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If you have gone swimming while using an insulin pump that has to be disconnected while you are in the water, how do you manage your insulin while swimming?
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I gave myself a small bolus before going in the water for a few hours a dew days ago. I believe my small bolus was about 20% of a unit. When getting out of the water I was at 72. I may try giving myself 10% of a unit next time, but to tell you the truth, I don’t swim that often.
Have been type 1 for 27 long months lol came into this situation later in life. Totally miss swimming!! You all give me hope that someday please I can have my life back
You can swim! It is some trial and error, but as long as you are monitoring during your swims you will be fine.
Diabetes shouldn’t prevent you from any of life’s adventures! You CAN swim, you CAN surf, you CAN waterski, don’t let diabetes stop you!!!
I live 0n a houseboat in the summer and swim all the time. I use an Omnipod pump.
I no longer go swimming whereas my pump and CGM sites are under water.
I swim laps. Before I go I make sure my blood glucose is not low. When I take a swim break, I check my glucose on my phone. If it’s okay, I continue my swim. If it’s low, I’ll either have a snack and continue my swim or go home for a bigger snack. I never need to bolus after swimming.
Not a pump user but am curious what pump users do.
I keep an eye on my BG after swiming and I let the closed loop control make any adjustments necessaer.
I have been on the Omnipod for many years and this does not need to be disconnected. Before that I would frequently resurface to check my BG and if a correction bolus was needed I would administer 1 unit less than suggested.
Swimming is my exercise. However I will not use a pump that is attached. Thinking about omnipod 5 but haven’t made move yet. Just trying to keep Dexcom on is a challenge.
I put my pump under the top strap of my bathing suit while I sit on a noodle in the water to cool off.
I live on the gulf coast of FLA and go to the beach often all year round. I was thrilled to hear Medtronic went with a waterproof pump but that was short-lived when I thought to ask about salt water. Something should not be called waterproof if only for some waters 🙂. But I now think I wouldn’t trust going into water of any sort with my pump. When I get to the beach I suspend my pump and go for a long walk, taking glucose tablets with me because I usually need a couple before I get back. I then go into the gulf to cool off (except maybe in winter months depending on water temp). And after getting out and drying off for a while, I test and put pump back on, being careful of sand. It works well. I haven’t tried tubing or Kayaking. Too afraid to wear it and too afraid not to wear it for too long.
Too much hassle to swim anymore. Stopped as soon as I got a pump.
So sad to hear as swimming is such a beneficial form of exercise.
It depends upon what I’m doing while in the water. If I’m just splashing around, I don’t do anything with basals or food. I disconnect from the pump and check my bg levels from time to time. If I’m swimming laps, I eat enough to raise my glucose levels before I start. I disconnect from the pump and check my bg levels from time to time.
More recently, I’ve avoided going into the public pool with numerous reports of fecal matter in the water from diapers, etc.
Hypoglycemia while swimming is REAL and scary. For some reason, the effort expended while swimming drops my BG like no other exercise. I prefer to run high while in the water and correct after.
It depends on what my sugar reads prior to swimming. Usually, swimming and the sun will lower my blood sugars pretty fast, so I snack after.
Rarely am I in the water for longer than 30 minutes so I disconnect and reconnect as appropriate.
I check my blood sugar frequently to snack if needed. Settings all depend on activity. If actively seining I will suspend or lower basal.
I do what is appropriate for the moment if I’ve already eaten it makes a difference how long I’m going to swim and what my blood is before I start
I used to swim almost daily when I lived in Alabama and how I handled it depended entirely on my BG level beforehand. The property pool was roughly 1/4 mile from my apartment and sometimes I’d disconnect and leave the pump home when I’d walk up to the pool then reconnect when I’d get back home. Other times I’d leave the pump on until I got to the pool, remove pump before going into the water and Bolusing as needed until I go home.
When I had my Animal pump, the Animas pump was factory guaranteed waterproof at up to 12 feet underwater for over 24 hours so with that pump, I just left the pump connected the whole time I was swimming and with that pump had a “Swimming” Basal pattern set up giving me barely 1/4 as much Insulin as I needed to use if not swimming.
With all the pumps after my Animas pump I haven’t needed a separate Basal pattern or anything and my BG usually has remained well within the desired range even if in the pool and disconnected from my pump for the whole afternoon (over 4 hours total).
I do no bolus prior. I disconnect and leave the pump at pools edge. (unless I forgetfully and accidentally give the pump a swimming lesson)
Then, getting out and re-attaching I give an incremental amount.
The thing I hate most is having the pump so far from the sensor. It is useless in determining BG for several painstaking seems-like-a-lifetime moments.
I’ve often wondered what I could do if the pump were stolen. For all you barristers out there, can I charge the thief with murder, since withing 48 hours I’m dead? (╯ ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)╯┻━┻
I put my pump in a water proof case so I don’t have to disconnect.
