Diabetes and Diving

[MasterFritts]

• HbA1c ≤9% no more than one month prior to initial assessment and at each annual review -values >9% indicate the need for further evaluation and possible modification of therapy

Wow 9% seems pretty high. Mine is 6.3. Doctor told me anything below 7 is doing well for a diabetic.

 

[DennisW]

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 2 years ago. I was diagnosed very early and put on medication (metformin) very early, so my diabetes has been very controlled from the start. The reason my diabetes was caught early is that I am a pilot over 40. Pilots over 40 that have to take medication for hypertension must submit blood test results every two years when they have to take a medical exam to see if they are still fit to fly. My blood sugar levels and HbA1c levels had been creaping up for several years. I delayed the diagnosis for a long time through diet and excersize, but eventually, I was not able to control my blood sugar levels with diet and excersize alone. Diabetes will not make you panic. Low blood sugar levels can make you shaky and not think well and can eventually cause you to lose conciousness, which has been mentioned already. If your diabetes is under control, and you pay attention to how you feel, you know if your blood sugar is getting low and you eat something with some good carbs in it to increase your blood sugar levels. So, the diver in question could have been affected by low blood sugar causing him/her to have problems with their equipment.

I like to eat bananas as a snack to increase my blood sugar, but some folks think they are a curse on a boat. I eat them anyway. I like them and they are perfect for a snack just before a dive. Other than that a cereal bar is also a good snack, one usually has about 25 to 30 grams of carbohydrates and is a good way to keep your blood sugar up before the dive. If I dive with a new buddy, I explain to them that I have diabetes and I show them my signal for low blood sugar, an L sign across my chest. I also show them my tube of icing (basically pure sugar) that I keep in my BC. I can open this up with either my dive knife or my shears and eat it while on a dive. I've practiced it and I know it works. I have never needed to use the icing while on a dive and I suspect I never will, but I have it. It's a piece of safety equipment that I keep with me, just like a Safety Sausage or a signaling mirror, or a noise making device. I've never needed to use any of these, but if I do, I have them.

 

[Dyno Bill]

I was diagnosed type 2 a bit over two years ago. It bothered me a lot more than I imagined as my second wife passed away due to diabetic complications at 42 yrs old.I have a real respect for the disease as I have seen what it can do. That being said I have a A1C of 6.1. All due to diet and a dedication to exercise, I use a treadmill 5 times a week, lift weight 3 times a week and ride a bike on off days on the treadmill. I am somewhat unique as I can feel a blood sugar level going below 85 and above 190 give or take . I have used both the bike and the treadmill to log sugar levels during exertion and have realized that eating a small box of raisins at 20 minutes on my bike and 15- 30 minutes on the treadmill seem to maintain a functional level and have a seemingly quick effect. These vary with exertion levels. If I run my heart rate at 125- 135 I can run a 200 down to 95 in 15 minutes so understanding your own body is really needed to be safe. My resting heart rate is 59- 65 and recovery from 130 is under two minutes to around 85. I mostly free dive now as I am nearing 60 yrs. and the gear is getting heavier by the year. Just my observations for what it's worth.
Bill