Healthy Blood Sugar Levels Motivation

Frequently Asked Questions QUESTION: What is sugar alcohol and will it affect my blood sugars in any way? Hi, I’am 26 weeks pregnant and I was recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I don’t know anything about diabetes, but now I look for sugar free foods and no sugar added foods, but when I look on the labels it has some form of sugar alcohol, I’am scared to eat anything with it right now until I find some answers about this sugar alcohol, because I do not want my blood sugars to be high, because it will harm my baby. Please help me, thank you very much. ANSWER: Comparisons and Blood Sugar Impact Look on the label of a sugar-free candy, and you’re likely to see words like maltitol, xylitol, and sorbitol. These are sugar alcohols. However, they aren’t actually sugar or alcohol. So what are these substances and how will they affect your body? What are sugar alcohols? Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates which are also called “polyols.” Part of their chemical structure resemblessugar, and part of it resembles alcohol — hence the confusing name. Examples of common sugar alcohols are maltitol, sorbitol, isomalt, and xylitol. Where do sugar alcohols come from? Sugar alcohols occur naturally in plants. Some of them are extracted from plants (sorbitol from corn syrup and mannitol from seaweed), but they are mostly manufactured from sugars and starches. Why use sugar alcohols? Sugar alcohols are like sugar in some ways, but they are not completely absorbed by the body. Because of this, the blood sugar impact of sugar alcohols is less and they provide fewer calories per gram. Additionally, sugar alcohols don’t promote tooth decay as sugars do, so are often used to sweeten chewing gum. One, xylitol, actually inhibits bacterial growth in the mouth. It’s important to note, however, that the different types of sugar alcohols act very differently in the body (see chart below). Can sugar alcohols cause problems? Though the word “alcohol” is part of their name, they cannotget you drunk. But because they are not completely absorbed, they can ferment in the intestines and cause bloating, gas, or diarrhea. People can have different reactions to different sugar alcohols. Careful experimentation is advised. How are sugar alcohols labeled? The names of the individual sugar alcohols will be on the ingredient list of any product that contains them. They will be included in the amount of carbohydrate on the label, either in the total or on a separate line for sugar alcohols. If the product is labeled “sugar-free” or “no added sugar,” the manufacturer must show the sugar alcohol count separately. How do sugar alcohols compare to other carbohydrates? Though sugar alcohols have fewer calories than sugar, most of them aren’t as sweet, so more must be used to get the same sweetening effect. Still, there is a range of sweetness and impact on blood sugar among the sugar alcohols. This chart compares the different polyols. GI=glycemic index Cal/g=Calories per gram Bearin mind that the glycemic index is a range, rather than a fixed number. Different studies yield different results. This chart is mainly sourced by the Livesey research reported in Nutrition Research Reviews, December 2003. Comparison of Sugar and Sugar Alcohols Ingredient Sweetness GI Cal/g Sucrose(sugar) 100% 60 4 Maltitol Syrup 75% 52 3 Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate 33% 39 2.8 Maltitol 75% 36 2.7 Xylitol 100% 13 2.5 Isomalt 55% 9 2.1 Sorbitol 60% 9 2.5 Lactitol 35% 6 2 Mannitol 60% 0 1.5 Erythritol 70% 0 0.2 QUESTION: Why does drinking alcohol lower blood sugar? I was diagnosed with diabetes 2 weeks ago and am trying to learn what I can about the disease. I was surprised to read the risk for drinking too much is too low of blood sugar. This seems counter intuitive since alcohol basically breaks down into sugar. Anyone know why this is? Good article that explains how it works. I have a lot to learn. With my way of thinking I could balance out my low blood sugar from drinking byeating a bunch of Twinkies when I drink! Alas, I guess that kind of thinking is over now. ANSWER: ———————————————– “Alcohol is considered a poison by your body, and all efforts are made to excrete it, including the cessation of maintaining healthy blood glucose levels. Studies have shown that alcohol interferes with all three sources of glucose and the hormones needed to maintain healthy blood glucose levels….” “..Drinking as little as 2 ounces of alcohol on an empty stomach can lead to very low blood sugar levels..” “..Research has shown that acute consumption increases insulin secretion, causing low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), and can also impair the hormonal response that would normally rectify the low blood sugar…” ————————————————- In brief : Alcohol is so toxic,getting rid of it is top priority and other processes are neglected. QUESTION: Ok my question is about accuracy of alcohol blood test when you sugar is in the 500′s.? My husband was killed in a wreck and the man who foundhim says he thinks he was unconsious before the wreck. He had high blood pressure which was uncontroled and diabetes with a sugar level in the 500′s. He only had 4 beers but his blood alcohol was around 270. Will the sugar level cause a false high on the blood alcohol reading? I have heard it would. ANSWER: I dont know about the alcohol thing, but if his blood sugar was that high, it’s almost certain he was headed towards a coma unless he had just taken a major insulin shot. That on top of the effects of the alcohol plus all the carbs that are in alcohol could very easily cause a fatal accident. Untreated high blood pressure as well could have caused a stroke. I dont know when your husband passed, but I am sorry for your loss, and hope you are doing better. ETA: According to this website, extreme high BG can give false high readings: QUESTION: Does anyone have unpleasant symptoms from sugar/alcohol/caffeine, but without diabetes? If I have anything with concentrated amounts of sugar, Iget slight pricking in my hands and feet, and often get tired. If I combine caffeine with the sugar product(s), the effect is much worse, and I start to feel very foggy and ill, and I may start to look pale and sweat. Sometimes I even get genital itching. The worst effect of all is from alcohol, even ONE unit (a glass of wine, for instance) I feel very unpleasant, and need to urinate almost immediately. Two units and its even worse, I get sweaty and my eyes get dry and gritty, three and I’ll feel awful for the whole night AND the entire next day. Fasting blood sugar 1.5 years ago was normal, on the low end. I will be getting this test again within a week. The problem is the symptoms fit aspects of hypoglycemia AND diabetes, but neither one can be diagnosed with me. Is there such a thing as “acquired sugar intolerance”? I never used to have these symptoms before 4 years ago. I’m now 28 and have always been thin, I do not fit the criteria for metabolic syndrome, I do not have otherhealth conditions. However my response to sugar/caffeine/alcohol is getting progressively worse, albeit slowly. Does anyone have anything similar, or heard of anything like this? ANSWER: The only things I get are excelerated heart rate and “the shakes.” Also, some dizziness comes for a few hours, but those symptoms only on an empty stomach. I get tons of soda and junk. lol With alcohol, I only notice massive headaches with traditional beer and wines. Liquor I can handle, but I have a migraine problem and so have to be careful. Sounds like you have a series of food allergies. That’s the best I can make of it. QUESTION: What is the diffenence between regular sugar and sugar alcohol? My grandfather has diabetes and he try’s to find stuff to eat with low sugar but if he finds something with like 1 gram of sugar it has 8 or 9 grams of sugar alcohol. Could someone please explain the difference and tell me if the sugar alcohol will make his blood sugar sky rocket the same way regular sugardoes. Thanks. P.S. if anybody knows some good snacks or recipies for people with diabetes that would be great Also…he has Diabetes type 2. ANSWER: Check out this link: “What Are Sugar Alcohols?” Sugar alcohols are all very very different from each other, and will each have very different effects on your blood glucose levels. Once, purely in the interest of scientific research, I decided to see how my body reacts to different types of sugar alcohols. So I got some regular candy, and then some different types of “sugar-free” candy that was sweetened with different types of sugar alcohols. Over a period of several days, I tried a measured amount of each product, and then recorded my BG levels every 15 minutes for several hours, and compared each sugar alcohol to the baseline regular candy. What I found was that maltitol was almost as bad as regular