Diving and Adrenal Fatigue

[FitnessKelly]

Would anyone happen to know about adrenal fatigue and diving, as in, is diving too much exertion for someone in stage 3 adrenal fatigue? I've read that a specific time under at a specific depth is similar to running X minutes. I specifically like to do deeper (wreck) dives. A recent duo of wreck dives left me feeling wiped out for at least 24 hours (this was before adrenal exhaustion diagnosis), however my husband felt just as wiped out as I did.

 

[flots am]

Would anyone happen to know about adrenal fatigue and diving, as in, is diving too much exertion for someone in stage 3 adrenal fatigue? I've read that a specific time under at a specific depth is similar to running X minutes. I specifically like to do deeper (wreck) dives. A recent duo of wreck dives left me feeling wiped out for at least 24 hours (this was before adrenal exhaustion diagnosis), however my husband felt just as wiped out as I did.

I'm guessing there are at least two questions here:

1. I'm not a doctor and don't know anything about adrenal fatigue. However if you check with Diver's Alert Network, they might know something or possibly be able to refer you to someone who does.
2. Feeling wiped out after a couple of dives is a pretty common complaint in new divers, and leads me to suspect that you're pushing too close to the edge of the No-Decompression limits and/or are ascending too fast (or possibly just working too hard underwater). This is a very common complaint by people who do either or both.
   
   If you can post your dive profile (time and depth) or a picture of your dive profile if you were using computers, we would probably have a better idea what was going on.
   
   Just as a "for what it's worth", the dive tables are designed to be pretty safe for an average person in good health, but this doesn't guarantee that they're safe for any particular person on any particular dive profile.
   
   The line between "no deco" and "deco" is not drawn with a ruler and sharp pencil as indicated on the tables, but is actually more like freehand with a can of spray paint.
   
   There's a whole range in there where some people will feel fine and others will feel beat up and tired. You'll both probably feel a whole lot better if you stay farther away from wherever your computer/table says the end of the "no decompression" zone is.
   
   Switching to Nitrox, making slower ascents, a longer "safety stop" and staying farther away from the edge of the "no deco" zone will probably make you both feel a lot better.

PS. Another possible, but much less common cause of feeling "wiped out" is a cylinder contaminated with Carbon Monoxide. It shouldn't be high on your list of suspects, but is a possibility.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi FitnessKelly,

The "diagnosis" (syndrome would be a more accurate term) of adrenal fatigue/exhaustion remains a controversial one, somewhat along the lines of chronic fatigue syndrome & fibromyalgia. It refers to a collection of nonspecific symptoms, such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances & digestive problems. The term seems largely the province of alternative medicine. According to many reputable medical sources, it isn't a true diagnosis per se. Might I enquire who made your diagnosis? How are you being treated for it? Have you been worked up for other adrenal abnormalities such as Addison's disease? Have the other usual suspects that may be involved in excessive fatigue been ruled out?

Even accepting adrenal exhaustion as a legitimate disease entity, it generally is considered the result of chronic stress, not the result of exertion related to such activities as typical sport diving.

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

 

[FitnessKelly]

Hi FitnessKelly,

The "diagnosis" (syndrome would be a more accurate term) of adrenal fatigue/exhaustion remains a controversial one, somewhat along the lines of chronic fatigue syndrome & fibromyalgia. It refers to a collection of nonspecific symptoms, such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances & digestive problems. The term seems largely the province of alternative medicine. According to many reputable medical sources, it isn't a true diagnosis per se. Might I enquire who made your diagnosis? How are you being treated for it? Have you been worked up for other adrenal abnormalities such as Cushing's or Addison's disease? Have the other usual suspects that may be involved in excessive fatigue been ruled out?

Even accepting adrenal exhaustion as a legitimate disease entity, it generally is considered the result of chronic stress, not the result of exertion related to such activities as typical sport diving.

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

H

Hi Doc,

Thanks for the reply. I know it's controversial. Long story short, I suffered a neck injury over a year ago during a Crossfit workout. I saw 2 doctors and multiple PT's for help and was finally diagnosed with multiple bulging discs in my cervical spine. They did everything they could, used up all my PT and bought a pneumatic traction device, but never felt full relief of the pain. Saw an Integrative Medicine doc later in the year who ran blood work and showed several suppressed hormones. He put me on DHEA with did nothing. Retest months later and how I felt proved that. I went from being someone who would Crossfit 4-5 times a week and train for triathlons using interval training several times a week to being someone who will be unable to work out for a week if I lift weights. I have no endurance. A 4-point saliva test shows that all my hormones are suppressed, including cortisol. I have pretty severe insomnia. I am working with an alternative health practitioner now, who will be using dietary changes, prescriptions of rest and potentially adrenal supplements to treat me. I have to be careful with how much I exert myself - no heavy weightlifting, no intense intervals, no chronic cardio. SCUBA doesn't feel like that much exertion to me, but I have always felt tired after - last time I was more tired than I remember. I don't have our dive profile from the last dive, but my husband did comment that we spent even more time than planned at our safety stops because the people in front of us were stopped longer.

In short, I'm really only concerned with knowing, is going to do one trip of a couple wreck dives going to be something more physically exhausting than my body can handle right now (and counter to the repair process of my adrenals, or whatever has suppressed all my hormones).

Thanks!

 

[DocVikingo]

In short, I'm really only concerned with knowing, is going to do one trip of a couple wreck dives going to be something more physically exhausting than my body can handle right now (and counter to the repair process of my adrenals, or whatever has suppressed all my hormones).Thanks!

Hi FitnessKelly,

A 4 panel saliva oral test is not as accurate as blood testing, both of which should be properly timed & performed by a certified lab. Additionally, it really only informs about cortisol levels, not about all of one’s hormones. The latter would require an appropriate full hormone assay.

At this point, yours seems an empirical question. Do the dives you are qualified for & desire. If you become physically exhausted to the point where it endangers safe scuba or leaves you excessively fatigued for a full day or longer, then you have an answer.

In the meantime, it might be prudent to undergo an endocrine consult, and to skip controversial treatments like DHEA & other supplementation of dubious efficacy unless prescribed by a recognized endocrinologist.

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.