Asthma/depression - BUT I WANT TO DIVE

[iluvtheocean]

nothing wrong with being a nuclear engineer -- one of my wife's relatives i believe is one and is a consultant to the International Atomic Energy Agency -- i believe that's the name but don't quote me on it... . the spanish to english translator might have been a bit off when explaining it to me.. i know they said he consults with the UN on nuclear issues and gets to travel A LOT

 

[sphyrnidus]

Sphyrnidus - Professionally as in saturation diving, welding, search and rescue, salvage, etc. Something that I can make a living off of. I'm okay with making a mediocre salary as long as I can live a comfortable lifestyle. I was a plumber for a while, I worked on a farm for a while, too, stacking thousands of bails of hay, and feeding hundreds of bovine on a daily basis by my lonesome. None of that was ever an issue for me - I can't believe that asthma is such a big deal. I've had asthma attacks before, but even my most terrifying and extreme attack allowed me to breathe, albeit restricted. I can run miles on end without issue. I compare having asthma to not having a degree, in some sense. People don't even look at me because I don't have a degree, yet I can run circles around them when you put me into their position. That's a whole different discussion though.

The thing with asthma and strenuous working conditions is that breathing cold, dry air is one of the best triggers to get an asthma attack going.
The problem with the army is different. Nobody who is using medication on a regular basis is getting in to any western world army. That is because it would make the army get you that the medication when necessary and they don't want that hassle in for example a war situation.

We use cold dry air, very much like scuba air, to provoke asthma attacks in our patients, to find out the role of exercise in their disease. So we make them run while breathing dry cold air and then have them perform a spirometry (before and after). Companies will not take the risk to employ someone who might get an asthma attach down below with all the consequence that might give.

So if you really want to be diving as a professional, I think the only option would be the route of working in the recreational business. Which by the way is not a bad way to earn a (be it moderate) income.

 

[cogaritis]

So, if Advair can prevent my attacks, what's the issue? Convincing someone else that the medication can actually prevent an attack? I'll run on a treadmill in a freezer and take a spirometry test. Would this be convincing enough? Please don't take this as offensive toward you or defensive toward me. I understand that this is a huge liability. But if it can be prevented, why not?

Another question - people with bad vision. (Mine is 20/20, but I'm curious.) Are people with glasses allowed to dive? Are people who have their vision corrected with glasses to meet the minimum requirements allowed to dive / get certified?

 

[Tigerman]

So, if Advair can prevent my attacks, what's the issue? Convincing someone else that the medication can actually prevent an attack? I'll run on a treadmill in a freezer and take a spirometry test. Would this be convincing enough? Please don't take this as offensive toward you or defensive toward me. I understand that this is a huge liability. But if it can be prevented, why not?

Another question - people with bad vision. (Mine is 20/20, but I'm curious.) Are people with glasses allowed to dive? Are people who have their vision corrected with glasses to meet the minimum requirements allowed to dive / get certified?

No problem diving with need for visual correction. You have contacts, mask inserts and prescription masks, all of them viable options

 

[Wookie]

Wookie - Are you a nuclear engineer? We need to talk.

I have a degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology, but I got it based on years of Navy experience. The description is a bit tongue in cheek, I'm really the Captain of a liveaboard dive boat. I had plenty of physics courses, but not enough to actually design and build a reactor.

 

[cogaritis]

Interesting. You can correct your vision, but not your breathing. Granted, you'll die of lack of oxygen, but I'd imagine that poor vision can cause just as much problems.

This is just an observation.

 

[Hickdive]

Interesting. You can correct your vision, but not your breathing. Granted, you'll die of lack of oxygen, but I'd imagine that poor vision can cause just as much problems.

This is just an observation.

Hah, I see what you did there!

Actually, good eyesight isn't necessarily advantageous underwater, especially in commercial diving where you can find yourself working in zero visibility where a fingertip placed on your mask cannot be seen.

 

[cogaritis]

Yeah That's what I've heard. I was watching a show on Netflix about drug smuggling and how sometimes smugglers will weld containers on the bottoms of cargo ships. There was a nice chunk of information regarding low visibility, and also the danger of working underneath a ship in shallow waters (squish!).

 

[Skittl1321]

Interesting. You can correct your vision, but not your breathing. Granted, you'll die of lack of oxygen, but I'd imagine that poor vision can cause just as much problems.

This is just an observation.

So let's equate contacts with asthma medication. What happens if your contacts fail? For most people, you squint a bit and likely surface with no issues at all; possibly your buddy helps guide you. What happens if your asthma medication fails? You have a severe medical emergency at depth. Maybe it turns out okay. Maybe it doesn't.

Note though- there are military jobs that can't be done with certain vision problems. I don't know if diving is among them though.


Are you currently a recreational diver? Have you dove at all?

 

[cogaritis]

Are you currently a recreational diver? Have you dove at all?

No, and no. I'm interested in deep sea diving, welding, submersion (extended dives of a few weeks or months). As I said, I wanted to join the U.S. Navy / Navy Special Warfare as a navy diver. Vision problems will disqualify you here as well, though they permit correction.

Comparing asthma to vision is like comparing apples to oranges - I know this.