sugar — it raised my BG almost as high, and actually look a little longer than regular sugar to go back down to normal. Lactitol, on the otherhand, had no visible effect on my BG — but it gave me the most painful intestinal cramps and diarrhea I have ever had. No more lactitol for me! Xylitol and sorbitol were both pretty good — they cause slight rises in BG, but significantly less than either maltitol or sugar. The best one I tried was erythritol: I could detect NO increase in BG at all, and had no unpleasant intestinal effects either. Anyway, based on that, if I see maltitol or lactitol in a product, I don’t eat it at all. (Unfortunately, maltitol seems to be everywhere!) If I see that it has erythritol, I feel safe in discounting those carbs completely. But different sugar alcohols may (and probably will) affect your grandfather differently, so he shouldn’t assume that they will affect him the same way that they affect me. The only way that he would be sure would be test himself after eating. QUESTION: Who still believes that drinking alcohol raises a diabetic’s blood glucose? After reading these statements taken fromreputable websites: “While moderate amount of alcohol can cause blood sugar to rise, excess alcohol can actually decrease your blood sugar level — sometimes causing it to drop into dangerous levels.” “Small Amounts of Alcohol Slightly Increases Risk of Low Blood Sugar in Certain Diabetics.” Webmd.com “Hypoglycemia Causes: Common causes of low blood sugar include the following: Overmedication with insulin or antidiabetic pills Use of alcohol” Emedicine.com And, finally, the American Diabetes Association says: “This is why drinking as little as 2 ounces of alcohol (about 2 drinks) on an empty stomach can lead to very low blood sugar.” A heterogeneous bunch of answers, so far. I’m not totally convinced of this myself, but the explanation given by the American Diabetes Association makes more sense than the positions taken by those of you who don’t have any reinforcement other than hearsay evidence. Come on, you guys… cough up some science. ANSWER: I don’t believe it raises blood sugar. Notonly does it not raise the blood sugar levels for my husby or me (both Type II), but my husby the biologist states, “One, alcohol is NOT a sugar (yes it contains carbs, but check the label – very little) and two, alcohol enhances insulin activity.” QUESTION: Question about diabetes, spike in blood sugar level.? Last night I went out to celebrate a friends birthday and had quite a bit to drink (vodka/cranberry & beer). This is NOT something I do often. But today my blood sugar level spiked to 175, and I feel VERY out of sorts, tired & jittery. I’ve been diabetic for about 5 years, (30 yrs old). I keep my sugar level steady between 101 (before meals) and 140ish (after meals) with medication (not insulin). Is this normal? I know that alcohol significantly raised blood sugar, but the last time a went out to have “celebrate” was about 9 months or so ago, and I don’t remember such a spike or feeling so “off”. Thanks for sharing! ANSWER: Actually there’s some question as to whether alcoholsignificantly raises blood sugar. The sugar in the cranberry juice certainly does, and is something you should probably eliminate from your diet entirely. Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars is a book that comes highly recommended and may help you not progress to the next phase of diabetes. Also, check out Dr. Mercola’s site and Life Extension Foundation for info on diet and diabetes. Good luck! QUESTION: I just drunk a sugar free hawiann punch with a bit of alcohol in it is my blood sugar normal (110)? I’ve been having symptoms of diabetes and I just had a drink and took my blood sugar and it came out 110. Is this normal? What is normal and what is not normal? ANSWER: Bria , you need advice on when to test your glucose level. Here we go : Normal Fasting Blood Sugar A normal fasting blood sugar (which is also the blood sugar a normal person will see right before a meal) is: 83 mg/dl (4.6 mmol/L) or less. Many normal people have fastingblood sugars in the mid and high 70 mg/dl (3.9 mmol/L) range. Though most doctors will tell you any fasting blood sugar under 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/L) is “normal”, there are several studies that suggest that testing with a fasting blood sugar in the mid 90 mg/dl (5 mmol/L) range often predicts diabetes that is diagnosed a decade later. Post-Meal Blood Sugar (Postprandial) Independent of what they eat, the blood sugar of a truly normal person is: Under 120 mg/dl (6.6 mmol/L) one or two hours after a meal. Most normal people are under 100 mg/dl (5.5 mmol/L) two hours after eating. Take care TIN QUESTION: does drinking alcohol make you a candidate for sugar diabetes? i went to the doctors today and he said my alcohol consumption has impacted my blood glucose level making me pre diabetic. level today 131 ANSWER: That simply is not true. The idiot doctor just is against drinking. He should have said that you should exercise and lower high Glycemic foods. And maybe lower weight. And then lasthe might say drink low carb beer. Or maybe don’t drink a bottle of booze a day. Cut back a little. I drink 6 beers a day and I am diabetic. Stay away from white foods. Flour, rice, white potato’s, sugar ect. If your test was a fasting test he also should have said one more test like that and you are a Full Blown Diabetic.Or if you have symptoms of diabetes. Then you have joined the club. QUESTION: If you have type 2 diabetes, what would fasting blood sugar look like? I suspect I am getting type 2 diabetes (or have it), so I have been checking fasting blood sugar (when I get up in the morning.) However, it has been normal, except a bit on the low end of normal. I have never found my blood sugar to be too high. I don’t seem to have excessive urination, I do *occasionally* have unquenchable thirst and dry mouth though. I do have blurred vision often. I don’t have unusual weight loss, if anything I am retaining fluids. However, I do now have alcohol intolerance, and I don’t know what itcausing it. One year ago alcohol was normal, now it causes all kinds of terrible symptoms if I have even 2 drinks. I don’t notice any exceptional sugar craving. I do not have a larger appetite for food, in fact I seem to have slightly less desire for food recently. But I suspect this because of vision problems, a lot of tingling/numbness in extremities, infrequent eye pain, and strange effects from sugary food/drinks (I get very edgy.) Any thoughts? ANSWER: My thought is that you should see a doctor. I am a type 2 and know what I went through. You need to know that you don’t have a tumor, gland problem etc. The symptoms you describe only slightly resemble type 2 – but only your doctor can say for sure. QUESTION: sugar alcohols and diabetes? i’m a type 1 diabetic. i heard sugar free candy is much better than regular sugar candy, but whenever i eat sugar free candy, it always make my blood sugar high. I have an insulin pump, and i always bolus the correct number of carbs in the candy,but i wonder if the amount of sugar alcohols affects the amount of carbohydrates. does anyone know? ANSWER: The sugar alcohols in sugar free candy can affect your blood sugar, and so will the carbs they also contain. I avoid most sugar free candy and occasionally eat a small piece of regular candy. Milk chocolate and Snickers bars have a lower glycemic index value than most other candies and even many fruits, so when I decide to splurge, that is what I get. QUESTION: Type 1 diabetes and drinking alcohol safely? I am going to be a college student. Yes, I may drink some. Everytime I’ve been talked to about diabetes and alcohol, it’s the same answer. Don’t drink. OK, I get it, it’s not good. But I know that diabetics do drink and I want to do it safely. If I am at a party, I like to just get tipsy…..not dead-on drunk but just a little tipsy. I have read that alcohol shoots the blood sugar down a bunch. How do I safely drink alcohol at parties with diabetes and fall asleep after? ANSWER:There is no reason why diabetics should not drink alcohol. But as with everything else, it has to be consumed in moderation. First find out the carb content of what you plan to drink. Alcohol contains carbs by itself, and many alcoholic drinks are made with grain products and/or sugar so that’s extra carbs. You also need to know that alcohol will first raise blood sugar, then a few hours later, lower blood sugar. You will need to keep testing so you know what’s happening with your blood sugar. Also make sure you have something to eat with the alcohol, do not drink on an empty stomach. And make sure you have quick-acting carb with you just in case you have a hypo. The main thing is that you want to enjoy your alcohol responsibly, and enjoy the party. Do not drink like a mad person, then pass out from too much