EGD w/Biospy and a Colonoscopy w/Biopsy..is it safe to go diving after this procedure

[lilo]

I just had a EGD and a Colonoscopy both with biospy done last week. Is it OK to go diving or should I wait for sometime? I still have pain in my stomach due to the discomfort of the biopsy..i think...not sure if my pain is from the biopsy or the pain I been having for awhile. The doctor said I have a bacteria but can not say until he get the results back from the lab.
:shakehead

Lilo

 

[divemaster_jim]

I had a EGD back in Oct. on a friday and that sat. I was diving with no ill effects, I wasn't 100% but did ok, but that was just me, your results may differ, ask your doctot just to be safe. My biospy for E. Pylori came back negative too.

 

[TSandM]

If you're a week out from your procedures, you're very unlikely to have any complications related to them, and you almost certainly have repleted the volume and electrolyte losses you incurred as a result of the prep from the colonoscopy. There should be no reason at all related to the procedures as to why you shouldn't dive.

If you've been having epigastric pain and it's related to ulcers or H. pylori infection, that's very treatable and, in the absence of perforation or bleeding, is not a contraindication to diving. Epigastric pain can be a symptom of a wide variety of conditions, some benign and some more worrisome, and I can't tell you it's just fine to dive with your symptoms until their cause is diagnosed.

 

[fisherdvm]

EGD, biopsy, colonoscopy are just generic terms for procedures. Unfortunately, the doctor who did it did not, or might not want to discuss the full extent of his findings to you. I would not dive unless the doctor who performed the procedure cleared you for diving.

If he had found an ulcerative tumor, and did not want to discuss it with you until the biopsy is back, that could spell trouble as you might be at risk for perforation if gas ingested during the dive wanted to rapidly expand and exit.

I don't think you should simply ask any doctors or diving experts on if diving is safe. Your doctor might have found nothing more than a little gastritis, or perhaps something worse. For legal reasons, many doctors might not want to discuss their findings until they get all the results back. Hold off your diving unless you get an ok from the doc who did the scope.

 

[Gator Diver]

I just had a EGD and a Colonoscopy both with biospy done last week. Is it OK to go diving or should I wait for sometime? I still have pain in my stomach due to the discomfort of the biopsy..i think...not sure if my pain is from the biopsy or the pain I been having for awhile. The doctor said I have a bacteria but can not say until he get the results back from the lab.
:shakehead

Lilo

Give a call to DAN and ask. They are usually pretty helpful and
their answer may get you back in the water sooner.

 

[TSandM]

fisherdvm, that was my point about the symptoms possibility being related to some condition that would contraindicate diving. There is nothing about the procedures themselves except the dehydration related to the colonoscopy prep that would contraindicate diving.

 

[lilo]

I still do not feel well as I am not tolatering food at this moment and I have lost already 9 lbs! For now I have to eat very light food until I see the doctor. I should know about the results by this Friday..hopefully.

 

[MB]

fisherdvm, that was my point about the symptoms possibility being related to some condition that would contraindicate diving. There is nothing about the procedures themselves except the dehydration related to the colonoscopy prep that would contraindicate diving.

Man she talks funny! Especially in the previous post!

Seriously, the prep for a colonoscopy leaves a person a bit dehydrated. That is definately not cool when diving. So that is one issue to consider, but after resuming a normal diet and fluid intake, that will become a no-brainer.

But you mentioned that you are several days out, lost some weight, and you still don't feel well. Since both procedures were internal, involved different ends of the GI track, and you have a strong sense of not being healed, there really isn't any benefit to diving yet, and if your body is fighting you, there might be some risks. If you are still healing, don't rush back to depth and/or exertion. The water's still warm - wait a bit until your body says, "Its time!"

 

[lilo]

who talks funny me? LOL

 

[MB]

who talks funny me? LOL

No Ma'am!! I was teasing our MedMod (see #3).

Your questions are very good, as are TS & M's replies!