I had a diving accident 8 weeks ago and was hospitalised for DCI for three days. My main symptoms were tingling, which began in the fingers and then spread to most of my body, numbness of the legs and a bubbling sensation under the skin. My treatment consisted of breathing 100% oxygen. I was not referred to a hyperbaric unit for treatment in a recompression chamber. The nearest chamber was over 2000km away and the doctors decided that my symptoms were not severe enough to warrant the risks of transporting me to or treatment within the chamber.
By the time I left hospital I was left only with the tingling sensation. I was told not to embark on any strenous exercise for two weeks or to fly for two weeks. I was told that my tingling would remedy itself within this time.
At this current time I still have the tingling sensation most predominantly in my fingers but in other parts of my body from time to time. I have not flown up until this point, however, I did go to altitude (only 1000 metres) a couple of weeks ago which left me feeling quite unwell (nausea, dizzyness etc). Once I descended my symptoms seemed to resolve which made me wonder if they could be related to the DCI.
To this effect, later that day I visited a hospital in Sydney. They advised me that it was possible that it was the DCI causing the nausea etc but that it was more likely to have been one of a number of other causes. This seemed reasonable to me. They did advise me, however, that the hospital where I was initially treated should not have told me that my symptoms would resolve within 2 weeks. They stated that in their experience symptoms often take 3-6 months to resolve fully.
My concern now is flying before my tingling has fully resolved itself. I have not been able to get much of an answer on this point. The hospital advised me that it was my decision. They said on the one hand I could be fine but on the other I might be quite ill during and after the flight, although they did say that flying would not be dangerous. I couldn't really understand why I might feel ill but that that wasn't dangerous though.
I was basically hoping that you might have some further information to enable me to make a more informed decision on the matter of when I will be absolutely fine to fly again. At some point I need to return from Australia all the way to the UK.
Thanks very much.
Kind regards,
SPuz
By the time I left hospital I was left only with the tingling sensation. I was told not to embark on any strenous exercise for two weeks or to fly for two weeks. I was told that my tingling would remedy itself within this time.
At this current time I still have the tingling sensation most predominantly in my fingers but in other parts of my body from time to time. I have not flown up until this point, however, I did go to altitude (only 1000 metres) a couple of weeks ago which left me feeling quite unwell (nausea, dizzyness etc). Once I descended my symptoms seemed to resolve which made me wonder if they could be related to the DCI.
To this effect, later that day I visited a hospital in Sydney. They advised me that it was possible that it was the DCI causing the nausea etc but that it was more likely to have been one of a number of other causes. This seemed reasonable to me. They did advise me, however, that the hospital where I was initially treated should not have told me that my symptoms would resolve within 2 weeks. They stated that in their experience symptoms often take 3-6 months to resolve fully.
My concern now is flying before my tingling has fully resolved itself. I have not been able to get much of an answer on this point. The hospital advised me that it was my decision. They said on the one hand I could be fine but on the other I might be quite ill during and after the flight, although they did say that flying would not be dangerous. I couldn't really understand why I might feel ill but that that wasn't dangerous though.
I was basically hoping that you might have some further information to enable me to make a more informed decision on the matter of when I will be absolutely fine to fly again. At some point I need to return from Australia all the way to the UK.
Thanks very much.
Kind regards,
SPuz
