I have just had the provisional diagnosis of CMT. I have been diving for 58 years, scuba 46. I have until recently been active in underwater hockey and spearfishing. I had ankle and feet problems diagnosed as mild polio at the age of 15 but still played active rugby. 17 years later, after a bad fall, I was supposed to have both achilles' tendons lengthened as my calf muscles proved to powerful for physio. I opted out after the right extension caused major instability of my knee. 12 years later after chronic back pain, I was recommended a spinal cage by an orthpod, facet joint ablation by a neurosurgeon. I was virtually thrown out for saying I thought it was stupid and compared it to severing the oil pressure light cable. 2 years later, 2 diving radiologist (a MRI and an Ultrasound) from the next city, press ganged me into a MRI and a neurosurgeon consult. He promptly threw his toys out of the cot as he could not believed my stenosis of the total spine was missed. A neurologist consult showed marked nerve conduction deminishment. A blood test showed marked immature rb cell even though I had a Hb arround 14.5. Thalassemia was ruled out. I was a regular blood donor and the hematologist was monitoring me as I always had a low ferretin level. My raised Hb was put down to the ammount of breath hold diving done. The neurosurgeon said we had to await the stage when the symptoms outweighed the cure. 12 years later I had a bad bout of chronic spinal pain. My GP referred me to a new Neurosurgeon, who told me he he had only seen this in achondroplastic dwarfism, being 1,8m, I definitely was not. He recommended laminectomy of the total spine in 3 stages. I opted out of the 3rd (cervical). Unfortuntely I still have sacral symptoms. Due age progression, my breath hold diving ceased, I had to retire from blood donating, a my proprioception and gate deteriorated. I am unable to stand in more than ankle deep water without falling. If I can't see my feet, I am unsteady and prone to falling. Once I am swimming, I can fin with the rest of the group. 9 months ago, I was running late for a dive at a sub tropical site, so I donned my suit in the car park and walked over the dune to the launch spot. The dive was delayed for 90 minutes, it was a hassle to remove the suit, so I lay in the 1m deep lagoon. (Consulting my computer much later told me it was 34C) I had travelled 2 days by car, not drinking much as I do not like non sugar drinks.
About 15 minutes into the dive, I felt wobbly so aborted. I spent the next 3 days totally exhausted, alternating freezing and sweating. Typical heat exhaustion and dehydration - (no urination for a day). I stopped diving and saw a physican 6 months later. Just have a sugar intolerance not pre diabetes, cardiac seems normal. Was sent to a neurologist, who after mostly seeing stroke victims seemed genuinely excited to see me. Due to very low blood Vit B12, champagne glass torso. hammer toes and high arches, thinks I could have CMT. She took plenty of photos to send to her professor. Also wants genetic and MRI tests. I did a dive 4 weeks ago with a observer without problems. Only a couple of hours afterwards, I felt excessively tired similar to if I push myself too hard with exercise. So now awaiting my fate.
