Doctor told me I would explode.

[Cacia]

well, we are were not talking about judgment, empathy and perserverance. We were talking about formal IQ scores in the original post. I agree with your points but IQ is IQ, as you obviously know.

 

[freediver]

may be concise, but the range of intensity of symptoms is quite broad. As a child, I was admitted to the ER and treated with O2/corticosteroids so many times I can't count them. The sound of a vaporizer gives me a visceral reaction...

After puberty, for over 15 years I was asymptomatic, then the condition returned. I spent several years using just a rescue inhaler for exercise-induced episodes. With improved pharmaceuticals and immunotherapy for allergen triggers, I have not had anything resembling an asthma 'attack' in a very long time.

In contrast, my sister was also told she had asthma; I think she wheezed once or twice and used an inhaler for a couple of months. Maybe physicians are just cavalier with this diagnosis...

I've had this argument with several people over the years. One pulmonary specialist
from a highly prestigious east coast medical facility told me I was a *liability* to everyone on a dive boat...

Perhaps...but I'm content with the risks I take. If someone else doesn't like it, they're hereby released from any obligation to save my diseased carcass while diving with me.

heehee, I am acromegalic, had tuberculosis as an infant and have been told by two med professionals that I have COPD! I suppose I am a *liability* as well! Hey cyklon, you wanna go diving sometime?

 

[Jim Ernst]

Well I do not have a DAN / Dive doctor in my area so I went to the local pulmonary doc for a physical and to ask about diving with my condition, asthma. First he said lets do all the work up.

I did the echocardiogram, pulmanary function test and jump threw a bunch of hoops. While all this was going on I kept asking the techs and doctors how this would effect diving, each told me they saw no problems.

When all done I asked the "doc" ( who ordered these test) again about diving with asthma. He said I would exploded and no body with asthma should dive.

Well I just got off the phone with a real dive doctor on the DAN list, she is a couple hours away and in another state, I have a physical next week.

Let this be a leason for all, dont waste your time and money ( like I did) with somebody who doesnt understand diving. Maybe she will fail me too but I think I will respect here answers more than a doctotr that told me I would explode.
l

dont feel bad on this, when i went to get my OW cert i listed that i had a pnumothorax(punctured lung) 20 yrs ago,my instructor said i had to see a DR as if i didnt the pressure would push my insides out of my butt, thus killing me, ishie and i both kinda laughed, but he was sirious, now i told my dive DR this and she fell off the chair in laughter!!! some peoples kids!!!!

 

[dherbman]

The highest result, though, was my wife's. I'd just added her to get practice administering the tests. She's a molecular biologist, not a physician.

Nice, but can she hover?

 

[Snowbear]

... it is likely that a physician chosen at random is a little smarter than the average bear...

Hmmmmm .... so you're saying I shouldn't have any trouble finding a doc who's smarter than me... though in reality, that's not saying much :11:

 

[Dive-aholic]

I think ya'll are wrong. A lot of physicians don't "process" that great but their IQ scores are still well above average...

You haven't worked in the hospitals I've worked in...

 

[DiveBandit]

After years of switching MD's I finally found one who would admit that Medicine was a science and theory, not 100% cold hard fact. She also said that doctors don't know everything about everything. She has no problem sending me to a specialist if she doesn't feel comfortable with something. I have been her patient ever since.

IQ is important, but common sense and honesty can often make up for a slight lack of IQ

 

[Benthos]

Actually the doctor is not making it up. In the case of OBSTRUCTIVE airway diseases like asthma you get Dynamic Compression wich could trap air and cause a problem.

 

[SteveDiver]

The Doc that you went to is a complete idiot...especially if he used the terminology as stated in the original post. I am an asthmatic and never had an issue, it varies from person to person depending on the severity of the asthma. You did right in getting a second opinion.

 

[tb]

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,
Asthma is a restrictive disease, causing constriction of airways and making it difficult to inhale adequate amounts of air. While there can be a degree of air trapping, when someone is having an acute asthma attack, the primary problem is lack of oxygen. Various things can precipitate an asthma attack including allergins, cold air and vigorous exercise. However, there is an abundance of recent research that demonstrates people with WELL-CONTROLLED asthma can dive safely. Obstructive pulmonary diseases, like bronchitis and emphysema, often produce blebs or weak areas that are susceptible to overexpansion injuries and may rupture as a result of pressure changes during a dive. True COPD would pretty much rule out diving.
TB