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Metformin and alcohol

I still drink few bottles every other night I'm on 1000 ml a day, Dr never said to me to stop drinking think drug company's just like to cover themselves

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I have been taking 2 Metformin SR tablets of 500 mg daily. I also drink 2 large pegs (60ml each) of Scotch every evening at dinner (on Sundays, Scotch at lunch and dinner). I have been doing this for a couple of years now. My blood sugar is good, my liver is good and most importantly, I feel good. Cheers !!
 
I usually don't drink only on very odd occasion, every 4 to 6 months. I'm type 2 on SR met, diagnosis Oct 1000mg so far. Prior to being diagnosed I stopped enjoying alcohol for years as I felt really ill for the best part of a week, I put it down to age and not being able to handle hang overs! Since starting medication I have had a drink, I am partial to a bombay sapphire and soda on a very odd occasion. Much to my surprise I did not feel ill! Or extremely hung over for the next week! I actually enjoyed the experience of being able to have a tipple! I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not! Lol
 
I worked in bars for 15 years while taking the max dosage of metformin (3gms daily), lost count of the times I got 'blootered' without side effects, still taking it. No probs;)
 
theclash said:
I only started taking the Metformin less than 7 days ago, and am a drinker and have continued to drink (lager).
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When I was diagnosed 2 years ago I gave up drinking for months on the docs advice but since then have read up on the subject and found that alcohol is fine............

theclash ....lucky you like lager as I believe Holsten Pils is one of the "better" beers for a T2
 
Most people I know enjoy a couple of drinks most nights of the week. Maybe I just keep bad company but well stocked drinks cabinets and wine racks are common place in their homes and in mine.
My main choice of drink is red wine and I have enjoyed a couple of glasses almost every night for as long as I can remember.. My wife also sips wine of a night but a little less than me. I have been on metformin morning and night for the last 5 years and never had a problem. I don’t do hangovers either.
It is a bit of a laugh though, going to the bottle bank but no laughs with the annual wine bill.
 
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mpe said:
Alcohol does not contain sugar in the first place. It always concerns me when HCPs don't appear to understand basic biology (or chemistry).
In practice, with the exception of beers and where sugar is specifically added, alcoholic beverages tend to be low in sugar.
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Absolutely spot on. A lot of doctors and diabetic nurses don't seem to realise that alcohol will not increase b.g. It lowers b.g because the alcohol mops up sugar. Metformin does the same sort of job. So metformin and alcohol both lower b.g levels. What do we mean by alcohol? Beer contains about 4% alcohol and there is a reasonable amount of sugar in it which will be turned to fat, hence the beer belly. Dry white wines contain up to 15% alcohol and little sugar, same with reds. Spirits 40% alcohol. So as a type2 , wines and spirits are great for getting b.g levels down. The only issue is that if you are on gliclazide, then drinking a load of alcohol in the form of wines and spirits may lower b.g. levels too much with the danger of hypoglaecemia. If you add metformin, then this will have an added effect. I take 2 x 500g metformin a day. I refused the gliclazide as I take my own natural medicine a bottle of wine a night. And it does seem true, I don't get hangovers anymore, which must be due to the metformin. If you are going out for a bender, then maybe you can draw your own conclusions.
 
speedysi said:
Spirits contain no carbs or sugars so do not affect your BG levels.
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Not strictly true as alcohol will reduce blood sugar. If you drink enough alcohol there is a danger of hypoglaecemia, even for a non-diabetic. That's why after a bender they become ravenous to restore b.g. levels.
 
I am new to Metformin and started with 850 mg a day: 425 mg in the morning and 425 mg at night. I must have made 10 trips to the loo on that day and couldn't keep anything down. I was told to reduce th dosage to half and to take the tablet with meals which I tend to have with a glass of wine. So far no problems....and yes, I avoid cheap rosés.....lol
 
I drink champagne on special occasions through the year but otherwise nothing. Red wine, even a good one tastes too vinegary to me. Beer tastes very yeasty and cider kind of sweet sour but love me some cold dry champagne. I'm on Metformin. GP did ask me how much I drink and does ask periodically. I do make sure that I hydrate after drinking champagne so I don't get a sore head.
 
I was told by the Diabetic Nurse that alcohol "rules" for diabetics are the same as the ones for non-diabetics.
That sounded pretty good to me !
I was diagnosed T2 about 6 weeks ago but am not yet on any medication. I have an appointment next week when I expect to be put on metformin depending on one last blood test.
Perhaps I should ask the question again ? On second thoughts I might just keep quiet and see how it goes.
Seven day average of about 6 readings per day is 7.0
Fourteen day average 7.2
 
sharonsw said:
lol. it wasn't a cheap one.

I'm wondering if I'm not agreeing with the metformin actually. I've been feeling quite sicky since starting it. I'm taking 2 x 500mg a day, so one in morning, one in evening. Not enjoying feeling nauseous most of the time.
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sharonsw said:
lol. it wasn't a cheap one.

I'm wondering if I'm not agreeing with the metformin actually. I've been feeling quite sicky since starting it. I'm taking 2 x 500mg a day, so one in morning, one in evening. Not enjoying feeling nauseous most of the time.
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I, like many are fine with meds but when I increased to 2grams a day there was a slight 'upset', make sure you are on SR version, by default you begin on standard metformin as SR is twice the price.
 
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