diving and diabetes

[Diesel298]

just waht the title says..
im lookin for any info, anyone has,,
any one who is a diabetic and dives, or kows..
i plan on calling dan tomorow, but im just looking for any and all info i can

TIA

Ray

 

[RJP]

just waht the title says..
im lookin for any info, anyone has,,
any one who is a diabetic and dives, or kows..
i plan on calling dan tomorow, but im just looking for any and all info i can

TIA

Ray

Just ask them to send you a copy of their latest magazine "Alert Diver" which has a full article on diving and diabetes. See also this link:

http://www.scuba-doc.com/endmet.html#Diabetes_and_Diving

 

[Diesel298]

o cool, i just got alert diver in the mail yesterday, i havent even looked yet

 

[AquaDuck]

im lookin for any info, anyone has,,

What questions do you have about it? My wife has Type 1 Diabetes and we manage just fine.

 

[pacificgal]

Best thing to do is to go to a dive doctor and have her medically cleared for diving. They will check everything relevant to diving and can say whether or not she's OK to dive. It's best to have her personally checked out, rather than going by a generalization. DAN should be able to indicate dive doctors in your area.

 

[Diesel298]

What questions do you have about it? My wife has Type 1 Diabetes and we manage just fine.

just whatever i can find
im gonna call dan tomorow, im seeing my reg dr, and will se a dive Dr.
i was just recentlay diagnosed with type 2 and was told by my doc no diving till im stable.. but i just want to be as educated as possable

 

[pacificgal]

Sorry, for some reason after reading all the posts I thought you were talking about your wife, my bad.
It's best to be cautious, I read that link that someone posted on the diving with diabetes, seems like a lot to consider, huh?
I have kidney problems too, haven't exactly been cleared for diving, but I wouldn't listen if the doctors told me I couldn't anyway.
You gotta do what you love!

 

[TSandM]

I think what you will find is that diabetes used to be considered an absolute contraindication to diving, but that's changed. For patients who are well-controlled and stable, diving is considered to be safe enough with certain precautions.

Your doctor is right, though, with his advice. It will take some time of adjusting medications and regulating your diet before your blood sugars are predictable, and during that time, it would be very dangerous to dive. It's not the high blood sugars you have to worry about -- it's the low ones. Loss of consciousness and seizures can occur with low blood sugar, and the new diabetic may not recognize the warning signals. (I see a LOT of patients in the ER from low blood sugar episodes.)

Also be aware that losing weight, increasing your exercise levels and controlling your diet can contribute to a lesser need for medication, or even get some people off meds altogether.

 

[Diesel298]

im fairly active... and actually lost 40 lbs due to complications going untreated (undiagnosed) for some time
i have worked out a decent diet, and will have restart my working out routine..
at this point it looks likethe being off meds all together is a pipe dream, being non insuln dependant seems to be my best case reality.
i read the artice in aleart diver, as nice as it is to find info it wasnt exactally what i was looking for, but i dont kow what i am looking for..
this is all new to me..
thanks for the input tho, everylittle bit helps

Ray

 

[ramblinpaul]

Also be aware that losing weight, increasing your exercise levels and controlling your diet can contribute to a lesser need for medication, or even get some people off meds altogether.

Only if it's Type 2 (Adult Onset) diabetes, if it's Type 1 (Juvenile) diabetes you are on insulin for life. Though exercise is still important to all diabetics (Type 1 and 2) as it's one of the sides of the triangle, along with Insulin and Diet.

I'm an active Type 1 (Juvenile) diabetic diver (38 years old, diabetic for 22 years), and I'm open to any questions.

The most important things are good control, ability to recognize hypoglycemia, doing lots of blood tests, and informing dive masters, organizers and buddies of your condition, along with the symptoms of hypoglycemia and treatment of hypoglycemia before every dive. I guarantee you'll get some operations who are wary of letting you dive, so I carry a copy of my PADI physical form completed by the doctor. Though, I've heard some whispers, I've never been stopped from diving and after the first dive everything usually becomes normal. You should have seen the faces of the office staff in the Galapagos on my arrival........

I for one test my blood sugars immediately before every dive, and immediately after every dive (sometimes difficult with prune like fingertips, but I manage). I have 2 blood testers, my everyday one (which stays at home, hotel, or in car when diving) and my sport one which accompanies me on the dive. The reason for 2 is in case someone drops a weight belt on my dive bag on the boat, or it gets kicked overboard, etc. Having 2 means I'm won't be in trouble, especially when on vacation.

I usually dive with my blood sugars a little higher than normal to be on the safe side (i.e. a normal blood sugar means I have something to eat before hitting the water). I carry a couple of small tubes of liquid cake icing (pretty much pure sugar) in my right BC pocket (my buddy and DM know they are in right hand pocket) in case I'm in need of sugar.

Also, I have a full physical done every second year by a hyperbaric doctor, in addition to the regular visits to my endrocrinologist, just to be on the safe side.

Let me know of any specific questions you might have on diving and diabetes.