Diabetic skydivers wanted

[pozdroszejset 0]

Hi! I'm working on a diabetes awareness promotion project. I'm diabetic myself, did 170 jumps so far. I'm looking for active t1/t2 diabetic skydivers from all over the world to share knowledge and sth more. If you know anyone who skydives with diabetes I would be grateful for any info via forum or email - [email protected]
fly free, Gienek

[GEatonSkyfly 4]

Hello,
I am a type 1 diabetic,
I became diabetic at age 24 and am 52 years old now.
I have been a skydiver since I was 18 and in the US Army at the time.
I have NO family history of diabetes on either side of my family all the way back in history. ( as far back as the 1400's actually!)
So why me???? Wish I knew, But I do not dwell on it and instead chose to drive onward.
Army told me a few known factors that could have caused this to happen....
Army doc informed me that I will be insulin dependent for the rest of my life until a cure is found.
I was never able to control the blood sugars with just pills and exercise/diet. So it has been insulin ever since...
I take daily injections twice a day, Humulin 70/30, And am not interested in using the Pump as it has problems not yet perfected for my active lifestyle.
42 units am and 12 units at the pm.
I have never been overweight or obese. Been thin all my life. I stay in shape with lots of activities and have remained 190 lbs and 6'1"tall ever since.

I still jump and have over 3000 jumps so far, Along with 58 base jumps.
I am also a Licensed Private Pilot with instrument rating, AND a special waiver from the FAA and voluntary Close Monitoring with them that requires testing before, during and after each time I fly... ( I had my license before I became diabetic)
I can fly by myself as well as take others and have over 2400 hrs logged.
As I get older I have found that some things change as to my care of myself.
I keep pushing myself to be better at my care.

I jump a Mirage G4 and a Katana 150 main.

Grant Eaton
You can email me directly at [email protected]

[Dopamine_Junkie 0]

That last part is a little confusing. You are Type 1 but you had your pilot's license before you became diabetic??? Type 1 is juvenile onset and almost always shows up way before you could obtain a pilot's license. If you became diabetic later in life you are Type 2.

[CazmoDee 3]

That's not correct. I was diagnosed as type 1 at 45. When your body produces insulin but doesn't utilize it, you are considered to be type 2. It's the most prevalent form of diabetes in this country, and is usually the result of a poor diet and/or lack of sufficient exercise. Type 2 can often be reversed with lifestyle changes. When your pancreas stops producing insulin all together, you are considered to be a type 1 diabetic. So far, there is no cure for type 1. Daily insulin injections either with needles or a pump are required. While type 1 diabetics can be diagnosed at a very early age, hence the (improper) name "juvenile onset", type 1 diabetes can appear at any stage of life. Sometimes, like in the first response and in my case, for no apparent reason. There is no history of diabetes at all in my family. I'm 5'9", 165lbs and commute by bicycle 6 miles each way to work year around. Hope this helps...

I'm behind the bar at Sloppy Joe's....See ya in the Keys!

Muff 4313

[voncustardpants 0]

Hello

Emailed you. I am 43, 178, 72kg, 12.6%body fat, and diagnosed less than 6 months ago, type 2. Grounded myself as per UK rules. Aggressively changed lifestyle and got my hba1c from 17% ono to 6.5%.

Skydiving not effected so far but planning has prevented any issues, I have a good chief instructor which helps.

What do you want to know.

[JimmyDurden 1]

I am a 44yo T1 diabetic. I was diagnosed in August 2001. I have been on an insulin pump since 2009, and added CGM in 2015.

I did my first tandem in 2011, and one every year until my 3rd when they asked at the DZ, "Why don't you learn to jump by yourself?"

I finally signed up for 1st jump course in 2015. Life changes caused a delay in completing my AFF, but I finally did and got my A in February of this year.

I didn't ask my Doctor if it was OK for me to start jumping, I just did it. I told him later and he wasn't really thrilled about it. He said, "What does the pump manufacturer say say about this?" I told him I didn't ask.

When I first started AFF I would take my pump off before I jumped. When I got comfortable jumping, I started leaving it on. I haven't had any problems with it so far, I have 47 jumps. At about 8k I unzip my jumpsuit and check my BG via CGM. I try to make sure my BG is at least 140 before I jump, especially if I have any IOB besides my basal, and if it isn't I eat a packet of the fruit snacks I carry in my jumpsuit before I zip back up, reattach my chest strap, and wait for the 5 minute call.

My suit is tight and depending on where my infusion set is attached that day, sometimes binding causes an occlusion in my tubing. If that occurs, I just remove the pump and reprime it after I get back on the ground. Sometimes it's kind of funny when I am under canopy when my audible is beeping at me and so is my insulin pump.

I have never lost consciousness from a diabetic episode at any time in the last 16 years, but you will never catch me jumping without an AAD just in case I have a first time and it's while I'm skydiving.

So far, so good.

[hackish 8]

Dopamine_Junkie

That last part is a little confusing. You are Type 1 but you had your pilot's license before you became diabetic??? Type 1 is juvenile onset and almost always shows up way before you could obtain a pilot's license. If you became diabetic later in life you are Type 2.

I can't believe you just tried to lecture a diabetic about their own disease while you clearly don't have any idea what you're talking about. I'd like to think a diabetic would know if they were T1 or T2. The two are very very different.

-Michael

[hackish 8]

I'm T1D. Dx'd 25 years ago at 14. I've got a bit over 1000 skydives. Running a CGM (Dex/G5/xDrip on my phone). I just started on the new FIASP insulin and have had omnipods for the last 4 years. I'm a pre-solo student pilot as well as being the Canadian rep for Pilots with Diabetes. Life gets in the way so I haven't been up flying in about a year. Diabetes doesn't really affect skydiving, but I do have to be careful about not eating the crap that younger jumpers call food at a DZ.

-Michael

[smiles 0]

Diabetic type 1 diagnosed at 9 yrs. of age and have been injecting insulin daily for 52 yrs. Logged 2,880 jumps. Skydiving concerns? Always have food to eat, check blood sugars before making a jump and make time for eating if low, carry glucose tabs in your jumpsuit pocket, make sure dz owners & staff are aware of your diabetes. I cannot expand on any negative issue regarding type 1 diabetes and skydiving-

eustress. : a positive form of stress having a beneficial effect on health, motivation, performance, and emotional well-being.

[Paul Towmy 0]

On 8/31/2015 at 5:50 AM, Dopamine_Junkie said:

That last part is a little confusing. You are Type 1 but you had your pilot's license before you became diabetic??? Type 1 is juvenile onset and almost always shows up way before you could obtain a pilot's license. If you became diabetic later in life you are Type 2.

Type 1 is NOT juvenile onset. It OFTEN is, but not always. I can testify to this because I am T1 but was not, until my late 40's. 

[JimmyDurden 1]

Been awhile so I figured I'd post an update.

I got a new insulin pump in 2018, a Medtronic 670G.  It works like a charm and I no longer have occlusions.  The 670G isn't just a pump with CGM, it will administer insulin on it's own to try to keep you in your target range.  When I'm jumping I set a temporary target of 150.  I find that packing lowers my BG a lot so I usually eat a snack while packing and that keeps me from having to eat my fruit snacks on the airplane.

I now have 188 jumps and my coach rating, still no issues.