Epilepsy.... Here we go

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Carolina,

Not to be a horse's butt, but there's a reason you're getting flak for broaching the subject. TSandM pretty well outlined the risks so I won't rehash them. Even if you do everything you can to mitigate them, there are still risks. I'm sure this is going to sound more blunt than I really intend, but do you really want to be holding on to your wife under water, watching her in the throes of a grand mal seizure and praying that your plan works?

Re the VNS: it's an implantable electronic device. I've never treated a hyperbaric patient who had one but if we were to consult on such a patient, the first thing we would do is check with the manufacturer to ensure that it had been pressure tested. We do the same thing with ICDs and pacemakers.

If you really want her to dive I recommend contacting DiveHeart, Diveheart Foundation Official Website, and seeing if they can accommodate her.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[CAROLINA BAREFOOT]

Carolina,

Not to be a horse's butt, but there's a reason you're getting flak for broaching the subject. TSandM pretty well outlined the risks so I won't rehash them. Even if you do everything you can to mitigate them, there are still risks. I'm sure this is going to sound more blunt than I really intend, but do you really want to be holding on to your wife under water, watching her in the throes of a grand mal seizure and praying that your plan works?

Re the VNS: it's an implantable electronic device. I've never treated a hyperbaric patient who had one but if we were to consult on such a patient, the first thing we would do is check with the manufacturer to ensure that it had been pressure tested. We do the same thing with ICDs and pacemakers.

If you really want her to dive I recommend contacting DiveHeart, Diveheart Foundation Official Website, and seeing if they can accommodate her.

Best regards,
DDM

Short, concise, and to the point. I appreciate not just yours, but everyone's honesty and bluntness. There's nothing worse than someone who beats around the bush rather than just saying what you are thinking.

The doc we saw was my PCM as an army diver and he knew a great deal about the subject. To the point, no matter what risk mitigation procedures we use, there will be inherent and unacceptable amount that is "played in the cards". It is a risk I am not willing to take, nor is she. As stated above, this will just have to be one of those things in life that sucks.

I am still getting a hookah rig and will be taking my kiddos to dive school in the next few weeks. My wife has amazing lung capacity and is very efficient in her free dive technique, she says she'll be fine with that.

Thanks!

Spear fishing with SCUBA gear?! Punch yourself!

 

[DocVikingo]

Hey CB,

Not much help, but:

"I checked with our clinical technical department respective to your inquiry about effects of pressure upon the VNS system. We have several different models. There has not been any testing on the newer Demipulse (103 model). The first generation VNS implant (model 100) passed testing at 60 psi for 2 hours.

Thanks again for your interest.

Patricia DeLong RN, BSN, CCM
Executive Case Manager-Gold"

Regards,

DocV

PS: 60 psi=138 ffw.