Need a medical professional's advice ASAP for IDC!!!

[ScubaTigress]

For lack of a better thread to post in, i'll post the question here:

I had an emergency bowel resection Tuesday the 21st of this month, laproscopic assist, about a 2.5 inch horizontal cut on the bikini line, with a couple other puncture wounds (one in the belly button and another in the side). I'm going through my IDC course, and this weekend is the open water portion (followed by IE on the 15th and 16th). I know I can't be "submersed", which I can get around with a dry suit no problem. BUT, seeing as the minimum dive requirement is 20 feet, are there any abnormal risks? or am I ok to go? I'm making a few phone calls in the morning to determine whether or not i'm bouncing out of town to finish this thing (i'm on a bit of a time limit). I won't be going deeper than I have to (1 atm), or in the water longer than I have to be. I don't even want to be in the water here (i'm not a muck diver anymore!!!) but for this course. Am I safe, or are there any ways around this? (again, just looking for multiple opinions. this is just one of them)

Thanks so much!!!!

---------- Post added May 30th, 2013 at 08:15 PM ----------

I'd rather be safe than sorry, but REAAAALLY need to get this done =/

 

[miked]

Not a medical professional, but a friend had laproscopic surgery (different operation than yours) on the 16th of May, and she is still under doctor's orders to do no lifting (heavy dive gear??).
Another friend had a bowel resection, with some laproscopic elements, and he was laid up for 6 weeks.
Regarding "submersion"drysuits have been known to leak.....and muck and recent incisions??????

As I said, I'm NOT a medical professional, just a concerned fellow diver. Please be careful, and good to yourself.

 

[BVickery]

I'd like to echo Miked's concerns. I would get a Doctor's clearance to be on the safe side. Even though you had the surgery laproscopiclly, that is just for the incision, it doesn't change what happened to what was done inside of you. I had my Gall Bladder removed laproscopicly and no way in hell would I even think of diving 1 week later because, from my experience, rushing back normally creates issues in the future (IE things wont heal right).

The question you really may want is to yourself, is completing the IDC course now really worth a ton of medical problems in the future that are even worse? I have had over 15 surgeries, ranging from the simplest and benign of kidney stone removal to full hip replacement. If I knew 1/2 what I know now I would have not rushed back from a lot of my earlier surgeries, I would have also prevented a lot of my current problems now which, when looking back.

For me, good health is priceless. And best of luck for any choice you make.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

I went on a dive trip after a bowel resection. But I did it 8 WEEKS after, not 8 days.

You're asking for trouble if you do this. Postpone the IDC.

 

[ScubaTigress]

As far as lifting goes, someone else would have just taken care of getting my gear to/from the water and all that jazz... And yeah, i'm going to get medical clearance first BUT, I just wanted to hear some opinions. This was my first surgery so I'm for the most part pretty clueless as to what the actual risks would be, and bummed because i'm used to being in the water every day x_x already been dry for a month!

 

[BVickery]

As far as lifting goes, someone else would have just taken care of getting my gear to/from the water and all that jazz... And yeah, i'm going to get medical clearance first BUT, I just wanted to hear some opinions. This was my first surgery so I'm for the most part pretty clueless as to what the actual risks would be, and bummed because i'm used to being in the water every day x_x already been dry for a month!

If this is your first surgery, don't push it. You are going to need more than a week for your body to heal/recover from surgery like that. Remember, you still got major incision/cutting that went on inside of you. My mom had surgery similiar to yours, pushed it just a little and ended up having to have it redone and the recovery was even longer since they had to repair even more. I mean, I had my Gall Bladder removed and I only pushed myself to start exercising my core more and it looks like I may have made it worse (possible hernia).

 

[Lopez116]

Scubatigress- I told you not to eat that lionfish!

Check these out:

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/faq/Abdominal_Surgery_

http://www.scuba-doc.com/surgdiv.html (scroll down to Gastrointestinal)

I wouldn't rush it...the ocean isn't going anywhere. Why dive muck when you can come to SoCal and dive here? I already told you we have a spare room

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Do not dive until, at the very least, your surgeon has cleared you for full activity. Ten days is nowhere near long enough. Also, your return to diving will depend on any other underlying health problems, so it may be prudent to get cleared by a diving medical professional.

 

[TSandM]

The wounds that were created in your surgery are actually at about their weakest at a week post-op. The healing process first requires cleaning up all the damaged tissue, before the body can even begin laying down effective scar. New blood vessels have to grow into the area to provide nutrition for the healing. A week post-op is precisely when I would counsel someone NOT to be involved in activities that would stress the incisions. Hernias are no fun.

A secondary issue is that many people report that they experience a decrease in stamina after general anesthesia, which can persist for a couple of weeks.

Although I think that, with laparascopic surgery, young and healthy patients can return to normal activities far faster than in the "old days", this is still WAY too soon to do what you are contemplating.

 

[mselenaous]

In addition to what they have said, you are putting your Course Director and Training Facility at risk with their liability insurance carriers....and the PADI Examiners.

Risk Management and Liability reduction is part of your IDC...it applies to how you deal with all of your students...AND what you should be considering when YOU are the student. Be as frank with your trainers as you would want your students to be of you. As a future instructor you need to see the big picture of everyone involved, not just yourself.