This is an old thread but I thought I'd add my experiences of diving on Amitriptyline. I should add that these are MY experiences and may not be yours should you decide to dive while taking Amitriptyline.
I went to my GP with various symptoms, a tremor, unable to sleep, sweating etc. He wasn't sure what the problems was, but given that I was a diver and had been treated for a neuro bend in the past, he thought I should see a neurologist. The neurologist did some tests and surmised that this was not diving releated but down to long term high adrenalin levels most probably caused by stress. He suggested I took 30mg of Amitriptyline at night to reduce the effects and calm the adrenaline down and help with sleeping. I'm a PADI Instructor, but not teaching, and have 650 dives under my belt. I spoke to a dive doc and was told that I would probably be OK diving on it, but to start slow with a reliable buddy, which is what I did. So far I've done 70 dives, including up to 40% nitrox and down to a depth of 30 metres in both UK (cold) and warm water environments. My own experiences are that it has no effect on me whatsoever while diving - so far. Narcosis seems unaffected at 30M and I have good recall of the dive and no symptoms of increased narcosis (I have always had a good tolerance, and am also qualified for deep air to 55M and Trimix). PO2 tolerance is more difficult to judge but certainly at PO2 up to 1.5 I've had no indications of increased susceptibility. That said, if I had, I might be dead already. So now how about teaching ? I'm just starting to look around to see what the score with that is - wich is how I bumped into this thread. For me personally I think I don't have a problem, however trying to convince a dive doc of that may be harder. I could come off the Amitriptyline but at present I have a high stress job and symptoms start to return if I try and reduce the dose. On it my life is bliss, I sleep well and don't have any other problems that I previously had. So if I can teach while on it that is the best option. If not it's either don't teach or go back to the mess I was before I started taking it.
All I can say is that if you want to dive on it then take it slow, and make sure your buddy is fully aware that they need to be keeping a closer eye on you than they normally would. Someone you dive with a lot is ideal, as they already know how you dive. You also need to be able to trust that they can help you if you need it. There have been a lot of good comments in this thread but only person that will really know if you can do it is you.
Keep safe, Paul.
I went to my GP with various symptoms, a tremor, unable to sleep, sweating etc. He wasn't sure what the problems was, but given that I was a diver and had been treated for a neuro bend in the past, he thought I should see a neurologist. The neurologist did some tests and surmised that this was not diving releated but down to long term high adrenalin levels most probably caused by stress. He suggested I took 30mg of Amitriptyline at night to reduce the effects and calm the adrenaline down and help with sleeping. I'm a PADI Instructor, but not teaching, and have 650 dives under my belt. I spoke to a dive doc and was told that I would probably be OK diving on it, but to start slow with a reliable buddy, which is what I did. So far I've done 70 dives, including up to 40% nitrox and down to a depth of 30 metres in both UK (cold) and warm water environments. My own experiences are that it has no effect on me whatsoever while diving - so far. Narcosis seems unaffected at 30M and I have good recall of the dive and no symptoms of increased narcosis (I have always had a good tolerance, and am also qualified for deep air to 55M and Trimix). PO2 tolerance is more difficult to judge but certainly at PO2 up to 1.5 I've had no indications of increased susceptibility. That said, if I had, I might be dead already. So now how about teaching ? I'm just starting to look around to see what the score with that is - wich is how I bumped into this thread. For me personally I think I don't have a problem, however trying to convince a dive doc of that may be harder. I could come off the Amitriptyline but at present I have a high stress job and symptoms start to return if I try and reduce the dose. On it my life is bliss, I sleep well and don't have any other problems that I previously had. So if I can teach while on it that is the best option. If not it's either don't teach or go back to the mess I was before I started taking it.
All I can say is that if you want to dive on it then take it slow, and make sure your buddy is fully aware that they need to be keeping a closer eye on you than they normally would. Someone you dive with a lot is ideal, as they already know how you dive. You also need to be able to trust that they can help you if you need it. There have been a lot of good comments in this thread but only person that will really know if you can do it is you.
Keep safe, Paul.
