common cold

[NateS]

What do you guys do when the common cold strikes and you have planned a dive? How do I know when I'm too sick to dive?

Is it reasonable to dive on Sudafed / pseudoephedrine? Maybe if it's only in the upper respiratory tract? I've read that having medication expire during a dive could be problematic, but this seems easily overcome by taking it at the appropriate time. Eg, ~45 minutes before hitting the water.

I've been reading the book Diver Down which has a story about a divemaster who ascended slowly and normally from a 45ft dive, including the safety stop, but he had a lung blockage while down which trapped air in part of his longs. He became paralyzed from an embolism at the surface. Yikes!

Two days ago I woke up with a partially stuffed nose and a slightly sore throat (from sinus drainage during the night). This was the day after I did my first OW class, where I was both jet lagged and cold from standing around in a pool without exposure protection. I've been taking pseudoephedrine HCI 30mg every 5-7 hours while awake and nothing when sleeping. Currently one sinus is blocked and both want to drip a little. Equalizing isn't a problem at all. Next OW class is in 3 days, though I don't expect I'll have any issues from the cold in the pool. The OW dives are in 14 days and I hope to have overcome the cold by then.

My worry is that I get my wife or my two friends sick and mess up their OW dives. We have planned a Hawaii vacation and our first dive there is in 28 days. Until then we are all living in the same flat, so they are at risk of my germs. We all need OW certification done in time and we all need to not be sick for the vacation! I've been doing my best to wash my hands, no kissing the wife, no touching food or containers before washing hands, etc. I'm still curious, should the unthinkable happen, how bad it might affect our plans and what we might be able to do to mitigate the problem.

 

[KevinNM]

Generally, it's better to postpone a dive than to dive with issues. There are a lot of stories of woe in the forums here that started with a cold. I'd absolutely say that if you cannot easily clear your ears on the surface you shouldn't dive, but being able to clear you ears on the surface when you have a cold or similar issues doesn't mean you'll be fine if you dive.

 

[NateS]

I don't usually experience a dramatic recovery from a cold. Usually it just slowly annoys me less and less and only after a couple weeks do I realize I don't have a cold anymore. I guess I expected that of course no one should dive with a cold. Worst case we could postpone the OW dives, as long as they happen before Hawaii. The Hawaii dives can't be changed though, so it would come down to missing them entirely (at great expense) or risking it (at potentially permanent expense!).

For me, pseudoephedrine is the best thing ever, for most colds it takes away almost all the symptoms. A double dose (60mg) should open my stupid sinuses right up. I don't really have a grasp on how risky this is, assuming my cold is as mild as it is now and our dives are pretty shallow (maybe 30-45ft).

---------- Post added September 20th, 2015 at 01:26 AM ----------

I should also mention we planned to use nitrox. We'll get our nitrox cert along with our OW, but we haven't studied for nitrox yet. Now I'm reading it could be an issue.

 

[chadmeister]

I had to postpone my last 2 dives since they were a deep and a deep wreck dive for my AOW cert. Then my doctor advised on a deviated septum op and now waiting on that to heal up so I can do my deep dives out of water for almost a month now and itching to get back in and I'm a complete newbie!!! Haha but scubaboard keeps me sane.

Don't dive and finish up your OW later. Better safe than sorry! Hawaii will always be there

 

[NateS]

Makes sense to avoid deep dives. Aborting the Hawaii dives would make me a sad puppy. We'll see when the time comes, but I expect to have recovered by then. My wife or friends I infect may not be so lucky! Maybe I should just poison them with it on purpose ASAP, so they have time to fight it off before the trip...

 

[chadmeister]

Your profile doesn't say where you live but I'm assuming North America somewhere. If you're in Canada or anywhere near it that you can just hop across, get yourself some Buckley's. Their motto is It Tastes Disgusting But It Works and it's true. Totally disgusting and TOTALLY works. And NeoCitrin... A mix of both over 2 nights and you'll be hoping around like a bunny in no time. (GOSH I MISS CANADA, we don't get those meds in Dubai )

Oh and ship me some while you're at it! Haha

 

[Centrals]

Health and safety are above everything.
If I am not feeling well then everything is OFF. There is always 2nd time.

 

[DevonDiver]

As a working instructor, I can virtually always complete a dive. It's my job. There are tips and tricks for dealing with congestion. Medication can also do a lot (but is secondary).

However, on the basic diving forum.... where completing dives isn't necessary to put food on your family's table.... the basic advice given on Open Water courses should apply; don't dive if you are sick / congested.

 

[Steve_C]

NOTE: I am not the correct kind of doctor. I do have a long standing issue with sinus infections. Get 2-4 every year. I carry pseudophedrine 12 hr in my dive bag. I have taken it several times before I know I tolerate it well and do not get wired. If I am actually seriously congested or feel any sort of sinus pressure I do not dive. If I am having a little extra drainage and can breath clearly and have no sinus pressure and pass my test. (Hold nose, and with mouth closed breath gently out. If I can feel the ear drums flex, I will dive.) Have done this on several occassions with no problems. Basically I could probably have done the dives without it but it was a preventative. I should note that some sinus drainage is not unusual with me. I would never take less than a 12 hour dose when diving.

I did this once a few years ago coming off a sinus infection. I normally can descend easily and I had a little trouble on dive one diving an offshore ledge (100 ft) when I may have rushed the descent a bit. No problem on second dive. Noticed a bit of full ear sound on way home. Checked out by ENT and I had traumatized my inner inner/sinuses on the right side. Out of diving for a month and all is well. Temporary 10% hearing loss in that ear.

DO NOT TAKE 2 PSEUDOPHED if you take it. I had arranged for a dive on Catalina Island with a DM which I was in California on business. We got gear and were waiting for the ferry and I noted he seemed a bit congested. I asked about it and if he had taken anything. He said no. I asked if he had even taken pseudophed. He said no. I offered him a couple which he took from me. I did not think anymore about it. I naively assumed he knew the does was definitely one. Found out on the way back on the ferry over a beer that he had taken both. He also told me that he was so wired before dive one that he was seriously thinking about thumbing the first dive before he even got in the water but did not since I had over 300 dives at that point and I had done a lot of mroe challenging dives than Casino point.

 

[KeithG]

some thoughts:
- make sure you have comprehensive trip insurance
- if you do not feel top notch, skip the dive
- you can always dive tomorow if you are not dead yet
- there is nothing worse than being miserable underwater

As beginning divers we often feel compelled to get every dive possible in. Even if we are a little off or the conditions are off. Eventually you will have a dive that that you really hate. And you will realize that you should have skipped it.