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Diabetes - Juvenile Community
This patient support community is for questions related to juvenile diabetes including celiac disease, depression, diabetic complications, hyperglycemia / diabetic keto-acidosis, hypoglycemia, islet cell transplantation, nutritional issues, parenting a diabetic child, pregnancy, pump therapy, school issues, and teens with diabetes.
diabetes and marijuana
by TymanO5, Jul 07, 2005 12:00AM
Ok ive had diabetes for 5 years this coming week and i am 15 years old. Diabetes has deffinently changed the way that i go out with friends and i relieze that i cant do all the things that they do to have fun, like drink alcohol. I know that alcohol and diabetes doesnt mix but im curious to know if marijuana has any other side effects on a person with diabetes or if it is still the same as a non diabetic. I have never smoked marijuana before but i might be in a situation next week where people will have some. I wanna know that if anything does happen and i do take some that im not risking myself to an extreme high or low blood suger.
Thanks,
Tyler
Thanks,
Tyler
Doctor's Answer
by JDRF-Team-ES, Jul 07, 2005 12:00AM
I may be an old lady with diabetes (53) but I also know what it is like to be a teenager with diabetes and have to figure out how to be with my friends and take care of myself too. I was 13 when I was diagnosed.
First of all, I am really proud of you for even asking and for trying to figure out how to live your life the way you want to and take care of your diabetes, too. it's not always an easy balance. The fact that you are asking the questions means that you are a responsible kid and that means a lot.
The big problem with marijuana is, that like alcohol, it loosens up your inhibitions and your judgement, so it's hard to keep track of all the things you need to keep track of when you have diabetes if you are high. Marijuana also tends to make people hungry and they want to eat junk. If your judgement isn't so great, it's easy to say "what's one litle binge" and that can really be a set-up for trouble with high blood sugars or even low ones if you are not paying attention. Someetimes, marijuana can also be mixed with other drugs and that can be really dangerous since you don't know how you will react unitl it's too late. Truthfully, we don't really know much about how marijuana affects your brain, with or without diabetes. We do know that it is a mind altering drug and that is something that should make you think twice before using it, particularly because we all need all the brain cells we can get to deal with this high maintenance disease we have.
I guess my other concern for you is that you are still only 15 and with or without diabetes, that is a little young to messing around with drugs. Not only is your brain not fully developed, but you may not have enough life experience to know how to handle certain situations you might find yourself in when using drugs or alcohol. I would say, if your feel you must try it, to at least wait a few years until you have a better sense of yourself, and a little more maturity.
If you do decide to try marijuana, make sure you are with people you trust, who know you have diabetes and who know what to do in case you should get into any kind of trouble. This is really the same advice I give to my teenage daughter, even though she does not have diabetes. I would also encourage you to find friends who are OK with you being with them even if you don't smoke or drink and they do. You can still have as much fun as long as you are with people who like you and don't care what you do or don't do. Once you learn to drive, you can always offer to be the designated driver which your friends will really appreciate. You can always use the excuse that you have diabetes and can't participate, but you'll be happy to make sure they are OK.
I know it's tough to say no, and to not be doing what you think everyone else is doing. That is really the most important thing that all of us have to learn in life...to figure out what is best for us regardless of what everyone else thinks we should be doing. There are plenty of kids out there who are not doing any drugs and alcohol, there are plenty of kids who drink in moderation and there are plenty of kids who drink and do drugs until they don't know who and where they are. Life is full of choices and you already have lots of experience in making healthy choices for yourself and I know you can deal with these choices too.
Lots of luck to you. Please stay safe and I wish you a long and healthy life ahead.
ES
First of all, I am really proud of you for even asking and for trying to figure out how to live your life the way you want to and take care of your diabetes, too. it's not always an easy balance. The fact that you are asking the questions means that you are a responsible kid and that means a lot.
The big problem with marijuana is, that like alcohol, it loosens up your inhibitions and your judgement, so it's hard to keep track of all the things you need to keep track of when you have diabetes if you are high. Marijuana also tends to make people hungry and they want to eat junk. If your judgement isn't so great, it's easy to say "what's one litle binge" and that can really be a set-up for trouble with high blood sugars or even low ones if you are not paying attention. Someetimes, marijuana can also be mixed with other drugs and that can be really dangerous since you don't know how you will react unitl it's too late. Truthfully, we don't really know much about how marijuana affects your brain, with or without diabetes. We do know that it is a mind altering drug and that is something that should make you think twice before using it, particularly because we all need all the brain cells we can get to deal with this high maintenance disease we have.
I guess my other concern for you is that you are still only 15 and with or without diabetes, that is a little young to messing around with drugs. Not only is your brain not fully developed, but you may not have enough life experience to know how to handle certain situations you might find yourself in when using drugs or alcohol. I would say, if your feel you must try it, to at least wait a few years until you have a better sense of yourself, and a little more maturity.
If you do decide to try marijuana, make sure you are with people you trust, who know you have diabetes and who know what to do in case you should get into any kind of trouble. This is really the same advice I give to my teenage daughter, even though she does not have diabetes. I would also encourage you to find friends who are OK with you being with them even if you don't smoke or drink and they do. You can still have as much fun as long as you are with people who like you and don't care what you do or don't do. Once you learn to drive, you can always offer to be the designated driver which your friends will really appreciate. You can always use the excuse that you have diabetes and can't participate, but you'll be happy to make sure they are OK.
I know it's tough to say no, and to not be doing what you think everyone else is doing. That is really the most important thing that all of us have to learn in life...to figure out what is best for us regardless of what everyone else thinks we should be doing. There are plenty of kids out there who are not doing any drugs and alcohol, there are plenty of kids who drink in moderation and there are plenty of kids who drink and do drugs until they don't know who and where they are. Life is full of choices and you already have lots of experience in making healthy choices for yourself and I know you can deal with these choices too.
Lots of luck to you. Please stay safe and I wish you a long and healthy life ahead.
ES
Drinking alcohol does not affect your blood sugar UNLESS your drink contains something sugary like fruit juice or soda. Drinking alcohol without sugary ingredients will put a hold on your blood sugar level. Therefore I never drink alcholic beverages if my blood sugar level is above 120 mg/dL or below 80 mg/dL.
Marijuana, by itself, will not affect your blood sugar. As a mind-altering substance, however (as Mr. Gatorade points out), it can make folks more susceptible to give in to temptations & to succumb to the powers of suggestion. Many folks "get the munchies" (at least that's what we called it in my college days) and think they're hungry for everything and anything in sight. For a diabetic, this can be very serious.
The double-whammy for using drugs & alcohol in a teen setting where typically a goal is to "get wasted" is that there'll be no one around who will care or will be capable to help you if your BG crashes or gets so high you can't function well.
Alcohol without sugary mixers can cause severe lows, and because the liver is busy cleaning the toxin (alcohol) out of the system, it DOES NOT work well to release glycogen as it normally does. This can make a low extemely dangerous.
It's unfortunate that so many teens feel pressure to fit in by drinking or using drugs. You sound like a sensible young person and I hope you gradually migrate to the great circles of folks who do healthier things and still have a great time, laugh a lot and are not frightened to "get caught" by what they're doing. Good luck.