What if you've had too much to drink?

Eat extra food immediately before going to bed. You can eat potato crisps in this situation as they give a slow increase in blood glucose over several hours. The blood glucose level should not be less than 10 mmol/l (180 mg/dl) when you go to bed. Decrease the dose of bedtime insulin by 2-4 units to avoid hypoglycaemia. Don't go to bed alone; if you have severe hypoglycaemia during the night you will need someone to help you. If you come home very late, make sure to wake a parent or partner, and let them know about your condition. Your life may actually depend upon it, even if you find the situation embarrassing. Set your alarm clock. Don't sleep in late! Be sure to eat a proper breakfast as soon as you wake up the next morning. If you feel sick, check your blood glucose level. It may be caused by high glucose levels rather than a hangover.
You also need to understand that even giving a glucagon injection may be less effective in correcting severe hypoglycaemia in this situation because the liver will be “busy” breaking down the alcohol and therefore unable to respond and raise the blood glucose levels. This is because alcohol counteracts glucagon′s ability to increase the production of glucose in the liver. If a person becomes unconscious or has seizures due to hypoglycaemia following alcohol intake, they may need to be put on a glucose drip in hospital.
This content is based on Dr Ragnar Hanas' helpful book, Type 1 Diabetes in children, adolescents and young adults. Click here to order copies of Dr Hanas' book online.











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