alcohol, which might lead to a seriously high or low blood sugar. I don’t call that enjoyment. Oh, and have lots of water before going to bed, and remember also to test your bloodsugar before going to bed. QUESTION: The effects of alcohol and diabetes? I’m diabetic, but it’s complicated, not either type 1 or 2, it’s related to Cystic Fibrosis. My blood sugar is high though so lets say type 2. EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF Alcohol Diabetes = ? ANSWER: excessive drinking can actually drop your blood sugar to dangerous levels if you have diabetes and are taking insulin or other medications.. this is very dangerous because the symptoms of this (hypoglycemia) are very similar to being drunk.. but as long as you don’t drink excessively and check your blood sugar before you drink you should be alright. QUESTION: any lititure on alcohol and diabetes ? diabetic blowing in machine for a dui is it going to come out different than a non diabetic due to high blood sugars from alcohol and food at dinner and hadnt taken insulin yet ANSWER: QUESTION: Type one diabetes and alcohol? I know that if you drink alcohol it will lower your blood sugar, and that diabetics aren’t supposed todrink a lot of alcohol, but a little every once in a while is fine. I’ve been type one diabetic since I was 14 but I’ve never drank alcohol. What alcoholic drinks would be the best? Would something with sugar like a strawberry daiquiri help keep my sugar okay? Also would being 5’7 and 120 pounds affect me? Thanks! ANSWER: QUESTION: I’am 26 weeks pregnant, and I want to know about sugar alcohol? What is sugar alcohol and will it affect my blood sugars in any way? Hi, I’am 26 weeks pregnant and I was recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I don’t know anything about diabetes, but now I look for sugar free foods and no sugar added foods, but when I look on the labels it has some form of sugar alcohol, I’am scared to eat anything with it right now until I find some answers about this sugar alcohol, because I do not want my blood sugars to be high, because it will harm my baby. Please help me, thank you very much. ANSWER: QUESTION: Did somebody know any institution where you can stayand learn how to take care of diabetes type 1( like insti? Did somebody know any institution where you can stay and learn how to take care of diabetes type 1( like institution for alcohol or drugs recovery).I have daughter 28years old with diabetes type1,her blood sugar is almost every day low 20 and she could manage ,and she live with two small children by her self.I would like to put her some where to learn how to take care of diabetes. ANSWER: No one needs institutionalized to learn how to care for diabetes. Your daughters endocrinologist should have sent her to a diabetes education class as well as a series of appointments with her dietitian. As she is an adult, you can help by learning what foods are best for her to eat and help her out.Take care of the kids for a while, make a family meal and even offer to spend the night if she wants you to. QUESTION: Diabetes and alcohol? Does alcohol lower or raise blood sugar? ANSWER: Alcohol is processed in the body very similarly to the wayfat is processed, and alcohol provides almost as many calories. Therefore, drinking alcohol in people with diabetes can cause your blood sugar to rise. If you choose to drink alcohol, only drink it occasionally and when your diabetes and blood sugar level are well-controlled. If you are following a calorie-controlled meal plan, one drink of alcohol should be counted as two fat exchanges. It is a good idea to check with your doctor if you are overweight or have high blood pressure or high triglyceride levels before drinking alcohol. If you are in doubt about whether drinking alcohol is safe for you, check with your doctor. For more on diabetes and alcohol visit my free website QUESTION: Diabetes and Alcohol: Tips/Advice? I’m a type 1 diabetic. I’ve never had alcohol or anything of the sort, so I need some help. I plan to start drinking soon, but I’d like to know what to watch for. What can alcohol do to my blood sugar? Do different types do different things? How should I handle drinkingfor the first time? I obviously don’t know my limit yet, so how will I know? My plan is to drink a little, then test my blood sugar every 30 minutes to an hour to see what it does. Is that a good idea? Should I check more or less often? I’m totally confused. I will have a buddy on hand to keep an eye on me. How much more planning do I need to do? It’s kind frustrating having to plan these things out, but I’d like to drink safely. Any tips or advice? I also have a type 2 friend who would like to start drinking as well, if you guys have any tips for her. Thanks! I don’t want to become a heavy drinker, but I don’t see the harm in drinking socially. Please, I’m not looking for a lecture, I just want to be safe about it. ANSWER: Only thing I can add is have a snack before bed. This is to avoid Dead Bed Syndrome. Alcohol could bring your glucose levels low. Which in turn if you are suseptible to hypoglycemia then you are at risk without the snack. Good luck. I have a lot of friends that havetype 1 and they drink with no problems. QUESTION: Why do I get severe pain throughout my body when I drink alcohol or eat sugar? For the past 3 years I have been unable to drink any alcohol and eat a lot of refined sugar, including pasta without having significant shooting pains throughout my body. I have had numerous blood and nerve tests and they show nothing, specifically no diabetes. Has anyone ever heard of such a condition? I dont think i have gout – not sure what that is. other doctors have suggested firbromyalgia although as far as i know you cant prove that. i’ve done a lot of research and i believe that eating apples helps the condition (due to malic acid/magnesium). This is just my own little theory though. ANSWER: Do u have GOUT/ Fibromyalgia? It could be a possibility QUESTION: Strange question about diabetes 1.5 and alcohol? I have a strange question to ask… A close friend of mine, has a new boyfriend who says he has Diabetes 1.5, and as such his blood sugar level isalways extremely high. He also says because of that he cannot ever eat any carbs. He also claims that because of this, he needs to drink alcohol every night as its the only thing that keeps his blood sugar from sky rocketing through the night. This does not make any sense to me. All training I’ve had, (granted its basic) indicates that people do need carbs – its not healthy to never eat them. Also, it was my understanding that alcohol is a type of sugar, and therefore shouldn’t it increase blood sugar levels instead of keeping it down??? Its sounds to me that this new friend of hers is full of it, but I wanted to ask here to get your opinions on the situation. Any relevant websites you can provide links for that I could pass on to her would also be helpful. thanks! EDIT: Sethspeaks: I didn’t mean to imply that anyone should eat lots of carbs, but no carbs at all is not healthy. Some whole grains are part of healthy lifestyle. I just rechecked with my friend, and she says that he toldher he does not take insulin, which again doesn’t add up. Sounds like he’s full of bs eh? ANSWER: Here is a link explaining a little about the condition. If he does have this diagnose he should be on insulin. Yes, you do have to watch your carbohydrate intake and there are recommended dietary restrictions. A simple example is replacing that side of fries with a salad because the bread in a sandwich contains enough carbs for the day. Alcohol converts almost directly to sugar and diabetics are cautioned to greatly reduce (one beer a month) or completely eliminate alcoholic intake. Besides the link below the Mayo clinic, WebMD, and the American Diabetes Association all have web sites. You might also suggest she looks into locating local chapters of Alcoholic Anonymous or any other treatment program for his drinking problem. Psiexploration QUESTION: I have diabetes, what will happen to my bloods if I smoke weed? When I drink alcohol my blood sugars go up and down. But I’m wondering if Iwas to smoke weed if it would effect my bloods in the same way? Or how it will effect my diabetes at all. Don’t say don’t smoke, just answer the question please ANSWER: Smoking weed won’t affect your blood sugar. though go careful when you get the munchies. Avoid Hash Fudge. QUESTION: Can I drink or not with diabetes? everything i read says alcohol lowers blood sugar levels, so what does that hurt if my levels are normally on the high side(140-170)? i looked up drug interactions with glipizide and metformin, and they make it sound pretty dangerous to drink with. so if i dont take the pills and drink instead, will it even out? if not,is there a medicine i could switch to that doesnt react with beer? ANSWER: I take metformin and I asked my Dr. about