Odd Pulmonary Function Test

[cougar]

I was hospitalized in Oct, 2009 with H1N1 and pneumonia which then became poly-neuropathy. I spent 7 weeks in hospital with a tracheostomy and hooked to a ventilator.

I fooled them all and survived. Now I want to get back to diving ASAP. However, my non-diving pulmonologist doesn't wanyt me to dive because of my pulmonary function tests. Basically...inspiration appears normal. On expiration...there is a plateau about mid way that then normalizes. My pulmonologist says he has never seen a test like this and fears it could be air trapping. Another possibility is that my trachea is collapsing . I would really like to see a dive doc.

My sense is that I am fine to dive. But since I absolutely promised my husband I wouldn't die this year...I want to be sure before I get wet.

I can get to Denver or Albuquerque to see a doc. I already posted the question to DAN and Doc Vikingo's site but have not heard back yet. Does anyone have any thoughts??

 

[spectrum]

Hi Lynne

It sounds like you're asking the right folks. Asking your pulmonologist for a second opinion referral another option. If your insurance only allows 1 second opinion I'd wait for DAN to make a suggestion.

Congratulations on your recovery and good luck with this hurdle.

Pete

 

[TSandM]

Well, first off, my truly sincere congratulations on surviving this illness. My experience as a physician was that anybody with that flu that got that sick died. You are an amazing survival story.

I'd be very careful about simply discarding your pulmonologist's advice. IF you are air trapping, this is a potentially instantly lethal problem on ascent. (We lost an experienced cave diver in a mine a couple of years ago, because he was air trapping and didn't know it, and embolized.) It may well be that this will normalize with sufficient time, or with treatment, but I'd not ignore it.

I totally empathize with your desire to get back in the water, but if it were me, I'd spend the next six months simply luxuriating in being alive and off a vent, and I'd snorkel.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi cougartoo,

Dives sometimes turn exertional due to high current, heavy surge, buddy rescue and the like. Should expiratory capacity be severely diminshed at such moments, whether due to tracheal collapse or other impediment, the result could be quite grave.

A pulmonologist's recommendation that an affected individual not dive should be seriously considered.

You may contact DAN for possible referral to an appropriate diving medicine savvy physician --> DAN Scuba Diving Medical Services

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.