Metformin and Drinking (alcohol) Help

Welcome to the Forum Wobbles! Drinking alcohol whilst on Metformin increases your risk of lactic acidosis a dangerous condition. It is very rare but not a risk I’m prepared to take. I know many members here do drink a little alcohol on Metformin. Aside from any health risk, drinking can reduce your will power and you’d be more inclined to break your resolve to maintain any diet plan you keep to. Forgetting chunks of your life doesn’t sound good to me!

Hi and welcome @Wobbles101

I'll tag @daisy1 for the intro to Type 2 life..

Looks like booze and your pills don't get on so I'm guessing your best course of action would be to not drink while you are taking them? If you work hard on what you eat then you might be able to stop taking them.

I expect that anymore the one glass of wine, 2 or 3 times a week would be unwise for you. Apart from anything else, the liver converts alcohol into fat, and this fat often remains in the liver. Liver fat greatly increases insulin resistance and it's insulin resistance that gives us Type2 in the first place.

We depend on our liver to clean our blood of the byproducts of Metformin when this does not happen, the result is death from lactic acidosis. When we drink a lot of alcohol, our liver is not able to do anything other than process the alcohol...... One evening of heavy drinking is very unlikely to result in lactic acidosis but continuous heavy drinking may result in lactic acidosis.

a four day **** up really you thought that was a good idea. how often do you drink and how much. you do know a load of booze can cause fat build up

Wobbles101 said:

The 4 day was a once in a life time and I was totally fine during and after that was months ago, but I normal don’t drink regularly- but last week was a couple of drinks with a takeaway- because the delivery was delayed I had about 3 glasses and that’s the last I remember - apparently I had the the takeaway and carried on the evening

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I think some posters are being a little too moralistic here. Plenty of us drink in quantity from time to time. It is a matter of personal choice although the fat in the liver is an issue to be aware of.

As far as I know your reaction is atypical, but it is certainly a reaction so you should take extra care.

Apart from the Metformin, have you changed anything else? A big change in diet, or a significant weight loss can change your body's reaction to alcohol as well as added medications.

I would stick with the Metformin because of the major benefits it brings, and re-calibrate your drinking. Being the designated driver might be a good way to motivate yourself to cut down a bit during the traditional "take your brains out and dive in" Xmas period. Try not to think of it as being "because you have diabetes" just that your tolerance to alcohol seems to have dropped at the moment so moderation is a sensible course.

I do find it interesting that you were fine on the stag do but are seeing a different reaction very recently. I wonder what has changed?

Oh, and congratulations on coming off the Gliclazide. Cutting down on drugs is always a good thing.

@Wobbles101

Hello and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 276,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding.

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Hi. I do have a little alcohol during the week but I'm aware the Metformin leaflet advises against it. It's your choice but for many of us a small amount seems to be OK but no binge drinking.

If you wish to drink then I recommend stopping the tablets first - talk to your doctor about the gaps in your memory.
I had memory problems with Metformin and statins when I was first diagnosed and stopped taking them as it was frightening me. I do drink one pint of beer a week at the folk club, because I like it now my tastes have altered - also since the tablets, and it has not gone away. I am slowly relearning my songs and have taken up other instruments until I can relearn to play the guitar

Wobbles101 said:

Thank you @LittleGreyCat - nothing has changed since the stag doe - over the last 3 years I have gone from 19 stone to 14 stone - but only been diagnosed with Diebeties since early this year - I have changed eating quite drastically and been on meds - so it’s only the last month that things have “reacted” - very scary - got a blood test soon hopefully it comes back as low as the last

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Have you tested yourself during a drinking session, or just before or after you start to lose your memory? I am wondering if you are experiencing some sort of hypo episode due to the alcohol? Alcohol does lower blood sugar levels, and even non-diabetics experience this to a certain extent hence the morning hangovers, which are often just low blood sugars because the liver may still be out of action.

Wobbles101 said:

The 4 day was a once in a life time and I was totally fine during and after that was months ago, but I normal don’t drink regularly- but last week was a couple of drinks with a takeaway- because the delivery was delayed I had about 3 glasses and that’s the last I remember - apparently I had the the takeaway and carried on the evening

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Some years ago whilst on holiday, I had a Chinese meal with a couple of glasses of wine, just a couple. My bloods shot to 26! Everything started drifting, major woo woo, the next day I passed the restaurant as they were taking delivery of the largest container of lyles syrup (treacle) that I had ever seen! I don't think it was the wine that made me woo woo, I no longer eat Chinese food.

Wobbles101 said:

So are you on any meds now? What were/are your blood levels like

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No meds for diabetes, but I take Thyroxine, have done for ages.
My last Hba1c test was 41, which was 6 months ago.
My blood tests at home are usually under 7mmol/l after eating - I got down to under 8mmol/l after dinner and stuck to those foods gradually saw a reduction in the numbers. I rarely test now as I stick to the same sort of foods. Even if I go a bit over the top, I find I stay under 8 now. It is not a regular occurrence, I do not push my luck, and if I keep my BG down to normal I lose weight.
My doctor has rather lost interest in me, so I will not be having any more tests until some time next year.

Wobbles101 said:

Firstly I would like to apologise if this has already been covered,

I was first diagnosed with type 2 in Feb 2017, I went to the doctor feeling tired all the time, they gave me a blood test, went back weeks later sat there and aske why I was there, when I said I was there for my blood results I was told well you know you have diabetes don't you, **Shock** no, well you know what it is, here are tablets take two in the morning and two with meal in the evening (4 x 500mg Metformin) - now since then I have been put on and taken off of glicazide - my average blood on the little tester is anything between 4.3 and 8.1 (high in the mornings) - been told by diabetic expert course leader that I could come off all tablets if hb1 thing comes back as low as it did last time (well in the normal levels for non diabetic).

Now with the back story done,
Drinking - and these tablets - I have been told drinking is ok just eat - I went on a mates stag do (4 days heavy drinking) and I was fine, then just recently after 3/4 drinks it feels like I have had loads more and my memory is going - now the other day I had 3 glasses of red wine - and I can not remember over half the evening, next morning.... now nobody said acted any different I had a meal with people and I carried on drinking, just cannot remember any of it. now with Christmas next month I don't want to be the nominated drive because I have diabetes..

Advise please..

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I’m not sure if this is advice but many many moons ago I was put onto metformin after what I now know was a diagnosis of pre Diabetes.( wasn’t told that at the time -long story but I really didn’t like the effect drinking alcohol had on me with these meds so I gave up drinking soon after -don’t get me wrong after my teens /twenties I was never what I’d call a heavy drinker-the odd glass maybe 10 units a week-so it wasn’t a difficult chore for me to give up. Here I am very late 40’s and I now probably have 5 units a year at the most.i wasn’t advised to give up .i just chose to as I didn’t like the away with the fairies effect meds and alcohol had on me .