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T1 teenager first time drunk!

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T

Tina63

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
Last night my son went to a friend's birthday party at his house with the plan that he was going to sleep over. I knew it was likely to be a boozy affair as that is what this particular boy is like, and a lot of lads/girls were invited. It was with some trepidation I wished my son a good evening and told him I would have my mobile with me all night long if he needed me.

I received a text at 1.15am "Are you awake?" I responded "Yes" rather than my immediate though of "I am now, thank you!" as I assumed he wanted collecting. Yes he did, and yes, he was all the worse for drink. He was coherant enough, though well and truly pickled (first time) but as he got in the car he told me he had been sick 3 times some time earlier but had then fallen asleep, but woke and wanted to come home. He was ok, but this being the first time I have seen him like this it was a little unnerving.

Luckily the alcohol made him very friendly and chatty, so for the first time in ages he was completely happy to test and test in front of me. He was 14.x, can't remember exact figure. I got him a pint of water, suggested he sipped that slowly and by 2am he was fast asleep, bucket by his side!

I of course barely slept a wink. Dozed off at 4.15, to have my husband's alarm go off at 5am, so wide awake again. I decided to go in and check on him after a few minutes of should I/shouldn't I debating. He woke easily, but was far more angry when I asked him to test again, I even offered to do it for him. He wouldn't do it and wouldn't allow me. Right or wrong, I let it go, at least reassured he was conscious and coherent. I do realise a bad temper can be a sign of being low though.

So I let him sleep on until 8.30, then decided I had to go and check on him again. He was fine, amazingly, and did agree to test again in front of me. 6.9 this time, the lowest he has been in months. I did explain I was only fussing because I know alcohol can have serious repercussions and he was totally cool listening to all I had to say about it. He couldn't remember if he took his Lantus last night (normally around 11pm so probably not) so I did explain that having read bits from Ragnar Hanas (so glad I bought that) that the effects of alcohol can go on for some hours, so I thought he should test much more often today and maybe hang off having his Humilin. I don't know if I was right or wrong to do this.

He then decided to get up, was actually fine, so had some breakfast without insulin, and plenty of fluids. He tested again before lunch and was up to 12 again, which is actually where he has been sitting roughly lately (getting doses changed on Tuesday) so I suggested he forgets Humilin today and uses Novorapid all day instead. So that is what he has done, 10u instead of the 9u I calculated it at, and I guess just keep an eye on things.

Do you think I have handled this correctly, or what would you have done differently please? It's the first time I have had to deal with anything like this, and I don't want to cramp his style, but I do want to keep him safe and well. Any comments gratefully received.

Thanks.
Tina
 
Hi,

Sorry I can't help you with the insulin etc as I am type 2 none insulin, but am sure someone will be along soon to help.

What I will say is that you did terrific as a mum, and your son seemed to be very reasonable too.

My son was bought home by someone who found him asleep in his garden on his first night of getting drunk!! I remember it well but acted like you calm and trying to advise on how to get over his hangover. I think it helped because I don't remember him getting drunk again since! He isn't a diabetic though, so I can only imagine how much worrying it is for you. Well done on handling it so well🙂
 
Hi Tina

I think you handled that really well. The thing with alcohol is that it stops your liver kicking out the glucose it normally does, so it can cause hypos. As you rightly say this can last for several hours after drinking, so it's really important to keep testing regularly. The tough thing with alcohol is that the effect of it (in terms of BG levels) depends on so many things - ie type of alcohol, food eaten, insulin already in your system, so on so forth! The advice that tends to be given is to have a snack before going to sleep, the idea being that the snack will stop a hypo. What you actually do though is up to you! With my pump, I can lower my background insulin for a few hours to try and prevent any lows.

I'm just speculating, but I would guess the reason he hasn't hypo'd is because he forgot his Lantus.
 
Tina, I think you did a great job. It's good that he complied with the test before bed as it showed that his levels were not too high, but neither were they low enough that a hypo might be likely from the effects of the alcohol. Yo've seen from his morning reading just how much it can lower the levels, especially if he didn't have his lantus.

Hopefully, he will learn a lot from the experience and manage things better should it ever hapen again that he has a bit too much to drink 😉 From the sounds of it though, he's not going to say 'never again!' 🙂

You did great!
,
 
Thank you everyone for your kind words. He is still being very human :D Most unlike him :D

I just didn't feel comfortable with the Humilin this morning knowing it would hit in waves (well I think that's how Humilin M3 works???) so using Novorapid seemed the way forward.

