I have a hard time imagining DCS could ever be an issue in the typical OW certification setting, much less months later. But what do I know. This is a question for DAN, not for ScubaBoard.
[NOTE: Based in part on PMs between pteranodon (Daniel) and myself]
Hi pteranodon,
To me, the central issue here lies in your comment, "From reading through the replies, I got the impression that every layperson on the board, including myself, can throw their 2 cents in, but what good is that for a person in need of a qualified opinion?" A most excellent point, indeed, Daniel.
This has been an issue for many years, one that we grappled with while I was a Medical Moderator of the Diving Medicine forum a long time ago.
There's really only two choices: (1) To limit responses to medical inquiries to qualified personnel whose credentials have been reviewed by those who run the board or (2) Allow medical questions to be addressed by all who wish to reply. The people who operate the board believe that the latter choice is the better.
And you are quite correct, all manner of posters are entirely free to give advice, even if it's misguided, incorrect or even outright dangerous. I have openly lamented this on the forum on a number of occasions, including quite recently (e.g., see post #30 in the following thread
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/diving-medicine/231960-ear-drops-help-equalize-3.html ). For better or for worse, this is what occurs by having these forums open to all. On their behalf, management has posted a "sticky" warning users of the Ask Dr Deco and Diving Medicine forums of this obvious possibility and indicating the value of contacting DAN, especially in medical emergencies (
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/diving-medicine/76408-attention-please-read.html). And, there are moderators who can, and do, remove material that is offensive or clearly harmful.
BTW, you might be interested to know that when you contact DAN you first, and often only, speak with a paraprofessional, (e.g., registered nurse, diving EMT). And they often simply thumb to the equivalent of DAN's medical FAQs (online at
Divers Alert Network : DAN Medical Center : Medical FAQs) and read or email it to you. They are frequently quite busy and give the briefest possible reply. For understandable reasons, DAN provides very limited direct physician access. As such, the answers received from one of the experts on the Diving Medicine and ask Dr Deco forums are likely to be longer and more informative than the responses from DAN, even when both are in essence correct. Moreover, links to previous board threads on the topic, professional magazine and journal articles, and other sources are often given on the forum, another nicety not usually provided in a DAN reply.
You indicate, "Perhaps it would help if it was more obvious who is a physician and who is not." There is something to recommend this, although most physicians know nothing of SCUBA and its related medicine. Based on their titles, board names and just hanging around these forums it soon becomes obvious who the physicians are and their level of expertise in diving medicine. Some list their qualifications in their profiles, while others, like I who write anonymously for
Undercurrent (
Scuba Diving Magazine for Serious Divers, Undercurrent Reviews Dive Resorts and Scuba Diving Equipment) and who, by that publication's basic policy, cannot be identified or identifiable, do not. There are a number of defensible reasons not to publicly display one's professional specifics on a message board forum.
In any event, if it is one's preference to go to DAN with matters such as this original inquiry, that is a perfectly understandable and legitimate choice. However, inquirers should feel free to post their diving medicine questions to one of these forums if they so choose without being summarily chided to take them to DAN, and particularly not by those who really don't have the knowledge to appreciate if and to whom the inquirer might most appropriately be sent. Often, as happens to be the case in the present thread, coming here first can save both DAN and the poster time, effort and money. Moreover, while the question is being sorted out, it also can reduce anxiety.
IMHO, the Diving Medicine and Ask Dr Deco forums are of incalculable value, even if annoying and unnecessarily time-consuming at times due to being open to all.
Thanks for your willingness to discuss this important issue in a non-defensive and intellectually honest fashion.
Regards,
DocVikingo