Surf’s up! But where’s my BG at?
Summer is on the rapid arrival here in San Diego, and that means warmer days and warmer ocean temperatures. And it means I’ve been able to try out my birthday gift (a surfboard!) that I got back in December, finally. On Saturday, my fiancee and I went out in our wetsuits and put in a solid 45 minutes of surfing. If you think that doesn’t sound like much time, I dare you to try and paddle past just one Pacific ocean wave set without completely running out of breath. It’s an ass kicker and I may be in shape for kickboxing, but not for surfing. This is part of the whole “getting back into it” thing. Anyways….I caught three pretty darn good waves in that 45 minutes, so the day felt like a success to me, even though I got pummeled by an additional three waves in between the successful ones.
I tested before I went out in the water, and I was at a nice, round 100 mg/dL, but since I had bolused for breakfast only two hours before, I decided to eat a snack just to be safe, plus I turned down my basals by 50%.
I haven’t yet devised the perfect waterproofing system for my DexCom yet, so I was out there sans device. And although my basals were down and I knew my BG was at a decent number and I’d had a snack, I couldn’t shake the “low paranoia” that often accompanies water sports for me. When you’re duck diving under waves, gets thrown off your board, and physically working so hard, it starts to feel like you’re low all the time. Something about being in the water makes me have trouble recognizing how I’m really feeling. As I tire from paddling, I get convinced I’m going low. It’s similar to my trouble with distance running: when I’m training for a half marathon, I get sweaty and fatigued, which happen to be low symptoms as well. That’s why running with my DexCom has been such a game changer for me – I now no longer over do the carbs on my long runs. Similar feelings are true for surfing: the pounding water and the physical exertion mask my ability to sort out how I’m really feeling, and the physical symptoms of a low become clouded.
That said, even though I felt like I was heading low, I finished my surf with a BG of 99 – I’d guessed right on my need for more carbs and a reduced basal rate so that worked out. But my enjoyment of surfing was somewhat interrupted by my low concerns. It’s time to get the DexCom a fully functioning water-proof contraption, and I’m going to start by using the flexible, water-proof camera case my fiancee gave me for Christmas (he’s good with the gifts, eh?) and seeing if that fits comfortably under my wetsuit against my chest. If I go low, it will vibrate and I can GU-pack it right there in the water (I always tuck a GU in my wetsuit for surfing adventures). Let me know if anyone else out there has some good ideas for waterproofing Le Dex!
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Comments
I used the Aquapac for my MM pump. Never tried it with the Dexcom but I am guessing it would work similarly. So scary putting something so expensive in a device like that for the first time. I think I checked it every 2 minutes or so!
Hi Alexis, I found your post while researching how a Dexcom holds up to surfing. It’s great to see others dealing with the same issues. I also hate floating out in the water, or struggling through the surf for that matter, and not knowing my bg. It’s a bit disconcerting.
I haven’t even setup my new device yet but I’ve already ordered an arm band from the SPIbelt and a pack of waterproof loksack bags. I figure that should keep everything safe and secure. Here is the link in case you are still looking for something.
Thanks for the tip Steve – I’ve actually used a SpiBelt in the past for running, but had not thought to bring one out in the water. Another great product is the TummieTote from Tallygear. On a recent river trip, I put my Dex in a waterproof camera case and then tucked it in the the TummieTote – totally waterproof and very accesible! http://www.tallygear.com/index.php?route=product/search&keyword=insulin%20pump%20belt
We do a lot of river rafting and use otterboxes to keep meters dry. That won’t work for surfing but there are some pretty tiny drybags for cell phones and cameras that you could clip to your bathing suit and stuff in your suit. check out something like this:
http://www.backcountry.com/harmony-dry-bags