Diabetes and becoming a PADI Divemaster...

[Kingpatzer]

You can say "Yes" to any of the medical questions and if you get the proper medical releases then you can go professional.

[scubajim 1]

If you look at the medical release from PADI it very specifically states to the Doctor that diving with diabetes is contraindicated . Again my personal feeling is that as long as the DM or Instructor takes thoughtful precautions such as ensuring that his/her pro team {other Instructors or DMs working with the classes} know about the condition and what to do, and said Pro monitors his/her blood carefully, there should be no problem.

[Kingpatzer]

If you look at the medical release from PADI it very specifically states to the Doctor that diving with diabetes is contraindicated.

That is a general recommendation and is not the end of the story.

The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society's current recommendations boil down to physically fit divers with controlled diabetic conditions can participate in scuba diving.

There are specific exclusions:
* Patients with a history of severe hypoglycemia involving loss of consciousness, seizures, or otherwise requiring assistance from others within a 12 month period
* Patients with advanced complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy, coronary artery disease and so forth
* Patients who lack stress symptoms with mild hypoglycemia
* Patients without a good understanding of the relationships between their specific disease and exercise

There's Camp DAVI (Diabetic Association of the Virgin Islands) that provides some excellent training.

There are some specific protocols that have been developed to help diabetic divers be safer, and those should be well researched by anyone who is diving with a diabetic condition.

PADI requires that the physician make an informed medical decision regarding a specific individual. Their statements on the medical form provide a doctor with general recommendations, but are not requirements precluding a person from participation regardless of the physicians' opinion.

[scubajim 1]

I am in total agreement but I still wouldn't mention to PADI if I were a PADI Pro

[Kingpatzer]

I have trauma induced epilepsy (which is easily controlled and presents no problems due to the nature of my specific injury and resulting illness) and it was no issue at all in my becoming an instructor. I know of at least one PADI CD who is a diabetic. Being contraindicated for diving in general does not mean it is a contraindication in any specific case. PADI is aware of this point.

The worst thing you could do is to withhold the information from PADI. Should you do that and then have an issue, you can be certain that you will quickly find yourself without anyone standing behind you!