drinking. He said no problem. There is a warning on the label, so I asked the pharmacist about it too and she said just not to excess. Some drinks have quite a bit of sugar in them. Those are to be avoided. Otherwise, moderate drinking isokay. The alcohol breaks down into glucose, so it will raise your blood sugar a little. ‘Lite’ beer is the best (but why bother!) The worst is syrupy tropical drinks with lots of fruit juice or sugary liqueurs in them. QUESTION: question about diabetes and alcohol? if a diabetic person were to drink alcohol, what would be the best thing for them to drink when bearing in mind blood sugars etc. also, are shots bad for them to have? ANSWER: Alcohol LOWERS blood sugar. Always check your sugar often and always eat when you drink. Drink moderately only . What shots ? Those of us on insulin do have to take it in an injection . QUESTION: Blood sugar counts and vacations (parties)? I returned from a 2 week vacation (party). I might be a little overweight by about 10-20 lbs at least thats what my Dr says. My question is after a good week and a hlf of parties I had to get some blood work done for a physical upon returning. When the results came back my Dr called me in to tell me my sugar levelswere high and concerned him as far as diabetes goes. My question is after a week plus of wines and beers can that have elevated the sugar level by not being out of my system before the lab work? He suggested loosing 10-20 lbs and seeing him in a month. I failed to ask what the level was but he did not say i was diabetic but could be going forward. I’m wondering if it was the alcohol content? ANSWER: Alcohol LOWERS blood sugar levels. Good Luck. QUESTION: Type 1 diabetes and alcohol? I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 14, I’m 17 now. I was just wondering, how dangerous is it to drink too much if you’re diabetic? I usually try to be careful with checking my blood sugar etc but last weekend I passed out at a party and my friend called an ambulance because she thought it was a hypo – I’ve collapsed from really low blood sugar before. I was totally fine and my blood sugar was ok, but I got a huge lecture from the doctor at the hospital. They said that drinking too much as adiabetic can kill you. Is that true or are they exaggerating? Also, what about taking ecstasy? Please don’t lecture me, I know it’s dangerous etc but some of my friends have done it and I’m considering it. Would it make my blood sugar really high or low? Obviously I can’t ask my doctor about taking drugs. ANSWER: I am 25 and have had diabetes for 6 years. I’ve done many things in those 6 yeras and so hope I can offer some practical guidance rather than telling you to stay away all together. You will probably drink and take drugs anyway so its better to know the risks and protect yourself. Alcohol is a funny one… my problem with alcohol is that it raises my sugar levels (initially at least) If I am having beer I need to take additional shot of isulin. However everyone is different and this might not be the case for you. If I get drunk and don’t eat much my sugar levels start to fall. I have had lots of hypos whilst being drunk and never had a problem spotting them- but its not much funon a night out. However if you drink so much that you pass out then you put yourself at real danger. My advice is this… don’t do it very often- learn to know your limits but if you are going to get smashed then play it safe and eat plenty of food. ITs ok if you have a high bllod sugar level every once in a while. As for ectasy the advice is pretty much the same. I haven’t noticed and effect on blood sugar level per se but the real danger is your lack oof awareness. Its really a more intense experience than alcohol and because of the positive feelings it creates in your brain I’m not sure how a hypo would manifest itself (its never happened to me) If you really want do it then it is a risk you are taking. Do small quantities which means you will retain your senses more. Again gor for plenty of carbs as i presume this would only happen on the odd occassion so a high blood sugar is the lesser of 2 evils. One more thing you should really get youself on a good insulin if your not already.You need fast acting so that you take it whenever you eat. It is lots more flexibile for someone leadaing a life style like you. Also you could ask your doctor, you might be suprised. My diabetes centre actually publishes a booklet giving advice on taking recreational drugs. Plus they are bound by the hypocratic oath, so your parents would never find out. Hope this helps.. be safe QUESTION: Breath that smells like alcohol without drinking? I have a history of Gestational Diabetes and my mom has type 2 diabetes. For the past two days my husband has noticed a very distinct alcohol smell on my breath, and I haven’t had a single alcoholic drink since last weekend. I know that when your blood sugar is high you can have an alcohol type smell on your breath so I just checked my blood sugar and it’s only102. Could there be any other reason for this? Thanks. ANSWER: QUESTION: diabetes, drugs and alcohol? someone in my family has diabetes and never took medication for it and is careless ofchecking his blood sugar. this person is doing meth and weed. and is an alcoholic, drinks about 6-10 cans of the 24oz beer a day. what can happen to him? what is his chances of even surving? ANSWER: I really don’t know anything about methamphetamine or weed, but I do know a little about the effects of beer. As you already know, alcohol is a poison. There is a specific metabolic pathway that primarily involves the liver. The metabolites formed are, among others: Uric Acid. Damages kidneys and raises blood pressure. Fat Globules. Causes fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. VLDL Cholesterol. The “bad” cholesterol. Forms arterial plaque. Triglycerides. Deposited as fat. Causes insulin resistance. There are more, but this is enough to get the idea. I’m afraid there isn’t much hope if he continues his present behavior. The trouble is, his death might be years away, after going blind and losing limbs through amputation. There really is nothing you can do. And this is in no way your fault. If heis lucky, he’ll have a heart attack or stroke and go quickly. I’m sorry I was so negative and morbid, but I feel that I need to tell you the truth. Wanna know something ironic? Fructose, the number one source of calories in America, has the exact same metabolic pathway and the exact same effect on the body, with the exact same consequences. A 12oz soft drink is exactly the same as a 12oz beer. Please watch the UCSF video linked below. QUESTION: diabetes,depression and alcohol ? i was diagnosed with diabetes in november and ive also been on lexapro 20mg for depression for the last 6 months .. ive learned a lot over the last two years and how to deal with my depression and diabetes but now the problems are with alcohol .. i used to drink a lot and used to go out get drunk and walk home and remember the whole night but recently im struggling to remember much after 4 pints and im nearly getting to a state where im so drunk ive to be carried home so now im thinking what has gone wrong .. myblood sugars have been stable the last while with food and i feel they are under cotrol over my first 4 pints im now starting to think that im not taking enough insulin cos its harder to judge than food and your constatly drinking so it takes the insulin an hour and a half to hit its peak and also should i drink more water when im out inbetween pints and i usually take my long standing insulin at 10 every night but i forget when im drinking so i dont take it till i get home but im going to change this till 6 in the day so thats one problem ruled out and on top of all this there is the lexapro so im starting to think i should cut down on the lexapro and try harder to drink water and make sure my blood sugars are ok .. so im looking for some advice ive already thought about giving drink up but ive been trying that for 6 years and i have reduced drinking to one day a week so its getting somewhere but if i could just manage that one day .. any help would be great please .. and no stupidanswers and none that says give up the drink for good unless its of good nature and reason .. im just fed up and im doing this for myself but also for my girlfriend and friends who have to look after me when i end up in a weird state ANSWER: If you are diabetic, you should NOT be drinking alcohol whatsoever. Probably never again. If you *do* choose to consume alcoholic beverages, you need to give yourself probably six months without to further stabilize your blood sugar. Then, you may be able to consume one or two alcoholic drinks once in a while. The problem is that alcohol is such a potent sugar, almost as soon as you consume it, it’s going to spike your blood sugar very high, and there will later