Dive Medicals

[sakalauskaitekristina07]

I'm so happy to find this forum, as I'm diabetic type 2 and have wanted to learn to dive for many years... When I finally found the courage I was told by many people that I couldn't do it... I'm very scared of getting any kind of inflammation, I do check very often with Diabetic Foot Monitoring - Feetsee device, to prevent it, but still... Can anyone with the same situation send me some support?

 

[diver257a]

I'm so happy to find this forum, as I'm diabetic type 2 and have wanted to learn to dive for many years... When I finally found the courage I was told by many people that I couldn't do it... I'm very scared of getting any kind of inflammation, I do check very often with Diabetic Foot Monitoring - Feetsee device, to prevent it, but still... Can anyone with the same situation send me some support?

I am not diabetic, but I would recommend that you read the following webpage for the current guidelines for divers with diabetes - Diabetes and Diving

 

[sakalauskaitekristina07]

I am not diabetic, but I would recommend that you read the following webpage for the current guidelines for divers with diabetes - Diabetes and Diving

Thanks! Couldn't find it before

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

I'm so happy to find this forum, as I'm diabetic type 2 and have wanted to learn to dive for many years... When I finally found the courage I was told by many people that I couldn't do it... I'm very scared of getting any kind of inflammation, I do check very often with Diabetic Foot Monitoring - Feetsee device, to prevent it, but still... Can anyone with the same situation send me some support?

I'd recommend you see a physician who is trained and experienced in examining divers just to make sure you don't have any associated health conditions that could preclude diving. Where in Colorado are you?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[BlueWater66#]

Should dive medicals be mandatory?

Simple question yes or no, though would be interested in your thoughts if no, if yes when should a dive have a medical? prior to a course, every year, 5 or 10 years etc

I think this is a very important discussion the dive industry needs to have, particularly following a recent high profile death.

The Dive Industry is hurting the entire Dive Community with the invasive medical questionnaire. The industry loses customers and dive community members who are frankly driven away by the personally invasive nature of the questionnaire. Frankly, it's none of their business. A medical questionnaire is not required for swimming lessons or for snow skiing, yet many people die swimming after having taken lessons and many skiers die at resorts.
I also don't trust the Dive Industry to properly protect my health record. I really don’t trust the Dive Agencies and local dive shops with this very personal data.
Frankly, I'm put off by the personal nature of the questionnaire and am repulsed by filling it out. I cringe when asking dive customers to fill one out.
I'm also repulsed by the Dive Industry's approach to liability. Dive Agencies seem to only be concerned with protecting themselves (CYA) with the excessive number of liability forms and the invasive medical questionnaire required every time a potential customer seems to be in contact with the Industry or a local dive shop. I get a sense of hostility from the Agencies (or feel it towards them) and in turn the local dive shops when working through the multiple liability forms.
Am I the only one who believes the Industry is making a mistake is their approach to liability and the invasive nature of the dive medical questionnaire? Are we losing dive community members and potential new divers due to the invasive questionnaire and Industry approach to liability?

 

[tursiops]

The Dive Industry is significantly hurting the entire Dive Community with the enormously invasive medical questionnaire. The industry loses many customers and dive community members who are frankly driven away by the personally invasive nature of the questionnaire. Frankly, it's none of their business. A medical questionnaire is not required for swimming lessons or for snow skiing, yet many people die swimming after having taken lessons and many skiers die at resorts.
I also don't trust the Dive Industry to properly protect my health record. I really don’t trust the Dive Agencies and local dive shops with this very personal data.
Frankly, I'm put off by the personal nature of the questionnaire and am repulsed by filling it out. I cringe when asking dive customers to fill one out.
I'm also repulsed by the Dive Industry's approach to liability. Dive Agencies seemed to only be concerned about protecting themselves (CYA) with the excessive number of liability forms and the invasive medical questionnaire required every time a potential customer seems to be in contact with the Industry or a local dive shop. I get a sense of hostility from the Agencies (or feel it towards them) and in turn the local dive shops when working through the multiple liability forms.
Am I the only one who believes the Industry is making a massive mistake is their approach to liability and the invasive nature of the dive medical questionnaire? Are we losing dive community members and potential new divers due to the invasive questionnaire and Industry approach to liability?

Blame the insurance companies, not the dive industry.
The form is only invasive if you let it be. Just give the dive shop the signed page only, with no other info required.
Get the page signed when you get your annual physical.
Ignore all the questions....they are only there to let the shop decide if you need a signature. Just provide the signature, whether you need to or not.

 

[Pressurehead]

Just give the dive shop the signed page only, with no other info required.

This ^^^ is what I did last year.
Even though I voted "no" last year.
I did my dive medical yesterday.
Happy to say I passed, signed, stamped and dated.

I photocopy that page just for the above reason.
Just saves a lot of 'drama' here in Australia.

 

[gmerick]

I've been adding the RSTC form to my annual phys for more than 10 years. I'm 65 now, and still have no issues. I do offer the form to each LOB dive supervisor, but very few even ask to have a copy. I've got TEC 45/50/55 scheduled, and will happily submit the form for that. Mostly I do it for myself.

 

[BlueWater66#]

Blame the insurance companies, not the dive industry.
The form is only invasive if you let it be. Just give the dive shop the signed page only, with no other info required.
Get the page signed when you get your annual physical.
Ignore all the questions....they are only there to let the shop decide if you need a signature. Just provide the signature, whether you need to or not.

Thanks for your thoughts here. I agree with your take on this Community discussion.
The Dive Industry as a whole is a huge business and should stand up to the insurance companies that drive the medical questionairre requirement. You don't see it in the Snow Skiing Industry or the Swimming Lesson Industry.
We as a Community and Industry are letting this invasive requirement negatively impact the culture of the Industry. For those that are experienced with the medical and liability forms we "just sign and move on" but for those inexperienced or new to diving it is invasive and repulsive and frankly seems to be hostile to these new divers (customers). Is that the culture we want new divers to experience? How many new divers/customers never continue or come back as they don't want to go through the "strip down in front of me" nature of the medical questionairre?

 

[tursiops]

Thanks for your thoughts here. I agree with your take on this huge Community problem.
The Dive Industry as a whole is a huge business and should stand up to the insurance companies that drive the medical questionairre requirement. You don't see it in the Snow Skiing Industry or the Swimming Lesson Industry.
We as a Community and Industry are letting this invasive requirement ruin the culture of the Industry. For those that are experienced with the medical and liability forms we "just sign and move on" but for those inexperienced or new to diving it is invasive and repulsive and frankly seems to be hostile to these new divers (customers). Is that the culture we want new divers to experience? How many new divers/customers never continue or come back as they don't want to go through the "strip down in front of me" nature of the medical questionairre?

Saying something over and over does not make it more true.
Phrasing an assertion as a question does not make it more acceptable.
Using hyperbole to buttress a weak point is not compelling.