Drinking with Type 1 Diabetes

Because I am eighteen, I am not legally allowed to drink in the US

However, a few summers ago, I traveled to Belgium, where the drinking age is sixteen. There, I tried alcohol for the first time. While I can't say I'm a fan, I'm glad I had the experience. It was not only exciting to try something new, but I also learned new lessons associated with my diabetes! There, I experienced how it affects my blood sugar. Here are some things I faced!

Spikes in bloodsugar levels
This one should be obvious - unfortunately it wasn't for me at the time. At a party one night, I mistakenly drank ~ten cups of Sangria, only bolusing 20 grams in total.

Not the smartest move on my part. This shot my blood sugar into the 300s. Remember that alcohol has a lot of sugar (especially if it's a fruity drink) and to bolus beforehand.

Blood sugar monitoring while under the influence 
When you're "drunk," many people may be concerned with your blood sugar, which can be a party pooper. After a night of fun, many of my peers kept coming up to me and asking me how my blood sugars were. My BG was 140 - perfect! However, because I had had a few drinks, they didn't believe I was thinking "clearly" and were worried.

It's good to have people there for you. However, even when drinking, after the Sangria night I was on top of my glucose levels thanks to Dexcom. Nevertheless, others didn't have as much belief in me and my blood sugar control.

Before going out with friends, inform them on what good levels are in case of an emergency. Tell them while sober so that they actually believe you! For example, tell them that if your BG is in, let's say, the 100-200 range, then you're good.

Self-control
It's fun to have fun. But as a diabetic, it's your job to realize that you need to be more responsible than others, even if you don't like it. Put diabetes over drinking, over "having fun."