Wife is a diabetic

[kaylex]

My wife is diabetic, does that pose any problems if she would want to get certified and start diving?

 

[captndale]

Yes, she should consult with a doctor who is knowledgeable in both her disease and diving.

 

[tstormdiver]

Definitely have her see a Dr. I certified my father last year. He is also diabetic, but keeps it well controlled. The Dr. signed him off to learn to dive.

 

[diversteve]

DAN has 4 articles on this topic here: Divers Alert Network : DAN Medical Center : Medical Articles

The new Alert Diver also has a link to a new online seminar accessible here: Diabetes And Recreational Diving: History And New Guidelines

 

[Dyno Bill]

I am a diabetic diver and it can be done safely. The issues are her type either 1 or 2 and the way she controls it. The danger is she can have a blood sugar incident while diving if she isn't in good control and it could cause her to loose consciousness. She needs to talk with her doc, preferably a specialist as diving brings more complex issues into the disease and it's management. Good luck and of course feel free to ask anything that I might be able to answer.
Bill

 

[fnfalman]

I'm Type 2 Diabetes and I dive. Talk with her doctor about it, and if he/she isn't knowledgeable about diving, then have the doctor call DAN for information.

Generally speaking, I have to make sure that my blood sugar is a bit higher than normal before the dive because even when it's an easy dive, it's still a strenuous activity and she wouldn't want to be hypoglycemic while diving. Eat & hydrate between dives to make sure that blood sugar level doesn't drop too low.

 

[padrogj]

The key is how well (or not how well) you manage your diabetes. My son is Insulin Dependant (Type 1) but his Doctor signed the RSTC form without any hesitation. It is definitely a major factor when you factor in Diving but it is something that is very manageable. The key is consistent and controlled readings.

 

[Dyno Bill]

I was diagnosed 6 years ago and was put on three different meds by Kaiser. I was doing a thalium stress test when I realized how much could be done with a treadmill. I bought one and started a program that has grown with ability. I have been off all meds for 1.5 years, my A1C is 5.7 and average blood pressure is 117/ 72 for 1.5 years checked every day. I know for a fact it can be done if you are willing to meet the disease head on. I am type 2 as well and still enjoy most everything I did prior to getting sick and I'm 60 yrs old now. fnfalman, how high is your glucose before starting a dive. I always take raisins in a zip lock and have them during any strenuous activity to offset consumption. I did a study on a mountain bike as to what I burned during hard work in a given time period, if you know what to expect you know what needs to be done to avoid problems.

 

[fnfalman]

fnfalman, how high is your glucose before starting a dive. I always take raisins in a zip lock and have them during any strenuous activity to offset consumption. I did a study on a mountain bike as to what I burned during hard work in a given time period, if you know what to expect you know what needs to be done to avoid problems.

I'm Type 2, but I'm not too bad off (thank goodness, and trying to keep it that way). My endocrinologist suggested to have pre-dive reading of 160-180.

I have to be very careful with my dive plans. If I were to know that the dive site has heavy current, I'd skip the dive. I don't go deep, and if I were to go deep, I'd keep it pretty short and well off the NDL time.

 

[deepwater]

Up until 7 months ago I was pretty much in the same position as fnfalman, but today after loosing 120 lbs I'm doing about like Dyno Bill. Diving works for diabetics as long as you pay a little closer attention to what your body is doing then the average person.