I’m an avid boogie boarder – 2 to 3 times per week when I can. My usual routine is to disconnect my pump and lock it in a cooler in my car, then eat 15-20 jelly beans before I get in the water for an hour. I try to err on the side of running a bit high rather than low. Depending on the waves and exertion level, I might need a small bolus when I reconnect. I wear an Apple watch and eagerly anticipate the day when my watch can communicate directly with my Dexcom sensor to let me check my BG in the water.
It depends on my current blood sugar, & any recent carb intake. I’m not usually getting a lot of exercise while in the pool, so my BS is more likely to rise while disconnected. The bottom line is I check BS often, & treat appropriately.
I take corrective bolus if needed.
I chose “other” because it has been several years since I went swimming with/without a pump. The last time I went, I had recently started on a pump. I did not change my settings or my dose before swimming. I disconnected my pump and placed it under a towel, out of the sun before heading into the pool. I was swimming a short while when I saw someone I didn’t know looking through my things. So, I got out of the water to go see what they were doing. The woman told me she heard something beeping and went to see what it was because it was continually doing so and it was disturbing her. Well, it was my pump signalling that I was “out of range.” I was so embarrassed that I have not tried to go swimming again!
I should note, I was using a Medtronic pump at the time, which was not waterproof/resistant. I currently use a Tandem pump, which is resistant up to 3 feet, but I was told by the company that I should not swim with it. Unfortunately, I cannot wear the Omnipod due to allergies to the adhesive and Animas is no longer available where I live (I was going to get an Animas pump when I switched from Medtronic, but was told they would only be available for six months, so I decided it was best to get the Tandem).
I wish someone would make a waterproof pump!!!
Medtronic does make their pump water proof now.
Not sure when exactly but Tandem is coming out with their Mobi-pump. Supposedly it is their next pump coming out and SUPPOSEDLY not too far in the future. Not only is it about 50% smaller, but it will be waterproof.
I try to have little to no IOB when I swim (stable bg) since swimming lowers my bg pretty good. I get of water periodically to check bg
I only swim in a backyard swimspa / hot tub, as I can no longer handle temperatures below that of my body. I disconnect my pump and reattach it afterwards. I usually need a bit of sugar afterwards.
I wish my Dexcom would read my BG while in the water, but I assume the tub is too thick.
I marked other before reading the last selection.🙄 I wear a pump that is water proof. Sensor is covered with tape. I wear it in the shower also.
I don’t use an insulin pump. It seems like more trouble than it’s worth.
Depends on blood sugar level. If below 100 than a snack. If 100-150 no bolus. If above 150 than 50% of correction factor, etc.,
Use one of those grocery keep cool bags with a solid block of ice in a package to keep bag cool, bolus before & after disconnecting. Use a dish towel to put ice & pump, zip bag & put in shade. It always works !!
I go out of the water to see if my glucose fropped and need to get carbs. I always take orange juice anf glycose tablets to the pool
When I swam, my CGM only allowed 20-30 minutes in the water. However, I always ate a snack based on my estimated exercise and then bolused or ate a snack depending on the blood sugar AFTER getting out of the water.
I just check my glucose, eat a snack to give myself a cushion, and go. Early on in my pump days (like 20 years ago) I once forgot that I was wearing it when I jumped into the ocean from a boat to go skin diving over some coral reefs. I felt something tugging at my abdomen, looked down, and there was my pump suspended beneath me like a baited hook on a fishing line. I reeled it in before any passing fish could gulp it down, got back on board the boat, immediately disconnected and changed to my back-up pump (one that was out of warranty but still functional). I kept the immersed pump running so I could observe it and compare to my spare, and, as it turned out, the pump that had been immersed in salt water (a Medtronic) never skipped a beat. Happy ending, lesson learned and, no, I didn’t conclude that swimming with that pump attached was an OK thing!
I have waterproof bag made for corded microphone with belt that keeps pump dry
Ditto comment above that swimming lowers my blood sugar like no other exercise! I swim laps, never for more than 45 minutes. I eat a snack if needed before I start. I disconnect my pump and put it in a cooler if needed. I usually swim fairly early in the morning so a cooler is not necessary. I keep my phone in my swim bag near the edge of the pool and check my bg occasionally. My Dexcom seldom loses its connection even though I’m out of range half of each lap.
Oh how I miss my Animas Vibe. But with the Tandem, I pop my pump into a waterproof microphone case that I got on Amazon and hang that from a chain around my neck.
Use the overpatches to keep the Dexcom sensor in place – but the sensor doesn’t work worth a darn under water. Expect the delay of up to 5 minutes after you get out of the water for readings to kick back in.
Always keep a rapid glucose source close at hand. Tiny juice boxes don’t take up much real estate in the beach bag.
What I do depends on many factors at the time. Give insulin or eat snack or check bgs often and sometimes not swim as long as I’d like.