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New Type 1 - alcohol advice

G

Gomas

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi,

Recently diagnosed. Just wondering, has anyone got any tips on how to manage a night at the pub? In moderation, of course but i may end up staying out until about 2am.

I'm only planning on having a couple of drinks (2-3) max, so if i keep testing i assume this should be Ok?

Currently, i'm only on lantus (6 units at lunchtime). I've been going to bed on 10/11 and waking up around 4.8.

I keep hearing about having a snack before bed. what sort of snacks are best - i guess slow release is the key?

I appreciate not going out is the most sensible thing to do, but I'm capable of being discipled and need to see friends etc...

Thanks to anyone who can help.
 
The thing you need to be wary of is that alcohol can lower your blood sugar.

So if you are waking up at 4.8 then I think I would be certainly tempted to test before I wen to bed and even if you were at 6.0 then I would still eat something, just to be on the safe side.

Snack? HMMMMM not sure as we are all different personally my choice is Jaffa Cakes but I know someone will be along and go "tut tut".

Bread might be one to look at as that is fairly slow digest.

So long as you are aware of the pit falls of alcohol, then there is no reason why you can't go out, go the pub, go a club or anywhere else. been there and go the t-shirt.

Have a fun night out.
 
Hi @Gomas Enjoy your night out but be very cautious, be prepared to check your blood glucose more often & carry glucose tablets or jelly babies with you. Also it's a good idea to make sure one of your friends knows about your condition in case of problems.
My bedtime snack of choice is Ryvita's and cheese.
I suggest you have a chat with your diabetes nurse about the overnight fall in your blood sugars. 10 or 11 down to 4.8 is a big fall. You probably need to reduce your Lantus dose.
 
Best excuse going to have a bag of chips before bed, I do take a bolus for them but would rather wake high-ish than low if having a late night with alcohol as I find it particularly hard to wake if going hypo after a big night.
 
Thanks All.

DunePlodder said:
Hi @Gomas Enjoy your night out but be very cautious, be prepared to check your blood glucose more often & carry glucose tablets or jelly babies with you. Also it's a good idea to make sure one of your friends knows about your condition in case of problems.
My bedtime snack of choice is Ryvita's and cheese.
I suggest you have a chat with your diabetes nurse about the overnight fall in your blood sugars. 10 or 11 down to 4.8 is a big fall. You probably need to reduce your Lantus dose.
Click to expand...

I wondered if it was because the Lantus was at lunchtime rather than in the morning. My levels through the day will be up to 10/15 depending on how much i eat (not going mad, but not excluding carbs altogether), but i suppose this is because 1 week in, i'm not yet having any fast acting insulin.

Just had breakfast and lunched and both peaked at 10.3 afterwards, dropping to 5 just before i had lunch. I didn't think this was too bad at this time.

Thanks for the tips around drinking. I'm thinking i will take it easy, and keep checking. I'll have a couple of cereal bars in my pocket for slow release if levels go a bit low. Not that i am bolusing but i assume you never bolus for the carbs in alcohol.
 
I’m assuming you are new to being a T1. Carbs are your enemy (beer), however on rare occasions I will drink beer, but lucky for me I prefer spirits anyway. Spirits are your friend. Most cocktails are your enemy as they have a lot sugar either natural as in orange juice or sugar cordials.
For your first few outings at least, go with trusted friends and at least one nominated ‘driver’ and you can’t get drunk either. Explain to your trusted friends that if you start acting drunk, a swig of Coke or Pepsi the sugar variety and some food. Alternate each alcoholic drink with a glass of water. I eat a little more to push my BGL up a little (not a lot) 10mmol/l and reduce my short acting insulin. When I was on MDI I took Lantau at night so if drunk I would reduce my Lantau (Basal) by 15% and take a bit more Bolus the next day at meal times. I think being drunk is like having a really good hypo, including the day after. Hence why you don’t want to be having both at the same time as you could end up in the cells instead of a hospital bed or your hypo being ignored / not recognised and that is dangerous. Alcohol can also stop the Liver from producing glucose that it normally does so the insulin doesn’t have any sugar to play with, so enthusiastically tries to give you a really good hypo. Be aware this can happen latter on at night and nypos (Night Hypos) are really dangerous. I would urge you not to drive until the next morning.
 
@Gomas ‘I appreciate not going out is the most sensible thing to do!’ What a terrible feeling to have and absolute nonsense. Go out, but use that disciplined head. Test, test, test, carry emergency supplies, and play safe and eat. If you end up higher than liked, use that as a learning exercise for next time. Better to be higher than lower after a drink. Just because we are diabetics does not mean we are second class citizens. Life is for living, albeit with our sensible heads on. Don’t be embarrassed to get your friends on board. Good friends will be pleased to keep an eye on you. Enjoy your night out.
 
I drink beer. Bolus for the first couple and then find alcohol looks after the BG if I drink more.
I second the advice to tell a mate especially as someone having a hypo can look like a drunk someone.
 
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