I am still kinda new to pumping, only been doing it since January, summer is approaching and I take my kids to the pool alot and enjoy swimming myself, we also vacation at the beach. I was just hoping for some good tips about what to do with pump, how to go about spending the day in and out of water, I dont want it to interfere with my fun. So, any good ideas would be greatly appriciated. Thanks
I used aquapack, there is one that allows you to put the tube through it. I will find a link in a bit if another doesn’t chime in with it.
I’m really interested in people’s answers to this too. Thanks for posting this topic. My Accu-chek Spirit pump is NOT waterproof so I’m wondering what to do with it. I dont know what a Sport Guard case is to be honest… so I’m wondering if I’d need something like that if I have to take the pump off going into the water anyway.
Thanks Dave. Will do.
Just had a look. The sport guard it says is for 50x pumps (not paradigm) whatever all that means! I was wondering though, even if this case is waterproof, how is it waterproof when it has a little hole for the tubing to go through? I’d be so pleased if I could get a wateproof case so I could wear it in the water. I love being in the water during my holidays. I know Ireland isnt exactly well known for its hot summers but it does get warm here sometimes!
I guess I should look up the size of the pump before I make any decisions on whether to buy or not.
I second Dave’s advice…never leave your pump unattended. People may think it’s a cell phone/ipod, etc, and take it. Definitely get a case for it and wear it.
I’m not much of a swimmer, so I can’t really give advice about swimming with it. On the beach, I do keep it in the case (it’s an ipod case) because I don’t want to get sand on it.
Have fun!!!
When I’ve gone to the beach with my family, it would often be for a whole day so we would bring a cooler with some lunch and I often left my pump in there to keep it cool. Plus there was usually at least one person who didn’t swim. Even though my pump was waterproof, I wouldn’t wear it because I was afraid of losing it in the ocean.
I just had this convo with my endo when we were talking about me getting a pump. basically he advocates continuing to have a vial or insulin pen around at all time incase the pump malfunctions/breaks/runs out, etc. he said for beach days it would be ok to take off the pump while in the water, or just go a day with manual injections so you don’t have to worry about hanging a pump on a bathing suit and just be good about testing (as always, right? lol)
why do you need to take long acting if you’re just going off for a few hours? taking a rapid acting like humalog as a manual basal rate every 2-2 1/2 hours… that’s exactly what a pump does
sorry if i misspoke, but i was not referring to a full 24hour period. however when most go to the beach the spend the majority of daylight hours there within a 24hour period. I’ll be more specific next time
i would be more concerned with the tubing than the pump itself, unless it’s an omnipod
so you wear your pump under water?
thanks alot, I am definatly going to look up the waterproof cases, I use the minimed 722, do you prefer a certain kind of case
only one I have found to work with the 722 is the aquapack
I had the sport guard until my last upgrade 
It’s a shame the bugger doesn’t fit, I kept trying!
personally, I find it soooo much easier to just take a break from my pump and go on shots (novolog/lantus for me) in the summertime.
This way I don’t have to worry about the weight of the pump causing me to moon someone in my bathing suit, or jumping in the water at the pool- forgetting you had your pump attached (the meter attached to my old cozmo happened to not be water proof).
Before I started doing this though, at the beach I always made sure the sun wasn’t beating down on it, so I usually wrapped it in my cover up shirt, that way sand wouldn’t get on it either. at the pool-plastic bag with a towel tossed on top. (:
I used the ($50) minimed sports guard one time in 2000 and found my non-waterproof MM 508 floating in a sports guard full of water after a river rafting adventure. And it had been completely sealed. So I personally had a bad experience with it. Proceed with caution and perhaps it will work for you.
I am on the Cozmo 1800 currently (for the last year) and have enjoyed that it’s waterproof, but I still prefer to disconnect for water activities. Old habits die hard, I suppose.
The important things have been covered here. Watch for heat and don’t leave it unattended. I have found that leaving it with a family member in a towel-wrapped ziploc bag in an ice chest is sometimes a good choice. They also make some cool pouches for pumps to keep them cool. FRIO has one I’ve yet to try, but their products generally come highly recommended.
There’s always disconnecting and leaving the pump at the place where you’re staying (a hotel room safe, for instance), but you’d certainly still need insulin, meter, strips, etc. if you’re going tubeless for the afternoon.
the blood glucose fairies, of course! 
I had done all of that. I had only been a pump user for about a month, so granted, I was new to pumping, but that actually made me VERY careful to follow their instructions to the letter. I’m not saying it wasn’t a fluke accident or that I am sure that all sport guards are going to do this. I’m just saying that it was a waste of my money considering the outcome. Since then, especially as I’m not particularly a water sport enthusiast, I just make other arrangements. Some have panned out well - others haven’t.
I didn’t ever get bold enough as to take my Paradigm in the water (because I was told not to), but I’m glad to hear it can take the hit. I know the 508’s couldn’t because of the cartridge door. When I moved to Cozmo, I have been so brave as to shower with it a few times, but all in all, I really just prefer to disconnect tubed pumps if I’m going to be in the water. It’s a cost/benefit analysis for me - no swim is worth losing a functioning pump for a few days. Just my opinion.
Naomi,
The Spirit is water-resistant and for swimming in a pool I would consider it waterproof. Make sure you have recently changed the battery cover and the adapter that holds the cartridge in place since they have O-rings designed to keep water out.