I really don't know what to think as to whether the had his Lantus or not. I guess as the afternoon goes on we will see how much his levels rise - but with the levels he has been coasting at lately, it will probably be almost impossible to tell.

It certainly hasn't put him off, maybe the being sick helped him avoid a proper hangover, he says he feels fine, except for the part of his chest where he got thumped - all in fun he assures me!! In fact he is already talking about this time next year when he will be legally old enough to buy alcohol himself........!

Oh well, until the next time!

Thanks.
Tina
 
Hic, I might just have been there many a time.

You've done nicely. As Shiv states, like most men, the liver cannot do two things at once. If it can it's probably a bit suspect! Alcohol has lovely effects as mentioned earlier.

Just wait until he rolls home and pukes everywhere and has a proper steaming hangover. That'll learn him haha! He's learning his limits now which is rather nice. I know a few friends who, having not learned their limits have spent, between them, a fair few times sobering up on an A&E trolley.

What happens to BMs depends on what type of alcohol your boy prefers. I am quite often found draining the barrels of bitter. I have been know to partake in shots. Fail safe method is to have a kebab or chips on the way home to prevent any lows. Hangovers are essentially a combination of dehydration, losing electrolytes and hypos. Push fluids, food and just keep an eye on the BMs.

Remember, you must employ cunning tactics when you do paediatrics.
 
Just to add Tina, with my son , the only time he has had severe hypos has been the next day after drinking. When I say severe I mean fitting, and he has ended up in A& E. I think, correct me if Im wrong, that alcohol initially raised the sugars and then (in my sons case) about the next afternoon can drop them quite dramatically.
 
TomH said:
Fail safe method is to have a kebab or chips on the way home to prevent any lows.
Click to expand...

Just to pick up on this one line from Tom's post. I don't believe that there is a failsafe way to avoid a hypo when drinking there are far too many variables. Your son needs to find out how alcohol affects him and then come up with his own strategies based on that.

I think you are doing well though and I am pleased he is testing a lot more.
 
CarolK said:
Just to add Tina, with my son , the only time he has had severe hypos has been the next day after drinking. When I say severe I mean fitting, and he has ended up in A& E. I think, correct me if Im wrong, that alcohol initially raised the sugars and then (in my sons case) about the next afternoon can drop them quite dramatically.
Click to expand...

Thanks Carol. I referred to the Ragnar Hanas book this morning whilst deciding whether to wake him or not, and that's what was implied in there. I keep saying, we have never faced a proper 'crisis' yet, and I am sure one day something will happen, all I can do is try my best to head off anything untoward as far as I am able and he will allow me. The fact he has been so soft today would suggest he is feeling quite grateful actually that I was there, though of course he would be too big to admit it in words. He's like that, my lad, a softie at heart, just puts this hard front on!

He has tested much more than he ever has today, though the last couple of results he has wanted to keep private, but he seems fine, so fingers crossed. Just glad to have got the first one over with! I'm sure we will have many other times our sleep is disrupted worrying about him, but it goes with the territory! You don't stop worrying just because they're grown up do you?

Oh well, it's nearly bedtime! Zzzzzzzzzz!
 
no, its certainly hard to let go, when diabetes is thrown into the mix. I know Ive spent quite a few years getting on my sons nerves, but I know I did it for the right reasons (and for my own peace of mind), weve come to a mutual understanding now,but then at 23 he is much easier to deal with!
I still tend to have a fear of hypos, if Im honest , even after 10 years, but I think thats after a few scary ones! I dont know if Ill ever get over that hurdle.
I feel for you though, I know what its like, and I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy!
Good luck
 
Thanks Carol. It's so good being able to talk to someone who has been in the same position as me. I have always had a good relationship with both of my children and we are a close family, but this does cause friction from time to time. I felt a few months ago that everyone was ganging up on me, telling me to back off, yet I wanted to yell at them that I couldn't just stop caring. I felt they didn't seem to care enough! I felt a massive desire to educate myself as far as possible, but it can wind my son up when I say "I have read....." or "I understand....." and sometimes he won't even let me start saying what I want to, but on days like today he has been very open to listening to me.

He has mentioned today about learning to drive again, so I have managed to get quite a constructive one to one chat in with him on the way back from town in the car that he will need to get his HbA1c down drastically and prove good control before he will be granted a licence. Hopefully he is slowly digesting this fact and will carry on testing and injecting more. He is on a bit of a bribe at the moment as he wants to borrow some money at the end of the month, so things may come unstuck early next month!

I have just impressed on him in the last 24 hours again that it's only that I love him and care about him so much that I am fussing, but have also praised him for being open and sensible about it all. Kidology - still works - even at 17!
 
