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Worried about very drunk diabetic dad

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WorriedSon

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Hi, I'm worried about my dad. He was Type 2 for several years but has been injecting insulin for 6 months or so. He has drunk some alcohol since but has today drunk quite a lot and gone to bed without eating anything. As far as I know, he injected before eating at about 2:45, drunk from 3-7:30 without eating much (no injecting) and no injecting or eating since. I tried to tell him to at least eat some glucose tablets before going to bed but he has locked his door so I don't know whether he has or not. I know this isn't good but just how dangerous is this? Should I wake him immediately? In a few hours? Or should he be alright overnight?
 
Sorry I cannot give you any advice as I am not an insulin user but until members more knowledgable on alcohol and insulin see your post and reply then the best thing to do would be to dial 111 for immediate advice from a health care professional. Good luck and I hope your Dad recovers safely.
 
Hi,
He might have a hypo from not eating, I'd wake him up and take him some food. Fruit juice.
Can you get him to do a BM
 
Thanks for the replies.

He just got up to go to the toilet, so fine at the moment thankfully. Still refusing to eat, saying he doesn't need to and that hypos always wake him up. Tried to point out that may not happen after drinking so much but he's ignored me again. He has at least left his door open this time. Will try the fruit juice idea, he might accept that over food, thanks for the suggestion.

I'm probably overreacting but he's not been using insulin very long and this is the first time he's got very drunk and not eaten, and you hear about diabetics dying / going into comas in the night...

111 just got back to me but would only give general advice without doing a 'formal assessment' which requires his permission. Looks like I'm just going to have to keep an eye on him.
 
Sorry to hear about your father, when your father drinks what does he drink lager, beer or spirits? If he drink spirits with a diet mixer it is better for him as there is very little sugar in them and white spirits are the best, lager, beer and alcopops will make the sugar go high for a time but then drop as quick. Your father seems to be not taking the type 1 very good, this happens a lot to people who have who have been told they are type 1 they want to deny that they have got it. When you next see him tell him how worried you are about him and encourage him that when he is drinking that when he gets home that he will do his BS and have something to eat and also to take some insulin maybe a couple of unit less than he normally would so he can run his BS a little bit high. If he did not take any insulin when he was drinking his BS might be high till he tests it again, I am afraid most diabetics it is trial and error with drinking and diabetes, when i was young i would all ways run my BS around 10 and then when i got in depending on what i had been drinking it would be 18-20. I always tried to have something to eat but at times it would drop low and would need some sugar to get it back up. I always had lukozade beside my bed just in case i needed it, you father does not need to stop drinking but what he does drink matters i now have 2 pints of lager and then either drink vodka and diet coke or wine and soda so i can keep my BS just that little bit high and when i get in i may a a bread bun or toast. It is awful for you because you cannot make your dad do what you want him to do but if you are there for him it may help him to see that the worry he is putting you under
 
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