be a subsequent (and probably large) *drop* in blood sugar. This is going to cause a “teeter totter” of sorts that is going to enhance and prolong the negative symptoms of the disease. You should also not consume sugar pop or candy as it will result in a similar reaction. It sounds likewhat has been happening to you is that you are getting actual dangerous fluctuations in blood sugar where your brain is switching to a sugar “survival mode” where it shuts down your cognitive abilities in order to conserve energy for essential functions such as heartbeat and breathing. I would highly advise to cease drinking alcohol for at least six months, or in my opinion, forever. If this is difficult for you, you may need to seek help or medical advice. You may also find that you feel better in your day to day life if you stop consuming alcohol as your body may be able to readjust to a more natural use of its insulin. Good luck! P.S. Without the alcohol, you may be able to someday cease the antidepressant as well! One other fact is that people with blood sugar fluctuations have a much higher incidence of heavy drinking, because it gives an immediate relief to the discomfort associated with the condition. However, as I previously stated, it will make the condition worse in the longrun, without question. QUESTION: to diabetes urine smell foul and mouth stings if yes how get raid of this and? do alcohol incress blood sugar level if yes which alcohol (whiskey) is preferable for daily consumption ANSWER: QUESTION: Diabetes and Drinking Alcohol? I am type on diabetic, with fairly good control over my blood sugars. My HbA1c is between an 8 and a 9. I am on an insulin pump and use Humalog insulin. I am turning 21 in a few weeks and will be consuming my first drink ever (!) and wanted to know how other diabetics adjust for drinks. How do you bolus? What effects should I expect? Any advice? I have a doctors apt. next week, but wanted to get as much information about this before I went and asked her about it. Thanks! ANSWER: It depends on the type of alcohol. While it’s true that alcohol lowers blood sugar, the extra carbs of a beer or a mixed drink are going to hit your system first before the alcohol content starts to lower your blood sugar. This is probably one ofthose occasions when you should use the dual wave bolus function to cover the carbs up front and stretch the rest out over time to cover the rest of your meal. Happy Birthday! QUESTION: What does low blood sugar feel like? What does it feel like? I can’t find a straight answer anywhere on Google, all of the sites I find are all in medical jargon. So right now i just got this feeling that I have an alcohol buzz, I’ve had it for about 5 minutes now, and diabetes runs in my family. So am I having a low blood sugar episode? This has happened to me occasionally, and sometimes I get this extreme dizzy spell that goes away after a very short time. By the way I’m 25. What, no answers here either? What is this, some kind of secret? Do I have to join the diabetes club to find out? pfft ooh thanks. Well I haven’t eaten much in the past while, so maybe that’s it. ANSWER: There are two kinds of low blood sugar. Diabetic and non-diabetic. A non-diabetic low blood sugar is very mild and non-lifethreatening. It’s usually because the person hasn’t eaten for a while. The blood sugar would seldom go under 72 mg/dl or 4mm/ol. This is because a non-diabetic’s body works properly, and the body would never release too much insulin, resulting in the blood sugar going too low. When an insulin-using diabetic has a low blood sugar, it can be fatal. This is often the result of excess injected insulin, or insufficient food to cover injected insulin. A low blood sugar is anything under 72mg/dl or 4mm/ol. It can go so low that it cannot even be measured by a home blood glucose meter. You have absolutely zero reason to worry about low blood sugars because you are neither diabetic nor using injected insulin. Even if diabetes runs in your family and you suspect you might have diabetes, in that scenario, you would be suffering from undiagnosed diabetes and that means HIGH blood sugars. No way would an undiagnosed diabetic or a non-diabetic ever suffer a blood sugar low enough to be of medicalconcern. QUESTION: Do I have alcohol poisoning?…or diabetes?? or WHAT?!? 3 days ago I went to a friends house for a barbeque. Within 45 minutes I had 2 shots of whiskey, 2 shots of gold shlager (sp?), and one mike’s hard lemonade. I was really drunk, then eventually I threw up once, but I recovered, and went back to hanging out with my friends. Ever since then I have felt nauseous and shaky. If anything smells at ALL (cologne, anything) I feel like barfing. My blood sugar is dropping and I’m real shaky. I’m also having very watery bowel movements.. sorry if that is TMI. I’m just worried, what’s wrong with me! ANSWER: HANGOVER hydrate eat right and sleep it off party hard QUESTION: Sugar Alcohols and weight gain- Protein Bars content? I am adjusting my diet to get lean muscle and burn fat. I want to eat 5 “meals a day” I have a slow release protein blend (ProComplex) shake in the morning when I wake up, some fruit around 10:00-10:30 *work out 12-1* High protien bar at 1:00. Veggiesabout 3-3:30. Healthy Dinner around 6:30. My question is for the Protein Bar psot workout. I want a high protein count but trying to avoid sugar content (less storing of fat from sugar) I found the Hi Protein Bars (link: They claim to be great because they provide 32 Grams of pretein with only 1 gram of sugar. HOWEVER, the nutrient facts also call out 26 garms of sugar alcohol. I did light research on sugar alcohols, but most info was in regards to diabetes. My question is on weight gain issues. I realize sugar alcohols don’t create the spike in blood sugar or insulin levels, but I don’t know a ton, and was wondering if they can store fat or increase weight? If my goal is to lean-up, is the 1 gram of sugar w/ 26G sugar alcohols ok? Or would something like 5 grams of sugar and zero sugar alcohol be better? (I am 5’10″ 183 lbs 26 year old male. I work out M-F on my lunch break 12-1. Lift M,W.F and cardio Tues, Thurs) Additional Info: The “Weight Loss” im am looking for is not extreme.Maybe 10lbs? I’m not looking to specifically shed ALOT lbs, but maintain my workout routine, and instead of having a pop tart for b-fast, a sandwhich for lunch and not care about what type of dinner I’m eating, just adjust my diet to a higher protein and less “junk”. With my current setup, I have some decent “shape” muscle wise but just a fair amount of flab that cover any “cuts” that may exist. Knocking off a few lbs and eating better would hopefully add that extra bit of fitnees I want. ANSWER: They claim that “sugar alcohols don’t count” but I’ve heard hundreds of anecdotal experiences from people who can’t lose weight while using them. I’ve heard diabetics getting readings that don’t reflect the “net carb effect” When he was alive, Dr.Atkins was adamantly against using the bars & shakes for weight loss, that message died with him. They are fine for emergencies & maintaining weight but not for weight loss. I couldn’t recommend sugar for weight loss either though. As healthy as fruitmay be, fructose the sugar in many fruits is the most lipogenic (fat producing) carb. QUESTION: IS suicide considered to be suicide in this description? Not caring about your healthh anymore, like not eating good food, being overweight and not worrying while having diabetes and high blood pressure as well as high blood sugar..drinking alcohol wayyyy to much and not caring if you live or die- if you die, would this be considered suicide??? ANSWER: I think that these aspects should be looked at.. I know from experience that when someone starts to neglect their self and overeat, drink to excess smoking or doing drugs weather intentionally or not spells trouble.. as someone said depression at the least … more serious at its worse.. I used to say I am committing slow suicide by doing these things but it was really a coping device so that in my mind I would be able to say well I dont have to kill myself today if I just let things go on the way they are then I will die anyway.. weird I knowbut when a person is depressed the mind does not compute as fast or as well as it should..and will grasp at straws to make sense out of anything.. I am not a therapist or anything of that nature just a person who has many different dxs.. but i would suggest a therapist if for no other reason to have someone to bounce things off of .. hope you can find a good one..I think people can commit suicide in many different ways and there is neither a good way or a bad way dead is dead..and if you remember what was told to me .. suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem .. I know the problems dont seem temporary but they are in the scheme of life..I hope this helps you .. QUESTION: