This is what I was told, but also with advice that AS A RESULT, YOUR BG MAY GO LOW.
Should this be broken out to a new topic?
1 Like
Turns out I’ve been wrong for 15 years… I’m not opposed to an official thread. ??
Sure, I am in 100% agreement that the end result of a drinking binge and failure to account for it with insulin adjustment can end up in a low.
I just wanted to clarify the reasons, because I have seen many posts on another site that seemed to imply that alcohol would lower someone’s BG. And I always think it is important that we are clear on how that can happen.
Sure. This is Darling Nicky’s thread she started, so whatever she wants.
3 Likes
So if the glycogen supply is emptied and the unable-to-multitask liver isn’t replenishing it because it’s busy clearing the alcohol out of the system, does that mean a glucagon injection wouldn’t work? Would that explain some of those dead fratboys?
You’re setting that bar dangerously high, Eric. I’d hate to develop princess syndrome and come to expect anything around here. 
But since I’ve been given say, a new thread it is.
1 Like
Okay Princess, but you have to ask Chris or Harold or one of the landlords here to split the thread. I am just a dumb tenant here. 
3 Likes
Yes, the problem with glucagon is that you don’t know what is in the liver, or if it is pre-occupied.
Glucagon is super easy for loved ones, spouses, or parents to use. But smart and savvy paramedics should not rely on it. They should always opt for injecting dextrose intravenously instead of using glucagon. With dextrose, there is no question about it.
Imagine giving glucagon to someone who had just finished running a marathon and then passed out from a low. It would be totally worthless, their liver wouldn’t have much to give.
Or someone who has been binge drinking or starving themselves. All kinds of variables there.
1 Like
Bar lowered. Princess syndrome averted. That was close.
Okay then… how does this work? I need to go get somebody??
I have only had diabetes for 31 years so I am still pretty new it it 
I have only been of legal drinking years for about 21 years with diabetes.
That is a good point about alcohol inhibiting the liver from releasing glucose only when it actually needs to. I do not really have a large dawn phenomena or anything. So I guess that if I went on a pub crawl, I may expect that the release of glucose by my liver to cover exercise may not happen and I may need to eat more or take less insulin.
How much glucose does a liver dump while sitting around?
When I was 18 or so I went to a youth diabetes clinic where they taught you the effects of alcohol and drugs on diabetes. They taught that you should always drink with food because you may go low from drinking. This would have been R/NPH days and I was probably doing MDI. At that clinic there was a girl who told a story where she went to a pub and had a beer or two without food and shortly after passed out from a low and her friends had to call an ambulance. Now whether the alcohol was to blame or not is still up for speculation.
After that,I always remembered the “warning” and tried to do a good job managing diabetes and alcohol but never had the same experience where my BG was low because of my drinking. Then again, with using R on MDI I used to prebolus for my beer which was exceedingly challenging. I also would snack later because of the long duration of R.
So… I would speculate that the “drinking” lows may have more to do with the fact that alcohol impairs the ability to think about diabetes. Well at least more than the liver impairment that stops the release of glycogen.
5 Likes
Excellent theory. I’m not sure how I forgot that alcohol can do that. 
I wonder if this is what was passed on down the line to me. Sounds just vague and incorrect enough.
Thanks for explaining this. I do see a drop even with the small amount of alcohol I drink at a time (and I am still not on a basal insulin) - I’m talking even if I just have 1/2 a glass of wine. It’s kind of nice, though, because I’m usually drinking it with dinner, and the drop comes about 1-2 hrs later, so perfect time for dessert. 
2 Likes
I suspect I’d be pretty stupid high… virtually impossible for me to guess how high. This is a large part of why I refuse to even consider pumping as an option—- I work on ships off the grid where there’s no way to deal with a pump malfunction etc.
With tresiba I’m fine for 40ish hours before I’d even have to start worrying about it. That’s a lot better than the 2 hours you’d have with a pump before it’s a big problem
2 Likes
You’d be good for 40ish hours before needing insulin?? Pardon my ignorance, but what is tresiba??
Tresiba is one of the newest long acting 1x daily basal insulins… it lasts much much longer than other options and for a lot of people it works really well… there have been quite a few discussions about it here you can probably search on the term
2 Likes
Thanks. I will.
Maybe that should have been “you may go low while drinking” and then either (as you point out) be too impaired to deal with it, or be exhibiting symptoms of a low (slurring, difficulty focusing) but those around you just assume you’re drunk.
Anyway, I heard the same advice when I was younger. I prefer to eat something when I’m drinking not to avoid going low, but because the food can slow the absorption of the alcohol so I’m not blotto in ten minutes, and also because the two can play off each other so well, just like wine can enhance food and vice versa. Cheese straws and salted nuts were invented for a reason.
2 Likes
Topic split from 14 hours without insulin thread.
@Nickyghaleb; All you have to do to get a topic split is say it in the thread, then when Harold or I read it, we will split. If you are interested in faster service, just PM either or both of us, and we shall do your bidding.
1 Like
If I drink one or two mini-bottles of wine in an evening (to celebrate the weekend’s arrival), I get to drink as much coffee as I want to the next morning without taking insulin. I also have to cut down my breakfast bolus by 25-50%.
On normal mornings (i.e. no wine the night before), I definitely have to bolus for coffee or it’s a rocket blast up on my Dexcom. I drink my coffee strong with a splash of 1% milk.
The effect wears off by 11AM and then I have to switch back into normal bolusing for lunch time.
I am retiring from wine, though, as I seem to have developed an intolerance for something within it. Tachycardia and stomach upset are now consistently occurring with just one glass.
1 Like
Sad story. I hope you have a retirement party where you try out all the other yummy alternatives 
Have you found that different kinds of coffee have different impacts?
I’ve had a couple of coffees from my work cafeteria in the afternoon recently, and it’s created some serious problems with resistant highs. I’m going to try going to Starbucks instead later this week to see if I still have problems if I buy a coffee there.
I don’t usually have coffee in the afternoon, but sometimes I like to have one when I’m tired… which is kind of ironic if it’s going to result in a high blood sugar 
I make a coffee at home in the morning with a little almond milk, and I have no problems!! I don’ t usually eat with that though, and I think that combo is likely the real culprit in the afternoon… I’m still going to try Starbucks anyway just in case I’m wrong.
1 Like
We use Starbucks Pike Place beans at home. I try to only use decaf at work…they have Green Mountain k-cups so it’s a very sad cup of coffee. I don’t know about different coffee having different effects other than caf vs decaf…but that’s an interesting topic. I do know that Earl Grey k-cups (tea) shoot me to 300, so I definitely stay away from those!
1 Like