Diving with antibiotics?

[Allison Finch]

Heck, I dive with antibiotics every time I go to the Pacific Islands. Either Doxycycline or Malarone used as antimalaria medication. Never was a problem, with the drugs. Now, the reason you are on the drugs is a different matter altogether.

 

[boat sju]

As far as I can tell, there aren't any known contraindications to diving while taking antibiotics. The contraindications are related to the condition necessitating the antibiotics. A pyelo sufficiently severe to require hospitalization was a serious infection, and I'd probably wait until the course of antibiotics is over and you remain afebrile and asymptomatic off antibiotics. You would not want to get septic underwater or on a dive boat.

Are you actually speaking English here?

 

[SelkieDVM]

pyelo = kidney infection
afebrile = no fever
septic = systemic infection

 

[stephhhhh]

The doc said at least one week, and then if I don't feel completely well I should definitely wait till I completely recover.
And I was thinking of when I'll stop the antibio, sometimes your body has strange reaction.
Last July after my kidney infection, right after I stopped the antibio, I got dizzy (couldn't stand up), vomitted the whole afternoon. That's scary...

 

[serambin]

Damn, DON'T Pet CATS. . . I've always suspected this was good advice, but now . . .

 

[rawls]

I have a friend who I went diving with last Summer and she was taking antibiotics. We were down for about 10 minutes and BOOM...I see this cloud coming out of her regulator. Fish don't care for antibiotics...They like pizza but evidently not antibiotics...In all seriousness, I could tell she was having a hard time, so I grabbed her shoulder strap and aborted the dive. She was ok...a little sick but ok...Being the great diver she is, she did just what she was supposed to do...she kept the reg in her mouth the whole time...Good girl Candy...
So...the possibility that you may get nauseated is a consideration...Many antibiotics do have nauseating side effects

As far as I can tell, there aren't any known contraindications to diving while taking antibiotics

I would think there would definitely be contraindications to some antibiotics....Some of the antibiotics used to treat kidney infections include Sulfa drugs and combinations like Sulfamethaxazole and trimethoprim...Broad spectrum antibiotics may also be used...All of these antibiotics can cause one to become nauseated. Being on a boat can make matters worse.
But I definitely agree with you TSandM that it sounds like a case of pyelonephritis since Stephhhhh's infection required hospitalization and IV antibiotic therapy....

 

[fisherdvm]

On the topics of antibiotics,

Some can cause sun sensitivity - Bactrim, Septra, Doxycyclines, Tetracyclines.

Some can cause nausea - Erythromycin, Biaxin, Tetracyclines.

Most can cause indigestion, diarrhea, intestinal discomfort.

Rarely, they can cause skin eruption.

Some can interact with diabetic medications and can cause hypoglycemia.

But, concerning diving related illnesses, I am not certain of any specific contraindications. Like TSM said, it is not the antibiotic, it is the condition that required the antibiotics in the first place.

 

[rawls]

How about the term...might not be a good idea