White Water Rafting and Pumping

[RobB]

This summer I plan on a 5 hour white water rafting trip with family and friends. It's supposed to be a beginner or novice run down the New river in West Virginia. I've been rafting before and it's fun. However, I never tried it with a pump before. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to handle my MiniMed 715 during the 5 hour trip?

[spike]

This summer I plan on a 5 hour white water rafting trip with family and friends. It's supposed to be a beginner or novice run down the New river in West Virginia. I've been rafting before and it's fun. However, I never tried it with a pump before. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to handle my MiniMed 715 during the 5 hour trip?

Buy the sport guard case if it'll fit the 715. I KNOW it fits the 515, because I have one. lexan case is nearly indestructible and water tight.

[Cyborg]

I'm not sure what the sport guard case is, but I've seen some waterproof belly packs that hold your pump around your waist with room for your test kit and supplies. I can probably find a link if interested.

[Tokyo Cate]

I used to use a MiniMed Sport Guard when I was pumping (honestly, I mostly used it before the days of quick-release sets so that I could shower).


http://www.diabetesstore.com/productdetails.asp?product=M145&catname=MiniMed_Pump_Supplies&bybrand=1

On the MiniMed site, it classifies it as a 500/400 series product, so I am not sure if your pump will fit.

http://www.minimed.ca/SearchResult.aspx?categoryId=96

I then found a Paradigm Activity Guard:

http://www.minimed.ca/SearchResult.aspx?categoryId=35 which may provide what you are looking for, though it didn't specify water-resistance.

I was always quite anxious when around the water, so I can understand your concerns.

It is good that you are thinking about this now and making plans for the event. Good luck!

[JediSkipdogg]

I don't think I'd be worried as much about water as I would about damage to it from hitting something. To make it waterproof simply put a plastic bag around it and tape it so the only opening is where the tube comes out, and even then you can tape that up pretty darn good.

I'm just not sure how to make sure it's protected if the raft tips and you hit a rock to grab onto.

One last thing to make sure of is you use enough tape (the IV 3000 tape is great for this) to make sure that over the trip the moisture/water doesn't cause the site to come out of you.

Good luck and I'm trying to think if that is the same river I rafted down on my first trip. I'll have to do some research, but that name is really super familiar.

[jen_slc]

I used the Sportguard when I was pumping and rafting. It's worn like a belt, clipped around the waist. I've no idea if it'll work for your MM 715, I can't even remember what MM model pump I had at the time! But I would definitely get something to protect it from water and rocks. Even though it'll be a novice river run, you could still get chucked in! The Sportguard was a bit uncomfortable with the lifejacket, but I'm so glad I had it because I did intermediate/advanced river runs and got chucked out of the boat and bashed around the rocks plenty of times! I also tried disconnecting from my pump without taking any long acting insulin for a halfday river run because the clip on my Sportguard broke and I refused to give up my rafting trip.... I don't recommend that at all unless you want to be puking all the way down the river! Or if you do disconnect for the trip, be prepared and have a vial of longer-acting insulin on you!

[Cyborg]

I also tried disconnecting from my pump without taking any long acting insulin for a halfday river run because the clip on my Sportguard broke and I refused to give up my rafting trip.... I don't recommend that at all unless you want to be puking all the way down the river! Or if you do disconnect for the trip, be prepared and have a vial of longer-acting insulin on you!

If you eat something and bolus, then you should be ok to disconnect for a few hours without ill effects or a significant rise in bg. At least that's what I hear...

Sounds like a blast, have fun!

[jen_slc]

If you eat something and bolus, then you should be ok to disconnect for a few hours without ill effects or a significant rise in bg. At least that's what I hear...Yeah, if that works for you, great. Plus the exercise *should* help to keep you lower. But for me it didn't work out that way (exercise shoots my bg sky high). After 4 hours on the river I was not feeling good. I only hit maybe 280 but I felt absolutely awful!

You might be ok on a 5-hr trip, but I'm not sure I'd disconnect. After my experience I'd say get a protective case. The 5 hours will only be on the river, right? You'll spend some time in transport so you could be disconnected from your pump for maybe 7 hours - if you left your pump at your residence. You wouldn't want to leave your pump right where you hop in the river, it'd be sitting in the hot van all day. I ended up leaving my pump back at my hotel in the air-conditioned room, so I was without it for ~6-7 hours total for a 4-5 hr river trip.

[Cyborg]

Yeah, if that works for you, great. Plus the exercise *should* help to keep you lower. But for me it didn't work out that way (exercise shoots my bg sky high). After 4 hours on the river I was not feeling good. I only hit maybe 280 but I felt absolutely awful!

You might be ok on a 5-hr trip, but I'm not sure I'd disconnect. After my experience I'd say get a protective case. The 5 hours will only be on the river, right? You'll spend some time in transport so you could be disconnected from your pump for maybe 7 hours - if you left your pump at your residence. You wouldn't want to leave your pump right where you hop in the river, it'd be sitting in the hot van all day. I ended up leaving my pump back at my hotel in the air-conditioned room, so I was without it for ~6-7 hours total for a 4-5 hr river trip.

