Swimming with an insulin pump requires cautious preparation to take care of blood sugar management and defend your system.
This information offers sensible ideas to make sure a protected and satisfying expertise underwater.
Can I swim with an insulin pump?
This relies on the kind of insulin pump you utilize.
Nevertheless, it’s usually beneficial that you simply keep away from swimming along with your insulin pump hooked up except you utilize a water-proof insulin pump cowl.
Most insulin pumps can perform properly with occasional contact with water, however water resistance varies by pump sort.
The next frequent insulin pumps have various ranges of water resistance.
omnipod
Omnipod Aeros, DASH, and Omnipod 5 are all confirmed waterproof.
If you’re incessantly within the water, that is one of the best sort of insulin pump for you, as you will not must interrupt your insulin whereas swimming or showering.
All common insulin basal charges and even boluses will be maintained in water.
The body-worn pod is totally waterproof and may keep optimum performance even when submerged to depths of seven.6 meters (25 toes) for as much as an hour.
The primary factor to remember when swimming with the Omnipod is that water reduces the effectiveness of the adhesive, so the longer you keep within the water, the extra doubtless it’s that the pod will peel off (learn on to learn the way to stop this).
Tandem T Slim X2
The Tandem T Slim X2 pump is “waterproof” Nevertheless, it’s not “waterproof”. It might perform in 3 toes of water for as much as half-hour, however it’s not designed for swimming.
Tandem recommends that in case your pump is incessantly close to water, it is best to defend it with a water-proof pump case to keep away from water injury.
Medtronic MiniMed
medtronic mini medTM The 780G system is an IPX8 system, which means it’s waterproof to a depth of 12 toes for twenty-four hours.
Nevertheless, the sensor and transmitter are solely waterproof to roughly 8 toes of water for half-hour.
Which means all the system (pump, tubing, sensors, and so forth.) is classed as splash-proof fairly than waterproof. Swimming with a Medtronic pump shouldn’t be beneficial.
Find out how to make an insulin pump waterproof
One of many best methods to waterproof your insulin pump is with a protecting case.
Numerous firms provide waterproof pouches designed particularly for insulin pumps. These pouches are made from sturdy, waterproof materials that forestalls water from getting into your system and permits for straightforward entry and visibility.
When selecting a case, ensure it is appropriate along with your particular pump mannequin and search for options like a safe closure or clear window.
What if my pump shouldn’t be waterproof?
All the time discuss with your insulin pump producer’s directions to find out how waterproof or waterproof your pump is.
The waterproof pump will be left on whereas swimming.
Simply because you’ve got an insulin pump that is not waterproof doesn’t suggest you’ll be able to’t swim. It additionally doesn’t suggest it’s good to take away your infusion set and cannula to swim.
To make swimming simpler, take away your insulin pump and tubing out of your infusion set and pause your insulin. As soon as out of the water, you’ll be able to reinstall it.
Watch out to not take away your insulin pump for too lengthy.
Most individuals advocate eradicating it for at most an hour earlier than reattaching it for a bolus of insulin to stop hyperglycemia and potential diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Suggestions for eradicating your insulin pump for swimming
The next methods will assist you to safely take away the pump tubing.
- Pause all insulin earlier than disconnecting to stop the pump from losing medicine.
- Test your blood sugar earlier than disconnecting your pump, and in case your blood sugar is excessive, give a bolus with the expectation that you simply will not be taking your basal charge for some time.
- Preserve your insulin pump close by in a water-proof case or bag.
- Monitor your blood sugar ranges all through your exercise, and in case your blood sugar ranges begin to rise, reconnect for a bolus or manually inject insulin.
- Attempt to restrict insulin interruptions to 60 minutes, except you might be administering a bolus of insulin alongside the best way.
- When you reconnect your pump, bear in mind to restart your basal insulin.
- Please keep hydrated. Dehydration can worsen hyperglycemia and result in insulin resistance and DKA sooner.
- All the time carry low-glycemic snacks with you, particularly when exercising within the warmth.
How lengthy ought to I depart my pump off when swimming?
This all relies on your blood sugar ranges, insulin sensitivity, insulin resistance, whether or not you eat or not, and the quantity of exercise you do.
Most individuals advocate disconnecting your insulin pump for as much as 60 minutes after which reconnecting it for a bolus of insulin.
All the time monitor your blood sugar ranges earlier than, throughout and after hydration, and earlier than and after train.
In case your insulin pump doesn’t present basal insulin, you usually tend to develop DKA or hyperglycemia.
