Diving after tiny dose of valium

[lowflyer]

You are talking a very small dose of Valium occasionally. Under that circumstance you are the best judge of whether anxiety while diving or or a tiny dose of Valium is more of a danger to you. Take this as my opinion, not medical advice, which you get from your doctor.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

There's a paper in the Malta Medical Journal that looked at the effect of various drugs in a hyperbaric environment, and it notes that valium "has been used without any side effects to depths of 50 meters" -- though it proceeds to warn of the dangers of side effects of the drug itself. Interestingly, it also notes that diazepam has been used to "prevent or treat convulsions from oxygen toxicity." https://www.um.edu.mt/umms/mmj/PDF/79.pdf

I also found a recent study on the effect of valium on zebra fish, which found decreased swimming velocity and locomotor activity when they are exposed to "non-lethal" doses. Which may be of limited interest to you if you are not a zebra fish. Impacts of chronic exposure to sublethal diazepam on behavioral traits of female and male zebrafish (Danio rerio)

FWIW.

Here's my takeaway from that paper:

"Hypnotics and anxiolytics such as benzodiazepines, antihistamines, and antipsychotics may induce fatigue, drowsiness, and muscular weakness. An irrational decision or a moment’s lapse of consciousness in the
water can lead to drowning."
And
"Overall, sedating medications should be avoided when diving because they can impair alertness and judgement, especially at depths beyond 20 to 30 metres where inert gas narcosis may compound the diver’s cognitive impairment.12"

It's true that benzos are used to treat CNS O2 toxicity. I've given them, in a dry hyperbaric chamber. Under water is a completely different setting.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Scubagermany]

1.25 mg ist such a tiny dose that you probably have to have some kind of intolerance to feel any effects adverse to diving.
If someone does not want to be your buddy if you take that just choose a different buddy....

 

[nippurmagnum]

Here's my takeaway from that paper:

"Hypnotics and anxiolytics such as benzodiazepines, antihistamines, and antipsychotics may induce fatigue, drowsiness, and muscular weakness. An irrational decision or a moment’s lapse of consciousness in the
water can lead to drowning."

Just curious — would you say then that the antihistamines that lots of divers take to combat seasickness (eg, Dramamine) are equally ill-advised? Antihistamines knock me out on land, and I avoid them at all costs. I’ve heard divers who take them report that they feel woozy with them, but prefer that to seasickness. But I’ve never heard anyone suggest that they’d refuse to dive with someone who had taken an antihistamine.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Just curious — would you say then that the antihistamines that lots of divers take to combat seasickness (eg, Dramamine) are equally ill-advised? Antihistamines knock me out on land, and I avoid them at all costs. I’ve heard divers who take them report that they feel woozy with them, but prefer that to seasickness. But I’ve never heard anyone suggest that they’d refuse to dive with someone who had taken an antihistamine.

Good question. I would give that a qualified no. Antihistamines are not in the same category as benzodiazepines. The sedating effect of something like diphenhydramine varies considerably from person to person though, so a diver who takes them should be well aware beforehand of how they'll be affected. If it causes extreme drowsiness, they should not use it while diving. Caution is also recommended when combining antihistamines. Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine, others) is metabolized to diphenhydramine in the body and if someone unwittingly combines relatively high doses of both Dramamine and Benadryl (or generics) it can lead to cardiac dysrhythmia. We have seen that happen, fortunately with a good outcome at the end.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Scubagermany]

Antihistamines today are created to work without side effects such as drowsiness.

Personally I would never prescribe diphenhydramine as an antihistaminicum just for that reason. Here we use it mostly as a sleeping pill.

The second generation antihistamines such as ebastin and bilastin cause hardly any drowsiness in most persons.

I say most because there are always some people who react differently.

Also, someone who is used to taking benzodiazepines reacts very differently to someone who takes it for the first time. It should be possible to predict the possible effects while diving.

Also, here in Germany doctors cannot be sued easily, so its easier for me to utter such advice.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Antihistamines today are created to work without side effects such as drowsiness.

Personally I would never prescribe diphenhydramine as an antihistaminicum just for that reason. Here we use it mostly as a sleeping pill.

The second generation antihistamines such as ebastin and bilastin cause hardly any drowsiness in most persons.

I say most because there are always some people who react differently.

Also, someone who is used to taking benzodiazepines reacts very differently to someone who takes it for the first time. It should be possible to predict the possible effects while diving.

Also, here in Germany doctors cannot be sued easily, so its easier for me to utter such advice.

Fair point - though ebastine and bilastine aren't available in the US, there are newer generation H1 blockers like cetirizine and loratidine that are and don't cause as much drowsiness. I think the antihistamine question came up from the 2005 paper that was cited earlier in the thread when diphenhydramine was more common.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[MB NZ]

Promethazine is still used widely in New Zealand. I regard it as a potent, long acting sedative with mild anti-allergy and anti-emetic side effects. Sleepy divers!

 

[lowflyer]

The sedating effect of something like diphenhydramine varies considerably from person to person though, so a diver who takes them should be well aware beforehand of how they'll be affected.

Best regards,
DDM

To play the devil's advocate, I can make the same argument about a nearly homeopathic dose of Valium taken occasionally, as per the OP.

 

[tridacna]

To play the devil's advocate, I can make the same argument about a nearly homeopathic dose of Valium taken occasionally, as per the OP.

Apparently you don’t understand what homeopathic really means.