Type 1 diabeties what next?.

[ray]

Hi.

My mate has just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, he felt unwell and went to casualty and the rest so to say is a bad day, he is devastated at the news and coming to terms with sticking needles in himself.

Neither of us no anything about this type of diabetes, if he will have to stop diving completely, and how it will affect his life from now on.

We have dived together for over 20 years and it all comes as a complete shock to me and all our club as he is well liked and one of the mainstay members who actually dives on all our dives.

Any info? thanks

[SilvaFish]

Diabetes UK home page - Diabetes UK

Good luck to your mate to finding the right regiment to control diabetes, and strongly recommend speaking to a diving doctor. It may be a case of stopping diving until the diabetes is under control and speaking to a diving doctor and see what they say about it. Most importantly, play it safe!

May also be worth finding if anybody on the boards have Type 1 diabetes and how they get on with it; I believe that there are some Type 2 diabetic divers on YD, they may be able to offer some words of advice?

Good Luck,
Lou

[Steve S]

Hi Ray,

I have been insulin dependant for 17 years now, TBH in the first few months your mate will have more on his plate than a return to diving, as it is a big change to your life.

I came into the sport as a diabetic so can't say how long he has to be stabilized before they allow a return to diving but he needs to speak to Dr Chris Edge of the UKSDMC who I have always found to be incredibly helpful. The rules concerning diabetes are here UKSDMC medical standards- diabetes mellitus

Basically as long as he is hypo [low sugar reaction] free and does not suffer from any of the long term complications of diabetes he should be fine.

He will be limited to no deco' 30m max dives for a while though, and will have to submit a record of dives and pre and post dive blood tests to the DDRC annually as part of his fitness to dive cert'. This is a good thing as it helps to remove prejudice, as it was only since 1993 that diabetics were allowed to legally dive.

Also on the BSAC site is a useful download pack Medical Matters - BSAC

When he is cleared to dive I can give him/you some more pointers if you wish and if he wants to contact me via e mail I will help in any way I can.

Give him my best wishes, tell him to keep his chin up and that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Good luck.

Safe diving,
Steve.

[dry suit diver]

Dr Jules Eden at the London Diving Chamber will also be a good point of contact.

hope your friend gets sorted and can get wet again.

[David Pye]

Originally Posted by Steve S

Hi Ray, This is a good thing as it helps to remove prejudice, as it was only since 1993 that diabetics were allowed to legally dive.

Sorry to be a pedant here, but there's no 'legally' in it, as there aren't any laws to prevent people from diving, regardless of training or medical fitness. It's a small point but in today's world of legal red tape, a small point worth making.

I think it might be better to say that training agencies will now sanction divers with diabetes to dive.

[David D]

Originally Posted by Steve S

Basically as long as he is hypo [low sugar reaction] free and does not suffer from any of the long term complications of diabetes he should be fine.

I've never been clear on the different types of diabetes, so am most likely full of it here, but you seem to indicate that if a diabetic is subject to low sugar level problems he/she may not be able to dive. [Sorry if I've got this wrong].

I've dived for a few years with a diabetic (really should know more about it at this stage), but I believe he is exactly this type of diabetic.

He gets around this by eating something with quite a bit of sugar in it before a dive, for example a Mars bar, and then carrying a tube of stuff (some sugary mediciney stuff, to be technical about it) with him in a pouch on his belt. If he feels his blood sugar levels dropping, he pops this and swallows the contents. Or that's the theory; he's never had to do it so far since he manages his condition so well. I think that's the most important point.

We've dived over 70m together, twinsets, stages etc. So the OP's mate's diving isn't finished at all as long as he's sensible about it.

[gwilson]

My ex wife was also type 1 insulin dependent, although she didnt dive, once she had got herself stabilised with her injections and diet she lived a normal (thats used very loosely as she is ex wife) life.

The Dr's should be able to point your mate in the way of some good books to read, I cant remember the name of the one we had but it was very informative.

Good luck to your mate, just remember that gary mabbutt ex spurs player was also diabetic and it didnt affect him, well maybe choice of team.

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by David Pye

Sorry to be a pedant here, but there's no 'legally' in it, as there aren't any laws to prevent people from diving, regardless of training or medical fitness. It's a small point but in today's world of legal red tape, a small point worth making.

I think it might be better to say that training agencies will now sanction divers with diabetes to dive.

If that is all the advice you can offer perhaps it would be better left unsaid.

Illegal, sanctioned however you word it the end result is the same, a diabetic whos dived pre 93 or now without a medical certificate, their family would have no claim on any insurance they had if a fatal accident occured, also any 3rd party insurance would be void leaving the person personally liabable to litigation.

Does that meet with your approval?

Safe diving,
Steve

[Paddy Diver]

Another insulin dependent diabetic here to, again, as Steve I had it before I started diving but I started diving extremely quickly after I got it, durning a thing called the "honey-moon period" so that helped abit, no doubt your buddy will experience it and understand what Im on about.

I first though that certain area's of diving would be totally out for me such as deep (30m & beyond) but here I am doing that. I also though deco diving would be out be again I do a little & plan on alot more this year. While I think Ill never be able to do deep trimix deco dive in the future you'd never know!

What I use (on a deep dive) is a "platpus" or hydration pack mounted in between my twins or just in or around the bungees on the wing, oh and its full of some isotonic drink, in case a hypo did decide to crop up.

Something like this:
Camelbak Stoaway Hydration Packs - Cyclesports UK


Ian

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by David D

I've never been clear on the different types of diabetes, so am most likely full of it here, but you seem to indicate that if a diabetic is subject to low sugar level problems he/she may not be able to dive. [Sorry if I've got this wrong].

Hi David,

no you have got it, if a diabetic suffers from low sugar level problems they cannot satisfy the requirements of the UKSDMC to hold a fit to dive cert'

Safe diving,
Steve