I took meclazine prophylactically to prevent motion sickness during rough seas while stationed on an FFG. It caused a quite the feeling of fatigue and drowziness. Luckily the ship would reduce to only essential watch-standers during rough seas and most others were then expected to be in their rack. It was never the pitch or the roll that got to me, it was the yaw that would kill me...the meclazine sure helped me sleep through most of it....never vomited, just hated feeling nauseuous and found that feeling more crippling than vomiting itself.
That said, as a DM, given my experience with meclazine, I don't think I would want to bear responsibility for someone underwater breathing compressed air who might be taking that drug, or someone who is not taking meclazine but has the potential to have an episode of severe uncontrolled disorientation.
I am not saying someone with this type of underlying medical condtion shouldn't be allowed to experience diving, I am just saying I don't want that person diving with me, in a personal or a professional capacity. There used to be a lot of things that would medically disqualify someone from diving; it seems over the years that many of those disqualifying factors are no longer disqualifying...I am not certain if that is because those issues are not a concern or if doctors don't want to be the one to say "no, you can't do this type of activity given your condition". It also seems to me that an aspect left out of the equation of "should one dive with x medical condition" is the impact on the dive partner(s) should a person suffer an episode of whatever condition they have while under the water....could they effect a rescue or could the stess of a non-normal/non-routine situation spur an "episode" that might incapacitate them when you need them the most.
@tridacna , ultimately its your choice, and I imagine the very nature of/reason for your question has you already leaning in a particular direction. Just remember...the person your question is about can't drown or suffer dci/dcs if they don't enter the water.
-Z
Edit: Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I too didn't do a fellowship in otolaryngology...but I did once stay at a Holiday Inn Express.
That said, as a DM, given my experience with meclazine, I don't think I would want to bear responsibility for someone underwater breathing compressed air who might be taking that drug, or someone who is not taking meclazine but has the potential to have an episode of severe uncontrolled disorientation.
I am not saying someone with this type of underlying medical condtion shouldn't be allowed to experience diving, I am just saying I don't want that person diving with me, in a personal or a professional capacity. There used to be a lot of things that would medically disqualify someone from diving; it seems over the years that many of those disqualifying factors are no longer disqualifying...I am not certain if that is because those issues are not a concern or if doctors don't want to be the one to say "no, you can't do this type of activity given your condition". It also seems to me that an aspect left out of the equation of "should one dive with x medical condition" is the impact on the dive partner(s) should a person suffer an episode of whatever condition they have while under the water....could they effect a rescue or could the stess of a non-normal/non-routine situation spur an "episode" that might incapacitate them when you need them the most.
@tridacna , ultimately its your choice, and I imagine the very nature of/reason for your question has you already leaning in a particular direction. Just remember...the person your question is about can't drown or suffer dci/dcs if they don't enter the water.
-Z
Edit: Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I too didn't do a fellowship in otolaryngology...but I did once stay at a Holiday Inn Express.
