Boating with Type 1 Diabetes?

[MGoMike]

Our 12-year old son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last week. We're super lucky that we caught it before it became a crisis and the we live about a mile away from a Children's hospital that has a nationally ranked pediatric endocrinology clinic. We are adjusting to our new roles, serving as his artificial pancreas - monitoring blood glucose, calculating carbs, dosing insulin, etc. Neither my wife nor I had any family history so we don't have any experience to rely upon. It's a lot right now, but I know it will get easier over time.

I got myself all spun up last night thinking ahead to boating season this summer and realized I should just reach out to this group for tips and advice. Searching through the threads it looks like others on the forum have experience managing type 1 diabetes while boating. Here's some questions on my mind... How do you keep the backup insulin pen refrigerated, but not frozen, in the cooler? Where do you keep the in-use insulin pen to keep it from baking in the summer heat? We'll be getting a continuous glucose monitor and probably an insulin pump once we are more settled in. Any tips/tricks/cautions on those while on the water? Any general advice or tips?

I have a feeling that this is going to be a lot like docking a jetboat... It'll be nerve wracking until we get some experience and establish a system!

 

[fatboyroy]

Sorry to hear about your son, I do not have experience on it but I would think you probably need a 12v mini fridge like the one you can take in your car to make sure the temperature is regulated properly, even if you have to buy extra house battery to power it throughout the day.

 

[mark_m]

I would look closely at a pump solution; talk to your doctor about it and boating. A good friend is type 1 and he uses a wearable pump to manage his insulin. No shots and once disconnected from the wearable pump, no problems with boating.

 

[MGoMike]

Sorry to hear about your son, I do not have experience on it but I would think you probably need a 12v mini fridge like the one you can take in your car to make sure the temperature is regulated properly, even if you have to buy extra house battery to power it throughout the day.

Thanks and good idea on a fridge. I too a quick look and it appears that they have some really small/insulin-specific fridges that can even plug into a usb slot.

 

[Nightmare]

NOT cheap, but you can buy 12V refrigerators. Many of them have dual-zone (one cold and one freeze).
I didn't get very far researching brands and which ones are good. Here is a quick $300 answer

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Refrigerator-Freezer-Compressor-Vehicle/dp/B089DBWP7Z/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=12v+portable+fridge+dual+zone&qid=1642891255&sprefix=12v+portable+fridge+dual%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-3

 

[MGoMike]

I would look closely at a pump solution; talk to your doctor about it and boating. A good friend is type 1 and he uses a wearable pump to manage his insulin. No shots and once disconnected from the wearable pump, no problems with boating.

That’s good to know. I’m going to feel a lot better when he has the continuous glucose monitor so that we get alerts on our phones when he’s out of tolerance. And the insulin pump would be nice to eliminate shots. Sounds like some models will even talk to the glucose monitor and dose based on the readings - the tech is getting close to where it is essentially a closed loop system.

 

[mark_m]

That’s good to know. I’m going to feel a lot better when he has the continuous glucose monitor so that we get alerts on our phones when he’s out of tolerance. And the insulin pump would be nice to eliminate shots. Sounds like some models will even talk to the glucose monitor and dose based on the readings - the tech is getting close to where it is essentially a closed loop system.

Xactly. I think it’s really revolutionized the way to manage type 1 diabetes and a big enabler for people to feel more typical. If that makes sense.

 

[ripler]

I went through a nasty case of pancreatitis due to gall stones last year that made me a type 2 diabetic for a few months. All I did was place my pen in a zip lock bag, then put it in another zip lock bag full of ice, then put that in the cooler. If you are worried about it getting warm you can always buy a cheap refrigerator thermometer and put it in the bag with the pen. You'll figure out how to make it work, good luck.

 

[Brad460]

That’s good to know. I’m going to feel a lot better when he has the continuous glucose monitor so that we get alerts on our phones when he’s out of tolerance. And the insulin pump would be nice to eliminate shots. Sounds like some models will even talk to the glucose monitor and dose based on the readings - the tech is getting close to where it is essentially a closed loop system.

My good friends son was diagnosed with the same at 14. If I recall, once they got things settled down and my friends son understood how to manage his diabetes he was able to transition to a pump.

