Aloha!
When hubby returns from deployment (and is home to watch the kiddos!), I am thinking of treating myself to scuba lessons. I have always wanted to try it! I have heard, though, that it is hard for Type 1’s to get certified. Does anyone know if this is true, or have any tips to help me get certified? I have had Type 1 for 17 years and have some complications, if that makes a difference…
Any help will be much appreciated!
Thanks!
Melinda
I have been told several times that I cannot scuba dive as a Type 1 diabetic, if you hear otherwise I’d be extremely keen to give it a go too!!!
Really? Wow!!! I wonder how it is for those that were certified before diagnosis? I guess I will look into it. That would suck as I’m from Florida and dive often.
This is a link that I found that talks about this-
I’ve been told no too. I was actually “friends” with a scuba instructor- spent hours looking over his stuff over the course of many weeks/ months. Fingering the materials, adding up the dollars that would cost me to purchase all of the gear. I finally got the money, went in to buy them,
and he asks me: "Do you have any medical problems?"
I roll my eyes and said: “Yeah, Type 1, but that’s not a problem right?”
He told me I couldn’t take lessons because of the pressure under water, or something?
I haven’t looked into it any more than that.
Broken heart. 
I was still misdiagnosed as Type 2 when I got certified. I just lied and said I didn’t have any medical conditions… I was also lying to myself about my medical condition at the time too. I BELIEVE they are relaxing the restrictions placed on diabetics, but they still have some guidelines we will have to follow, such as how deep we can go and such. Elizabeth added a link above that outlines what those restrictions are. Also, the place I got certified DID have a “no diabetics” clause in the waiver… so, it may be that some places will look at us and some will not.
I’m certified. So yes you can be a diabetic and dive. I love diving. It’s important to let the instructors, dive masters and dive buddy know that you are diabetic. I have a sign “L” on the forehead (loser sign!) to signal to my dive buddy if am low. Also, I make sure to be at least 150 before a dive. I’d rather run a little high just to be safe.
Thanks for all the great info and tips - I really want to go for it, but now I am wondering if Retinopathy will be the factor that keeps me out? I think I am going to have to go talk to my eye doc about it. I really want to dive, so hopefully there will be a way…