Ask the Diabetes Educator Archive

6/9/03

Q:
4 or 5 times a weak I get dizzy or on the verge of fainting -- every afternoon after lunch I get very sleepy for an hour or so -- my doc said I am beginning to get diabetes my blood sugar ranged 150-180 -- he put me on glucontrol and it ranged 120-140 -- (I drink 3 or 4 mixed drinks &2-4 beers 4-5 times a week) I cut out the drinking for a week & I still have the spells -- I went back to my usual routine of drinking. -- what do you think???????????

A:
Have you had your liver checked? You don't fix years of drinking in one week. The liver is the clearinghouse of the body, and where sugar is both stored and is released into the bloodstream. Your metabolism has been on a rollercoaster for some time. A good place to start would be a comprehensive physical, then get strong support for weaning off the alcohol. Whatever is going on with you will only get worse if you don't make some lifestyle changes now.