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Cocktails

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SacredHeart

SacredHeart

Senior Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Ok all, I'm after anyone's advice on this.

I've never been much of a drinker - I'm a total lightweight, and I completely admit that. But I do LIKE to drink, just tending to be fairly strict on a two-drink limit for myself.

I've been out a couple of times with friends since being diagnosed and have drank - admittedly no more than one glass of white wine/half a glass of champagne/one small cocktail, but we're going out for a cocktail night tonight (sort of black tie and what have you :D), and I'm not sure what the best move for me would be. All advice I can find is along the lines of 'vodka is the best thing ever for type 1's who want to drink', which is not what I really want to know, being as I'm not one for straight shots of anything.

I've had a look at the drinks menu of the place we're going http://www.henryjbeans.co.uk/downloads/HJB-York-Drinks.pdf

and there are a few things I like the sound of, but I'm not sure what to go for, because all the ones I want are fruit based, which obviously means sugars and carbs galore, but then I know alcohol can lower your numbers as well.

So, any thoughts or advice on this one?
 
i'm not a big drinker either, and tend to avoid alcopops/sugary based drinks (helloooo southern comfort and diet pepsi, yum!). i find that alcohol will lower my blood sugar the day after i've been drinking, so i tend to inject at the time for the drinks i'm having (usually less 1 unit or so) and make sure i eat something before i go to bed. and test. lots. haha. story of our lives, testing lots.

but that's just me, i think it's difficult with alcohol as everyone has such different capacities for it!
 
Hi Becky, not being a cocktail drinker I'm not best placed to advise, but I think the best thing is to try not to worry too much. I would imagine some things are going to be especially syrupy, like the 'Bols' type drinks, so best to go for something fairly simple with plain spirits like vodka or gin. Have some nibbles with it and this should slow the spike. As you say, alcohol can drop your lavels later because it inhibits the liver's production of glucose whilst it processes the alcohol.

Personally, I don't bolus for alcohol, just for the food that is accompanying it. If I'm not eating anything, I don't bolus at all - but that's just me, it seems to work OK for me.

Hope you enjoy it!🙂
 
Having reveiwed the list, I'd have a pint of Stella!😉 No, seriously, the one that looks like it would be least sugary is the Polish Martini.😱🙂
 
MMMMMM I LOVE COCKTAILS!!!

I normally allow myself one or 2 fruit juice based ones as a treat, and try to anticipate the high and cover it, but never more than 1-3 units in total for all drinks. I tend to just accept im going to spike a bit. But id only do this if you can eat something carby to stop you having a night hypo. But it shouldnt be too bad if you're only having a one or two.

On my pump i now set an alarm for 4.30am chekc my levels and drop my basal if necessary (usually by a full 30%). On MDI I used to wake up and check and have a snack if i was at a normal level to stop it dropping lower.

You can get some nice ones without fruit juice. Mojitos etc. Just watch out for sneaky shots of sugar syrup which can be an ingredient in quite a few.

Naughty drinkies, particularly cocktails are my special occasion treats! 🙂

Have fun!!
 
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PS. just looked at the menu . . . . JEALOUS!!!! :D:D
 
Not a big cocktail drinker, myself, but if there's a good choice of whisky, I'll have a Scotch whisky and tap water - a result of Scottish grandparents and a father who worked in the water industry, so the only time we had water from other than a tap was when driving past springs in the Malvern Hills when we'd fill containers that lived in the car. Personally, I always keep some jelly sweets and a muesli bar in my pockets or handbag, so I can discretely eat, in toilets, if necessary, as some places don't like you eating food not supplied by them, even if they don't sell anything appropriate.
But, if you're only going to have one or two cocktails, just have what ever appeals to you, and keep check blood glucose levels through the evening and before going to sleep. This post is probably too late to be any use, but hope you have a good evening out.
 
Hello,

Whenever I go out drinking I tend to make sure my sugars are a bit higher before I leave the house (8-9)

I drink whatever I fancy (beer, cider, vodka+redbull, alcopops, shots, cocktails). I tend not to take insulin with my drinks as I worry I'd get confused (especially as the night goes on) and take too much insulin.

Different drinks affect blood sugar, but generally most of what I drink raises blood sugar in the first few hours and then the alcohol lowers it (sometimes to lower than you started) later on.

If I feel low while I'm out I just order a glass of full-sugar coke from the bar.

And I always have something to eat when I get home (for me a biscuit, although toast or crisps would also work)

Then I just correct the next morning if I have to.

Hope you have a great night.

NiVZ
 
Mojitos are great, so are Tom Collins'. Or you could try a Planter's Punch... Oops, that last isn't on their list, shame that.
 
He drinks a whisky drink
He drinks a vodka drink
He drinks a lager drink
He drinks a cider drink
He sings the songs that remind him
Of the good times
He sings the songs that remind him
Of the better times:


Be safe be sensible, and if I were you have a bloody good time gal.
Eat plenty to soak up the booze, and I wouldn't worry about carbs in the cocktails (buts thats just me) as for what to drink well why not start at the top and work your way down!!:D

You're probably there by now! Hope your having fun and won't have a sore head in the morning!
 
Following on from Rossi Mac's quoted song, hope there's not too much "P###ing the night away"... (Tubthumping by Chumbawamba in case you're wondering)
 
I tend not to bolus when drinking, even when it's cocktails. I do spike a bit but I know alcohol then lowers me significantly so I tend to finish a night on quite a decent level, snack before bed and wake up ok, usually! That's just me though, and there was plenty of trial and error in my student days before I got there! Trick is just keep testing, and respond accordingly. Hope it was a good night!
 
Cheers for the tips, guys :D

Was a really good night actually. Decided to just have what I fancied, and keep testing. Had two 'berries and cream' cocktails, and a 'cherry-tini'. Had two slices of toast before I went to bed, and it's all peachy now we're on the morrow 🙂

Interestingly enough, normally anything more than 2 drinks would have me absolutely sozzled, but for some reason I was fine enough to have a theological/literary discussion over whether there was enough core material to write a Passion play from the point of view of the women in the gospels. 🙄 maybe it was all the cream in the first 2?
 
SacredHeart said:
Cheers for the tips, guys

Was a really good night actually. Decided to just have what I fancied, and keep testing. Had two 'berries and cream' cocktails, and a 'cherry-tini'. Had two slices of toast before I went to bed, and it's all peachy now we're on the morrow 🙂

Interestingly enough, normally anything more than 2 drinks would have me absolutely sozzled, but for some reason I was fine enough to have a theological/literary discussion over whether there was enough core material to write a Passion play from the point of view of the women in the gospels. 🙄 maybe it was all the cream in the first 2?
Click to expand...

Glad you enjoyed the evening Becky! Are you sure that was a coherent discussion?:D😉
 
Well, that's a Passion Play I'd watch!
 
I drink very little, a glass or two of sweet white wine with dinner sometimes, or a glass of something like Baileys on a Saturday afternoon.

It doesn't take very much to be happy, so I don't have more than a glass or two of anything.

Keep testing and remember to eat sensibly while drinking, and this will hopefully nip problems in the bud.
 
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