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Snorkeling

Postleneo

Well-Known Member
Messages
293
Location
West Midlands
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi guys... Currently in Mauritius and have booked a days trip on a catermeran and snorkeling. Use an omnipod and just asking for any advice ie how bloods may be affected during and after, what I should consider etc. Many thanks
 
Postleneo - I'm to insulin dependent, never mind a pumper, so wouldn't like to speculate on these things. In any case, your experiences may differ in the Indian Ocean to somewhere less tropical.

On the upside, as you will be snorkelling, you will be close to the surface, and really only boosting deeper at your own will, should you choose to do that for as long as you can hold your breath!

If you are snorkelling off a commercial boat, they should have someone permanently on the swim platform, looking for any potential issues with their guests - almost acting as a lifeguard. Most cat swim platforms, depending on the vessel size, are either quite wide, or more frequently there are two smaller ones. You could ask whoever is on that sentry duty to care for you test kit, or reader if you are using the Libre? Obviously it makes sense to keep checking where you bloods are. Alternatively, you could decide to run a touch higher for that few hours, but that would not be my lace to talk further about.

Diving and snorkelling in tropical waters is just fab. Whether you are in deep or shallow waters, I feel confident they will have identifies spots where there will be plenty to see.

Enjoy and take care!

I think I'll tag @Marie 2 into this, as, I think she is a diver, in warmer climes. I'm a diver in warmer climes, just not a T1!
 
Hi! Yes I love snorkeling, but it does take some extra preparation. First I am lucky as I have a Dexcom and an Omnipod, unfortunately you don't get to read your numbers when you are in the water.

This has worked well for me, but we are all different so be prepared for that.

First I have a tendency to start out with a higher Bg level just to be safe for me, so I boost my Bg level 2-3 points so I have wiggle room!

I do a temp basal reduction of 50% for a two hour time period a half hour before I go snorkeling for an hour. I had read somewhere a basal reduction is better than a suspend to stop the rebound high afterwards. This has worked really well for me. Every once in a while about 3 hours later I will start to drop so watch for that. Make sure you have a fast acting snack and a more substantial snack for the hours after.

I was looking for the solution to long term constant snorkeling though and like the idea of having some insulin available to utilize energy better and not have rebound highs. If you are not used to the energy used for snorkeling I would be tempted to go with a higher reduction in a temp basal, or suspend basal or maybe even starting the suspend/reduction a little earlier than the half hour. Also my snorkeling generally is easy for me, I will burn through glucose faster if it is rougher waters and takes more effort.

I also carry hypo candy in a waterproof container out with me just in case. I have never had to use it, but I feel much safer having it with me. Personally I would ask the "monitors" to keep an eye out for you just in case. They usually take tour groups out to milder water areas, but that does depend!! Some of the best and "funnest" snorkeling has been in the middle of the ocean in half craters or off a glass bottom boat in some protected areas!!!
 
Thank you so much for the reply and the fantastic advice.... Ran a bit higher than normal beforehand and also gave a reduced temp basal... Worked a treat many thanks
 
Postleneo said:
Thank you so much for the reply and the fantastic advice.... Ran a bit higher than normal beforehand and also gave a reduced temp basal... Worked a treat many thanks
Click to expand...

Brilliant, I snorkel too but take my pump off (its not a stuck on one). I just take a 1/2 hourly dose and use a Dexcom (on the surface) with water proof watch.
 
Postleneo said:
Thank you so much for the reply and the fantastic advice.... Ran a bit higher than normal beforehand and also gave a reduced temp basal... Worked a treat many thanks
Click to expand...

Wow! I bet that was fab!!!
 
@Chas C The watch you wear is reading from the Dexcom and can stay in water an hour so you get a continual reading??????
Is that what you are talking about?

Curious minds want to know because I have been trying to figure out a way to be able to read my Bg's while snorkeling. So far I had just found watches that were water resistant but not water proof. So if it is working for you what watch is it?
 

Hi @Marie 2

I use it for white water kayaking too. So an Apple Watch (version 3 ?) is waterproof, my iPhone is also waterproof. I do put my iPhone in a water proof bag to both protect it and carry it. It works fine on the surface but hardly at all underwater but as your using a snorkel you need to come to the surface a fair amount of times. You need both the phone and watch as the watch does not link direct to the Dexcom G6 sensor.
 
@Chas C The iphone is not recommended for the ocean at all. It is "water proof" but actually water resistant for 30 minutes but not for the ocean which is supposed to corrode it really easily.

But I got all excited when you mentioned a watch which is it looks like, is okay for the ocean, Great!!!! But sigh, I guess you still need the iphone as the watch doesn't communicate with the transmitter yet. I think they are supposedly working on that.

My method has worked well for snorkeling that I use. It would be nicer though to actually be able to read your Bg levels while in the ocean.
 
Marie 2 said:
@Chas C The iphone is not recommended for the ocean at all. It is "water proof" but actually water resistant for 30 minutes but not for the ocean which is supposed to corrode it really easily.
Click to expand...

I've been sea kayaking with a water proof iPhone for some time and pre that non water proof ones - just put it in a waterproof pouch, I've been using these ever since they came out 20 yrs ago.
 
@Chas C Do you know the name of a good brand of a waterproof pouch? I have a hard cased waterproof container, but things don't communicate with it well if I try to just ask Siri and I don't want to open it in the ocean. Everything else I've tried likes to leak after a few times and I don't want to ruin my phone.

Hmmmm, I have to wonder if I put it in a ziplock, in a ziplock, in a ziplock, in a ziplock.........................lol
 

I've always used these https://aquapac.net/ but there are many available now.

Siri works via my watch and phone plus I can use my phone whilst its in the bag too - touch screen will work without needing to take it out of the bag (other than for photo's).
 
I have now ordered a Stash Water Pouch! Excited to get it and get full use of my phone!
This was resting on the beach yesterday, this is a resting area and it's always nice to see them!

 
I got the Stash waterproof pouch and it worked great for my iphone. I have all sorts of pictures of fish and turtles swimming in the ocean. But I could not get my iphone to communicate with my Dexcom sensor underwater. Even trying to hold my arm up out of the water to get a reading. Because of the way a Dexcom works, it wants to download all the data before it will tell you what your Bg level is at.

So I got a prescription for a Libre hoping since it scans I can get an immediate reading.

Success everyone!!!

I put on the new Libre2 yesterday and went snorkeling today!!! I have the reader in the Waterproof Stash Pouch.

It reads underwater!!! Really easy! I swam for 2 hours! I went in at 115, I had eaten something so I knew it would go up. It went to 119, down to 105 stayed there a while and back up to 120 by the time I got out! It is reading about 25 points under what I am , but that’s okay for my purposes. My husbands ankles were getting tired or I could have stayed longer! I’m so excited! not having to worry about what my Bg’s levels actually are is a huge plus, it gives me a lot more freedom to stay out as long as I want!

But I do still like my Dexcom for accuracy better, the Libre is reading 25 points under, my Dexcom is only 5 points under my actual level per 2 different meters. But for the purposes of what I want the Libre for it works great!
 
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