mking1
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Multiple sclerosis: is this condition a contradiction to scuba diving?
mk
mk
MS and Diving
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Warning! Not coming from a doctor!
Multiple Sclerosis is listed as a "Relative Risk Condition" on the most recent version of PADI's Guidelines for Recreational Scuba Diver's Physical Examination. It goes on to say, "Relative Risk refers to a moderate increase in risk, which in some instances may be acceptable. To make a decision as to whether diving is contraindicated for this category of medical problems, physicians must base their judgement on an assessment of the individual patient."
That means that a medical clearance by a doctor is required before diving. Clearance will likely depend upon the extent to which the patient is affected.
I'd suggest a long talk about diving with a well informed neurologist. Diver's Alert Network (DAN) may be able to offer a physician additional information, or possibly offer a referral to a neurologist familiar with dive medicine.
Multiple Sclerosis is listed as a "Relative Risk Condition" on the most recent version of PADI's Guidelines for Recreational Scuba Diver's Physical Examination. It goes on to say, "Relative Risk refers to a moderate increase in risk, which in some instances may be acceptable. To make a decision as to whether diving is contraindicated for this category of medical problems, physicians must base their judgement on an assessment of the individual patient."
That means that a medical clearance by a doctor is required before diving. Clearance will likely depend upon the extent to which the patient is affected.
I'd suggest a long talk about diving with a well informed neurologist. Diver's Alert Network (DAN) may be able to offer a physician additional information, or possibly offer a referral to a neurologist familiar with dive medicine.
Thanks for the information Drew. I have talked to my neurologist about scuba diving, although he isnt a diver, he didnt bring up any problems. My MS is under control with medications and on most days you wouldnt know that I had that disease The concern that I have is that my MS symptoms, when present, are very similar to DCI, as I understand DCI. Does anyone out there have experience with MS and know if you could tell the difference between a MS exacerbations and DCI? Not diving is out of the question. Ill keep diving until they cannot throw me overboard.
mk
mk
ScubaJorgen
Contributor
Yo Mking1.
Sorry to hear about your disease. I guess I would continue diving to in your situation too, but that is something I *cannot* judge right now.
Just one remark. Medication acting on nevous system can act weird or heavy under high ambient pressures as during diving.
Keep da bubbles flowing upwards!
Sorry to hear about your disease. I guess I would continue diving to in your situation too, but that is something I *cannot* judge right now.
Just one remark. Medication acting on nevous system can act weird or heavy under high ambient pressures as during diving.
Keep da bubbles flowing upwards!
I actually know one diver who uses diving to get incredible relief from her MS symptoms!
See: http://www.mswobbles.com/
Email her directly for more information, since I'm no expert.
Roak
See: http://www.mswobbles.com/
Email her directly for more information, since I'm no expert.
Roak
Drew is right about the new medical guidelines for scuba.
If your physician is not knowledgeable about diving, I suggest going to Doc Campbell's website to find a doctor in your area that IS. http://www.scuba-doc.com/
No offense to the medical community, but most physicians do not have the background necessary to be able to evaluate their patients when it comes to hyperbaric (diving) medicine.
~SubMariner~
If your physician is not knowledgeable about diving, I suggest going to Doc Campbell's website to find a doctor in your area that IS. http://www.scuba-doc.com/
No offense to the medical community, but most physicians do not have the background necessary to be able to evaluate their patients when it comes to hyperbaric (diving) medicine.
~SubMariner~
Hi Mking1:
Some MD will say No Way and others will say the more the better. No body knows your body or condition better than you do.
You will have limitations as all of us do and you will have to dive within those limitations to be safe.
My wife, Wobbles, has MS and didn't start diving until a year after she found out she had it. It has worked wonders for her and she holds an advanced card. She is restricted to diving with a very small group of people, me and only 3 others who know her limitations, and needs.
People dive with a wide varity of handicaps and problems with the CNS. Para's and Quad's dive. Blind people, Amputee's and other spinal cord injuries dive with a doctors blessing. The few I have mentioned can all be associated with the Nerves as is MS so why does MS get singled out for no diving? All of those can have problems that mimic DCS.
