Appendectomy - how long till I can dive?

[rogersab1223]

I had my appendix removed (via laproscopy) unexpectedly on 5/19.

I'm leaving for Turks and Caicos on next Friday and am scheduled begin diving on 6/1.

I've heard everything from "you can dive 4-5 days after that surgery" to several weeks.

My follow up is Thursday and I feel awesome, no pain, back at work, but wondering if anyone had any real experience with this.

Will I be good to dive two weeks to the day after an appendectomy?

I'm sure I'm good to go but I'm going to be stressing till I see my doc.

Thanks,
Andy

---------- Post added May 25th, 2013 at 05:51 PM ----------

Btw - I'm an athletic guy. Strong and in good health. I'll be diving AL80's from a boat, no wetsuit (rash guard and board shorts) and wearing less than 10#. I'll be walking minimally in gear.

 

[TSandM]

Assuming you had an uncomplicated operation and recovery, and it sounds as though you did, the limit to what you can do is primarily the strength of the abdominal wall. Lifting and balancing heavy loads requires core muscles, and results in an increase in intraabdominal pressure. This stresses the incisions. The trochar punctures are unlikely to cause trouble, but the abdominal wall is thin and not well vascularized at the umbilicus, so hernias there are not uncommon. 12 days post-op, that area is still very weak. If you can don and remove your gear in the water, you might be fine, but if you have to move gear, you are DEFINITELY raising the risk of developing an incisional hernia.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

While I didn't have an appendectomy when I got certified I did have a broke ankle and couldn't put any pressure on it. What we did was put my bcd on at the edge of the boat then it was just taking a giant stride into the water, also I took it off before climbing back onto the boat. Let the dive op know your condition before going down. Most will be happy to accommodate you. While you may be walking minimally in your gear, all it will take is one good rock of the boat for things to go wrong.

 

[rogersab1223]

Thanks. Just checked with the dive op, they're happy to accommodate me however I need. Donning/doffing overboard is a no-brainer.