I wouldn't disconnect that long. I think that is flirting with disaster. You'd be much better off waterproofing (and rock proofing) the pump.

[RobB]

Buy the sport guard case if it'll fit the 715. I KNOW it fits the 515, because I have one. lexan case is nearly indestructible and water tight.
Thank you all for your advice! I was away from home and could read your notes but could not comment because I forgot my PW. Spike, I was at my brother's house and he is also a diabetic. It happens that he had one of those sport guards so I tried it. Unfortunately, it doesn't fit my MM 715. Worse, MM has discontinued the sport guard and doesn't offer anything (water proof) in it's place.

I googled "water proof insulin pump" and got some hits of companies that sell water proofing packs. Most are for items such as pda's, camereas, etc. where there is nothing sticking out (the tube to the infusion site). The closest thing was a pack for an "electronic device".

[Shotokan]

Here's still another option that was mentioned on somebody's blog:
http://www.aquapac.net/nojavascript/commercialcon.htm

I think it's $ 60. Here is the link to their online store:
http://www.aquapac.net

It's the wire-through electronics case, which you can get to by clicking on the icon for "Radio Microphone and Connected Electronic Cases." Apparently, you can see them at Boater's World Marine Centers, in case a store is near you. Let us know what you decide and how it works.

Good luck!

[spike]

Thank you all for your advice! I was away from home and could read your notes but could not comment because I forgot my PW. Spike, I was at my brother's house and he is also a diabetic. It happens that he had one of those sport guards so I tried it. Unfortunately, it doesn't fit my MM 715. Worse, MM has discontinued the sport guard and doesn't offer anything (water proof) in it's place.

I googled "water proof insulin pump" and got some hits of companies that sell water proofing packs. Most are for items such as pda's, camereas, etc. where there is nothing sticking out (the tube to the infusion site). The closest thing was a pack for an "electronic device".


The sport guard is still listed today on their web site.
http://store.minimed.com/mmStore/application?origin=main_category_view.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.portlet.event&pageid=Products&portletid=Products&wfevent=sub_category_view.event&wlcs_catalog_category_key=PA-OTHER

Too bad it doesn't fit your 715. I was half expecting that it wouldn't, due to the longer length.

[RobB]

Here's still another option that was mentioned on somebody's blog:
http://www.aquapac.net/nojavascript/commercialcon.htm

I think it's $ 60. Here is the link to their online store:
http://www.aquapac.net

It's the wire-through electronics case, which you can get to by clicking on the icon for "Radio Microphone and Connected Electronic Cases." Apparently, you can see them at Boater's World Marine Centers, in case a store is near you. Let us know what you decide and how it works.

Good luck!

This looks like exactly what I need! I've ordered one online. By the way, one of the quotes on the website was from a parent thanking them for providing a waterproof pack for their son's insulin pump.

[mcneely]

Hi guys, I just wanted to drop a new reply to say I put a minimed sportguard up for sale on ebay for $50, new, for anyone intersted. Here is the link to the auction. (http://cgi.ebay.com/MiniMed-SportGuard-MMT-145-waterproof-your-pump_W0QQitemZ140112474751QQihZ004QQcategoryZ30117 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

[notme]

I know this is an old thread, but I will tell you what I used when I went kayaking in fast water. I have a sportguard, and it is hard plastic that is VERY hard to get into when you want to bolus unless you have a remote. I doubt most people will have a remote that can get ruined in water with them.

I went to REI and bought a tiny dry bag. The bag is the type that rolls several times at the top. You can put the pump in the dry bag and roll it up with the tubing hanging out. I secured the pump inside my life vest to keep it safe from rocks or accidental bangs. The dry bag is soft and pliable and it didn't bother me at all.

I would not suggest long swims with the dry bag and pump. But, in an accidental fall, the pump will stay dry for quite awhile. A few drops of water may eventually seep in with a long submerge, but not enough to bother a MiniMed pump that is actually meant to be water-proof if there are no cracks in any of the plastic areas around the battery or canula attachment.

[belyro]

I'm hoping to do some rafting this summer and was wondering about how to deal with my pump when I do. I found this thread, but noticed it was quite old and some of the links are outdated. Anybody have any new ideas on this?

[Funnygrl]

I went white water rafting last fall. I took a shot of Levemir, let my pump in my car's trunk, and hooked up to bolus when I ate. I took a meter with me and left it in the boat's waterproof first aid kit.

[mortis505]

That actually sounds like the best way to do it. Disconnect and use a long acting insulin to cover.

I haven't rafted in years. Now I wanna go.

[belyro]

I asked a medtronic rep, and her first suggestion was a ziplog bag with a rubberband around the end.

When I asked about the Sport Guard and whether it would fit a 522 (it says it's for the 400/500 series), she said I could try, but it would be bulkier, and a ziplock bag would probably work better.

Wow, not the answer(s) I was expecting.