if you're sick after a dive, take it seriously

[lowflyer]

OP, I am a medical doctor and would never speculate about what happened to you from just listening to your story here. You will not get the answer here. You will not get it from DAN either because they will just be listening to your story. I got bad advice from DAN once. They aren't perfect.

History is important, but so are a physical exam and tests. Besides, it's even possible that the dive was not the direct cause of your problem.

IMO, It's important that you get worked up by a neurologist or a dive specialist with a neurology bent ASAP.

 

[Blackcrusader]

So sorry to hear about this, @kaylee_ann. As a new diver myself (24 dives) I've loved your enthusiasm.

The chest CT won't be able to look for a PFO (patent foramen ovale), you'll need an echocardiogram for that. A neurologist should be able to order the echo since it's normally part of the workup looking for possible causes of a stroke.

PFOs are common (up to 25% of the population has one). If you have one and your symptoms are felt to be related to arterial gas embolism (AGE) and no other cause for AGE is found, it may be worth speaking with an interventional cardiologist, as current recommendations are to close the PFO in that situation. Hopefully the Dive Medicine physician at Penn can point you in the right direction.

Adam

I did a PFO test recently.

Continue or stop diving with a PFO?

I had a TEE screening done on Monday and it revealed a PFO. Clear shunt while performing the valsalva manouver. Over the past eight years I have probably had 6-7 episodes of skin bends. Never been in the chamber (but sometimes I wonder if I should have been). Once or twice there has been visual...

scubaboard.com

 

[DandyDon]

I'm blown away. I have read about countless dive accidents, but nothing like this. I am sorry if diving is truly out now, but hoping for a complete recovery.

OP, I am a medical doctor and would never speculate about what happened to you from just listening to your story here. You will not get the answer here. You will not get it from DAN either because they will just be listening to your story. I got bad advice from DAN once. They aren't perfect.

History is important, but so are a physical exam and tests. Besides, it's even possible that the dive was not the direct cause of your problem.

IMO, It's important that you get worked up by a neurologist or a dive specialist with a neurology bent ASAP.

I read 74 posts here, and this one is the best, but then he did spend years and years becoming an MD. The dive could be coincidental to the problem's onset, maybe. Yeah, I wish you had told your buddy about the onset at the time and one of you called DAN or EMS, but now is now. You need exams by several different types of doctors. DAN can refer you to some. See a lung doctor and be sure to tell him/her about your dad's lung. See a Neurologist ASAP. Ask DAN for other suggestions. And do keep us updated.

I hope you can keep your enthusiasm up and channel it into another, rewarding direction.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Very strange incident, certainly not DCS. As suggested by DandyDon, you need to get this properly examined. Probably something not diving related or perhaps brought on by diving (but there anyway waiting to come on).

Hope you can get it worked out.

 

[kaylee_ann]

So sorry to hear about this, @kaylee_ann. As a new diver myself (24 dives) I've loved your enthusiasm.

The chest CT won't be able to look for a PFO (patent foramen ovale), you'll need an echocardiogram for that. A neurologist should be able to order the echo since it's normally part of the workup looking for possible causes of a stroke.

PFOs are common (up to 25% of the population has one). If you have one and your symptoms are felt to be related to arterial gas embolism (AGE) and no other cause for AGE is found, it may be worth speaking with an interventional cardiologist, as current recommendations are to close the PFO in that situation. Hopefully the Dive Medicine physician at Penn can point you in the right direction.

Adam

thanks. i've had an echo which didn't show anything but they're having me do the bubble test

OP, I am a medical doctor and would never speculate about what happened to you from just listening to your story here. You will not get the answer here. You will not get it from DAN either because they will just be listening to your story. I got bad advice from DAN once. They aren't perfect.

History is important, but so are a physical exam and tests. Besides, it's even possible that the dive was not the direct cause of your problem.

IMO, It's important that you get worked up by a neurologist or a dive specialist with a neurology bent ASAP.

very true. i'm hoping to get in somewhere relatively soon.

I'm blown away. I have read about countless dive accidents, but nothing like this. I am sorry if diving is truly out now, but hoping for a complete recovery.


I read 74 posts here, and this one is the best, but then he did spend years and years becoming an MD. The dive could be coincidental to the problem's onset, maybe. Yeah, I wish you had told your buddy about the onset at the time and one of you called DAN or EMS, but now is now. You need exams by several different types of doctors. DAN can refer you to some. See a lung doctor and be sure to tell him/her about your dad's lung. See a Neurologist ASAP. Ask DAN for other suggestions. And do keep us updated.

I hope you can keep your enthusiasm up and channel it into another, rewarding direction.

yeah, i never saw this coming. at all. out of all the dive problems i could imagine happening, this one never entered my brain as a possibility. i definitely will see a few specialists. and thank you

 

[GDHLEWIS]

Good luck with the recovery. Hopefully the docs will figure it all out asap

 

[Belzelbub]

Sorry to hear about this. I know how much you really wanted to dive. Every setback you faced along the way just seemed to strengthen your resolve. Hopefully, the experts can figure this out quickly.

 

[Akimbo]

my dad was born with a weak spot in his lung so I’m gonna get a CT scan to see if I have one too
some things can be genetic I guess

How did your dad discover the "weak spot in his lungs"? Come to think of it, our entire lungs are weak spots. This illustration might help you visualize how thin the walls of our alveoli are.

 

[kaylee_ann]

How did your dad discover the "weak spot in his lungs"? Come to think of it, our entire lungs are weak spots. This illustration might help you visualize how how thin the walls of our alveoli are.
View attachment 740302

He had a collapsed lung when exercising and a scan showed it

 

[kaylee_ann]

Sorry to hear about this. I know how much you really wanted to dive. Every setback you faced along the way just seemed to strengthen your resolve. Hopefully, the experts can figure this out quickly.

aw, thanks. yeah sadly some things you can’t push past.