Had a "small" stroke and still want to dive!

[BETCHAMAN]

I am 46 yrs old and have been diving for over 25 yrs. Five weeks ago I had a small clot cause a stroke. I've had the entire battery of tests (CT, MRI, Echo etc). The Docs still don't know what caused it. I have a small loss of dexterity on the right side and a small but noticeable speech slur. Other than that, I feel fine. My nuero doc is not a diver and has very little knowledge about diving. He is reluctant to give me permission to return to diving. Is there any reason that I can't get back in the water? I know what DAN says and I have passed the testing criteria (ie: everything is now "normal") All of my research on the subject indicates that there is only a slightly increased chance of another stroke (no more so than going to the gym). Is there anyone else out there that has gone through a stroke and is still diving?

 

[japan-diver]

Although each medical case would be unique - we have a customer here that dives with us regularly that suffered a stroke and has used diving to help rehabilitate. They did extensive tests to clear him from diving and he always dives with one of our instructors as a buddy but he has been doing just fine for a couple years now and about a day of diving every month at least I would say on average.

 

[Bratface]

Find a DAN doctor in neurology or internal medicine. S/he can answer your questions and determine if you are ready and if you should have any depth restrictions for now. Glad you had a good outcome and are working to correct anything that may have contributed to the stoke--high cholesterol, high bp....

 

[drbill]

I cannot tell you what you should do since I'm not that kind of doctor. However, I suffered a stroke back in 1985 while working on Cousteau's Alcyone (not diving). I recovered almost completely within about 6 months and have been diving quite a bit since then (several thousand dives since 2000 alone). My only residual is a slight droop of one side of my mouth. Get a diving doctor's opinion of course.

 

[pasley]

... The Docs still don't know what caused it. ...I know what DAN says and I have passed the testing criteria (ie: everything is now "normal")

NOT A DOCTOR, the following is IMHO only and does not constitute medical advice or even rational thought.

Since you have already consulted the exert DAN, you pretty much have your answer from the research point of view. Time to Call DAN, get a referral to a specilist in strokes who is also a Dive Medicine Doctor who can, after an exam give you specific advice for you. Another question is are you at higher risk of DCS.

 

[BETCHAMAN]

Thanks for the replies! I'm developing a plan based on my conversation with the DAN (very helpful!) and my Neuro Doc. Having a stroke is the hard way to educate a Nuero Doc about scuba science. I had planned a series of deep dives in florida over the xmas holiday (really wanted that gulf deep diver specialty) but I think I'll pass for now as common sense overides the miniscule threat of DCS . Right now, If I can stay sypmtom free for six months, we'll consider this thing "under control" and back in the water I WILL go. As a wise man (my father) once told me. "You're either going to live or you're going to die...I'm leaning towards living!"

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Betchaman,
Stroke often happens in the presence of other conditions, e.g. coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, hypertension. An evaluation for fitness to return to diving will have to include any other health issues you may have, not just the stroke. Unfortunately, you're in a bit of a poor location for diving docs... it looks to me like either LDS Hospital and Salt Lake or Presbyterian/St. Luke's in Denver are the closest. Good luck!
Best,
DDM