Diabetes and College: Alcohol Survival Tips for a Diabetic from a Diabetic (this could save your life)

Here’s some more practical advice for staying out of the hospital if you decide to do some partying in college. A lot of people keep this subject “Hush, Hush” because sticking your head in the sand is easier than actually addressing issues…

Show this to ur kids, it could save his/her life:

-Stay away from the Jungle Juice (fruit juice based concoctions) at frat parties. Yes,it’s free and you’ll want some but trust me there’s NO WAY to measure the ingredients

-Test your BG A LOT when you’re drinking. You should be testing about every 1-2 hours when you’re out

  • Make sure your BG is high before you go to bed.It could drop A LOT depending on how much you drink. Waking up at 220 mg/dL is better than waking up in the hospital at 30 mg/dL (or not waking up at all)

  • Set your alarm for 9 am to test your BG, NO MATTER WHAT TIME YOU GO TO SLEEP.

-Your blood sugar will continue to drop the next day once you get out of bed and start moving around. YOU MUST EAT SOMETHING EVEN IF YOU ARE BEYOND HUNGOVER. I once woke up to a blood sugar of 180 mg/dL at 10 am. I didn’t eat anything. I tested again at noon and was 43 mg/dL. Don’t make that mistake.

-Keep soda next to your bed, always!

If you have more from personal experiences, PLEASE add comments.

Danny,

Could you add this as a note on Glucose Buddy fanpage at http://facebook.glucosebuddy.com

I think it’s a great story.

I drink (well, haven’t in a long while) Jungle Juice just fine…everyone handles it different. My drink of choice (at the moment) is vodka cranberry (not sugar free).

TEST A LOT though. I don’t bolus unless I am over 350 and then I only give 1 unit (normally need about 7 for a sugar that high).

the most important 2 things I can think of though make sure a friend knows how to test you/work your pump/give an injection/force quick sugar down you etc.

and second

Glucagon does NOT NOT NOT work if you are drinking. just go right to the hospital if you get that low and drunk/out of it!!!