Nights out...

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UnexpectedDiagnosis

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Type 1.5 LADA
So with my new and unexpected T1 diagnosis (technically still pending) in Jan I have not yet had more than one or two bottles of beer in the evening.... however despite being 37 I grew up with the likes of the tidy boys, Paul van dyk etc

In April I have a night out to go to and I'm already thinking what's it like? No way am I taking needles out with me!! What's it like going on a bender with t1? Any warning signs I need to watch for?
 
Alcohol can lead to hypos so make sure you eat before going out & maybe top up carbs during the evening. Do you have a CGM?

Alcohol and diabetes

Alcohol and diabetes can be a tricky subject. Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, for some people, having a few drinks at home or in the pub is part of everyday life.
www.diabetes.org.uk www.diabetes.org.uk
 
UnexpectedDiagnosis said:
So with my new and unexpected T1 diagnosis (technically still pending) in Jan I have not yet had more than one or two bottles of beer in the evening.... however despite being 37 I grew up with the likes of the tidy boys, Paul van dyk etc

In April I have a night out to go to and I'm already thinking what's it like? No way am I taking needles out with me!! What's it like going on a bender with t1? Any warning signs I need to watch for?
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It depends what you mean by a bender. Alcohol can cause hypos, sometimes hours afterwards ie during the night, and sometimes severe. I’ve heard a number of cautionary tales. So, I do drink but limit the alcohol to 3 or so drinks, depending on what I’m having.

If you want to eat, you’ll need your pen and needles. My pens have been to numerous nights out and various gigs. Don’t forget to take plenty of glucose and some handy snacks too, eg cereal bars, in case you need top up carbs.
 
For me, the hypo risk is much greater the following morning. To be prepared for this, I typically reduce my morning insulin and keep orange juice handy.
 
There are some pointers for alcohol from Diabetes UK here

And, ummmmm... a personal blog about other things...
diabeticshambles.com

The Diabetic Shambles Guide to Drugs

This post is a guest blog, by an anonymous T1. They wanted to share their experiences of using recreational drugs with Type 1 Diabetes – but we agreed to keep their identity a secret because while …
diabeticshambles.com diabeticshambles.com

Look after yourself, and err on the side of caution. One of the things is that a bad hypo can look a lot like drunkenness... so if you smell of alcohol and are behaving as it you are completely leathered it's less likely security staff (or police) will be sympathetic or suspect an urgent medical situation may be unfolding.

But most of all... Enjoy your night!
 
Do your friends know that you are diabetic? If not, it would be a sensible measure to tell them and make sure that they know, if you start to act strange/unusually drunk or even aggressive, as can happen with sudden hypos and alcohol, you may need urgent medical assistance and carbs.

Personally my insulin and testing kit and hypo treatment all goes everywhere with me. That stuff keeps me alive and healthy and ensures my independence, so that I have the means to treat whatever my diabetes throws at me.

It might also be worth having a bit of a practice run at home one night before you go out to get an idea of how your body will respond to the amount of drink (and food perhaps) you are likely to have. If you have had very little since diagnosis, you may also be more sensitive to the alcohol and get drunk quicker, which will almost certainly impact your judgement of how to manage your diabetes, so a not so "dry run" in the safety of your own home (maybe a lads night in) might be worth experimenting with.
 
I used to have hypos while I was enjoying a glass of wine (or trying to!) with dinner. And the following day after a few glasses of wine it was hypo after hypo after hypo. As my neighbour at the time said “insulin and alcohol - that’s a dangerous cocktail” (not sure how he knew this cos he was a fruit machine salesman). So, I quit drinking.

We’re all different, of course. Just take care of yourself - there’s some great advice on this thread. 🙂
 
Good reminder @Bloden I usually eat a few crisps with my drinks just to compensate for the alcohol in the wine/spirits. I’m very wary of drinking on an empty stomach too, rather than with a meal.

Your neighbour was right. It’s a delicate balance, and I’m always aware of it when I drink. At least we have Libre and CGMs now to help. Previously, I’ve set alarms to wake in the night and test.
 
Can't thank you guys enough... I'm a little anxious about my first night out so I won't be doing anything crazy! As it's my mates night (he arranged it) I will have access to a private room to inject if needed etc. Decided I am going to take all my gear with me and just try to be sensible; I will test a few hours in to see how my bloods are doing and I will not be partaking in any such marching powder type activities which will surely be offered :rofl:

The suggestion of a dry run (maybe not the right wording lol) would be a good idea too. My mates know I am diabetic so they will also watch out for me I am sure.

