How long post surgery before diving?

[wetvet]

Hi all;

I had open heart surgery on Nov 6th. Had a VSD fixed. It went exceptionally well until Dec 6, when I got an MRSA infection in the skin would....not deep, only superficial, but have been on IV antibiotics up till now. Just had post op ultrasound, and the patch is not leaking at all. Ive booked a trip to Cozumel for Feb 22, and am asking for opinions as to how conservative I should be on profiles. It will be three and a half months post surgery.

I appreciate any recommendations or opinions.

Wetvet

 

[bleeb]

It doesn't directly answer your question, but if you haven't seen it, you might want to look at this recent thread: My Dry Dives and Other Adventures with DCS, PFO and Migraine with Aura

 

[scubapro50]

They best answer is talk to your doctor about it and see what it says. GOOD LUCK ..... I have known many divers that where told not to get it the water by Dive Masters because of past heart conditions especially after surgery. They just don't want to take the chance that something might go wrong and screw up their trip. I know divers that lie on the medical forms you have to fill out before diving on large liveaboards...... it's the only way they can get on they boat. There is one company that required medical forms (with a physical) to be filled out in advance and signed by a doctor. After discloseing a previous "heart condition" the company sent back a letter that due to "insurance" reasons they would not allow this person to dive and offered to refund his money. Lucky he found out about this before it got there ...... it was an trip to the Great Barrier Reef and he would have really been upset going all that way to be told he couldn't dive after he got there.

 

[TSandM]

If your wound is closed, and your patch isn't leaking, I can't think of any reason why your profiles would need to change. Hopefully the staph infection wasn't in the sternum, because full healing of the sternum is important if you are going to be hauling gear around.

 

[Saturation]

Hi all;

I had open heart surgery on Nov 6th. Had a VSD fixed. It went exceptionally well until Dec 6, when I got an MRSA infection in the skin would....not deep, only superficial, but have been on IV antibiotics up till now. Just had post op ultrasound, and the patch is not leaking at all. Ive booked a trip to Cozumel for Feb 22, and am asking for opinions as to how conservative I should be on profiles. It will be three and a half months post surgery.

I appreciate any recommendations or opinions.

Wetvet

Glad to hear all has finally gone well, wv, I've recalled your saga since your prior posts on SB.

All you need is a fitness to dive exam, as if you were getting certified to dive again. A reputable dive shop may be concerned about it anyway, and will require a clearance letter signed before diving.

You can either have it done formally by any physician using any RSTC physical exam form, or if its not required but you are concerned about your true fitness to dive ask yourself these questions:

To New Divers!

Cozumel is current diving, and the operators have a tendency to be lax. There are easy and not so easy sites. My suggestion is to take it easy, and get your feet wet. I had a better time in 20' at 3 hours than I did at 120' for 30 minutes because some areas are full of life and shallow, good photo ops, and I was less worried about getting hit by a boat.

 

[wetvet]

thanks for the replies. TSandM.....the infection was in the sternal wound, but was superficial....however, infectious disease service decided it was prudent to put me on 6 weeks of Vancomycin IV....I had some medical arguements against this, but did it (my PICC line comes out next week ....GOD I HATE THIS THING), but there was no involvement with the bone, and I have been to the gym twice since, and did some light bench presses, and no pain at all from it, so I am confident in the bone strength. Saturation....thank you for your comments and concern, both now and in the past. I will definitely be staying a bit shallower, which I usually do anyway.....am interested in doing a very currenty dive to see if the eagle rays are at eagle ray alley, but that one shouldn't even approach deco limits (it may not even go, depends on boat schedule). I've also had my cardiologist and my family doc sign off on me diving. Even now, my fitness level is higher than many of my diving friends, so that is not an issue either.

Anyway....anyone who is considering open heart surgery.....my experience was EXTREMELY positive....it was very easy, with very little pain. I was out of the hospital in 5 days....off all pain meds in 7 days, and driving 13 days post-op. If it wasn't for the infection, it would have been easier than many of the other things that I've had done (or done to myself:depressed.

Tonight is my first pool course as a divemaster, and next week get to blow bubbles for the first time in 18 months:banana::banana:
Cant wait!!!!

Wetvet