Avandamet and Alcohol
If you are a diabetes sufferer, the usual recommendation when it comes to alcohol consumption is to refrain from it altogether. But some anti-diabetic drugs are especially sensitive to alcohol and since the combination of Avandamet with alcohol can lead to fatal consequences, it is worth weighing all the risks.
Patients with type 2 diabetes taking Avandamet as their anti-diabetic drug should be cautioned against excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption, especially "binge drinking", serves as a stimulus for rapid development of lactic acidosis. That is why it is very dangerous for you to take Avandamet if you have a history of alcohol abuse.
The approaches to treating lactic acidosis are different depending on the underlying reasons. If lactic acidosis is thought to be triggered merely by alcohol and nothing else, the use of thiamine (vitamin B) is considered appropriate. If lactic acidosis is related to the administration of Avandamet containing Metformin, a switch to insulin is necessary.
Besides, alcohol often causes your blood sugar to drop low, which also can be very dangerous. This hypoglycemic effect is exacerbated if you combine alcohol with a hypoglycemic medication such as Avandamet. It can worsen your condition if you skip a meal.
Normally patients with type 2 diabetes suffer from postprandial hypoglycemia which is often heralded by such symptoms as excessive sweating, palpitations, anxiety, tremulousness. In general, Avandamet can cause dizziness and the feeling of disorientation, especially if it is taken in combo therapy with sulfonylureas, and alcohol makes this effect worse. Alcohol-induced hypoglycemia, which has the same set of symptoms, occurs due to hepatic glycogen depletion combined with alcohol-related inhibition of gluconeogenesis - a special metabolic pathway of converting carbon sources into glucose for energy use. Drinking alcohol blocks the liver's capacity to produce glucose from carbohydrates which under normal conditions naturally helps overcome a hypoglycemic episode. Alcohol-induced hypoglycemia can be aggravated if you take Avandamet but for some reason cannot consume a substantial amount of food after an acute hypoglycemic episode which is often followed by gastritis and vomiting.
However, if you drink small amounts of alcohol while taking Avandamet and only on special occasions, it should not be a great problem. If your glycemic control is really good and you do not have any complications associated with diabetes that can trigger the development of lactic acidosis, slight to moderate consumption of alcohol is allowable. Yet it is always better to discuss potential risks with your doctor, because your risk of lactic acidosis development can be boosted by concomitant medical conditions such as kidney and liver problems. In such a case abstaining from alcohol is by long odds a better idea. Your diabetes specialist can help you with qualified recommendations taking into account all the variables including other medical conditions and drug interaction.