The points stating I am at risk of a Hypo especially in the morning will help me be aware, although I wrongly assumed lots of drinks would be loaded with sugar and I wouldn't be at risk but I didn't realise alcohol had that affect. I am glad I asked, there is so much with diabetes to learn!! Way more than I initially thought
 
UnexpectedDiagnosis said:
Can't thank you guys enough... I'm a little anxious about my first night out so I won't be doing anything crazy! As it's my mates night (he arranged it) I will have access to a private room to inject if needed etc. Decided I am going to take all my gear with me and just try to be sensible; I will test a few hours in to see how my bloods are doing and I will not be partaking in any such marching powder type activities which will surely be offered :rofl:

The suggestion of a dry run (maybe not the right wording lol) would be a good idea too. My mates know I am diabetic so they will also watch out for me I am sure.

The points stating I am at risk of a Hypo especially in the morning will help me be aware, although I wrongly assumed lots of drinks would be loaded with sugar and I wouldn't be at risk but I didn't realise alcohol had that affect. I am glad I asked, there is so much with diabetes to learn!! Way more than I initially thought
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Have you been offered the Freestyle Libre 2? It's a continuous monitor, using a sensor stuck to the u/s of upper arm and used with a scanning device. All you need to do is swipe the scanner (or mobile phone) near the sensor to get a reading. This can easily be used by others (friends etc). It's not as current as a finger prick (it is about 10 mins behind).

Many T1's speak very highly of the libre, and it's been the biggest improvement -- life changing -- on diabetes management since insulin was made available a hundred years ago.
 
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Amity Island said:
Have you been offered the Freestyle Libre 2? It's a continuous monitor, using a sensor stuck to the u/s of upper arm and used with a scanning device. All you need to do is swipe the scanner (or mobile phone) near the sensor to get a reading. This can easily be used by others (friends etc). It's not as current as a finger prick (it is about 10 mins behind).

Many T1's speak very highly of the libre, and it's been the biggest improvement -- life changing -- on diabetes management since insulin was made available a hundred years ago.
Click to expand...
Yes I've had 3 of them and none lasted the full 14 days. Only one made it past 3 so I wasn't going to plan as if I had a working one. If I have a working one while I'm on my night out its a bonus as it will make things much easier 🙂
 
I would encourage you to try an arm strap for your Libre if you are having problems.
 
UnexpectedDiagnosis said:
Yes I've had 3 of them and none lasted the full 14 days. Only one made it past 3 so I wasn't going to plan as if I had a working one. If I have a working one while I'm on my night out its a bonus as it will make things much easier 🙂
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There's been a few on the forum who have had similar problems. What sort of issues are you finding with the sensors? Failing, falling off, not reliable?
 
UnexpectedDiagnosis said:
Yes I've had 3 of them and none lasted the full 14 days. Only one made it past 3 so I wasn't going to plan as if I had a working one. If I have a working one while I'm on my night out its a bonus as it will make things much easier 🙂
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Are they falling off or failing? Both can usually be solved 🙂
 
Failing... First after a day, second after 3 and the last did last 10 days which was good.

I personally think its their app that fails not the sensors, on my 3rd sensor I found an app called Glimp which still reads the sensor even after it "fails"

I called support for each failure and they offered no solutions except sending out more sensors.
 
UnexpectedDiagnosis said:
Failing... First after a day, second after 3 and the last did last 10 days which was good.

I personally think its their app that fails not the sensors, on my 3rd sensor I found an app called Glimp which still reads the sensor even after it "fails"

I called support for each failure and they offered no solutions except sending out more sensors.
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Have you still got the libre scanner? Does this give better results?
 
Amity Island said:
Have you still got the libre scanner? Does this give better results?
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Never been offered a scanner, only mobile.

If it happens again I will enquire about a reader, thanks!
 
Neither have I with the reader - however, the latest sensor decided to practically fall off my arm after 5 days last week and no spare so will be a big gap on Libreview. Wasn't very accurate anyway. They just don't like me very much which is a bit of a .... cos it's so much less faff scanning rather than testing at odd times rather than before meals which I don't really mind much at all, but you know, a quick is BG coming down yet after a correction? and vice versa coming up yet after treating a hypo? - without having to entirely stop what I'm doing and concentrate on testing instead. Yes I know I'll have to test again some time later, but not exactly NOW this minute, is all.
 
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