21 Comments
If you wear a T1D device, does swimming in salt water cause your device to fall off more, less, or equally as often as when you swim in fresh water?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
© 2022 T1D Exchange. All Rights Reserved.
I’ve never felt comfortable going in the water, salt water or chlorinated, with my pump or CGM. I’ve always thought it would destroy my pump. I also don’t feel comfortable going in publically used water with holes in my skin from canulla’s etc. for fear of infections. I just don’t go in the water.
My Medtronic pump didn’t have issues with the infusion set in either case, but the CGM tape was terrible for water sports regardless of water type. I just started a Talim and Dex and haven’t had a chance to swim with either yet to test that out, but I find the Dex stays sooo much better already under normal daily use than the Medtronic CGM did.
I don’t know; I don’t swim or get in the water much because of these devices. If I swim or get in the ocean it is on vacation, when I normally go on a ‘device vacation’ at the same time.
I do not swim much, but when I did I disconnected my pump and covered the infusion site with an IV3000 from Smith and Nephew. Probably would work for the CGM also.
I am a senior who doesn’t swim anymore. However, I still like to bathe and soak in a bath tub. Sometimes the Abbott Freestyle Libre won’t record for 10 minutes or longer after I get out of the water. Then it resumes recording numbers.
I disconnect / remove my pump and install a plug to keep sand and salt water out of the port.
I answered “Other”. I do not swim or bathe now that I use a pump and CGM. Showering causes no problems.
I haven’t been in salt water for decades because I just don’t like it. Much rather be in a pool or even a lake. When I had my Medtronic 5 series pump, I forgot to take it off before jumping in a lake, and that was that. However, Medtronic was very good about forgiveness and replaced it, no questions asked. I now am on a 630G and even though it says it’s waterproof (or resistant) I don’t trust it. I take it off and put a plug on the cannula port. Unfortunately that limits my time in the water before I have to plug myself back in. As far as the adhesive tape goes, never had a problem with it being in the water.either at the infusion site or on the CGM.
I swim in pool with no issues but have not been in salt water.
On a couple occasions I’ve lost my FreeStyle Libre sensors during extensive deep water soloing sessions in the Sea of Oman. These are two to three hour sessions of swimming, treading water, and climbing and falling off sea cliffs, so those occasions the sensor remains attached (majority of cases) are actually quite impressive. I’ve used the sensor while scuba diving (50 to 60 minutes up to 30m depth), tucked under a wet suit, and never experienced loss of adhesion (plus the sensor continues to work fine afterward). No problems on the few occasions I’ve swam with the FreeStyle Libre in fresh water.
Haven’t had any problems with either types of water, infusion port and sensors stay on fine. I swim in the pool, swim and surf in the ocean, no troubles. Of course I remove the pump during these times, but keep my sessions under 90 minutes and check BS when out. Tried a hot tub once and water temp dissolved adhesive so I keep away from them!
The only swimming I do is in a chlorinated pool. I don’t swim in salt water and it has been years since I swam in Lake Erie. When I swim in a pool I take off my pump and cap the infusion portal with the little cap thingy so water doesn’t seep in. My infusion site gear is covered with an IV3000 patch which usually stays intact in the pool because it remains secure against my skin under the lower end my bathing suit. When out of the water if the IV3000 tape comes undone I just dry off and reapply a new one.
I have a pump and Medtronic says no salt water with the pump. Have never had water issues with the site. I cap it off before going in the Gulf. Sweating in the hot Florida sun and humidity sometimes is an issue but rarely. The tubing sometimes causes me to break out around where it is laying against my skin in the heat.
I wear a Tslim. Sand at the beach seems to be the problem for me. Little grains get in and I have problems reconnecting.
I have not used my Omnipod in saltwater.
I don’t swim in salt water hardly ever, but don’t have any issues in fresh water.
The type of water does not matter. However, I usually do not wear my CGM in the ocean as the force of the waves can knock the sensor from my body and wear it down much more quickly.
I haven’t
tried in salt water. No problems bathing, though.
I can’t compare, I haven’t been in salt water with my cgm. And fresh water has not caused my cgm to fall off.
The only water I get in is fresh water and that’s a shower and nothing has fallen off yet
I don’t swim very often.