Oxycontin and diving?

[Christi]

The trouble with a narcotic pain reliever is that you need a higher and higher dose to get the same effect, not to mention the fact that it is addictive. My bil is addicted to fentanyl. Not a pretty sight.
I really don't know what I would do if I were in chronic pain, and I hope I never have to find out. But after seeing what it has done to my bil, I think I would try a whole heap of other stuff before relying on a narcotic.

FB...please do not pass judgment on this individual and please do not turn this into a discussion of whether or not someone is addicted to pain killers. Please start another thread if you want to have that discussion.

I asked directed questions about the side effects and diving indications for a certain drug and received answers from the Dr. here on the island as well as other medical professionals. They answered my questions with facts...that's all I needed and I don't want this thread taking the wrong direction.

Thanks!

 

[TSandM]

Not just his safety . . . but the safety of anybody in the water with him, who might get called upon to deal with an emergency due to his inability to function properly -- whether that was due to the medication itself, or the physical problems for which the medication is needed.

Not to get into it here, but there are other options for chronic pain, and current recommendations are that chronic narcotics are the LAST resort, to be used only when nothing else suffices. Those guidelines are not always followed, however.

 

[fairybasslet]

FB...please do not pass judgment on this individual and please do not turn this into a discussion of whether or not someone is addicted to pain killers. Please start another thread if you want to have that discussion.

I asked directed questions about the side effects and diving indications for a certain drug and received answers from the Dr. here on the island as well as other medical professionals. They answered my questions with facts...that's all I needed and I don't want this thread taking the wrong direction.

Thanks!

Sorry Christi. I really wasn't passing judgement on this individual at all. I was simply answering Minnesota's statement about being in chronic pain, and giving him the reason for my answer. sorry if I offended you in any way.

 

[Christi]

Sorry Christi. I really wasn't passing judgement on this individual at all. I was simply answering Minnesota's statement about being in chronic pain, and giving him the reason for my answer. sorry if I offended you in any way.

FB...no, no...I'm not upset or offended...I just wanted to keep the discussion on the right track. I feel horrible enough abut having to break the news to this guy and even though no one knows who he is or his name...I didn't want this to end up portraying him as an addict.

I have since had "the talk" and explained the risks as explained to my by Dr. Piccolo and also DocV (thank you)...he was understanding and appreciative because he was unaware of any risk at all. I'm going to help him plan some other things for his trip with his non-diving family so all won't be lost

 

[Dive-aholic]

...S/E confusion, sedation, respiratory depression, hallucinations, N/V, dysphoria, euphoria, to name a few.

Sounds like a severe narc ...

Next time you're in Borders, pick up a nurse or physician medication book and browse through the side effects of a few drugs. There are a lot of meds out there that list these side effects. Basically, if they think it's possible, or if it's happened to 1 person in their studies, or even if it hasn't, the pharmaceutical companies list it. I think it's a liability thing...if they list it, then they're off the hook if it happens...

 

[DocVikingo]

See pages 17-19, especially p. 18:

Adverse Reactions
http://www.pharma.com/PI/Prescription/Oxycontin.pdf

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[fairybasslet]

FB...no, no...I'm not upset or offended...I just wanted to keep the discussion on the right track. I feel horrible enough abut having to break the news to this guy and even though no one knows who he is or his name...I didn't want this to end up portraying him as an addict.

I have since had "the talk" and explained the risks as explained to my by Dr. Piccolo and also DocV (thank you)...he was understanding and appreciative because he was unaware of any risk at all. I'm going to help him plan some other things for his trip with his non-diving family so all won't be lost

Christi, don't be embarrassed, but really, you are an awesome person. And I've never even met you.

 

[Tatakai]

Christi, Have him talk to his own doctor and have their opinion on his ability to dive. I am new to diving and I take Oxycodone HCL 5mg, 1 every 8 hours on top of that I take Baclofen 10 mg three times a day, the last one that I take is Morphine 15mg SR every 12 hours. I have chronic pain and have been taking these for over a year now. Mine is from back surgery on L5-S1. I asked my surgeon and other doctor what was there suggestion was on me diving. My surgeon is a diver and said that it would be the best for my back. The Pain clinic doctor had to reservations about me diving either they signed off on me diving. I have to add that myself I have a high tolerance for medicine before it takes affect at all on me. My last procedure they put 60mg of morphine in my back and I couldn't tell that they had done anything. The only time that my back doesn't hurt constant is when I am in the bottom of the pool. I can't wait to see what other depths will do, at least for alittle while I don't hurt at all.
But I highly recommend he talk to his doctor that knows his condition inside and out. Good luck to him and his diving journey.

Tatakai

 

[mrjimboalaska]

I too have had back surgery, L1-L4 fused with harrington rod installed(1988), Have tried all kinds of Pain meds, Arthritis meds, the only meds that will lower the level of pain I have is Narcotics, Oxycodone works, Morphine works, and my pain management doctor would like to put me on methodone. I had to ween myself off of narcotics years ago, I could not function while on them. However much I would like to start them again to relieve my pain, I can't take care of my children nor my wife while drugged.
I admire the people that meds help return to a normal routine, but since I've done them, I know drugged is drugged....and I would'nt dive while on Oxycodone any more than I would dive while stoned.......

 

[Cacia]

I was in a heli-crash moving a patient and took Vicodin twice a day for almost a year. I dove and jumped my horse with my doctor's approval. FWIW.

I opted to not tell dive operators, trainers for fear of having to stop and sink in to depression. Still, very few medically prudent medical professionals are ever going to condone this. My doctor was a rock climber and a surfer and specialized in sport's medicine and had a lot of sports injuries in his practice. Like I said, just FWIW.
Driving a car worries me the most for people on narcotics or mood altering medications....the number of people effected with a poor outcome can be staggering.