Howdy Scuba Barbie:
DAN has a couple of paragraphs on diving after abdominal surgery at:
http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/faq/faq.asp?faqid=152
Scubadoc has some more info at:
http://www.scuba-doc.com/surgdiv.html
In general, divers can return to diving when the skin wounds have healed adequately, the muscle incisions are strong enough to take the strain of diving, the patient has recovered sufficiently otherwise to allow vigorous activity, the original condition they had the surgery for has improved enough/resolved so it doesn't interfere with diving, there are no significant complications that would interfere with diving, and the patient's doctor says it's OK.
For laparoscopic gallbladder surgery I give my patients 3 general restrictions:
1. No lifting over 10lbs. for 1 week or over 50lbs. for 6 weeks after the surgery- or straining the equivalent amount. Some doctors don't restrict lifting/straining
at all after laparoscopic surgery. It's hard to get a hernia in a small laparoscopic incision, but it is possible- hence my restrictions.
2. No doing anything that's inherently dangerous. For example you wouldn't drive (or dive) while you were taking narcotic medication or were otherwise impaired (by pain, etc.)
3. If you say, "Doc, it hurts when I go like this" I'm gonna say, "Don't go like that". For example if someone tells me it's sore when they wear tight pants a week after their surgery, I tell them to wear loose pants. If it hurts to sleep on your stomach the night after surgery, I say sleep on your back. Incisions hurt, and patients just have to make some minor accommodations until they heal.
If someone has healed well from their surgery, they can arrange not to lift or strain, and they're not impaired by medication or soreness I let them dive when they want to but
advise waiting 6 weeks just in case. Never can tell when you might
have to strain real hard when diving, can you?
HTH,
Bill
The above information is intended for discussion purposes only and is not meant as specific medical advice for any individual.
