Diving accident - call the dive before it is to late

[IndigoBlue]

Good advise. I just wanted to add that I'm one of these folks that is stuffy quite often due to allergies. I also pre-equalize and pay very close attention to my ears. I also use more technique (tilting my head to stretch the eustacian tubes etc.) now on the way down and I'm VERY carefull during the first 30 feet where the most dramatic pressure changes occur.
I'm not a doctor and I'm not about to give any medical advise but there are some very good PRESCRIPTION nasal sprays (Nasonex) that don't affect the body physically (like the over the counter addictive stuff, BAD) and help to open up the nose etc. I would call DAN and ask about what is recommended and also seek advise from an ENT specialist. And as always if you do decide to use something for your sinuses, ears, you should evaluate how you react to it (any symptoms?) BEFORE you dive. Again I'm not a doctor, call DAN and seek medical opinion.

RiverRat is right, that the prescription decongestant route is open to you as well. A diving physician recommended by DAN would be able to give you some very good choices in medications, if it comes down to that.

I only know about that because the physician that I saw for my scuba instructor physical handed me a bag full of sample medications, knowing that instructors sometimes run into congestion problems from doing many descents and ascents with classes for ESA drills all in a day.

I turned the medications down. But there certainly are at least a half dozen different brands available. That might help your situation as well.

 

[bcfundiver]

I really appreciate your positive attitude. Thank you! You are right, my buddy an I did do a few things right, and those are important, as they saved my life, but the rest I didn’t do right - mainly calling the dive - put my buddy and me in danger.

As you mentioned the regular equalization, I remember I had problems with equalizing from the start; at first I could not equalize at all. (I had to go back to the pool to practice after my first ocean dive.). In the last month I equalized regularly every day many times to keep my ears clear. As the problem almost fully disappeared and I had a few really great dives, no vertigo or just a very mild one I guess I got overly confident, and I forget how serious it was at first.
So equalizing throughout the day has to be a must for me.

 

[bcfundiver]

Thank you all for the support and the good advises (and for not telling me: "...stop diving...".) :jump3:
I will look into the possibility of taking decongestants, but…

I thought those are not safe as if they wear out before the end of the dive, it can cause reverse block… I was told even the 24 hour ones aren’t safe… I guess the prescription stuff would be safer… I will call DAN and talk to my doctor as well.
I will also take a float with me for every dive. My dive shop offered me to use one any time if I need it! (THANKS GUYS!!!)

As many of you mentioned, my buddy did really well, and I owe him one… Thanks Buddy!!!!!

 

[rcohn]

I thought those are not safe as if they wear out before the end of the dive, it can cause reverse block… I was told even the 24 hour ones aren’t safe… I guess the prescription stuff would be safer… I will call DAN and talk to my doctor as well.
I will also take a float with me for every dive. My dive shop offered me to use one any time if I need it! (THANKS GUYS!!!)

You think decongestants are less safe then diving while congested???? Are you planning dives longer than 12 hours?

For most of us 12 hour decongestants last around 12 hours, plenty of time for a one hour dive. Combining Sudafed and Afrin when congested lasts a good bit longer than 12 hours for me, YMMV.

Of course you should test the effectiveness of any drugs before diving with them.

Ralph

 

[bcfundiver]

Hello Ralph,

Of course I don’t think it is safe diving while congested. And I plan only dive for max of 40 min for now. My concern was that based on what my instructors taught: it is not safe taking decongestant before diving. Based on that the only choice, no diving while feeling a bit stuffy… on the other hand most people I met could dive if they had just a bit of a cold, but for me it is not an option.

I want to dive, and I want to dive safely. It seems to me many divers, DMs and instructors are taking decongestant, but the official opinion is: don’t take it. I researched and some resources said – take it, others – no, never do it… I asked my instructors about taking decongestant before, and they kept telling me not to do it… so that is the confusion…

I just have to repeat – I want to dive and I want to do it safely, so I need to talk to my physician and I will call DAN as well.

Thank you Ralph!

 

[rcohn]

but the official opinion is: don’t take it. I researched and some resources said – take it, others – no, never do it… I asked my instructors about taking decongestant before, and they kept telling me not to do it… so that is the confusion…

Whose official opinion? I took a three hour seminar with a DAN ENT and he spent a good part of it explaining which decongestants (and other drugs) to use and how to take them.

Your risks are generally much higher trying to dive congested than appropriately using available medications to clear your nose and sinuses.

RAlph

 

[pasley]

.... As I learned yesterday, the vertigo I have been experiencing regularly (sometimes very mild, sometimes moderate, but scary) is due to the pressure difference between my two ears. (one is equalized, the other one not really)....

1. Glad you are ok and thank you for sharing your experience. It takes real guts to do so. Your experience may help others.
2. If you are regularly having vertigo as indicated above, you really should get the root problem corrected or give up diving until you do. Perhaps a good ENT could help.
3. A good 12 hour nasal decongestant taken 2 hours before the dive to allow time for drainage may help. Talk to a physician knowledgeable about diving about this possibility.
4. I too enjoy allergies year around. I take my medication regularly and had sinus surgery which helped tremendously (see ENT to see if you could benefit) and I daily use ocean spray (salt spray) to help keep the infections down and the sinus moist.

Disclaimer:
The above is just my lay opinion. I am not a doctor, or medically trained individual, actor or even necessarily a sane person just one with some idle thoughts on the subject.

 

[ArcticDiver]

Hello Ralph,

Of course I don’t think it is safe diving while congested. And I plan only dive for max of 40 min for now. My concern was that based on what my instructors taught: it is not safe taking decongestant before diving. Based on that the only choice, no diving while feeling a bit stuffy… on the other hand most people I met could dive if they had just a bit of a cold, but for me it is not an option.

I want to dive, and I want to dive safely. It seems to me many divers, DMs and instructors are taking decongestant, but the official opinion is: don’t take it. I researched and some resources said – take it, others – no, never do it… I asked my instructors about taking decongestant before, and they kept telling me not to do it… so that is the confusion…

I just have to repeat – I want to dive and I want to do it safely, so I need to talk to my physician and I will call DAN as well.

Thank you Ralph!

You have said you are going to check with your own Doc. That is the absolutely correct thing to do. People's bodies react differently to several of the decongestant drugs. Even something as commonly used as sudafed. Your Doc knows you and will be able to give the best advise. The Doc will also be able to send you to the best place for a consultation if needed.

 

[IndigoBlue]

...It seems to me many divers, DMs and instructors are taking decongestant, but the official opinion is: don’t take it. I researched and some resources said – take it, others – no, never do it… I asked my instructors about taking decongestant before, and they kept telling me not to do it… so that is the confusion…

For really deep diving, over 100 ft, decongestants are possibly unsafe because the extreme depth pressure may interact with the drug. As long as you keep your diving shallower than 100 ft, that should not be a problem for you.

Recreational diving is normally in the range of 20 to about 75 ft. That is where most of the light penetrates and where most of the sealife is, and that is also where your air and your NDL time lasts the longest.

Within that range, approved decongestants should not give you any problems underwater. I know several divers who take decongestants underwater and out of the water as well.

 

[Snowbear]

Recreational diving is normally in the range of 20 to about 75 ft. That is where most of the light penetrates and where most of the sealife is, and that is also where your air and your NDL time lasts the longest.

Unless, of course, you dive in nutrient-rich green North Pacific waters that allow the light to penetrate - oh - 5' or so.
Meanwhile - a doc who is knowledgable about meds and diving would be the best source for information about how to safely use decongestants in hyperbaric conditions.