Angela2932 and Girsh,
A good wetsuit will fit like a second skin, make the dive more comfortable and yes, be a pain to put on. A custom wetsuit ($400)cost only $50-100 more than off the rack in many cases, but is worth it. I spray my arms, legs and shoulders with 1/3 hair conditioner and 2/3 water to help slip into the suit. A plastic bag on the hands and feet will help put it on as well.
Two solutions for tight fitting wetsuits:
Solution 1, for tight wetsuit, buy a drysuit for cold water diving. They only need to be snug against the skin at the neck, and the wrist (I wear dry gloves which eliminates this seal as well). More expensive true fut for really cold water worth it. A drysuit will run $600-$4000 depending on manufacturer and add ons (plumbing is NOT a luxury) and the under garments are another $300-$600) but if you shop around you can get set-up for less and there is the used market too.
Solution 2, I certified recently as a dive buddy for handicapped divers (HSAscuba.com). In the course we discussed putting a wetsuit on a paraplegic or quadriplegic diver and the best solution is a gusseted wetsuit. Zippers that run the full length (or a good portion of it) of the leg and arm with a gusset behind it to keep the water out. These are common in Japan and among wetsuit diving emergency divers who must don a suit in a hurry. So you can have a wetsuit that is loose fitting to put on, but skin tight in the water.
Angela2932, a dive buddy of mine was over the course of several years diagnosed with arthritis, and many other diseases including Lew Gerri's Disease eventually becoming a quadriplegic. He of course had none of the ailments they thought he had. Eventually, they figured it out and a major (and amazing) surgery later, and he is just fine and diving often and now doing deep technical dives. I hurt my knees playing soccer (at 52) i 2006 and the Army doctors immediately jumped to a diagnosis of Arthritis. I argued, "I did not have arthritis in that knee at 7:54 this morning, but after a sideways hit playing soccer I suddenly have arthritis at 7:65 a.m.?", I don't think so. Xray and an a MRI later, no arthritis. Same with my shoulder in 2007, arthritis they said, the MRI said torn rotator cup. So my message to you is this, keep up the fight. They call it medical practice because the doctors don't really have all the answers. They will look for the obvious answer (and if you are older and having pain, arthritis is it). Be your own advocate. You are only as old as you feel. Or as the bard William S. once said " do not go gently into that dark night". If you live life to the fullest you usually have more life to live. As you know, it is easy to come up with reasons why you can't, it is harder (and more fun) to say you can and to figure out a way. Life is a verb, it is what you do!
A good wetsuit will fit like a second skin, make the dive more comfortable and yes, be a pain to put on. A custom wetsuit ($400)cost only $50-100 more than off the rack in many cases, but is worth it. I spray my arms, legs and shoulders with 1/3 hair conditioner and 2/3 water to help slip into the suit. A plastic bag on the hands and feet will help put it on as well.
Two solutions for tight fitting wetsuits:
Solution 1, for tight wetsuit, buy a drysuit for cold water diving. They only need to be snug against the skin at the neck, and the wrist (I wear dry gloves which eliminates this seal as well). More expensive true fut for really cold water worth it. A drysuit will run $600-$4000 depending on manufacturer and add ons (plumbing is NOT a luxury) and the under garments are another $300-$600) but if you shop around you can get set-up for less and there is the used market too.
Solution 2, I certified recently as a dive buddy for handicapped divers (HSAscuba.com). In the course we discussed putting a wetsuit on a paraplegic or quadriplegic diver and the best solution is a gusseted wetsuit. Zippers that run the full length (or a good portion of it) of the leg and arm with a gusset behind it to keep the water out. These are common in Japan and among wetsuit diving emergency divers who must don a suit in a hurry. So you can have a wetsuit that is loose fitting to put on, but skin tight in the water.
Angela2932, a dive buddy of mine was over the course of several years diagnosed with arthritis, and many other diseases including Lew Gerri's Disease eventually becoming a quadriplegic. He of course had none of the ailments they thought he had. Eventually, they figured it out and a major (and amazing) surgery later, and he is just fine and diving often and now doing deep technical dives. I hurt my knees playing soccer (at 52) i 2006 and the Army doctors immediately jumped to a diagnosis of Arthritis. I argued, "I did not have arthritis in that knee at 7:54 this morning, but after a sideways hit playing soccer I suddenly have arthritis at 7:65 a.m.?", I don't think so. Xray and an a MRI later, no arthritis. Same with my shoulder in 2007, arthritis they said, the MRI said torn rotator cup. So my message to you is this, keep up the fight. They call it medical practice because the doctors don't really have all the answers. They will look for the obvious answer (and if you are older and having pain, arthritis is it). Be your own advocate. You are only as old as you feel. Or as the bard William S. once said " do not go gently into that dark night". If you live life to the fullest you usually have more life to live. As you know, it is easy to come up with reasons why you can't, it is harder (and more fun) to say you can and to figure out a way. Life is a verb, it is what you do!