 

[Inthrustwetrust]

Is there a specific temperature range the medication has to be in? If it’s just “cold” there are a lot of great coolers. I have one of the big yeti soft coolers, it holds 10 pounds of ice and all our drinks for the day. Still usually has a lot of ice after 6-8 hours of Florida sun, but a bunch of water from melted ice as well. You could put a little water and ice in a cooler, put the medication in a couple zip lock bags, and put it in the bottom. That water will stay cold but should act as a heat sync to keep the medication from getting below 32 degrees.

If doing a fridge I would make sure you got a starter and house battery, and that the fridge is pre cooled before the meds go in.

Edit to add-I have no actual experience doing this, and no a medical or science degree, but I’ve never had a drink freeze in a cooler on a warm summer day, so my assumptions are based totally on a beer science

 

[Dean P]

Hi! Very sorry to hear about your son. Both my wife and son are type 1 and they were diagnosed about that age (wife when she was 10 and son on his 16th birthday). It's not fun but you/he can live a normal life in today's world. Both are on the Medtronic pump (although they're now switching to the T-Slim) which has been a game changer. The pump is the best way to go. My wife received year 50 year pin which is proof it works and you can live with it.

To answer your question about keeping the pen cold, I'd put it in Yeti Rambler or RTIC Water Bottle. These things will keep it cold and well protected for hours. Plus they fit in a cup holder in the boat.

PM me for Diabetic info, questions or any concerns you have. Good luck!!!

 

[Matt Phillips]

Sorry to hear about your son however, this is manageable and look at the positive experiences he will gain on the boat with the family over the next several years.

When researching 12v refrigerators, make sure they actually cool to a specific temp. Some friends bought an expansive one an it only cools to about 35 degrees, or 35 degrees below the ambient temp. That's fine if you're in the car where it's about 70 however, it it's 100, that's another story (it's about 65 in the cooler). Your comment about the tiny insulin-specific coolers may be a good choice.

If you're going to go this route, I'd also add a 12v outlet that's fused directly from the House Battery. That way, it NEVER has to go through the Connext System, and you know as long as there's juice in that battery, the fridge will be cool. While you're at it, invest in a Group 31 (bigger) battery for the House.

 

[Sidarousmg]

@MGoMike I'm sorry to hear about your son's diagnosis, i know it is a lot to take in an get used to, but i'm here to tell, as a kid who was diagnosed at the age of 11 with T1 (I just turned 40), he will be just fine. just takes some getting used to some new routines and most importantly, keeping blood glucose and A1C in check. both the insulin pump and the CGM systems are life changers. He will be able to live a perfectly normal life. while you're still manually dosing, just keeping the pens or vials on ice is perfectly fine (as long as they don't freeze), so just put them in a ziplock bag and throw them in your regular cooler with some ice (when he switches to a pump, he will have a 3 day supply exposed to whatever temperature he's in, insulin is a little more resilient than people think). I've tried just about every CGM out there, and the Dexcom, while the most expensive, is absolutely the best. it's also the one that works with the T-Slim pump, which i've heard good things about (i use a Medtronic). again, i know it's a lot to take in, but your kid will do great. he will lead a normal life, and with good glucose control, he will live a happy and long life. feel free to ask or PM me any questions you may have, and i will gladly provide any info or help I can.

 

[1WetBoat]

Our 12-year old son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last week. We're super lucky that we caught it before it became a crisis and the we live about a mile away from a Children's hospital that has a nationally ranked pediatric endocrinology clinic. We are adjusting to our new roles, serving as his artificial pancreas - monitoring blood glucose, calculating carbs, dosing insulin, etc. Neither my wife nor I had any family history so we don't have any experience to rely upon. It's a lot right now, but I know it will get easier over time.

I got myself all spun up last night thinking ahead to boating season this summer and realized I should just reach out to this group for tips and advice. Searching through the threads it looks like others on the forum have experience managing type 1 diabetes while boating. Here's some questions on my mind... How do you keep the backup insulin pen refrigerated, but not frozen, in the cooler? Where do you keep the in-use insulin pen to keep it from baking in the summer heat? We'll be getting a continuous glucose monitor and probably an insulin pump once we are more settled in. Any tips/tricks/cautions on those while on the water? Any general advice or tips?

