I just recently turned 21, and you know what that means. BARS ,DRINKING, CLUBS, DRINKING, PARTIES, DRINKING. AHH! I’m a type one diabetic, I’m new to this whole drinking game. What is a diabetic supposed to do? take insulin? not eat? let your blood sugar go sky high from the sugar in the drinks? I don’t just want to sit and have a glass of wine, I like to hang out and have some drinks and get drunk every now and then… is that even allowed in the diabetic world? HELP
Drinking to get drunk isn’t safe for anyone, diabetic or not…
Hi Kristen,
There are many discussions here about drinking for you to search. Tons of info.
You can drink & avoid sugary drinks, of course. Best to drink with food because alcohol causes BG to drop. Test a lot when you’re drinking because lows can sneak up & it’s hard to tell when you’re drunk:) Drinking also lowers inhibitions (duh) so watch what you eat.
Dry wine has very few carbs. Beer can have quite a few, depending on brand. Distilled alcohol has no carbs, but be careful what you mix it with.
Make sure friends know you’re Type 1 & how to tell if you’re low & what they should do.
I take insulin when I drink because I don’t drink unless I’m eating & I take slightly less. Testing will tell you how much & what you can drink to avoid going too low.
Be aware that drinking can cause immediate lows, but many people experience highs the next morning. Basically, alcohol prevents your liver from dumping glycogen for the amount of time it takes to clear the alcohol from the body. Once the alcohol is gone, the liver releases glycogen again.
Oh it’s aloud… what i do before i go out and have a good time is have a decent meal. I drink rye diet presses so the sugar level isn’t really up there. I check my blood regularily just so i know what’s going on. I wouldn’t take too much insulin just because the signs of going low aren’t easily recognized when you’re drunk. It’s also a good idea to party with someone who knows that you’re diabetic and can help you out if something were to happen. I have no clue if any of this advice helps at all, but i know it works for me… i’m quite able to keep my blood sugar under control when i’m drinking.
On which planet does turning 21 mean BARS ,DRINKING, CLUBS, DRINKING, PARTIES, DRINKING?? Grow up!
yes you can drink just test frequently and act accordingly not to sound too much like a dad but you’re an adult now have a good time but it’s not necessary to get blotto like a freshmen at a kegger (and don’t do anything really stupid like drink and drive or call your ex)
Now that’s just not necessary.
My advice is to take it easy…sure go out and have fun (whatever that means to you 
) but unfortuantely with T1 Diabetes you need to be wise and try to be one step ahead of your body. It would be silly just to go out and get bloutered/steaming/sloshed…drunk!? without a proper meal before hand. By the way it is hard to check your blood while drunk!. Would one of your pals stay sober to make sure that you’re ok?
(The advice given to Gerri is great!). Whatever you do take care!
Earth.
I agree. Make sure your designated driver (never go out drinking without one, even if that means you need to take your turn) knows about your diabetes and what to do and how to check your BG.
You want someone to tell you that it’s okay to go out and purposely get plastered? Sorry.
Alcohol and diabetes aren’t incompatible.
First thing to be aware of, and the first thing you’ll forget, is that drinking makes you stupid. So you’ll forget stuff, like what you ate, when you ate, where your meter is, what a carb is, why do I have these needles, honest officer, I’m not drunk, I’m diabetic . . .
What you drink will affect your BG’s in different ways. Beer and wine have carbs. Sweet drinks have sugar. Just pay attention as long as you can.
I’m going to spare you the lecture because I was also excited that I could legally drink, but there’s nothing wrong with sitting around and having a glass of wine. If you’re drinking to get drunk, you’ve got bigger things to worry about than your blood sugar.
Terry
lol
toooo true!
not necessary
Alright, mea culpa. I forgot I was that age once.
