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Type 1 Diabetic That Want's To Learn To Scuba Dive

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J

Just1MoreJab

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Type 1
Good morning I'm after some advise on getting medical clearance to learn to scuba dive. I've spoke with one medical doctor ( over the phone ) who said I was too higher risk to learn to dive as I am experiencing a couple of hypo's a week. My hypo's are sometimes brought on by the side effects of high intensity exercise the night before ( I go to the gym 3 times a week) and even at rest the food I've eaten before bed is burnt off. Other times is just down to a miss judgement in insulin intake relative to my carbs intake with a meal.

My Hb1Ac results for the last 4 years have averaged at around 7.1 - 7.4 which is good. I regularly see my consultant specialists and have annual checks on my feet, and eyes. Yet because I am experiencing hypo's he believed that I was a too higher risk to do this sport. I've read in the Balance Magazine a article in the Jan - Feb 2012 issue about a type 1 insulin diabetic that not only scuba dives, but is now a dive leader. The risk of experiencing a hypo when diving I believe is very low, as I would check my glucose levels an hour before diving and if they weren't a good 4 - 6 mmol above normal ranges i.e ( 12 - 14 ) I would then take on board extra glucose such as a can of coke. The dive master I spoke to at my local dive shop even said that diving isn't a high energy sport, and hardest thing you'll do is lift on to your back the oxygen tank. Yet until I get a medical sign off from a consultant I can't even learn. Can anyone give me some advise and contact numbers of people I can speak whom have good through this same process.

This is 1st time my diabetes has prevent me from doing anything and I'm not pleased, I've always had the attitude that my diabetes wouldn't get in the way of me doing anything. I think I am being prevented from doing something because of someone else?s lack of knowledge of this condition and how it can be managed and the risk of hypo's eliminated so I can enjoy this sport.

I look forward to hopefully hearing from someone who may be able to help.
 
Not sure hoe to advise here as I don't know much about this kind of thing, but I hope you get some answers soon, they might say no.
 
Hi justa1morejab. Welcome 🙂

I would imagine the doctor wondered why you have hypos after exercise rather than adjust your insulin to avoid them. It's probably that level of control you need for scuba rather than just eating more to stay high.

Are you carb counting ?

Rob
 
Welcome Just1MoreJab

There's lots of information about sport and type 1 diabetes at http://www.runsweet.com/index.html - hope it helps you lessen your number of hypos per week, which would be wise in any case.

SCUBA diving is a bit different to other sports, as each person is responsible for the welfare and safety of their buddy as well as themself.

The doctor you spoke to over the phone - was s/he a BSAC / PADI doctor?
 
Hi Rob, Yes I am Carb counting. I also reduce my insulins when I exercise and eat extra carbs post exercise i.e pre bed.
 
The doctor I spoke to is Consultant Occupational Health Physician. He used to be in the Royal Navy, and has wide experience of the diving industry. My Local PADI centre use him for their commercial diving clearance examinations.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've just removed the doctor's name J1MJ.

WHat I was thinking was that you may need to get to the point where you can predict your fall in BG accurately enough to avoid the hypos completely (or down a set number/month) in a similar way to the new DVLA rules, etc.🙂

Rob
 
2 hypos in 12 months that require assistance and you lose your licence.

In a nutshell! :D

Rob
 
The funny thing is, when I was off work for a while recovering from an operation and not able to exercise for a period of about 20 weeks, I had very few hypo's and although my sugars ran slightly higher the lack of exercise eliminated the hypo's. The down side was I put a little bit of weight. I'm not over weight and never have been. I'm 6ft tall and only weigh 11 stone 5 Ib.

I've always thought that trying to keep fit and health would be a good thing, I just wish that like you've mentioned I could flutuate the level / intensity of my exercise without impacting so greatly on my sugar levels either straight after exercise or the following day.

I've reduced my background insulins and I reduce my Novo Rapid injections pre-meals before exercise. However, if you then don't do enough exercise you end up running higher bloods. It this balance that I've always struggled with. I tend to cycle between 10 - 15 miles each time I go to the gym and also do some weight training as well. This form of exercise is alot more intense than the diving that I hoping to trying and do. I'm just not sure what I can do really or whether I've just got to accept is not going to be possible for me.
 
That problem with the anticipation of exercise and having to cover it upfront is the biggy every time.

I would imagine the runsweet site has advice on it but not sure.

Has anyone ever discussed pumping with you?

It would be a way of adjusting your dose more as you go. The big difference with scuba and other sports is that a hypo underwater has a greater risk to you and other divers. On a bike or in a gym, you can be helped more easily. Plus of course, they're under no obligation to make it accessible to all.

I would have a serious think about pumping.🙂

Rob
 
You might want to consider Micro Diving, where you don't dive further than 30 feet/9 metres. It may have less stringent rules for diabetics.

See the link below for a description of what Micro Diving entails.

http://www.scubanorwich.net/page/micro_diving
 
Well there is absolutely No Way Pedro you should be thinking of increasing your BG that high pre-exercise. You need to get your control to a level where you don't need to do that because all you are doing by 'having to do' that is setting yourself up for complications later.

You may need to take in smaller amounts of glucose as you exercise, you may have to reduce your insulin (basal and bolus) by X% for the next 24 hours - you need to do something!

Yes it requires lots of testing and some fathoming out - and you will make mistakes but hey! - this is a marathon, not a sprint ! - but do that first and it will stand you in jolly good stead for everything in the future - not just the exercise now, not just the SCUBA - everything.
 
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