DB>>I am new to this echo.  We are a scuba diving family, and
DB>>our diabetic son would like to get certified.  He is well
DB>>under control and has never passed out before.  It seems I
DB>>have read somewhere that diabetics cannot get certified.
DB>>Is this true?  Are there others out there?  He wants a NAUI
DB>>cert.
I too am diabetic and have been diving for several years.  The question
is, Does your sone have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes?  If he uses
diet and or oral medication to control his blood sugar then he can be
certified by PADI (Don't know about NAUI) with HIS DOCTORS APPROVAL.  If
on the other hand he is an insulin dependant diabetic then he may want
to give some serious considerations to diving.  Not only is the danger
of passing out from an insulin reaction a potiental fatal accident under
water, he must also realize that his offgassing of nitrogen may not be
as efficient as someone with unimpaired vascular perfusion to all body
tissue.  Hence he may be more susceptable to a bout with the bends than
an otherwise healthy diver.  But here again I belive with the APPROVAL
OF HIS PHYSICIAN, PADI may go ahead and certify him.  I was certified
before I became Insulin dependant and have continued to dive after
becoming Insulin dependant, I am very conservative in my dive profiles,
and I keep a very close track of my blood sugar levels and calorie
intake during diving trips....
In Short if you doctor says he can go for it then with the proper
precautions and knowlege of his enhanced limitations he may be able to
do so.
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 X SLMR 2.1a X 
--- Maximus 2.02
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