I asked this same thing only a little while ago because I found I always went low after drinking (drinking age is 18 here in aus so im nearllyy legal so no judgement haha). there are lots of sugar free mixed drinks available which are pretty easy to care for yourself with. also low carb beer if you enjoy that. but with non sugar free/ low carb drinks I tend to just not bolus for it or just give an absolute minimum amount of insulin and eat a serving of low gi carbs to stop late night lows, the dancing works off the sugar in the drinks 
but perhaps your body reacts to alcohol totally different to mine so prob just have a shot with trial and error like giving yourself the amount of 20g for the wine and not bolus for food!
if getting drunk isn’t allowed in the diabetic world I apologize in advance for influencing you in anyway… hahaha
oh and just clarifying the ‘diabetes and getting drunk’ part… don’t drink so much that you are not in control of yourself because it’s just asking for trouble, getting a bit messy is no problemo!
Dear Kirsten,
Happy birthday.
This is similar to Gerri’s advice. Here is what I do., I hope it helps.
I am type 1 and like to get drunk sometimes. This is quite old fashioned advice. I am in the fortunate position of having a family of medics around me who can give me advice and not be bound by professional constraints.
I do not count the carbs in any alochol as alcohol lowers your sugar levels. I always eat when I drink, even if it just grabbing something and it not being part of the evening. I do not give myself extra insulin for the carbs in alcohol, I just have my normal dose (this is due to it causing hypos as it stops the liver from producing glycogen). This is important as I can have a hypo after a lot of alcohol, although this is always in the early hours of the morning or can be up to 16 hours afterwards so make sure you have sugar and food to help you cope with a hypo by your bed.
I always drink whatever I fancy (champagne, wine, gin and tonics, beer, cognac, cocktails) and sometimes I drink quite a lot. Some drinks are better than others but I think you will find what works for you. I think as I am not doing it all the time it is ok.
I have been a Type 1 since I was young and am now 42 and have drunk all through that period. I am farily fit and seem to cope with alcohol well.
I wrote to you on an earlier post, so hello again.
Good luck, kind regards,
Fiona
Ok, the people that say you don’t NEED to get drunk to have fun are morally obliged to say that. We know none of NEEDS to get drunk, but hell, it’s fun every once and a while… ESPECIALLY when you’re turning 21. I was in florida, at college 1400 miles away from home when i turned 21. It’s VERY trial and error. The thing that has worked over time has been either a dry white wine (yes, you can still get a lovvvvely buzz from wine) or clear vodka mixed with diet juice or diet soda. Drink plenty of water, make sure your bloodsugar is level when you start, and make sure you don’t just go to bed / pass out without testing. It’s all about moderation and diligence. You will learn that diabetes + alcohol becomes a formula. I’ve even set alarms on my cell phone to test my sugar when i’m out with friends, or had a designated drinking buddy be the one to “bug me” about watching myself. You’ll do fine. have fun and be safe.
Stick with light beers (coors light, milller light, bud light) clear liquor like light rum/vodka. rum and diet soda does not swing me too much. Sometimes bs will shoot up for an hour then taper back down on it’s own do NOT BOLUS (unless your drinking with your dinner)! i’ve had nights where it was a little on the high side low 200’s and woke up at 80 the next morning that was without any fast acting insulin. just be careful and always have snacks around when drinking.
fyi fruity girlie drinks are a nightmare with diabetes. try to avoid sweet shots or anything with an umbrella sticking out of it. white russians, sex on the beach etc. AVOID! when my friends order shots if i do one i will get plain vodka or gin or something to that effect. it’s cheaper and has the same effect minus all the high bs. plus you don’t look all lame when your friends are doing shots of stuff that may as well be sold by the ice cream man. drinks i’ve found not to be too bad with bs gin and tonic, anything CLEAR mixed with diet, vodka sugar free redbull.
By the time I turned 21, I was far beyond experienced at drinking. Kristen, you don’t have to “be new to this drinking game”. Just turning 21 does not mean you now must drink, although that is what the generation implies. That’s what it sounds like it means for you. I don’t know what it is about those years, but I would stay diabetic before I would go back to that age again. It is hard to find someone who can just be an individual that decides for themselves, about doing anything.
I wish you well Kristen. Your avatar speaks volumes.