Doctor told me I would explode.

[lead bottom]

I was thinking that I had read a study - I think it was a DAN report - that said the asthma induced injuries where no greater than other dive injuries. Could be wrong. The older I get the more I forget.

PS My eye doctor said that she was told to stop diving, or lose her life insurance. She quit diving. Sad Sad.

 

[mdjh51]

The problem with diving and asthma is that asthma is not an intermittent event, but an ongoing disease (despite the popular understanding. WHat miost lay people see as asthma is actually an exacerbation of the ongoing condition). It is an obstructive disease. This means that you have a very difficult time EXHALING. The small airways (terminal and respiratory broncholes) are full of mucous, as well as narrowed by spasming smooth muscle. In Asthma patients there is ALWAYS some degree of this occurring. Most of the time, the patient is unaware of it until an external trigger makes it worsen acutely. If an exacerbation occurred during a dive, the results are potentially fatal, as you will trap air under pressure, then ascend, esentially holding your breath. So in essence, the physician that told you you could "explode" was right, however poor his bedside manner was. If you truely do have asthma, do not dive. Sorry, but life is not worth it.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Asthma used to be an absolute contraindication to diving.
But then asthma used to be much more narrowly defined. Nowdays it seems every little breathing anomoly is being labeled "asthma," and therein lies the problem. If your "asthma" is the good old fashioned kind where you can have attacks, then you probably have the disqualifying disease; if it's the modern-day breathing irregularity with no blockages and no "asthma attacks" then you're probably ok. But only your diving MD is really qualified to say.
Rick

 

[Ann Marie]

I would recommend getting a copy of all the tests that were performed to take with you to your upcoming doctor's appt.

 

[TSandM]

There is a spectrum of asthma from severe to the patient who only has mild symptoms immediately after a respiratory infection ("reactive airways disease"). Many patients can be kept entirely asymptomatic on routine medication. Pulmonary function testing is the best way we know to get a handle on how much obstruction is present, and how much of it is reversible with treatment.

Patients with chronic, symptomatic asthma probably shouldn't dive at all. People like me, with reactive airways disease, who can go years with no symptoms whatsoever, are probably as safe as anybody else, except perhaps during an asthma episode. That's why no blanket statement that "asthma is an absolute contraindication to diving" can be valid.

 

[Cacia]

I was so glad when I found a ENT that was also a diver. It wasn't through DAN but he understood what I was going through. Of course when I tell him that I have been diving in 40-50 degree waters he wants me to go see a shrink.

Oh, I thought you said he wanted to "see you shrink". Perils of speed reading. ...see a shrink..ok I get it.

 

[DennisW]

well, asthma is a type of COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease so I would like to know why it is safe. I understand why it can be dangerous "blow a bleb" but now why is it ok? Anybody know?

I am not sure I agree with the IQ thing. (Doctors having the same average intelligence as the general popoulation.) I thought average was an IQ of 100. Most physicians I know are...higher than that.

where are the MENSA people when you need them? Frank?

Catherine,

I have met and had to use Doctors that I am sure had an IQ of less than 100. Thankfully, I only needed a prescription for an antibiotic. For important medical issues, I find one with some smarts. I would hope that most doctors would have a higher than 100 IQ, but frankly, you only need a really good memory to get through Organic Chemistry and that is what most doctors need, a good memory to get through med school. I was pretty surprised when my kid's pediatrician said what he did, but it sure made a lot of things make sense.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Ditto what Rick and TSandM said. My wife has asthma, but I can't remember the last time she had an "attack". She carries an albuterol inhaler with here and might pre medicate before cold water dives (if she's thinking about it), but it's just a prophylactic measure.

As far as doctor's IQs - there are lots of doctors out there that are smarter than average. I haven't met TSandM, but based on her posts here, I'm guessing she's one of those. There are also a lot of doctors that aren't that smart. Unfortunately, most people don't know enough about medicine to know which ones are which.

 

[Cacia]

I think ya'll are wrong. A lot of physicians don't "process" that great but their IQ scores are still well above average. Organic Chemistry...only memorization? Are you kidding? Oh well, not important...I guess.

 

[DocVikingo]

That physicians have the "same average intelligence as the general popoulation" is simply drivel unsupported by the published literature.

A few citations [NOTE: Classification of IQ: Very Superior 128 and over; Superior 120-127; Bright Normal 111-119; Average 91-110; Dull Normal 80-90; Borderline 66-79; Defective 65 and below]:


1. Matarazzo, Joseph D. Wechsler's Measure and Appraisal of Adult Intelligence, 5th Edition. Oxford University Press, 1972:

Measured Intelligence and Education

125 Mean of persons receiving Ph.D. and M.D. degrees
115 Mean of college graduates
105 Mean of high school graduates
100 Average for total population
75 About 50-50 chance of reaching ninth grade

2. Modern IQ ranges for various occupations (Meritocracy, Cognitive Ability, and the Sources of Occupational Success; Robert M. Hauser; 2002):

See Figures 7-12.

http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/cde/cdewp/98-07.pdf

3. Performance Norms on Job Applicants Northfield, Illinois: E.F. Wonderlic & Associates, Inc., 1970:

Approximate Percentiles and Intelligence Quotients (Terman) of Job Applicants

Profession/IQ range

Professor, Chief Executive Officer/112 - 132
Doctor, Writer, Computer Specialist/108 - 129
Administrator, Engineer/105 - 126
Department Head, General Manager/103 - 124
Claims Adjuster, Inspector,
Laboratory Technician,
Management Trainee, Supervisor/101 - 122
Accounting Clerk, Computer Operator,
Sales Representative/99 - 119
Bookkeeper, Cashier, Data Processing/97 - 116
Circulation Manager,
Customer Service Representative,
Electrician, Foreman,
General Office Lineman,
Office Machine Operator, Teller/93 - 113


This, of course, does not address the particular level of intelligence of NovaSS's local pulmonary specialist.

And, I would agree that the average physician has a limited knowledge of diving medicine.

Regards,

DocVikingo