Liquid lunches

[Northerner]

I had a liquid lunch yesterday, not uncommon in my pre-diabetes days! How do people normally deal with this? I know that it's naughty to just drink and that you're supposed to eat some food with it, but I had 31 years as a non-diabetic rarely eating lunch if I was out for a drink - maybe grab a Greggs steak bake (or two!) on the way back - so I'm an old dog with a new trick as far as that is concerned.

As I didn't eat, I didn't have any insulin, but obviously there are carbs in beer. I tested at around 3 pm and was 6.2, then a bit higher before evening meal. Should I be having insulin? Or will my basal be ok to cover it, given that my liver won't be kicking out much glucose if it's processing the alcohol?

 

[bev]

I havent got a clue Northerner! But you should have some treats sometimes- your a very good boy all the rest of the time - and your hba1c is good - so take a day off! I personally think its probalby not a good idea to have insulin for drink - just in case! Bev

 

[sasha1]

I had a liquid lunch yesterday, not uncommon in my pre-diabetes days! How do people normally deal with this? I know that it's naughty to just drink and that you're supposed to eat some food with it, but I had 31 years as a non-diabetic rarely eating lunch if I was out for a drink - maybe grab a Greggs steak bake (or two!) on the way back - so I'm an old dog with a new trick as far as that is concerned.

As I didn't eat, I didn't have any insulin, but obviously there are carbs in beer. I tested at around 3 pm and was 6.2, then a bit higher before evening meal. Should I be having insulin? Or will my basal be ok to cover it, given that my liver won't be kicking out much glucose if it's processing the alcohol?

Hi Hun
I only have a very basic idea of this at the moment... Nathan not at that age yet...lol
The general idea that i have been given, is to have a small bit to eat first, to line the stomach ideally carb, not have insulin, another carb after you've had your drinks, may be a couple of units of insulin depending on levels, alcohol has a lowering effect on bs, making you more prone to hypos...
Sorry cant be of more help than this, sure someone will have the answer.

ALWAYS DRINK SENSIBLY OR YOU COULD END UP FISSED AS A PART IN CUMBRIA...WOULDNT WISH THAT ON YOU...HAHA LOL🙂

Heidi
🙂

 

[Einstein]

Hey Northerner,

I think that even on pure liquid lunches (without diabetes) there is supposed to be something lining the stomach.

Booze is odd because you get the double with it, first the alcohol lowers the glucose in your blood, then the sugar in it raises it again.

When my dear pancreas finally gave up production of insulin I was a conference near Milan, my bar bill was 😱😱 as I was drinking to lower the compound effect of the first session at the bar... and so on and so forth.

So, insulin should be taken, just don't really know when or how much - as this was an issue discussed on my carb counting course many years ago, regarding alco-pops - how much carboydrates are there actually in that bottle - none of the producers would answer the question.

Therefore we have to guess as there are guidelines, but all beers and spirits vary from brand to brand and with different strengths.

You never know someone with more sense than either of us might tell you an answer that we can both remember after 'n' pints of our choice!

 

[sasha1]

Hi Einstein,

We've been told what drinks to avoid..
Alcopops More carb/sugar than 3 pizza's
Strong/super strength lager.
Not to much wine
Cider

Better option
Spirits with low cal mixers/or water
Fosters, Carling etc

Or for every Alcoholic drink have glass water after.
Hope this helps
Heidi
🙂

 

[Einstein]

Hi Einstein,

We've been told what drinks to avoid..
Alcopops More carb/sugar than 3 pizza's
Strong/super strength lager.
Not to much wine
Cider

Better option
Spirits with low cal mixers/or water
Fosters, Carling etc

Or for every Alcoholic drink have glass water after.
Hope this helps
Heidi
🙂

Hi Heidi,

(oooh how tempting not to do Heidi Hi [campers]!) Sorry you have heard that one million times already..

Ah, so if and when I can take these painkiller patches off my single malts are fine 😉

I'm a happy man now - still I could drink myself pain free!

How does guiness stack up?

David

 

[sasha1]

Hi hun

A good malt is fine hun, just what the dr ordered...
Not sure how guiness fairs though... Cant see an odd one harming.. But will find out for you hun..
Malts probably better than painkillers....LOL

Heidi
🙂

 

[miker147258]

Hi Everyone,

I dont know what carbs are and how to find them ,I look at tings for to see how much sugar they have in them but thats all. also I am confushed the gp said you will have to see me every 6 weeks for the rest of your life but yet never asked to see me again. saw her last week as my bloods were 13.8, 10.1, 3.0, they are going up and down all the time , sofar they have been good 10.3, 6.4, 7.3, 8.6, hope they stay in the 6.0 mark .

Miker

 

[tracey w]

Hi Einstein,

We've been told what drinks to avoid..
Alcopops More carb/sugar than 3 pizza's
Strong/super strength lager.
Not to much wine
Cider

Better option
Spirits with low cal mixers/or water
Fosters, Carling etc

Or for every Alcoholic drink have glass water after.
Hope this helps
Heidi
🙂

according to my dafne carb portion book, alcopops contain 20g carbs per bottle, not quite 3 pizzas!

 

[Corrine]

Hi Everyone,

I dont know what carbs are and how to find them ,I look at tings for to see how much sugar they have in them but thats all. also I am confushed the gp said you will have to see me every 6 weeks for the rest of your life but yet never asked to see me again. saw her last week as my bloods were 13.8, 10.1, 3.0, they are going up and down all the time , sofar they have been good 10.3, 6.4, 7.3, 8.6, hope they stay in the 6.0 mark .

Miker

Hi Miker

I would chase them up about that - I have to go every 6 months but they always tell me when I need to make the appt. Sounds like you are going in the right direction.