Tina, I imagine that (secretly!) he is reassured by the fact that you have learned so much and that he can trust you to understand when he needs to talk 🙂
 
Pleased to hear all is ok and that he's opening up a bit. Maybe a "I don't know what it's like... can you explain to me?" might work also.

When I was his age and at the initial getting drunk stage, it was fixed doses, so I still had to eat a hearty breakfast despite being sick and feeling like I'd just got off a merry-go-round. After the third or fourth time, it lost its appeal and I (mostly) stuck to my limits. If only our memories were slightly better, we might only try it the once! 🙄

Rob
 
Tina, its good for me to hear you mirroring everything I have felt over the last 10 years. Sometimes I felt so isolated, and no one understood. I too felt and still do feel the need to know as much as I can about it, much to the annoyance of my son. Hence the tremendous help that this forum has given me. My son still says "you dont understand what its like" , but equally, ( I dont mean to offend anyone on here) they dont understand how heartbreaking it is, as a parent. I never say that , as I dont want him to feel guilty about me, but its very hard.
I still have days where Im treading on eggshells, trying to talk about things with him. I will admit sometimes I just sneak a look at his meter readings, to see whats going on (terrible I know!)
I just wish I was coming to Oxford to meet you all, but I have looked into it and its just too expensive for the day, something like ?180 one way!
 
Thank you for starting this thread.

I cant express how much more useful I think an 'intergenerational thread' such as this is over a 'me me' thread

I do wish there was a 'Reco' button as well as just a 'Report' button.
 
Bolddog said:
Thank you for starting this thread.

I cant express how much more useful I think an 'intergenerational thread' such as this is over a 'me me' thread

I do wish there was a 'Reco' button as well as just a 'Report' button.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that Bolddog, I often worry I sound like a moaning, whinging old woman. I just need to let out my feelings though and gain reassurance when things aren't going the way I feel they should.

I 100% 'get it' that I can't possibly know what it's like to be in my son's positition but equally he can't change places with me. I only ever wanted to be a mother and I have very strong nurturing/caring feelings, and this doesn't switch off just because they are growing up. Though my son can have a tough exterior, when things aren't going right, he always comes to his Mum for some reassurance.

Today I am just going to let things melt into the background again and give him a bit of breathing space and enjoy a nice relaxed Sunday!
 
Hi Tina

Just caught up with this as busy yesterday

Wanted to say 'well done' and I hope that when the day comes that I have to handle a similar situation I will handle it so well🙂

Actually, I hope my K will be a sensible as your son too.

Xx
 
Tina - considering everything, I think you've both done exceptionally well.

As an adult, it's always greatly amused me to see the state of panic that other - non-D - adults get into when witnessing me having a hypo. Pshaw, it's no Big Deal and all in the normal run of things! LOL But then I do also understand why and it's a bit difficult trying to explain that to them since it's only cos they care. And that's nice, so it would be churlish to say 'You lot cracked me up!', wouldn't it?

I tend to panic when left in charge of infants if they cry and I can't logically work out why. (ie don't need feeding, shouldn't have wind at this juncture, don't need nappy change, haven't misplaced their dummy - if they have one they rely on.)

It's what you are comfortable with and used to. I expect I'd be useless at dealing with someone else's hypo - I've never had to do it, have I?

I spose there's no chance of your son reading Ragnar Hanas?
 
I have left the book lying around from time to time, and occasionally he has had a flick through. I just said yesterday morning 'I have just had a look in my book for advice about alcohol and it says it can stay in the system well into the day.' I think now actually might be a good time to get it out and leave it lying around again.

He is on good form today, fine and very chatty, so maybe a good time to do it!

Now babies crying - well that is my forte! I can even be seen in Tesco rocking an empty trolley from time to time (oops!)

I have done numerous first aid courses as I work with young children, but I know I would still go to pieces if I saw one having a seizure or anything. My daughter was in a 'pre-convulsive' state as a 15 month old with a very high fever, and that was scary enough. I think when you aren't expecting something, as a bystander it can be really scary and even with training you can't always think straight in a panic. That good old adrenalin rush - there's nothing like it!
 
Aaarrgghh - please spare us D people from adrenalin rushes! 😱 LOL

I must admit - having been through a baptism of fire - in shacking up with a bloke with grandkids when I'd never even had kids, let alone GKs - I do now tend to talk to babies in trolleys at the checkout - well, mum's at the front unloading and they've only got muggins to look at so may as well try and make it interesting for em! - and can't stop myself retrieving stray socks, shoes and other such detritus and returning it.

Be nice if I knew what I was doing though ...... 🙂
 
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