Instructor requirements/diabetes

[underwaterk]

Can a non-insulin dependent Type 2 diabetic with well-controlled diabetes take padi IDC courses? Does this differ by country?

 

[lulubelle]

Can a non-insulin dependent Type 2 diabetic with well-controlled diabetes take padi IDC courses? Does this differ by country?

I am interested in the official answer to this. There are laws for long haul drivers and for pilots regarding diabetes. I used to run a diabetes clinic. It used to break my heart to tell a teen with insulin dependent diabetes that although he was going to be feeling much better soon and that he would be able to do anything he wanted to do for the most part, he was not going to be a pilot or drive a long haul truck.

Seems to me that if you are diet controlled, the answer should be unequivocally YES. If you are on medication, it seems that it would depend more on what type and whether or not you have a history of hypoglycemia. I hope the official answer is yes. Even if you are on a sulfonylurea, and have occasional hypoglycemia, I know tons of divers who dive safely in this circumstance. They carry their meters, have the right pre dive snack, and run their blood sugars a bit higher than if they are on dry land. So hopefully, instructor parameters are no different.

Good luck

 

[rkenley]

While AUSI cannot answer a question regarding PADI... as we are AUSI... I can advise that our only requirement for Scuba Instructors or higher is for a diving medical. So the answer is that it is up to the diving doctor.

Hope this helps.

 

[lakeviewfarm]

I am a type 2 and have been able to dive. My cert is NAUI but PADI AOW I had to get my doctor to OK each class. Hope you get started and enjoy diving as much as I have

 

[Lead_carrier]

Can a non-insulin dependent Type 2 diabetic with well-controlled diabetes take padi IDC courses? Does this differ by country?

I don't know what the "official" response is or will be but I do know instructors who are. Both non-insulin and insulin dependent.

 

[Peter_C]

There are laws for long haul drivers and for pilots regarding diabetes. I used to run a diabetes clinic. It used to break my heart to tell a teen with insulin dependent diabetes that although he was going to be feeling much better soon and that he would be able to do anything he wanted to do for the most part, he was not going to be a pilot or drive a long haul truck.

I used to work for a guy that has had diabetes since he was 14. He was mostly under control, and shot insulin a minimum of three times a day. He got and still has his private pilots license. I can understand why they wouldn't allow an insulin dependent person to fly commercial, but you can get a private pilots license, with a doctors approval.

 

[lulubelle]

I used to work for a guy that has had diabetes since he was 14. He was mostly under control, and shot insulin a minimum of three times a day. He got and still has his private pilots license. I can understand why they wouldn't allow an insulin dependent person to fly commercial, but you can get a private pilots license, with a doctors approval.

You are very right Peter, I'm sorry I wasn't more specific in my previous post.

Some of the commercial pilot's laws are silly to me. For instance, you cannot keep a commercial license if you are treated for depression with medication. GREAT, let's keep depressed, untreated, perhaps even suicidal pilots in the air.

The likely issue for your friend is that if he has long standing diabetes, presumably for years before it was even known what the target levels needed to be (1993 and forward), he probably has some degree of hypoglycemic unawareness by now from damage to his nerves. That can be quite dangerous, it is a train wreck that the person can't see coming. Hopefully he checks his blood sugar and has an appropriate snack before going airborne.

With diving, I am interested to see if the parameters are different for divers than instructors. If someone is cleared to dive as a diver, seems to me that they should be cleared to dive as an instructor. I would think it would be important to share that info with a buddy and to have a plan should a problem occur. I guarantee you I could get some sugar past that regulator and into someone's mouth if I was at depth with them!

 

[Peter_C]

He was my boss not my friend. LOL I never felt he was fully under control. If he decided to do something physical, I would often walk over and mention "hey you should eat an apple or banana", and he would go "oh yeah good idea". DOH! He does check his blood sugar level quit often and preferred to fly with another pilot. I doubt he ever soloed past getting his flight cert. Even just having someone who can hold the wings level while he grabs a snack or tests his blood sugar levels in flight.

With that said, he never even considered scuba diving, no way, no how.

Today it is easier to keep a close watch of blood sugar levels. Someone who has their act together would be just fine to dive with, but they better let their partner know.