Liquor itself will lower your blood sugar (liquor is all 0g of sugar, including liquors like rum which are based from sugar cane), but if you pair it with a sweet mixer (juice, soda, etc.) it will raise and lower your blood sugar.
I usually find that when I drink, the mixers raise it first and the alcohol lowers it later. As for insulin, I use an insulin pump with a 1 unit / 11g of carb ratio. Because alcohol lowers my blood sugar, I will give less insulin than I normally would for the mixer itself. Example: If I use a cup of juice with my drink, I may take off 1/4 of the insulin amount I would give. This varies from drink to drink and from person to person, so it may take some time to figure out.
If you have recently started drinking, my advice would be to test before you drink, take it *easy* on the liquor, and test every hour while you're drinking at first to see how it affects you. Everyone will be different in this respect.
One thing is very important: Test before you go to bed!
Because alcohol may mess with your ability to "feel" your numbers, you may be low when you go to bed and continue to drop afterwards due to the alcohol. I don't want anyone going into a coma.
Hi there!
Alcohol consumption in patients with diabetes poses them at a risk for both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. While the former is associated with worsening of diabetes the latter can be acutely dangerous. It can also increase the effect of hypoglycemic medication and pose a risk for pancreatitis associated with worsening diabetes and hence is best avoided in patients with diabetes.
Hope this is helpful.
Take care!