Beechams complete and low blood sugars

[Tdm]

I've a bit of a cough/cold and been taking beechams cough syrup.
Well last evening I had a stubborn low (not hypo, but bs skimming the 4.5 where I have my alerts). I ended up, a few at a time, taking about 22 g carbs (quite a few of which were dextrose) which eventually took me up to about 7mmol/l. Normally i take 4 g carbs and that springs me out of my low. This was confirmed on both the libre and dexom (have both at the moment as bought a dexom to see if it lets me sleep) and finger pricks.
Any thoughts? I did walk a fair bit but nothing over the usual. The cough syrup is about 20% alcohol and I had 20ml, do you think it could be that?

 

[nonethewiser]

Just coincidence imo, can't see Beecham syrup causing low bg but how knows, usually take power myself & it has no affect on bg.

 

[Tdm]

Mmmm, the powder wouldn't have ethanol in..
Just gone low again, so may go over to the dachets grom now on

 

[42istheanswer]

I've a bit of a cough/cold and been taking beechams cough syrup.
Well last evening I had a stubborn low (not hypo, but bs skimming the 4.5 where I have my alerts). I ended up, a few at a time, taking about 22 g carbs (quite a few of which were dextrose) which eventually took me up to about 7mmol/l. Normally i take 4 g carbs and that springs me out of my low. This was confirmed on both the libre and dexom (have both at the moment as bought a dexom to see if it lets me sleep) and finger pricks.
Any thoughts? I did walk a fair bit but nothing over the usual. The cough syrup is about 20% alcohol and I had 20ml, do you think it could be that?

20% of 20ml is 4ml alcohol, or less than half a unit (a unit is 10ml alcohol). So your liver would need to be really struggling for that to affect it releasing glycogen for very long, for most people a unit is processed in 1-2 hours after stopping drinking/taking alcohol so for under half a unit that's probably less than a hour of your liver being distracted if the alcohol did have an impact.

 

[Inka]

Mmmm, the powder wouldn't have ethanol in..
Just gone low again, so may go over to the dachets grom now on

Sometimes colds can cause me to have lows. No idea why. I always imagine my digestion is off because I’m ill.

It’s also possible that there’s an active ingredient in the syrup that’s lowering your sugars. I tend to stick to paracetamol and effervescent Zinc and Vitamin C tablets for colds. You could try stopping the Beechams and see if your sugars settle.