I have a feeling that this is going to be a lot like docking a jetboat... It'll be nerve wracking until we get some experience and establish a system!

Sorry to hear about the diagnosis with your son. My daughter was just diagnosed 1 1/2 yrs ago, she just turned 8 in Nov. We dont have a history of it on either side of our family so it was not only a shock but also a steep learning curve. Lean on your Endocrinologist for learning resources, that is what we are doing, even though were still learning we go to him for everything plus other resources online.

We were both on the boat (pun intended) when it came to her and Diabetes and boating. After alot of research we learned and figured out two important things about her insulin:
1) Dont let either pen freeze
2) Dont let either pen be exposed to high heat/Direct sunlight for prolonged periods.

Todays insulin is pretty sturdy and resilient. In my opinion you dont need a small fridge or anything of the sorts. We have two small insulated pouches where we keep the insulin supplies in. When we go on the boat, we keep her primary pouch in one of our bags which is typically stowed in the Port compartment or anywhere out of direct sunlight. The backup pen, we keep in another small insulated pouch which then goes in a Ziploc back to make sure it stays dry and put that in our cooler. Even for overnight boating trips, the cooler just needs to stay cool, it doesnt need to freeze. We also like the small Gel Packs that we freeze and add to our pouch if we go to places like Disney World or other locations where a freezer isnt practical. The key is dont do either #1 or #2 above.

I have become so confident right now that she and I go wave running by ourselves and i take a small cooler on my wave runner and put the insulin in there.
We don't have a pump yet, but we are also leaning towards the T-slim pump.

It does take getting used to, but its very doable just a new challenge to get over.

P.S. Hide all your candy, lol.

 

[Bruce]

@Glen will have great info if he is still monitoring the forum after moving on to a beautiful sailing cat.

 

[Dean P]

@MGoMike I'm sorry to hear about your son's diagnosis, i know it is a lot to take in an get used to, but i'm here to tell, as a kid who was diagnosed at the age of 11 with T1 (I just turned 40), he will be just fine. just takes some getting used to some new routines and most importantly, keeping blood glucose and A1C in check. both the insulin pump and the CGM systems are life changers. He will be able to live a perfectly normal life. while you're still manually dosing, just keeping the pens or vials on ice is perfectly fine (as long as they don't freeze), so just put them in a ziplock bag and throw them in your regular cooler with some ice (when he switches to a pump, he will have a 3 day supply exposed to whatever temperature he's in, insulin is a little more resilient than people think). I've tried just about every CGM out there, and the Dexcom, while the most expensive, is absolutely the best. it's also the one that works with the T-Slim pump, which i've heard good things about (i use a Medtronic). again, i know it's a lot to take in, but your kid will do great. he will lead a normal life, and with good glucose control, he will live a happy and long life. feel free to ask or PM me any questions you may have, and i will gladly provide any info or help I can.

We got our son on the pump almost immediately after being diagnosed (thanks to my wife). T-Slim is excellent and the Dexcom is the absolute best. For whatever reason, Dexcom is more accurate and their app is wonderful/great UI.

My wife said the same thing about the insulin, and not to really worry about it. Just keep it out of the sun.

Glad to hear you're doing well.

 

[Zizzou 192]

A DexCom continuous glucose monitor is wireless and waterproof. Insulet Omnipod is a wireless and waterproof insulin pump often used together with a CGM in active individuals.

Regardless of what insulin pump and CGM or even fully looped system you choose, they are electromechanical hydraulic devices and can fail, leak, or be torn off in an instant. These devices are tasked with managing liquids in quantities often smaller than a tenth of a droplet.

Most insulin pumps carry at least a couple of days insulin in them when everything is working as it should.

Carrying an extra meter, lancets, lancet device, test strips, alcohol swabs, manual insulin syringes, and a vial of insulin in a waterproof anywhere go pack is always a good idea for when the shit hits the fan.

Ideally, the extra vial of insulin should be kept in a waterproof container in the drink cooler if one is available.

Many kinds of insulin are stable at room temp for up to 30 days, but insulin is a protein that looses its shape, effectiveness, aka is destroyed below freezing and above body temperature.

Think of what happens to an egg after you fry it, or how disgusting an egg could taste after it is frozen.

