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Hi my name is kerry i have type 1 diabetes , diagnosed january this year x

Hi @kerryhallhaynes and welcome to the forum - Type 1 diabetics can absolutely drink alcohol (Just had a beer myself after sporting exploits this afternoon!) - there are some factors to consider though - consider the amount of carbs in the drink you are drinking (Cocktails usually have a high sugar content) and if you like a spirit with a mixer, choose a diet one - wine is generally ok unless it is a sweet dessert wine which is not advisable - I tend not to administer any Quick Acting Insulin for drinks but some people do depending on its effects on their blood glucose - it will rise initially but after that you are at risk of hypos
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A small snack (without Quick Acting Insulin) before bed is a good idea to stop any overnight lows

But everyone is different so there is no right or wrong answer - just stay safe 🙂
 
When I was first diagnosed, my Diabetes nurse told me that for every unit of alcohol you drink, your liver doesn’t trickle out the usual glucose for an hour (which keeps the brain and other organs ticking over in the absence of you eating) while it breaks down the alcohol . So I either have a few carbs with my drink, or make sure i’ve reduced my insulin. I find a couple of glasses of red wine at dinner will also get rid of my blood glucose's tendency to rise from about 4am, so I can wake up with a lower reading than usual.

I think that’s a long winded way of saying, yes, and enjoy it, but make sure you know what effect the alcohol is going to have!
 
Welcome to the forum @kerryhallhaynes

Hope you find ways to enjoy a drink or two in moderation, without it messing up your BG levels, or putting you at risk of hypos. Like most things with T1, the answer is yes, but there are a few things we have to bear in mind and keep an eye on. Particularly since drinking can make it slightly harder to be aware of the subtle signals our body sometimes gives us.

There are a few helpful pointers on this page:

Type 1 diabetes and drinking

Whether it’s a trip to the pub, a few drinks to unwind at home on a Friday night, dinner out or a weekend away at a festival, having a drink or two is all part of life for most people. You’ll be glad to hear it doesn’t have to be any different just because you have type 1 diabetes. But there are...
www.diabetes.org.uk www.diabetes.org.uk
 
If you are going to have a drink or three out, it is sometimes worth experimenting at home first to see how your body/diabetes responds to it because we are all different and have to find different tactics or strategies to deal with various aspects of everyday life that can disrupt our BG levels.

I have now given up alcohol but a singe gin and slimline tonic had very little if any effect on my levels but two or 3 and I would have to lower my evening Levemir dose or risk nocturnal hypos.
 
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