And maybe a little encouragement & reassurance.
First off, I am a 64 year old (retired) male who was out of diving for over 20 years. I got back into it almost 2 years ago and went from refresher through AOW and a bunch of specialties until an instructor friend suggested that I think about DM. Once I found out the physical requirements, I started hitting my local YMCA pool and knocking off running (one of my knees was giving me problems anyway). At that time my weight was over 225 and I was on Lisinopril and Simvastatin. I did have my doctor do a medical clearance before I started diving and had it updated with every checkup.
Anyway, with all that swimming and some other small lifestyle changes, I managed to drop over 30 pounds in 18 months and my doctor recently took me off my meds after reducing them gradually. I also did my DM as well as IDC and have been instructing since July (and having a great time doing it). When I'm not on the dive boat or in the pool with students, I do my regular thing at the Y - either 45 minutes straight crawl or 30 minutes crawl and 30 minutes mask/fin/snorkel. I usually do my DM 400 yd swim at the end of my sessions and average between 9:00 to 9:15.
My internist noticed a slight murmur so referred me for an echo cardiogram where they discovered an aortic valve stenosis / biscuspid aortic valve and now I'm just waiting for the cardiologist referral. My internist OK'd swimming in the pool as well as scuba in the pool (so I could still do academic and confined OW skills) but has drawn the line at open water until we see what the cardiologist has to say. I sent an inquiry to DAN, and there are no local diving cardiologists, but the chief of the heart center is active in surfing and other water sports, so I am in hopes that they are fairly knowledgeable.
What I guess I want to know is what I should be expecting for this referral as well as what my chances of returning to the open water are (either personal diving or instructing)? Also, what questions should I be asking? DAN e-mailed me the Bove & Davis Diving Medicine chapter on cardiovascular disorders and diving to give to the cardiologist with an offer for the doc to call them with any questions. In reading through this chapter on my own, it looks like things could go either way. On the plus side, I am in pretty good shape now (in spite of my valve). On the minus side, I'm just not sure.
At this point, I'm really kicking myself for not getting back into diving earlier! :depressed:
Any help/education/encouragement would be appreciated.
First off, I am a 64 year old (retired) male who was out of diving for over 20 years. I got back into it almost 2 years ago and went from refresher through AOW and a bunch of specialties until an instructor friend suggested that I think about DM. Once I found out the physical requirements, I started hitting my local YMCA pool and knocking off running (one of my knees was giving me problems anyway). At that time my weight was over 225 and I was on Lisinopril and Simvastatin. I did have my doctor do a medical clearance before I started diving and had it updated with every checkup.
Anyway, with all that swimming and some other small lifestyle changes, I managed to drop over 30 pounds in 18 months and my doctor recently took me off my meds after reducing them gradually. I also did my DM as well as IDC and have been instructing since July (and having a great time doing it). When I'm not on the dive boat or in the pool with students, I do my regular thing at the Y - either 45 minutes straight crawl or 30 minutes crawl and 30 minutes mask/fin/snorkel. I usually do my DM 400 yd swim at the end of my sessions and average between 9:00 to 9:15.
My internist noticed a slight murmur so referred me for an echo cardiogram where they discovered an aortic valve stenosis / biscuspid aortic valve and now I'm just waiting for the cardiologist referral. My internist OK'd swimming in the pool as well as scuba in the pool (so I could still do academic and confined OW skills) but has drawn the line at open water until we see what the cardiologist has to say. I sent an inquiry to DAN, and there are no local diving cardiologists, but the chief of the heart center is active in surfing and other water sports, so I am in hopes that they are fairly knowledgeable.
What I guess I want to know is what I should be expecting for this referral as well as what my chances of returning to the open water are (either personal diving or instructing)? Also, what questions should I be asking? DAN e-mailed me the Bove & Davis Diving Medicine chapter on cardiovascular disorders and diving to give to the cardiologist with an offer for the doc to call them with any questions. In reading through this chapter on my own, it looks like things could go either way. On the plus side, I am in pretty good shape now (in spite of my valve). On the minus side, I'm just not sure.
At this point, I'm really kicking myself for not getting back into diving earlier! :depressed:
Any help/education/encouragement would be appreciated.