 

[MGoMike]

Hi! Very sorry to hear about your son. Both my wife and son are type 1 and they were diagnosed about that age (wife when she was 10 and son on his 16th birthday). It's not fun but you/he can live a normal life in today's world. Both are on the Medtronic pump (although they're now switching to the T-Slim) which has been a game changer. The pump is the best way to go. My wife received year 50 year pin which is proof it works and you can live with it.

To answer your question about keeping the pen cold, I'd put it in Yeti Rambler or RTIC Water Bottle. These things will keep it cold and well protected for hours. Plus they fit in a cup holder in the boat.

PM me for Diabetic info, questions or any concerns you have. Good luck!!!

Congrats on your wife getting her 50 year pin! Pretty cool and I appreciate the tip on a Yeti Rambler. We don’t need it cold for days - just for a nice day out on the boat!

 

[MGoMike]

@MGoMike I'm sorry to hear about your son's diagnosis, i know it is a lot to take in an get used to, but i'm here to tell, as a kid who was diagnosed at the age of 11 with T1 (I just turned 40), he will be just fine. just takes some getting used to some new routines and most importantly, keeping blood glucose and A1C in check. both the insulin pump and the CGM systems are life changers. He will be able to live a perfectly normal life. while you're still manually dosing, just keeping the pens or vials on ice is perfectly fine (as long as they don't freeze), so just put them in a ziplock bag and throw them in your regular cooler with some ice (when he switches to a pump, he will have a 3 day supply exposed to whatever temperature he's in, insulin is a little more resilient than people think). I've tried just about every CGM out there, and the Dexcom, while the most expensive, is absolutely the best. it's also the one that works with the T-Slim pump, which i've heard good things about (i use a Medtronic). again, i know it's a lot to take in, but your kid will do great. he will lead a normal life, and with good glucose control, he will live a happy and long life. feel free to ask or PM me any questions you may have, and i will gladly provide any info or help I can.

I appreciate the support and what you must have went through having to live through T1D as a kid in the 90s. Seems like they were much more restrictive on diet, no pens, no CGM, no pump. We just got his Dexcom G6 CGM yesterday. Total game changer to be able to see his real time insulin. I’m looking forward to not having to get up at 3am each night as we dial in his insulin dosing.

 

[MGoMike]

Sorry to hear about the diagnosis with your son. My daughter was just diagnosed 1 1/2 yrs ago, she just turned 8 in Nov. We dont have a history of it on either side of our family so it was not only a shock but also a steep learning curve. Lean on your Endocrinologist for learning resources, that is what we are doing, even though were still learning we go to him for everything plus other resources online.

We were both on the boat (pun intended) when it came to her and Diabetes and boating. After alot of research we learned and figured out two important things about her insulin:
1) Dont let either pen freeze
2) Dont let either pen be exposed to high heat/Direct sunlight for prolonged periods.

Todays insulin is pretty sturdy and resilient. In my opinion you dont need a small fridge or anything of the sorts. We have two small insulated pouches where we keep the insulin supplies in. When we go on the boat, we keep her primary pouch in one of our bags which is typically stowed in the Port compartment or anywhere out of direct sunlight. The backup pen, we keep in another small insulated pouch which then goes in a Ziploc back to make sure it stays dry and put that in our cooler. Even for overnight boating trips, the cooler just needs to stay cool, it doesnt need to freeze. We also like the small Gel Packs that we freeze and add to our pouch if we go to places like Disney World or other locations where a freezer isnt practical. The key is dont do either #1 or #2 above.

I have become so confident right now that she and I go wave running by ourselves and i take a small cooler on my wave runner and put the insulin in there.
We don't have a pump yet, but we are also leaning towards the T-slim pump.

It does take getting used to, but its very doable just a new challenge to get over.

P.S. Hide all your candy, lol.

Thanks for the tips on keeping the pens cool and safe! Sorry to hear about your daughter’s diagnosis but good to hear you all are handling it well. I hear you on the learning curve! We spent all Tuesday morning at a “basics” education course. Good news is that my wife and son are both SUPER smart, detail-oriented and competitive. They couldn’t help but trying to beat each other during the Kahoot games designed to test knowledge during the training. I think my 12-year old won 3-out-of-5 (video game reflexes).