcohol. Normally have a few beers and couple of whiskies to follow. Just test more than normal keep well hydrated and don't worry if you go to bed a little higher than normal as bg normally drops slightly. Red wine normally ok for me as well but just goes down a little too quickly and a bottle is gone before you know it lol

 

[SamJB]

You need to experiment, really. Test frequently throughout the night. If you are on the low side, beer or a non-diet mixer will bring your levels up. Dry white or red wine and diet mixers won't really affect them. Have some food before bed if you are smashed and in single figures. Don't give any correction doses.

Also, make sure you take your long acting on time.

 

[Lottie89]

I tend to drink gin and slim line tonic... As the night goes on my bloods will drop so I test regularly and then when they go low I have a snack or a rum and full sugar coke or beer or sambucca to bring my levels up! Probably not great practise... But it works for me and helps me not feel so different! And then at the of the night I'll get a chicken kebab and not bolus for it! That pitta keeps my blood fine through the night and then I can usually have breakfast without injecting too just be careful of hot tub parties... The heat of the water drops my sugars more!