14 replies to this topic

[scubahoney]

Is diving with Hypoglycemia a safety issue? If so, would it be about the same protocol as diving with Diabetes?

[canuckdiver]

Is diving with Hypoglycemia a safety issue? If so, would it be about the same protocol as diving with Diabetes?

not being a doctor, but...

I would thing that Hypoglycemia would carry the same or at least very similar cautions as Diabetes. The possibility of unconciousness, or at least impaired judgement, would make it an added risk.

Not saying that it should preclude diving, just that extra caution should be exercised

[No Pressure]

Is diving with Hypoglycemia a safety issue? If so, would it be about the same protocol as diving with Diabetes?

In short....yes. Low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia) is usually the result of the body not being able to precisely regulate insulin release and blood sugar (glucose) level. When this gets to a certain degree, with high and low swings in blood sugar, it is called diabetes mellitus. People take pills or insulin shots to help regulate the sugar level.
Hypoglycemia is a bit of a catch phrase. To some it means diabetes that does not require pills or shots. All of us can get hypoglycemic if we don't eat well, exercise a lot (increasing the body's need for glucose), or exert ourselves (like in diving). The problem is that low blood sugar can result in slowed thinking/ reactions, weakness, dizzy/ faint feelings, nausea, and other symptoms.
The best treatment is to eat regularly, stay hydrated, and dive with your favorite diving doc!

[Diverbrian]

Yep, but I haven't seen a woman doc here who dives yet!

Would Triggerfish count?

[No Pressure]

Would Triggerfish count?

Brian, only to guarantee that you would develop symptoms of hypoglycemia!

[Diverbrian]

Would Triggerfish count?

Brian, only to guarantee that you would develop symptoms of hypoglycemia!

Hmmmm.........

I don't see how that would guarantee that, but anything is possible.

[No Pressure]

Feeling faint, lightheaded, dizzy, confused, not knowing which way is up. That would be from a redistribution of blood flow. Mimics hypoglycemia.
Or maybe, from just exerting a lot of energy to keep up with her.

[sunlover]

NP, are all those symptoms hypoglycemia or pregnancy? Scubahoney needs to be real clear on the difference! Tom

[No Pressure]

Now Tom, Don't scare SH like that!
SH, he was only kidding!

[Starfish Sandy]

TOM!!!!! Not funny !!! If those were signs of pregnancy - I would be with child 4-6 times a week!!! Thanks for setting us all straight NP!!!! Don't let them mess with ya SH!!!!

Sandy

[scubahoney]

NP, are all those symptoms hypoglycemia or pregnancy? Scubahoney needs to be real clear on the difference! Tom

HEY!!!!
Thanks for sticking up for me while I was away guys!
Tom-I'm hypoglycemic...not pregnant..and I'm 100% sure...and I resent the implication....heehee not really I just like to give people a hard time.
Man, if I don't stop throwing up in the mornings, and those cravings for pickles and peanut butter....

[No Pressure]

Hey, SH. Anytime you want to stop by the office. I have one of those cute hospital gowns that open in the back (or is it the front?)....; Anyway, I would be happy to "check you out" for signs of hypoglycemia. It may take a while, cause I believe in a thorough checkup.
Happy to help!!

[scubahoney]

[teksimple]

Hypoglycemia is largely a problem of modern diet - processed, or quickly digesting foods. It is also a growing problem because so many people think that eating healthy is eating fat free.

By choosing pre-dive foods that digest slowly (like the foods that we primarily evolved on), hypoglycemia can be completely avoided.

Healthy, low-glycemic foods include nuts ("good fat” cholesterol-lowering nuts such as walnuts and macadamia nuts are the best), lean meats, and unsweetened berries.

Foods that are sugary, full of processed flour, starchy, "low fat", high-glycemic or those that otherwise stimulate the body's release of insulin (including processed dairy products) will only make your hypoglycemia worse.

I was trained as a scientist, but don't just take my word for it! Years of research by the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Medicine, or the Department of Health and Exercise Science at Colorado State University has produced tomes of indisputable evidence regarding diabetes and hypoglycemia and its link with modern, often supposedly "healthy" food.

And try it yourself! Eat a handful of walnuts or macadamia nuts or other healthy low-glycemic food 20 minutes before a dive or other activity where you often feel the lows from hypoglycemia. You will notice the difference.

And if you think that all that fat will make you fat, remember this: A quickly digested food such as sugar and flour will more likely be stored as fat (because it has nowhere else to go but your fat cells) than a slowly digesting food such as higher fat nuts, in which you are more likely to burn ALL of the calories rather than just a few.

Some references:
Dr. Diana Schwarzbein, MD, USC Medical School
Dr. Loren Cordain, PhD Department of Health and Exercise Science at Colorado State University
Dr. Walter C. Willet, MD, PHD Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Medicine


- Kent

[Laura]

Kent,

Thanks for the good info. CUTE avatar, by the way

Laura