I'm not saying that it is Ok but look at what the UK is doing with Hyperbaric treatment for MS and their results. Kind of like diving without the fun. ;^)
Go visit Wobbles site and see if you can find anything that can help you out. http://www.mswobbles.com
Sign her guest book and e-mail her directly. She can even call you. We have free calls to others with MS around the country.
You can get involved in her Quilt project and that info is on the site.
Stay Safe, Gary D. (Wobbles other half)
Some MD will say No Way and others will say the more the better. No body knows your body or condition better than you do.
You will have limitations as all of us do and you will have to dive within those limitations to be safe.
My wife, Wobbles, has MS and didn't start diving until a year after she found out she had it. It has worked wonders for her and she holds an advanced card. She is restricted to diving with a very small group of people, me and only 3 others who know her limitations, and needs.
People dive with a wide varity of handicaps and problems with the CNS. Para's and Quad's dive. Blind people, Amputee's and other spinal cord injuries dive with a doctors blessing. The few I have mentioned can all be associated with the Nerves as is MS so why does MS get singled out for no diving? All of those can have problems that mimic DCS.
I'm not saying that it is Ok but look at what the UK is doing with Hyperbaric treatment for MS and their results. Kind of like diving without the fun. ;^)
Go visit Wobbles site and see if you can find anything that can help you out. http://www.mswobbles.com
Sign her guest book and e-mail her directly. She can even call you. We have free calls to others with MS around the country.
You can get involved in her Quilt project and that info is on the site.
Stay Safe, Gary D. (Wobbles other half)
Gary....Nice to see you found Scuba Board!
What Gary hasn't mentioned is his wife, Wobbles (Beth), is one truly amazing Lady! She has been, and still is, very instrumental in getting MS the attention it needs for more research, donations and grants, care to people with MS and I'm sure lots of stuff no one knows about! Her newspaper articles and TV appearances has done wonders to explain what MS really is and what it really means to have it.
Mking1...Beth will have all kinds of information for you, especially the diving aspect of it. Ask her about her personnal diving tank that Gary built for her!
Gary...tell Wobbles hello from Beast and I and give her a big hug from us!
What Gary hasn't mentioned is his wife, Wobbles (Beth), is one truly amazing Lady! She has been, and still is, very instrumental in getting MS the attention it needs for more research, donations and grants, care to people with MS and I'm sure lots of stuff no one knows about! Her newspaper articles and TV appearances has done wonders to explain what MS really is and what it really means to have it.
Mking1...Beth will have all kinds of information for you, especially the diving aspect of it. Ask her about her personnal diving tank that Gary built for her!
Gary...tell Wobbles hello from Beast and I and give her a big hug from us!
wb416
Contributor
Originally posted by Gary D.
Hi Mking1:
Go visit Wobbles site and see if you can find anything that can help you out. http://www.mswobbles.com
Sign her guest book and e-mail her directly. She can even call you. We have free calls to others with MS around the country.
Stay Safe, Gary D. (Wobbles other half)
Thanks for the timely information. My wife started counseling a student at school last week who's mom was recently diagnosed with MS. I'd lost the link to Wobble's site, so I used the info in your post and passed it on to her for more information.
Thanks,
wb
Just to clear something up about medications for MS.
They are called the A,B,C drugs. They are spicific for MS and have no effect on the CNS like other Nero drugs. You don't, make that you can't get high on them and the effects under pressure are no problem. That info has come from several Nero's as well as the MFG of each of the drugs.
Being on one of the ABC's or a combination of them is OK. Wobbles has been on all 3. She can't tollerate Interferons which are what A & B are. She is doing very well on C which is a very unusual drug called Copaxone. The shot a day sucks but if it works, it works and that is what counts.
I hope that clears up that question.
Gary D.
They are called the A,B,C drugs. They are spicific for MS and have no effect on the CNS like other Nero drugs. You don't, make that you can't get high on them and the effects under pressure are no problem. That info has come from several Nero's as well as the MFG of each of the drugs.
Being on one of the ABC's or a combination of them is OK. Wobbles has been on all 3. She can't tollerate Interferons which are what A & B are. She is doing very well on C which is a very unusual drug called Copaxone. The shot a day sucks but if it works, it works and that is what counts.
I hope that clears up that question.
Gary D.
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