 

[tracey w]

Hi Heidi,

(oooh how tempting not to do Heidi Hi [campers]!) Sorry you have heard that one million times already..

Ah, so if and when I can take these painkiller patches off my single malts are fine 😉

I'm a happy man now - still I could drink myself pain free!

How does guiness stack up?

David

dont now about guiness, but strong bitter/brown ale contains 15g carbs per pint! hope this helps 🙂

 

[Einstein]

according to my dafne carb portion book, alcopops contain 20g carbs per bottle, not quite 3 pizzas!

As with everything the guides are just that, the drinks vary manufacturer to manufacturer and drink to drink, doesn't seem too high, mind you 10 bottles and you've got a few carbs kicking around 🙄

On the Guiness front, well if its not listed, clearly it doesn't contain any

I WISH!

 

[sasha1]

Hi Everyone,

I dont know what carbs are and how to find them ,I look at tings for to see how much sugar they have in them but thats all. also I am confushed the gp said you will have to see me every 6 weeks for the rest of your life but yet never asked to see me again. saw her last week as my bloods were 13.8, 10.1, 3.0, they are going up and down all the time , sofar they have been good 10.3, 6.4, 7.3, 8.6, hope they stay in the 6.0 mark .

Miker

Hi hun.

How you doing? Has N.I been sunny today?
The Carbohydrate (carbs) are shown on the back of food packets, you will see box saying nutritional information look down list to where carbs is you will get 2 lines total carbs, and of which are sugars.
Please dont feel confused.. Does your doctors surgery have a diabetic nurse? if so make an appointment to see her, i'm sure she/he will be able to help.
Also I'm certain someone on this forum will be able to point you in the right direction....your in the best place for help/advice etc.

Take care
Heidi
🙂

 

[rossi_mac]

Finally the thread I wanted to read, he says sipping a rather nice malt (20year old Highland park!)

After I was diagnosed I avoided the beer, well mainly, still have a few but due to carbs in beer I found it confusing when to inject what.

So I hit the vino, as I thought it was lo/no carb, of late I'm thinking I'm having too much wine as now I seem to get really p***ed on just a few glasses, or maybe I'm just getting old!

Anyway so I was thinking maybe cider could be the new wine? But an early thread by sasha1 says avoid Cider, is it just the apples that are in cider, the bottle I had tonight didn't mention carbs!

Still Id rather avoid the lagers they have too many chemicals in them, mess with my head! perhaps I'll just have to have whisky and biscuits all night!

Cheers

Ross

 

[Einstein]

Ross,

Nothing wrong with a fine malt, only a little spring water added, and perhaps another one to remind ye of the taste!

I find its about the safest alcohol for me to drink, although I am partial to the odd guiness, and a G&T on a summers evening touches spots an ice cold lager can't imagine.

 

[rossi_mac]

Not too much water I hope!

It's funny how all my pre years I always had quite a thirst generally and also for a beer, now I'm diagnosed I don't have such a thirst and I don't neck the pints like I used to!? But surely I couldn't of always been on the cupse?

A friend brought me back a malt from Japan last month I'll let you know what it's like when I open it.

Cheers

 

[SacredHeart]

ALWAYS DRINK SENSIBLY OR YOU COULD END UP FISSED AS A PART IN CUMBRIA...WOULDNT WISH THAT ON YOU...HAHA LOL🙂

Heidi
🙂

And that is why I always used to avoid the Botchergate area of Carlisle on a Friday/Saturday night in my uni days 😉

 

[runner]

Hi Heidi,

(oooh how tempting not to do Heidi Hi [campers]!) Sorry you have heard that one million times already..

Ah, so if and when I can take these painkiller patches off my single malts are fine 😉

I'm a happy man now - still I could drink myself pain free!

How does guiness stack up?

David

If you're on Metformin, it could counteract the depletion of iron that can result!! 😉

 

[AJL]

If I'm going for a few drinks then I will assume that it isn't going to affect my sugar - the reason for this is a combination of drinking too much and a hypo is not an outcome that I would want! However if I am drinking e.g. maybe before going out for a meal, I check my BG once an hour - if it's between 7-10 then I'm happy that it isn't too high but there isn't a risk of a hypo. If it is any higher I will do a small correction dose dependent upon what the BG is.

Last time I had a hypo that I couldn't handle myself was nearly 25 years ago - I had eaten before and covered this with insulin - but too many cans of lager brought my BG down too fast. Rather embarrassing collapsing in front of all your school friends when at your first "proper" party, but afterwards I thought that it was rather funny. However it has made me make sure that I don't have a low sugar when drinking - I would hate for the mistake to be made that it was just because I was drunk and people thinking that I wasn't having a hypo that needed to be treated.

I've never let the diabetes stop me from having lots of fun whilst going out for drinks. Life is for enjoying as long as you balance what you do!

 

[AJL]

Hi Einstein,

We've been told what drinks to avoid..
Alcopops More carb/sugar than 3 pizza's

I went through a phase only a few years ago of really, really enjoying alcohol pops when going out but they did have a very bad affect with regard to increasing BG - so it was a combination of extra does of insulin per bottle combined with lots of dancing in the nightclub

Although it is really important to be aware of what can and can't affect the diabetes I think being told that certain things should be avoided/forbidden can actually make them more tempting...............this can be particularly difficult when you are growing up with diabetes because you want to be the same as everyone else in some ways, and if you're told that you can't have something it can make it more tempting. I have to say that this was what I found great when I went onto several injections a day - for the first time in my life I could be more "normal" with regard to when and I where I ate/drank etc - something that wasn't so easy prior to being in my early 20s