Doctors have taken a blood test for diabetes how should i act until i get the results? Over the last week I have become less and less energetic and find myself very lathargic. After walking up stairs or for more than 10 minutes im finding myself out of breath, which is very disconcerting as I am veryactive in my lifestyle and train on a regular basis, so generally have an abundunce of energy. Even my emotions are low, I dont feel unhappy I just dont feel happy and am not laughing nearly as much as normal, which also goes for my apetite. Im eating because I know I should not because I want to. The doctors suspect it to be either a virus or something more sinister so have done some blood tests, results to be back on Monday. Until then how should I act to get myself back to full health ASAP? Should I keep going as normal, or try to do less? Should I go to work, should I go to the gym, should I eat more or less, sugar or no sugar, alcohol or non, energy drinks/caffine to help bring me back up? ANSWER: If he suspects you have type 2 diabetes, then dont have anything with sugar in it….the worst offenders are canned drinks and junk food….and just wait for the results…type 2 diabetes can be kept in check with diet……hope it goes well. QUESTION: Diabetes and Alcohol ? i am 14 and i am goingthrough puberty and i will be getting drunk soon … i was wonder if i drink when i am low then eat while i am drinking, will my blood sugars be alright ? my blood sugars are high ALL the time so will it effect me enough to go into a comma :S also i am very short, so if that can help in anyway my blood sugars are high all the time cause i am going through puberty and i eat at random so its next to impossible to control them ANSWER: Type I diabetes and drinking is dangerous…. The brain is the only organ in the body that has to have a minimal level of sugar… or you can die or become brain damaged. The liver has glycogen stores to protect the brain. Sooooooooo…. if you drink it can affect the liver in a way that can cause you to have a dangerous drop in your blood sugar…. you take an esp. giant risk to do any drinking and then go to bed. Being the age you are adds more unpredictability/variables to the situation. Not everyone knows about this. I remember a case this last summer of an adultmale that was having a couple of drinks of homemade wine while fishing in a boat… and suddenly went out and fell overboard. He almost drown…there was no warning. It can be a sudden thing… and just because one could get away with it… it can still happen unexpectedly. I would wait until I was legal age… and have a backup plan with a glucometer and someone that knows how to recognize a diabetic coma and how to treat it. QUESTION: Medical question on anxiety or high sugar levels.? I have partied a lot in my younger years (a lot!) I’m now 30 y/o & drink maybe once a month (where I’m buzzed or drunk). The next a.m. & all day I have what feels like chest pains and that I can;t breath. It’s not a hang over because I’ve experienced those many times, there’s no headache or nausea. I’m wondering if alcohol can cause blood sugar levels to do this. I have a family history of diabetes on my mother’s side. ANSWER: QUESTION: How dangerous is it for a 55 yr/old man with type 2 diabetes whointermittently binge drinks? Binge drinking meaning 5-8 drinks a day of 80 proof alcohol. Sometimes for 3-5 days at a time, and then quitting for 2 or 3 and then starting over. Blood sugar level stays between 250 and 380. They have also already had two heart attacks in the past 10 years. ANSWER: From the National Institutue of Health: Alcohol Impairs Regulation of Blood Sugar Levels The sugar glucose is the main energy source for all tissues. Glucose is derived from three sources: from food; from synthesis (manufacture) in the body; and from the breakdown of glycogen, a form of glucose that the body stores in the liver. Hormones help to maintain a constant concentration of glucose in the blood. This is especially important for the brain because it cannot make or store glucose but depends on glucose supplied by the blood. Even brief periods of low glucose levels (hypoglycemia) can cause brain damage. Two hormones that are secreted by the pancreas and that regulate blood glucose levelsare insulin and glucagon. Insulin lowers the glucose concentration in the blood; glucagon raises it. Because prevention of hypoglycemia is vital for the body, several hormones from the adrenal glands and pituitary back up glucagon function. Alcohol consumption interferes with all three glucose sources and with the actions of the regulatory hormones. Chronic heavy drinkers often have insufficient dietary intake of glucose (8). Without eating, glycogen stores are exhausted in a few hours (1). In addition, the body’s glucose production is inhibited while alcohol is being metabolized (2). The combination of these effects can cause severe hypoglycemia 6 to 36 hours after a binge- drinking episode (1). Even in well-nourished people, alcohol can disturb blood sugar levels. Acute alcohol consumption, especially in combination with sugar, augments insulin secretion and causes temporary hypoglycemia (9). In addition, studies in healthy subjects (10) and insulin-dependent diabetics (3) have shownthat acute alcohol consumption can impair the hormonal response to hypoglycemia. Chronic heavy drinking, in contrast, has been associated with excessive blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia). Chronic alcohol abuse can reduce the body’s responsiveness to insulin and cause glucose intolerance in both healthy individuals (11) and alcoholics with liver cirrhosis (12). In fact, 45 to 70 percent of patients with alcoholic liver disease are glucose intolerant or are frankly diabetic (1). In animals, chronic alcohol administration also increases secretion of glucagon and other hormones that raise blood g lucose levels (13). Alcohol consumption can be especially harmful in people with a predisposition to hypoglycemia, such as patients who are being treated for diabetes (3,4). Alcohol can interfere with the management of diabetes in different ways. Acute as well as chronic alcohol consumption can alter the effectiveness of hypoglycemic medications (14,15). Treatment of diabetes by tight controlof blood glucose levels is difficult in alcoholics, and both hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic episodes are common (4). In a Japanese study, alcoholics with diabetes had a significantly lower survival rate than other alcoholics (16). QUESTION: Diabetics, question about my blood sugar numbers? I have gestational diabetes, so I’m not really familiar with all of this. But I have noticed some things. If I use an alcohol swab before taking my reading, it’s always lower and more consistent than if I take it after washing my hands with warm water like they told me to. With the water, I could watch the monitor take the first reading as 100, then 120, then 135, then 89… it was weird. The alcohol prep swab, once it dries, there might be 1-3 point difference between a second reading but that’s it. I’m using the alcohol swabs all the time now. Is that normal? Was I just not drying my hands enough? Or maybe my water has some sort of residue? Second part of the question is that I’m monitoring my dietand have found that no matter what I seem to do my morning number is a little high (they want it 95 and under, it tends to want to be 100-102.) All my other numbers throughout the day are either on target or under target. After I eat a breakfast, after 2 hours when they have me take my reading, it’s almost always under 80. Is there a trick to getting that morning number down? I’ve tried having a snack before bed, and going without (with a snack I seem to have a slightly better count but not by much.) I can’t exercise before the number because I’m usually morning sick, and if it DOES go down anyway then I get REALLY morning sick. Could it be because in the morning I’m dehydrated or something? Any advice? ANSWER: Drink 32 ounces of water at bedtime. Also, eat nothing after 6pm. You can try 2 cinnamon capsules every night. Make sure you exercise for 30 continuous minutes every day. As many times per day that you can, starting 1 hour after meals. Note: the other day I spiked to 245 afterbreakfast. I immediately drank 1 1/2 quarts of water. One hour later, I dropped a whopping 189 points! Water makes a big difference. QUESTION: Diabetes has ruined my health, my looks, my life!? I need help. Diabetes has ruined me. I was just an 18 year old college student when diagnosed. I was good looking, in good health, and had it all. Before diagnosis I had decent eyesight. After I needed surgeries on my eyes and had cataract on both eyes and vitrectomy. Before diagnosis I lost 30 pounds. I lost much hair and my eyebrows. After diagnosis I grew my hair back but my eyebrows look like the worst eyebrows ever. They are