Learning to dive with diabetes

[TimFrancis]

Hi all,

I am an 18 year old from London, England. I have wanted to dive ever since I was a little kid and will be studying marine zoology and core zoology at university in October 2014, so it is also pretty relevant to my education. I will be visiting Thailand with 2 friends for a month next May/April and I thought this would be the perfect location to take my 1st PADI course. One of the friends I am travelling with is an experienced diver who also learnt in Thailand 2 years ago. The only issue is I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in June 2012 and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how this might effect my experience. I have done some research and it seems that it is not impossible to dive with diabetes, but, as much as I want to dive, I don't want to charge head on into this without asking for advice people who dive on a regular basis.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Tim

 

[oly5050user]

check with your doctor..

 

[diversteve]

DAN (Divers Alert Network) did some work on this but it's a little dated (2005) now. If this link doesn't work, just do a search for Diabetes on their website.
Divers Alert Network

 

[Doc Harry]

DAN can also refer you to a local dive physician with whom you can discuss your questions.

 

[TSandM]

Type I is a bit more problematic than Type II, because you can neither tolerate high blood sugars nor low ones.

I wouldn't recommend even thinking about diving until you have been on insulin for at least a year, and have a very good sense for what your correct dosage and intervals are, and can recognize the symptoms you have when you are out of control in either direction. You should also know how brittle you are, and what moderate exercise does to your insulin requirements and your need to eat.

On a diving day, you will need to eat well, use your appropriate dose of insulin, carry a sugar source with you, advise your buddy of your condition and the symptoms you might display if your BS gets out of control, and account for mild to moderate exercise while you are in the water.

Diabetes, especially Type I, is a lifelong issue, and the patients who do best are the ones who develop very meticulous, methodical approaches to their disease. The same careful, observant approach will allow you to dive, but you may have to adapt the type of diving (depth, current, etc.) to minimize the likelihood of untoward occurrences.

 

[Goodtime Adventures]

Diabetes does not mean a blanket 'no' to diving, but it does need some investigation to ensure your safety. Type 1 is more difficult to manage, as TsandM mentioned, but we have had students before with diabetes who (with required medical sign off) were able to complete courses without any issues. Obviously a proper medical is required. I would consult a diving doctor (stress on the diving part, a regular GP is unlikely to be aware of the contraindication to SCUBA) either through DAN, or by contacting your local hyperbaric chamber (Decompression chamber / Hyperbaric chamber for divers with the bends / decompression illness, London Recompression & Hyperbaric facilities - The London Diving Chamber) service to get thoroughly checked before you plan or book any courses.

Good luck, I hope it works out for you.

 

[freewillie]

Type I diabetes used to be an absolute contraindication to diving. This is in part due to the risk of a hypoglycemic coma. You pass out underwater due to low blood sugar and that would be a fatal event resulting in drowning.

These days it becomes a relative contraindication and the diver must accept a higher than average risk for an adverse reaction underwater. First, you must find a doctor comfortable enough to certify you for scuba diving.

For starters, your insulin regiment must be stable over period of time. Current recommendations is for at least one year. During that time you should have no hypoglycemic episodes. You also need to be aware of being hypoglycemic so if you have ANY asymptomatic hypoglycemic episodes you should not dive. In other words, if you as a patient can't tell or feel that your sugars have dropped you should not dive. During that time frame your insulin dose should be stable without any changes.

Since physical activity by itself can lower blood sugars you should have a routine regular exercise regiment and you should know EXACTLY how your sugars will react to strenuous exercise. You should have a strict regiment of eating and insulin for exercise and follow exactly that regiment for diving. You should also be fit enough to dive and be free of any complications such as nerve problems to dive.

As a diabetic you may be more prone to other dive accidents such as Decompression Illness. Strict attention should be paid to symptoms after dives.

While not an absolute contraindication you should think very seriously about wanting to dive since it has several high risk associations for diabetics, and especially insulin dependent diabetics, who want to dive. You also will need to find a doctor nearby who is familiar with diabetes and the specific requirements to dive with diabetes and work closely together.

And if all that is okay with you and you still really want to scuba then good luck and safe diving.

 

[Doubler]

I am a type II Diabetic and have been diving with it for 25 years. Type I is a different beast as Lynne stated. You MUST be in good shape, You MUST have a good exercise regimen, you MUST know your body and how it reacts to food, insulin, lack of food, you must have a complete handle on your Blood Sugar. I started on Insulin this past July after a sudden sustained in crease in my A1C. My BS is steadily coming back under control, my Doc says when I can hit her targets for 6 months she will re-evaluate me for diving. Right now it is a no go. It is very hard on me as I have been diving since 1972 and this Drydock period is most annoying. As a Type 1 diabetic I would think hard about your decision, remember you will be part of a buddy team, what might happen to you underwater affects your dive buddy. Contact a doctor that knows Type 1 AND diving. Good Luck.

 

[mselenaous]

In addition to all that has been stated above, including getting your physician's approval.

Check out the DAN (diversalertnetwork.org) website for more information:

Diabetes & Diving

DAN and UHMS Publish Guidelines for Recreational Diving with Diabetes
Blood Glucose Response in Insulin-Requiring Diabetics
Summary Form - Guidelines for Recreational Diving with Diabetes
Diabetes and Diving – Update 2005

I have dove with a Diabetic on a pump. She tested her levels before, in between, and after dives.

 

[freewillie]

Which reminds me as well the photographer for one of our boat dives was a diabetic on a pump as well. It can be done, just with the extra precautions.