Diving with cancer?

[drbill]

I have been a diver for well over 50 years now. A year ago in July I had surgery to repair several fistulas in my abdomen which developed following abdominal cancer surgery and have not dived since then.

The cancers I have are adenocarcinoma that initiated in the appendix and spread to the intestines and multiple myeloma which at this point is smoldering.

Yesterday my oncologist cleared me to dive cautiously but readily admitted he was not very knowledgeable about diving. I get around reasonably well although there is some lower back pain that could not be diagnosed from my last MRI.

I plan to dive just occasionally (compared to my prior dive history) and with buddies, and not go deeper than about 60 fsw.

Does this sound reasonable from a medical standpoint?

 

[tomfcrist]

I say do what you want. As long as you feel well enough to dive that day, do it.

Personally, I’d assume that solo dives to 750fsw are acceptable if I were you. Bottom line, don’t let the cancer get you down..

 

[rsingler]

From a medical standpoint, with the bit of history that you've given above, I see no reason not to go back to diving with two caveats:
1) "several fistulas" and resulting surgery means that you now have an anatomic change which THEORETICALLY makes you more prone to having trapped intestinal gas, due to scarring and a potential change in how things are routed. Before you dive, I'd ask your surgeon whether he thinks you might have a loop of bowel that flows less readily than an adjacent segment. If you develop abdominal pain on ascent after being cleared by your doc, descend a little and let gas work its way along the intestinal tract.
2) multiple operations and normal scarring on healing adds another theoretical concern, but given the number of folks with previous surgery, this is further out on the speculation limb: blood supply to scarred areas is altered, and generally decreased in scar tissue itself. Theoretically, with repetitive diving, this area could represent a very "slow tissue" that with less blood flow will have a harder time offgassing than adjacent normal tissue. Theoretically, this area could be more prone to bubbling, although the decreased blood flow also makes it slower to ongas, which may offset the issue. Your plan to limit your depth will help this, though I wouldn't worry about it too much in the first place.

I think that covers the only things I'd be concerned about, unless there are other issues from cancer treatment that haven't been mentioned, like pulmonary changes following certain chemotherapy.

As posted above, don't sweat it - just keep diving!

Diving Doc

 

[oly5050user]

A solo dive to 750 feet???

Given his medical condition that sounds rather extreme

I think the reference is to a one way trip

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Bill,

I'd recommend you go see Mike Strauss or one of the other undersea medicine folks at Long Beach Memorial. Though in theory it seems reasonable for you to cautiously resume diving, your condition is complex enough where it probably isn't a good idea to offer much more than that over the internet.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[kelemvor]

I really hope you manage to get back to diving, Dr. Bushing. Good luck!

 

[Akimbo]

I'd recommend you go see Mike Strauss or one of the other undersea medicine folks at Long Beach Memorial.

I hate to hijack this thread but do you have any recommendations for a hyperbaric doc in Northern California. I haven't had a "proper" diving physical since leaving the North Sea. What I really need is a geriatric doc with a hyperbaric specialty.

 

[JMBL]

Hi Dr. Bill,

Ain't no medic myself, but a few years back I did dive with an elderly lady recovering from cancer. She had been diving for more than 40 years and it was clear, from what she told, that diving was her way to keep a positive spirit.

All my wishes to a better health.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

I hate to hijack this thread but do you have any recommendations for a hyperbaric doc in Northern California. I haven't had a "proper" diving physical since leaving the North Sea. What I really need is a geriatric doc with a hyperbaric specialty.

Hi Akimbo, how far north?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Akimbo]

Hi Akimbo, how far north?

Best regards,
DDM

Good morning
Here is where we live. The map might be a little deceiving though since the nearest freeway is a 1½ hour trek through mountains and forrest. We expect 2 hours to see most of our doctors (or a Costco) and 3 hours to UCSF or Stanford for high-end specialists. We go to Monterey often enough that we could arrange a appointment along the way. Does that help?