Continue or stop diving with a PFO?

[chillyinCanada]

I had done hundreds of dives and deep until over a few years I had a rash on my abdomen a few times and never thought of PFO..then one dive which was torrid I came out and had no appetite and blurred vision..rang DAN and off to hospital to have oxygen..short and tall is I got tested back in NZ and yes PFO. I dive still with no issues and with advise from DAN and a professor limit my diving…nitrox on air profile..20m max, no currents and longer surface interval..plus important no lugging gear onto boat after a dive and sit and rest once on boat…no issues for 6 years…BUT…last month stupidly my guide asked me to switch my computer so we could do a longer dive at 20m…I got a skin bend! PLAN THE DIVE AND STICK TO THE PLAN…lesson learnt

Switch your computer to what? To nitrox?

How many dives had you had previously that day? The days before? How long were your surface intervals and how long was your safety stop?

 

[Macfod]

had 32% nitrox on air profile for previous three days dives ( had cleared on my computer after resting ). 2 dives per day. First dive 21m and second 19m with 63 min dive time and went nowhere near deco. Longer deeper dive was my error as I should not have listened to dive master and stuck to my plan

 

[RVBldr]

I'm not the biggest fan of diving Nitrox with an Air setting on the computer, rather have the correct info then not try to fool myself. Macfod could be served well by learning GF settings, applying a conservative setting, then monitoring SfGF.

 

[Macfod]

I took the advice of DAN diving nitrox on air tables which has served me well…my error was not sticking to this and extending my dive by switching to nitrox to extend my dive.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

I had a TEE screening done on Monday and it revealed a PFO. Clear shunt while performing the valsalva manouver. Over the past eight years I have probably had 6-7 episodes of skin bends. Never been in the chamber (but sometimes I wonder if I should have been). Once or twice there has been visual disturbance involved and one time I had migrane aura after the dive (never had migraine before or after out of the water). Dives are mainly rec dives, with the occational light deco (less than 10 minutes). For the past six years I have been using GF30/75 on all dives.

The cardiologist says I have to give up diving. Closing the PFO is not an option, they only offer this to patients that have suffered a stroke. I had a thorough discussion with a professional dive physician about my further diving, and even though he says that diving with a PFO is doable he recommends based on my history of skin bends that I give up on diving. If I choose to continue diving I have to dive extremely conservative.

I really love diving, but I really don't want to take any chances from now on. I'm not sure if this extremely conservative way is worth it if it only gives me around 18-20 minutes on shallow depths. My mind is spinning and I am confused.

This is between you, your doc (or other docs) and your family. Don't try to elicit opinions here, on ScubaBoard, as this is a very personal decision and none here know you or your medical history.

Enjoy,

John (SeaRat)

 

[Macfod]

I met a guy from UK recently in Philipines who had his closed, but was still a nervy diver.
I was 59 when it came to the time when it was not just a stomach rash but blurred vision and a call to Dan Australia was followed up by 8hrs at my local hospital and oxygen in Indonesia.
Once home I paid to get my heart checked and Dan was so helpful and they consulted a doctor friend in the navy and also arranged a visit to visit a specialist at a university which was over an hour of discussion as we anylsised my profile etc.
Dan asked me then to write an article for them also which was published.
Luckily, advise given was I could continue diving but with guidlines mentioned.
Its still not totally known the affects of diving and PFO’s as there are thousands of divers out there diving with this and like I was, unaware.
It affects each in a different way.
Certainly, if professional dive doctors have advised you not to dive then that should be acted on - unfortunatly.
I do get the panic look from places we go diving when I explain PFO and my requirements.
Its so much better getting out of a dive after passing your gear up
All the best.

 

[grantmac]

I have a buddy who would get mild DCS frequently. Got checked for a PFO, had it closed and now does Tec 2 CCR diving without issue.

 

[Macfod]

yep, the guy I met had it done…£20k in UK …I decided not to personally as nothing had ever been inside my body apart from needles and a personal thing…6 covid vaccinations later

 

[dmaziuk]

Its still not totally known the affects of diving and PFO’s as there are thousands of divers out there diving with this and like I was, unaware.

It's probably worth remembering that the M-values are statistical, derived from bent divers and caisson workers and such. What that means is if the sample was representative: bent caisson workers were not screened for PFO and not excluded for having it, then they had the same ~25% incidence of PFO as we do. I.e. the PFO is factored in in the M-values.

 

[J-Vo]

Woot!!!!