Insulin pump and diving

[RumBum]

Would an insulin pump preclude scuba diving? My friend can take out her cath for a couple of hours before feeling poorly. She often does that for swimming laps.
This new DAN criteria does not address it: http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/news/download/Summary Table 1.pdf

thanks,
Melissa

 

[Saturation]

A diabetic on insulin pump should switch to regular dosing via injection during the dive day. Diver should not dive with the pump in a dry suit nor without insulin during dives. A diabetic should be able to estimate their injectable dose anyway, as a backup in case of pump failure.

I also advise my patients to have and learn to drink glucose laden fluids in-water using a SCUDA or equivalent device.

 

[ppo2_diver]

I am sometimes off my pump for the entire day. Usually the exercise I get while diving keeps my blood sugars from creeping up. If I have an extended surface interval, then I'll re-attach it.

 

[Ann Marie]

My son would disconnect his pump before the dive then reconnect it during surface intervals if needed. He would also check his blood sugar during the SI. He kept it in a pelican drybox (above water) while he was diving. Once in Tahiti, he jumped in the water with it on---bummer (expensive mistake).

 

[RumBum]

Great, I'll tell my friend if she wants to learn to dive she should be okay. I talk about diving alot, and I guess the stories might finally be making an impact! Thanks for all your responses!

 

[Wildcard]

This is one of those things that should be addressed on a person by person basis. I led a gal who was nearly blind and on a pump with no problem and she was pretty brittle. Have your friend talk to a dive doc about it but it should be fine.

 

[Ann Marie]

This is one of those things that should be addressed on a person by person basis. I led a gal who was nearly blind and on a pump with no problem and she was pretty brittle. Have your friend talk to a dive doc about it but it should be fine.

I concur! Your friend should discuss this with not only her endocrinologist but also the instructor that will be doing her open water classes.

I've always told my son that he controls his diabetes; it doesn't control him. That being said, we set up a pretty strict protocol for him to follow regarding his blood sugar checks on dive days. We also practiced and had hand signals for different problems that a diabetic may face underwater. We both also carried tubes of cake-mate incase he got low and practiced using them. When he was diving he didn't have any problems but we hoped that we would be prepared for them.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Rum Bum,

Here's a general orientation to diving with diabetes:

"Are there restrictions to diving with diabetes?"
http://www.awoosh.com/Doc Vikingo's Resource Page/Diving With Diabetes.htm

For the very latest, one should obtain the new DAN guidelines:

"Diabetes and Recreational Diving: Guidelines for the Future"
http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/news/article.asp?newsid=741

As regards to insulin pumps specifically, this recent thread from Scuba Clinic may prove informative:

Diving w/insulin pumps
http://scuba-doc.com/scubaclinic/index.php?act=ST&f=12&t=114&

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[SailingDiver]

When I dive I disconnect my insulin pump about an hour before the dive, that way I do not have much active insulin in my body while under water. The goal is to avoid low blood sugar at all costs.

before I go in I make sure that I'm in the 140+ blood sugar range, and limit my dive to a maximum of 40 minutes. generally when I get out i'm around 120-200, then I take a maintenance dosage of Novolog via injection for my surface interval.

after my surface interval is complete, the majority of the insulin has worn off and I start the process al over again.


This summer I am going to start playing around with going off the pump during dive days, and using maintenance doses of longer acting insulins (lantus and NPH) for my basal insulin. In my opinion my current system only works well for a single day of diving, and I would like to find a better system for multi day trips

as a side note:
I have only dove with my infusuion set on 1 time (no insulin pump though) and didn't even notice it, until I took my wetsuit off at the end of the day. It still worked, but I can see how it might hurt if you go deep enough.

 

[Thalassamania]

I am amazed. I always thought that diabetes was an absolute contraindication to diving.