like grandpa eyebrows that I need to trim weekly and they still look horrible, pointing in all weird directions and they are very wirey like straw. When I squint they move up and down which bugs me a lot since I also have OCD. I have lost all enjoyment of life. I used to love talking to girls but now whenever a cute girl looks at me from far away I am afraid to talk toher up close because my eyebrows look so terrible. I can no longer eat what I want. I used to love eating hamburgers and milkshakes and pizza. I can no longer eat these foods anymore. I have to watch the amount of alcohol I drink. My blood sugar is all over the place at times when stressed. I wear an insulin pump which helps a tremendous amount but thats about it. I am only 20 years old and I feel like I’m 50. I can not imagine ever finding a girl that is not only pretty and has a great personality, but also accepts my diabetes, poor eyesight, ugly old man eyebrows and everything else that comes with this disease. I feel so depressed right now I wish I could start life over. Thanks for reading and any advice is appreciated. ANSWER: Depression is not generally listed as a complication of diabetes. However, it can be one of the most common and dangerous complications. The rate of depression in diabetics is much higher than in the general population. Diabetics with major depression have avery high rate of recurrent depressive episodes within the following five years. (Lustman et al 1977) A depressed person may not have the energy or motivation to maintain good diabetic management. Depression is frequently associated with unhealthy appetite changes. The suicidal diabetic adolescent has constant access to potentially lethal doses of insulin. At this point in time, it is well accepted that psychological factors and psychiatric conditions can affect the course of medical illnesses. There is some suggestion that the stress of depression itself may lead to hyperglycemia in diabetics. The interaction between cardiovascular disorders (such as heart attack and high blood pressure) and depression has been extensively studied. Anxiety and depression can also affect other conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, headache and skin diseases. Treatment of anxiety and depression may lead to a better medical prognosis and well as a better quality of life. For over three hundredyears, physicians have suspected an interaction between the emotions and the course of diabetes mellitus. Studies have examined whether stressful events or psychiatric illness might precipitate either Type I (insulin-dependent) or Type II (Non-insulin dependent) diabetes. So far, study results are not conclusive. Now that we have more accurate methods of measuring glucose control, it has become easier to measure both short-term and long-term effects of emotional factors on blood glucose level. One study found that children judged to have a “Type A” personality structure had an increased blood sugar elevation in response to stress. Children with a calmer disposition had a smaller glucose rise when stressed. (Stabler et al. 1987) A 1997 study suggested that Type I patients with a history of a psychiatric illness might be at increased risk for developing diabetic retinopathy. Those patients with a psychiatric history were found to have a higher average glycosylated hemoglobin. (a measureof long term diabetic control) (Cohen et al. 1997) Children whose relatives made more critical comments had significantly poorer glucose control. Interestingly enough, emotional overinvolvement between family members was not correlated with poor diabetic control. (Koenigsberg et al. 1993) Diabetic adolescents had a higher incidence of suicidal ideation than expected. Those with suicidal ideation took poorer care of themselves. Not living in a two-parent home was associated with poorer long-term diabetes control. (Goldston, et al. 1997) Recent studies have suggested that effective treatment of depression can improve diabetic control. In a study by Lustman and colleagues, glucose levels were shown to improve as depression lifted. The better the improvement, the better the diabetic control. (Lustman et al. 1997a) Being diagnosed with diabetes is a major life stress. It requires a large number of physical and mental accommodations. The individual must learn about a complex system ofdietary and medical interventions. Lifestyle, work, and school schedules may have to be altered. This can consume a lot of energy for both the individual and his or her family. Just as important, are the psychological adjustments. One must adjust to a new view of oneself. For those who liked to see themselves as invincible, this may be particularly difficult. Many newly diagnosed diabetics go through the typical stages of mourning. These are denial, anger, depression and acceptance. Denial: This can be one of the more dangerous stages of the grief process. It may not occur only once. Many individuals cycle back to this phase several times. The honeymoon phase, associated with early Type I diabetes, may reinforce denial. Denial is a common stance for adolescent diabetics. Anger: It really does seem unfair. The type II diabetic, trying to lose weight, may envy heavier people who seem to enjoy good health. One might erupt at someone who innocently offers a desert. Unfortunately, anger candrastically affect glucose levels. Depression: Mild depressive feelings are a normal part of grieving and adaptation. As long as they are not pervasive or prolonged, they may not be harmful. However, when the depression lasts a long time, becomes severe or interferes with diabetic management, one should seek prompt treatment. Acceptance: Individuals achieve different degrees of acceptance and inner peace. Some will need to experience the denial, anger and depression several times as they move through different phases of life and different stages of diabetes. Some people move through a chronic disease to a state of much greater self-knowledge. They may actually say that the diabetes was, in part, a blessing. QUESTION: what happens if a diabetic doesn’t stick to their diet and drinks alcohol? I am not a diabetic however my blood sugars were high a few years ago and I was prescribed Metformin but I havent been taking it I simply just refuse to take it and that’s it could that mean I havediabetes already? what happens if a diabetic is unable to give themselves shots or misses a day of insulin? ANSWER: Diabetes is not caused by low blood sugar, but low blood sugar is a result. Controlling the blood sugar is a temporary fix at best and if you are taking drugs, like metaformin, you are only controlling the blood sugar and will continue having diabetes until you solve the root cause. Taking insulin for diabetes type 2 that is an “insulin resistant” disease just exacerbates the problem and makes your insulin receptor sites on your cells even more resistance. It also just shows how little doctors know about diabetes. In fact, doctors, drug companies, pharmacies, all tell you diabetes is NOT curable. Nothing is further from the truth and just further shows their ignorance. If you drink alcohol, you are creating more hardened bile in your liver and creating more fatty liver condition. This impairs the ability of the liver to do it’s job and reduces it’s ability to cleanse theblood. Having diabetes is proof the person is sick and all the side effects that happen as a result of the diabetes is further destruction of the body. It is now possible to be off all medications, including insulin, and have a stable blood sugar in a normal range within 4 weeks. It requires changing what you eat and then going on a long term stable diet to prevent the diabetes from returning. good luck to you QUESTION: Everytime i eat/drink alcohol, caffine, sugar i get flu like symptoms [10 points]? Its been happening for frequently for almost a year and its getting harder to get out of bed for more then 30 min at a time. The doctor ruled out diabetes and hypoglycemia.. got a MRI/CT/standard blood test everything seemed decent. Been getting constant flu like symptoms with dizzieness all day and horrible reoccuring head splitting headaches.. what could it be? Im going to a neurologist and ENT doctor wednesday so if you can help me narrow it down they could do the rest! ANSWER: drinkmore water, multi-vitamins, exercise QUESTION: Just how dangerous is the combo of diabetes and cannabis? i’ve been smoking it for years, dont really touch alcohol and i thought it would be a safer vice, i’ve heard that it lowers blood sugars which causes the ‘munchies’ but i dont really go overboard during that stage. recently though, i’ve been told (after some rather uncomfartable camera insertions) that i have nerve damage in my gut. i cant tell for sure whether or not smoking weed is making this worse because i spent bout ten years not looking after myself and am now starting to