With winter fast approaching and the ski resort by my house opening up I am getting anxious and prepped to go skiing. I was an avid skier but school and lack of funds has kept me from it as of late. However, I plan on going a few times over my break. This is the first time I will be taking my pump with me and I am wondering if anyone has some pointers out there for me. While I am not worried about frozen insulin or anything like that, just any tips on placement, access, what I could expect sugar change wise. It would be very helpful.
When I went snowboarding last season I kept my pump in my front chest pocket of my jacket. It was the safest place for it, plus it had a headphone "port" that I put my tubing through. My sugars were very manageable. I am very insulin sensitive so I actually turned my basal off and only bolused at lunch. I kept several granola bars and glucose tabs handy to stay within range.
I love skiing, I went to the Alpps and went down the bunny slop and the dimond. I fell so many times, it really hurt!!! LOL!:] I had a lot of fun! My sugar went down a couple times because of all the adeinaline. But it was soooo kool!:]
The pump placement really isn't too big of a deal. You'll be wearing so many layers that no fall should really damage it. If you snowboard I'd recommend not putting your site on your butt. I think an abdomen infusion site would be your best bet since your legs and butt will be taking the falls the hardest.
The only advice I have is to buy one of those hand warmers and put it where you're going to keep your meter, or in the meter ase if you're going to keep the whole pack on you. If you take your meter with you out on the slopes they freeze pretty easily and get too cold to use. The heat pack usually works to avoid that problem if you just put it in a pocket with the meter for example. Personally, I had a lot harder time sensing my lows on the slopes because I was so cold. Snacks are kind of nuisance to eat up there, but make sure to take PLENTY.
i ski all the time and for my pump i usully just stick it in the back of my spandex (like tight things) and it stays really well, you really dont have to worry about it much those things dont break easily. but with your meter you need to keep that close to your body or stick a hand warmer in it because if that gets to cold it dosent work and its a huge pain to go inside and try to warm it up. When you ski your blood suger goes down (im sure you knew that) (mine was 20 once :0) so you need snacks lots of snacks (little tubes of iceing and glucose tabs fit into pockets really well) or sometimes i just take my pump off and put it in a pocket (but with that make sure your set is in a place you can reach like i had mine in my leg once which is kind of awkward to reach with alot of clothing on. and bring a syringe cause that set can get knocked out you only need one cause you can reuse it and you dont really need insulin cause you can allways take that out of your pump.
I want to thank you all. I tiis interesting, while I was concerned about the pump and anything that could happen. Including better placement locations. I never once thought about the meter and the fact that it could freeze. That is good to know. Thank you so much.