nohare

with regard to blood sugar and jumping, it is not suprising that your bs spikes when you jump - if you think about it the adrenalin that is released is part of the 'fight or flight' response, and this means you body needs more fuel - in our case we can acutally measure this through testing. I have recently been allowed to jump again (as diabetics are not allowed to jump under our standard medical form in the uk) and have got a revised medical form to allow diabetics to jump in the uk. A result of this is that my diabetic specialist has got funding to see the affects of adrenalin on bs levels, so as soon as it arrives i will be strapping myself up to a continuous monitoring device and jumping... this may help all of us with diabeties who play our daft sports manage it a little better...! no hair goes faster in the wind...

Scared is fine, the mental change from relying on others for your tandem, to more on you is certianly there for your aff, but remember that those guys are good, and they are there to look after you.... And welcome to the site, if you fancy a trip down the m4 it'd be great to see you at swansea! top views and loads of hight! Plus we've got a load of people just going through aff - so you'll find a lot of people in the same boat! t no hair goes faster in the wind...

I guess i can't help answer your questions much! but I have some of my own... I am a type I but have always been nervous of the pumps - don't really like the idea, but you obviously manage ok! How much of a hassle is having a pump attached??? (Esp. when skydiving?!?) Also - do you know how to convert your measure of 100 to whatever it is us brits us?!?!? I can't figure out if 100 is high or low! Ta! no hair goes faster in the wind...

Many thanks for the replys, Mars Larsen is sending out the instruction book in the post, and thanks to your efforts i've got the thing beeping at me on the ground! Next test in the air! no hair goes faster in the wind...

thanks for that.... i have looked there but all of that seemed to be for the Pro-dytter, whereas i am looking for the original (pre pro) one... no hair goes faster in the wind...

I know I'm going to get burned for this, and told to get a new (pro) dytter, but I have just been given an original dytter, without any manual or other details... I would like to know if there is a test that I can do on the ground to see if it is working ok... (And yes, I know the obvious test is just to jump with it!) Also if anyone knows where I can download any information about them, manuals and the such like. Many thanks!

I am just finishing my consolidation jumps after aff, but prior to that i had 15 jumps under the RAPS system, so I have an idea of both systems. It appears that your problems happen near to ground, I would then say that the RAPS system will give you a greater (initial) amount of training with regard to the flight/landing and overall canopy control BEFORE you get to worry about the freefall side of things. This may well help you get over the fear of landing. If you find yourself getting bored with your progression (like I did) - just wasn't able to jump enough - you can always swap then to an AFF course and you will have the advantage of knowing that you want to continue with a relatively expensive hobby having got some canopy skills (and can concentrate on the falling part) and may have gotten over your fears completely. Hope it helps!

have been insulin dependent diabetic for 13 years, early on was told to remember that it is a "life sentence not a death sentance" meaning that it will be with me forever, but will not kill me... remembering this i continued to climb surf etc, and have now been in this sport for the best part of two years, as a diabetic we can do/eat/have anything that everyone else can, we just have to make sure that it balences out right at the end of the day. In reply to above quotes, adrenalin tends to raise blood sugars as it is the bodies way of getting more energy to the areas that need it - but remember that it may continue to affect you for hours after the jump... but when this "unnatural" high runs out you may be left lower than you expected alcohol tend to lower the blood sugars levels - again this can affect you for some time afterwards... Hope this helps...