New Years Eve

[J1998L]

Tomorrow is my first nye as a type 1 so what's the deal with drinking? I had planned on drinking quite a bit but since my diagnosis I'm not so sure... What should I do?

 

[Daibell]

Hi. It's never a good idea to plan to get drunk if you want to maintain a healthy liver. If you take in too much alcohol, the liver could spend a few hours getting rid of the alcohol and not be able to release glycogen if you start to go hypo, so be warned.

 

[ewelina]

Yes be careful. Maybe a bit drunk instead of very drunk Remember to check your levels thought out the evening, eat fatty
meal before party and eat something carby before bed without taking insulin (even I you wont feel like this, just force yourself) Packet of crisps, or toast with lots of butter. Be prepare for lots of hypos next day, so maybe reduce your longacting insulin a bit. Even if youre a bit higher, I think its much safer than having a hypo while drinking. It takes a bit of experience how to safely manage alcohol while on insulin. The best way is to drink in moderation

 

[noblehead]

@J1998L, not wanting to ruin your News Years Eve, but if you get drunk or very drunk how are you meant to recognise that you are having a hypo as alcohol can mask the symptoms, plus for those people around you how are they meant to know if you are just very drunk or having a serious hypo, it's best just to drink sensibly as you can still enjoy yourself just the same.

There's a bit more info about alcohol and diabetes in the following article:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-and-alcohol.html

Enjoy your evening but stay safe.

 

[catherinecherub]

Don't know how old you are @J1998L.

This article is directed at teens but is information that all Type1s need to consider when planning an alcoholic night out.
http://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/d-teens-and-alcohol-no-bull-from-uncle-wil#1

 

[J1998L]

Thanks for all of the fast replies! I think I may have exaggerated how drunk I planned to get. Even so, I will definitely be more careful tomorrow... While drinking is great I'd rather be safe and healthy! Sober fun is the best fun, right?

 

[J1998L]

Yes be careful. Maybe a bit drunk instead of very drunk Remember to check your levels thought out the evening, eat fatty
meal before party and eat something carby before bed without taking insulin (even I you wont feel like this, just force yourself) Packet of crisps, or toast with lots of butter. Be prepare for lots of hypos next day, so maybe reduce your longacting insulin a bit. Even if youre a bit higher, I think its much safer than having a hypo while drinking. It takes a bit of experience how to safely manage alcohol while on insulin. The best way is to drink in moderation

Thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to test regularly and eat carbs before bed. I've never actually had a hypo so Ill drink a bit less if it means I can reduce my chances even slightly. Thanks again!

 

[lizziewizzie]

I've been a heavy drinker the majority of my life but since being diagnosed T1, almost 2 weeks ago, I've only drunk once (Christmas Day). I ate before I slept/passed out and was lucky not to hypo. It scared me though as I got really depressed when drunk and I don't plan to drink again, which I never thought I'd ever say!

Please update us on how you are on New Years Day! Like others have said, get that snack in before bed, maybe pre-make it so it's there ready. I also found I got drunk much quicker than I usually would, not sure if that was related to diabetes though!

x

 

[CapnGrumpy]

Beer/lager will initially raise your blood sugar, but I always found that I'd hypo around lunchtime the next day if I didn't make adjustments (catherinecherub's link explains why quite well).

I tend to stick to wine these days and know from experience how it affects my sugar levels over time.

If you're heading out, most places are quite good about making sure 'diet' soft drinks (for mixers, obviously) genuinely are diet, but watch yourself - I've been given 'full fat' Coke in error before.

Stay safe and have fun (and some water before you go to sleep).