MS and Diving

[mking1]

Update. Saw my doctor today and we talked more about scuba diving and MS. Apparently he knows a little more that I had originally given him credit for. If DCS symptoms appear following a dive (this could be up to several days) then treat it as if it was DCS, not a MS exacerbation. What common sense! I should have known that one myself. It appears that, this answer was too clear for me to see.

mk

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi mking1,

I have a good dive buddy, with whom I dive all over the world, who has a moderately severe case of very long standing.

If you'd like to chat with him, contact me directly for an e-mail address & introduction.

Best of luck.

DocVikingo

 

[Quad Diver]

MS is not an absolute condraindication to diving, but it should be done with a full awareness of the possible problems. Diving is not a risk free endeavor and diving with a disability further complicates things.

An MS exacerbation can look like DCS. DCS can look like an MS exacerbation. MS can produce vertigo, changes in vision, respiratory function, cardiovascular function, renal function and other problems in addition to the more well known weakness / paralysis.

A bigger concern is that MS is a progressive condition, so things can (& probably will) change from year to year or even week to week. Your limitations today might not be significant, but they could be in the future.

Another concern is that MS effects cognitive (intellectual) function that can lead to impaired memory and judgement / problem solving. A person with MS might not be aware that he / she has become too compromised to dive safely.

A person with MS should be followed by a Neurologist or Physiatrist with experience in the condition. Frequent re-evaluation is indicated. Annual re-evaluation is essential, as would be a re-assessment after any exacerbation to document any new deficit and understand how one might adapt.

Strongly consider doing your diving with a group that specializes in working with divers with disabilities. The Handicapped SCUBA Association or Itnl Association of Handicapped Divers can be helpful. HSA has 20+ years of experience teaching diving to people with disabilities, including quadriplegics!

Living with MS means living for today, because the future can be uncertain.

Happy & Safe Diving

 

[mking1]

Thanks Quad Diver for the information. You sound like a well-informed individual and perhaps a neurologist. Thanks to you and others on this board I am also now a well-informed diver and diving with confidence. I’m now on the B of the ABC drugs, starting last January, and I’m doing very well and my symptoms are very light or almost unnoticeable. I swim and exercise each day and my stamina is improving. I do see a Neurologist every 3 to 4 months but I do not understand the need for a Physiatrist. Perhaps you could expand on that a little more. I do feel like my IQ has dropped about 10 points after retiring about 1.5 years ago.

The retirement has been good and has allowed my wife and I in the last 1.5 years to spent two weeks on the Belize Aggressor, one week on the Bay Islands Aggressor, one week in Cozumel and we are going to Hawaii next October for a week or so. This is not to mention other numerous non-diving trips my wife can talk me into taking. My retirement has also greatly contributed to my overall improvement.

By the way, how’s it out there in old San Antonio? I haven’t been there in years and the last I remember it was awful hot.

mk

 

[Quad Diver]

I am pleased to hear that you are diving safely and confidently.

A Physiatrist (pronounced "Fizz - i - a - trist") is a physician who specializes in Rehabilitation Medicine. While Neurologists diagnose MS, a Physiatrist helps a person achieve his / her maximum potential despite a disability. We often specialize in the the care of people with MS / Spinal Cord Injury. We treat weakness, paralysis, sensory disturbances, spasticity, pain, bowel / bladder dysfunction, orthopedic complications and other problems.

Physiatrists who work with MS or other neurological conditions often partner with Neurologists to achieve the best comprehensive care possible.

There sometimes is confusion about what we do based on the spelling. A Physiatrist is a rehabilitation specialist. A Psychiatrist is, of course, someone who specializes in mental and emotional disorders. Two entirely different specialties!

I think there is a adaptive diving organization in Houston. Search the internet for their site. Their experience can be very helpful in making diving with a disability a safe and comfortable experience.

Yes I am a Physiatrist. I also have a spinal cord injury and have been a wheelchair user for years.

Happy and Safe diving!

PS

Yes, summer in San Antonio can be hot, but the lower humidity makes the heat index lower than Houston. It is also great place to live.