suffer the consequences ANSWER: I found diabetes to be challenging enough without adding drugs to the mix (in addition to the multiple drugs I already had to take as a type 1 diabetic). I love when people tell YOU to do the research. I tried to research the subject myself (regarding MJ being used in drugs to lower blood sugar) All I could find were non-scientific sources (mostly ones that promote MJ) statingclaims that it lowers blood sugar. I couldn’t find any actual reports about such a drug in research that is using cannabis for that purpose. And if you are Type 1 diabetic, only insulin is going to work anyway. I found that it does raise blood pressure, which is the last thing a diabetic needs. (Diabetes & high blood pressure are the two leading causes of kidney failure). I would say the primary cause of your GI issues is from complications of diabetes, not the marijuana use. Unfortunately, as you know, the ideal diabetic lifestyle is pretty limited as far as participating in drinking/drug use. Although everyone says diabetics can live a normal life, I never saw too much that was normal about constantly checking your blood sugar, never sleeping late because you have to get up and eat at the same time every day, always being concerned about high or low blood sugars. But at least it has a treatment, one that’s better than cancer. I was Type 1 diabetic for 30 plus years prior to akidney/pancreas transplant (following kidney failure). I wish I had taken better care of myself. Perhaps you can be more successful than I was. (I didn’t smoke pot or cigarettes; I did drink. I don’t anymore). QUESTION: What affect does type ll diabetes have on BAC? My Husband was in an accident, he was air lifted. A blood test taken at some point after he was rescued showed BAC of 0.097. I read somewhere that a diabetic who blood sugar is high, his was 300, can throw off something called Ketones which can/do appear as alcohol in the blood. Is anyone familiar with this theory. He was in a company truck, going to a job. He had some beers the night before and did not eat anything before going to sleep. His company has denied Workman’s comp benefits due to the BAC results, but the DMV, who sent him a notice that his license has been suspended,didn’t suspend it for the Blood alcohol, but for a medical condition that caused him to loose consciousness while driving. Any help will be greatlyappreciated. Thank you, Dawg ANSWER: Yes, high glucose levels can show higher than normal blood alcohol content. This happens a lot. And some of the meds we take can also show that we are higher BAC than should be. If he was unaware of the high glucose levels, as in he had not been diagnosed as a diabetic, then you or he should protest the state licensing and insurance ruling and demand satisfaction for not knowing. If he had had regular physicals and there was no indication or they didn’t check the glucose or HbA1c levels it is the doctor and insurance companies fault. The company he works for may have been looking for a reason to eliminate him from payroll. Lots of companies are right now deleting anyone with even a sniffle without a hearing on the subject. I do wish there were a way to prove he wasn’t DUI on the job. But sadly there isn’t unless the lab will back what I have said above. 3 beers the night before with no food would lower his glucose levels for a while!! Alcoholicbeverages can and do do that. But the next day there should not have been a trace of previous nights indulgences. QUESTION: High Cholesterol and on the verge of diabetes..how can I get my husband healthier? My husband went to the doctor today. He said his cholesterol is high (I remember 300 something) and that he needs to take lipitor to lower it. (he has been throwing the samples in the garbage for years..I told the doctor) The doctor also checked his blood sugar levels and that was low. The doctor said that because he drinks (an alcoholic that drinks beer daily, all day) he needs to slow down the drinking so that he doesn’t get diabetes..and that alcohol is related to pancreatic problems, that result in diabetes. My husband also smokes cigarettes and chews tobacco, and also takes Loritab daily (maybe 3-5) and I know that will hurt your liver. I am healthy. I excercise, eat low fat, high grain, do not drink, smoke, etc. I am 32. My husband is 40. He eats a lot of fast food and is talland thin (160lbs) and is active..golfing, snowboarding, outdoor activities. How can I help him change his lifestyle and get healthier. (I think my husband just had a ‘wake up’ call..and now knows that this is the time to change… ANSWER: He’ll have to want to change. And it’s important HE wants to change. Encourage him along the way, and help him break it down to manageable pieces. If he tries to make all of the changes at once he can get very frustrated when he fails. Sit down with him and work out a plan to make the changes needed. You can’t make your husband healthier, you can just help him get himself healthier. QUESTION: What serious risks for diabetics that drink alcohol with energy drinks and smokes crystal meth and weed? My dad has has diabetes and high blood sugar and blood pressure since i was little. Him and my step mom always drink jagermister liqour and Rock Star energy drink (Jager Bombs) and he smokes weed and crystal meth sometimes. The other day he wasnt feeling goodcasue of his diabeates and his feet hert. It makes me sad i dont know how to help, i cant make him stop doing what he wants, its like he dosnt care about his life or well being i guss. He has alot of mental issues from childhood and stress from his newly family. ANSWER: the biggest problem is teh Jager Bombs. That rock Star Energy Drink is LOADD with sugar. Your dad is killing himself, and there is nothing YOU can do about it. I’m sure doctors have all told him what he needs to do. Some people just wont listen. QUESTION: I think a friend has diabetes, can you help? My friend is very healthy, eats healthy food, exercises and hardly touches any alcohol. She went to a doctor, who is her friend, and was just hanging out. Then she mentioned that she was feeling very lethargic, taking regular naps during the day and not replenishing energy, and wh en she drinks she goes to the toilet frequently afterwards. She had her blood sugar thing checked and it said 141, which apparently is like veryclose to diabetic levels. She gets the full results very soon, I just want to be prepared for the results. ANSWER: What the other answers are talking about is Type 2 Diabetes. Type 1 is autoimmune, which is why your friend may have it despite the fact that she is healthy. 141 is close to a Diabetic level, which is often called pre-Diabetes. Your friend, as you know, does have symptoms of Diabetes, so she should probably check her blood sugar again whenever she has access to it. Obviously, she should probably see a doctor. I hope everything goes well, and let her know that you’re there for her. QUESTION: ectasy+high blood pressure – my mom is 49 and has diabetes and high blood pressure.? my dad talked my mom into taking ectasy!!!! (no they didnt tell me but i heard them talking) the morning after she was complaining of blurriness so she checked her sugar level and it was normal. ALSO she drink 3/4th a bottle of whiskey and possibly a couple glasses of wine. now its 3 days after she didthis and the last 2 days shes had a terrible headache, her blood pressure is 197/122 the paarmedics came to check her out n were talking her into going to teh hospital. im about to take her but could this still be a result of the drug and alcohol? 3 days after? i researched ectasy and it said that it rises ur blood pressure and all that. oh she also complained of being really hot (hot flash) ANSWER: Darwin is about to score another victory. QUESTION: Are my reactions to alcohol normal? Every time I drink alcohol I get terribly sick. Not just the average hangover, and no headaches. It doesn’t make a different what I am drinking. Last night I had 2 beers and this morning I had to pull over on my way to work and throw up. Also, sometimes when I drink I will black out and forget half of the night. (yes this has happened after drinking a lot of alcohol but it has also happened from only having around 5 beers) And I honestly can’t remember half of the night. I’m starting to wonder if thesereactions to alcohol could have something to do with my blood sugar? I’ve never been tested for hypoglycemia or diabetes but I was wondering if something like that could be the cause of these symptoms? Thank you ANSWER: Doesnt sound like diabetes at all. Sounds like you should avoid alcohol. Threre is a genetic tendency for some people, especially Asians, to be missing the enzyme that breaks down alcohol in the body, causing reactions that sound a bit like yours. Its a lack of alcohol dehydrogenase – it also causes flushing – and there is nothing you can do about it.