Alcohol + T1D
Alcohol is the most commonly used recreational drug in Australia, available legally for anyone over the age of 18 years. It is actually a ‘depressant’ drug which simply means that it slows down your body’s response rates, which can lead to poor decision making and slower reflexes. Drinking alcohol can cause immediate problems with speaking and movement which can lead to harmful accidents or injuries, or unwanted physical or sexual violence.
Teens and Type1
When you become a teenager your body goes through a lot of changes. Just as your body keeps developing and maturing, so does your brain. There are a lot of reasons not to drink alcohol when you are young but one of the most important ones is that it can affect your brain from developing normally. It can cause health problems, memory problems, addiction or depression. If you have Type1 Diabetes you are still able to drink alcohol, but there is a higher risk of Type1 Diabetes becoming unstable when alcohol is added into the mix. It is important for you to know the risks so you can prevent them and avoid dangerous situations.
Alcohol and Hypoglycaemia
If you are taking insulin, you are at risk of alcohol-related hypoglycaemia (hypos). A hypo is when blood glucose levels drop below 4mmol/L. Hypos can occur while drinking alcohol-or many hours afterwards- and can be dangerous.
Normally, the liver releases stored glucose if your blood glucose level falls too low. However, when you drink alcohol, the liver always processes the alcohol first, instead of releasing the stored glucose. This can increase the risk of hypo. Alcohol can also reduce your ability to recognise the symptoms of a hypo and make it difficult to treat. Ask your doctor or diabetes health professional whether you might be at increased risk go alcohol-related hypos.
Read more here
Plan ahead.
Avoid sugary drinks, go for the low carb or sugar free options.
Avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
Never drink on an empty stomach, and make sure your meal contains carbs. Or graze on carbs while drinking.
Always carry hypo treatments, and take them to bed with you. Keep a stash under your pillow or in your bedside drawer.
Always drink with friends who know you and are educated on Type1 and know how to treat a hypo.
Eat a snack of carbs before you go to bed.
Always wear some form of Type1 Medical alert or identification.
Ask someone to check on you throughout the night and in the morning.
If you vomit, you must check BGL and Ketones.
The provided information on alcohol should be used as a guide. Alcohol affects people differently and some of this information may not apply to all people with Type 1 Diabetes. -Source NDSS
Members of our T1 Community shared their experiences and what works (and doesn’t work) for them
“My girlfriend’s all know how to treat a hypo and use the Glugagon needle. My tip is to educate your support crew and stick with them on a night out as you might need them! ”
“I found out the hard way that my bgl drops about 4-5 hours after I stop drinking, so I always go to bed a little high and have a hypo kit next to me while I’ve had a bit. If I have just one or two drinks I have a lovely stable night and wake up a great leaves because it counteracts the dawn phenomena 😂”
“A couple of glasses of red are like nature’s insulin.
A night of anything else makes a stop at McDonalds on the way home essential.
🍟 🍷 ❤️”
“I always eat a meal before drinking alcohol and avoid the sugary alcoholic drinks. My biggest tip is also to eat before going to bed. I love to hit the kebab shop at the end of a night out! ”
“I have my insulin as normal before I start drinking! If I’m only having 1 or 2 I will insulin for half the sugar in the drinks I consume. If I’m going all out I don’t insulin for drinks and I have Maccas without insulin on the way home 🤣🤣🤣”
“Alcohol can be a tricky one. It all depends on how your body reacts to different forms of alcohol. Beers/Wine in myself act differently to Whiskey (personal fav), drinking Spirits (shots) etc. can also be troublesome, for me at least its a trial and error, however I always have some nibbles around with carbs, like chips or buscuits with cheese and cold meats to keep me company...shit im old. However I always stay away from pre-mix those things are ridiculous.”
“I was a massive drinker when I was young and I learnt very quickly that I had to drink full sugar soft drink if I was drinking spirits as spirits make me drop low very quickly and I have to have something carby before I go to bed otherwise I will wake up low as well as hungover and that’s not a good situation! Wine on the other hand makes me high so I have to set my basal at 120%! I unfortunately was a massive binge drinker at Uni so I learnt this all the hard way but my paediatrician warned me about how confusing alcohol can be when I was about 16 so I learnt quickly!”
“Alcohol will lower bgls 4-5 hours later and with it dulling your senses you then don’t ‘feel’ your hypo warning signs 😔
I have had x2 really bad hypoglycaemic events back in my 20’s (I’m now in my late 30’s).
The 1st where paramedics were called in the wee hours by my husband as he woke to me having a seizure and was unsure how to administer glycogen in his panicked state. I had only had 2 or 3 wines the night before.
The 2nd instance was more serious and I was hospitalised. I was on a girls weekend at a river house we had rented and not in a great place mental health wise, was tipsy and rolled my ankle, then got absolutely sh*tfaced drunk on red wine, blacked out, gone low and the others on the trip called an ambulance and I came to/woke up with no memory of how I got there.
Needless to say these days I rarely drink and never more than 1 or 2 max and I heavily reduce my insulin with a temp basal when going to bed.”
One of our T1F members also kindly shared her tips with us too:
If you’re Type1, you need to be aware of how alcohol is going to affect you.
Of course, you don’t have to drink at all if you don’t want to. It’s up to you.
But if you feel like you shouldn’t drink purely because you’re Type1 , it doesn’t have to be like this! You can attend social events or join your new flat mates on a night out and drink just like every else can. As long as you’re safe, go for it! 🍾
You can enjoy a drink as a diabetic, you just need to be a little prepared and learn how alcohol affects you personally.
The main thing you need to know is that while lots of alcoholic drinks contain heaps of sugar, the alcohol itself will actually lower your glucose levels.
Trying to find a balance between the sugar and alcohol isn’t any easy task (especially after a few drinks!) but here are some tips that may help…
🍷 I tend to stick to a diet mixer (like diet lemonade) so then I don’t have to carb count all night. But later in the evening, as the alcohol starts lowering your glucose levels, you may need to swap to a sugary drink.
🍷 keep some medical ID on you, like a medical ID bracelet, a card in your wallet, or even write something on your phone.
🍷 most people find sugary drinks like cocktails and alcopops harder to deal with, as they can lead to sudden spikes. By all means have one if you want, but just be prepared and keep an eye on your levels.
🍷 whoever you’re going out with, let them know you’re diabetic. Just give them a heads up on your hypo symptoms so they won’t just assume you’re drunk if something happens.
🍷 charge up your phone before heading out, especially if you use a CGM app
🍷 it’s quite common for people to get served the wrong drinks (especially if you’re in some loud club and the barman can barely hear you) so just keep that in mind.
🍷 I always eat a snack before bed to avoid having a hypo while I’m sleeping.
🍷 it can be tempting to check your blood every 5 minutes but try not to get too overwhelmed. Concentrate on having a good time!