I have a dilemma. I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes a year ago and immediately began controlling it with diet. I'm not eating a strict ketogenic diet, but close to it. My blood glucose generally ranges between 75 mg/dl and 126 mg/dl.
Since diagnosis, I have had no more than a dozen readings above 150 mg/dl - anytime it goes above that level, I adjust what I am eating, because my goal is to maintain normal (or as close to normal) blood glucose levels as possible (meaning never higher than 140 mg/dl).
I have never had a hypoglycemic incident - and I don't expect I ever will unless my medication changes. (Hypoglycemic incidents occur when there are boy scouts (excess insulin) hanging about dragging the little old ladies (glucose) across the street (blood vessel walls) when the little old ladies need to stay right where they are to avoid a hypo. This only happens when you are directly or indirectly adding insulin to your system in a way that is mismatched with food-based glucose. Dietary mangement does not create excess insulin -the cause of diabetic hypoglycemic incidents.)
My dilemma is that I'm about to start diving again after a few years off for unrelated (completely resolved) health reasons. I figured I'd take a new certification course to refresh my knowledge - but the new certification course requires a new medical disclosure. That gives me three options:
All of the discussions of this question I've found are pretty old - and there are quite a few T2 diabetics who are now controlling their diabetes by diet - so I'm hoping there might be some new insight. (I've been through the DAN material & course - I'm more looking for insight as to how people who are not at risk for diabetic hypoglycemic incidents and are tightly controlling their diabetes have handled the dilemma of health v. disclosure.)
Since diagnosis, I have had no more than a dozen readings above 150 mg/dl - anytime it goes above that level, I adjust what I am eating, because my goal is to maintain normal (or as close to normal) blood glucose levels as possible (meaning never higher than 140 mg/dl).
I have never had a hypoglycemic incident - and I don't expect I ever will unless my medication changes. (Hypoglycemic incidents occur when there are boy scouts (excess insulin) hanging about dragging the little old ladies (glucose) across the street (blood vessel walls) when the little old ladies need to stay right where they are to avoid a hypo. This only happens when you are directly or indirectly adding insulin to your system in a way that is mismatched with food-based glucose. Dietary mangement does not create excess insulin -the cause of diabetic hypoglycemic incidents.)
My dilemma is that I'm about to start diving again after a few years off for unrelated (completely resolved) health reasons. I figured I'd take a new certification course to refresh my knowledge - but the new certification course requires a new medical disclosure. That gives me three options:
- Nondisclosure (I'd have two normal A1C lab tests to "prove" I don't have diabetes - even though I know my normal values are the product of tight control, not lack of disease.)
- Agree to intentionally create inherently unhealthy pre-dive blood glucose levels (150 mg/dl) that - over time - increases my risk for heart attacks. More immediately, blood glucose of 130 or higher impairs my mental acuity (my supervisor can tell within seconds when I hit 130 mg/dl or higher because of my change in affect - I don't always notice until she points it out, but when she notices it she is always correct). (With the sub-options of actually carrying it out, or pretending to.)
- Skipping the new certification to avoid the question (but I'd still have to debate disclosure to an unknown dive buddy, since - in this circumstance I'll be randomly paired up.)
All of the discussions of this question I've found are pretty old - and there are quite a few T2 diabetics who are now controlling their diabetes by diet - so I'm hoping there might be some new insight. (I've been through the DAN material & course - I'm more looking for insight as to how people who are not at risk for diabetic hypoglycemic incidents and are tightly controlling their diabetes have handled the dilemma of health v. disclosure.)