I have a regular dive buddy who was recently diagnosed with blood clots in her lungs and I am trying to find out as much as I can about this condition and its affects on diving. She is currently out of the hospital and on an anticoagulant. She has indicated that divining is out of the picture until she is off of the anticoagulant (this mirrors DAN's recommendations), but that once she has a clear CT, she should be able to return to regular diving. Does anyone have information on this condition, its typical course, recurrence, etc? Also, I can't really find out much on the risks posed by diving if the clots recur and she is unaware of their presence. Any information or experience would be a help. Thanks.
Blood clots in the lungs
- Thread starter jeadiver
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Joe, I'm guessing that her actual diagnosis is pulmonary embolism. Has she been told what caused this? Spontaneous - higher probability of recurrence. Unfortunately, diving may not be in her future. Really need more info though. She should see a dive doc and bring her med records with before diving again.
OP
Dive-aholic:
Yes, it was a PE as the diagnosis. I think they are guessing it was caused by a birth control pill she had been taking, but I'm not sure if they are certain that is the cause or not. She had been on it for a year prior to the PE with no complications. They have confirmed that she doesn't have deep vein thrombosis so I think the attribution to the medicine is their next best guess.
She has given her Pulmonary Dr. the number for DAN.
Joe,
As you may know or find out, PE can range from being no more than a minor nusiance to something potentially fatal. Of course it that would be the case whether the person was diving or not. Given what you have posted thus far, I'm not aware of any specific reason for you friend not to dive once cleared by an informed MD. What I do think is important though is that you, as her regular dive buddy, become well versed in the signs and symptoms of PE. You may need to relay her history to EMS personnel to help differentiate between a DCI event and a PE from a thrombus or blood clot.
As you may know or find out, PE can range from being no more than a minor nusiance to something potentially fatal. Of course it that would be the case whether the person was diving or not. Given what you have posted thus far, I'm not aware of any specific reason for you friend not to dive once cleared by an informed MD. What I do think is important though is that you, as her regular dive buddy, become well versed in the signs and symptoms of PE. You may need to relay her history to EMS personnel to help differentiate between a DCI event and a PE from a thrombus or blood clot.
itziar
Contributor
Hi Joe, I am also going through the same as your friend. I was diagnosed two and half months ago with a PE after an 11-hr flight. Oral contraceptives are also suspected to be the enhancing factor for my clot formation. I was taking them for the past 3 years. I am also not allowed to dive until I finish my treatment with anticoagulants. Afterwards DAN has recommended I see a diving specialist and if he clears me (fingers crossed) I will return to diving. In parallel, when I finish treatment, my (non-diving) doctors will have to run some tests to check whether I am prone to creating clots, regardless of the contraceptives. I understand these tests can not be performed while one is on drugs.
I posted a thread regarding the concenrns of my doctors about post-treatment diving, and one of the Scubaboard Medical Moderators gave me a series of very informative replies about how a PE works and the chances (very small) for damage that might prevent diving in the future. You might like to show that to your friend. This is the link:
http://www.scubaboard.com/t79568-.html
I hope she recovers soon!
Cheers,
Itziar
I posted a thread regarding the concenrns of my doctors about post-treatment diving, and one of the Scubaboard Medical Moderators gave me a series of very informative replies about how a PE works and the chances (very small) for damage that might prevent diving in the future. You might like to show that to your friend. This is the link:
http://www.scubaboard.com/t79568-.html
I hope she recovers soon!
Cheers,
Itziar
itziar:
I just wanted to update my post from the aforementioned thread. My husband's follow-up tests (CAT scan, doppler) showed that while his lungs were clear (he has regained approx 100% SAT O2) he still had some of the clot left in his leg. The pulmonologist suggested that he stay on anti-coagulants until April, which would be the anniversary of his illness. This we can live with.
Also, as I mentioned in that previous post, he was cleared to dive by a hyperbaric/diving physician prior to these tests. We've done one minor 25' dive and are going on a dive vacation to Bonaire at the beginning of Feb for 10 days.
Pax,
slingshot
Contributor
Your friend should have a detailed discussion of the pulmonary embolism (PE) with their physician, and if necessary, they should be referred to a pulmonologist (lung physician) with a familiarity with dive medicine. As previous posts have indicated, DAN offers resources that may help.
Pulmonary emboli can cause a wide variety of symptoms, ranging from sudden death to "silent" disease without outward symptoms. As others have posted, a thorough evaluation as to why your friend developed a PE is warranted. Birth control pills, inactivity, obesity, genetic factors, and other illnesses can all predispose a person to having a PE, as they contribute to the underlying cause of pulmonary emboli- blood clots that form in the veins (deep venous thrombosis, DVT) which then dislodge and move to the pulmonary arteries.
Pulmonary emboli can cause a wide variety of symptoms, ranging from sudden death to "silent" disease without outward symptoms. As others have posted, a thorough evaluation as to why your friend developed a PE is warranted. Birth control pills, inactivity, obesity, genetic factors, and other illnesses can all predispose a person to having a PE, as they contribute to the underlying cause of pulmonary emboli- blood clots that form in the veins (deep venous thrombosis, DVT) which then dislodge and move to the pulmonary arteries.
itziar
Contributor
SubMariner:
Enjoy that! It is so good to hear from the "happy" stories out there. Thanks for the update.
Last Xmas my husband went diving, and I had to content myself with snorkeling: it was good (lots of fishes!) but not quite as good as diving, and I felt more vulnerable than when I am under water... anyway... I will visit that diving doctor as soon as it is reasonable. I am still under cardio constraints: max 75% (130 pulsations/min), but feeling positive.
Itziar
itziar:
Be brave, Itziar. We know it's a hard road back to full recovery, but we're all rooting for you! :hug:
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