Prickly Pear Cactus Pills and DCS

[mike_s]

Check out this new story.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiheral...ities_neighborhoods/florida_keys/14891266.htm

It says that divers take prickly pear cactus pills to ward off decompression sickness for dives to 225 feet.

anyone heard of this before? ***?

 

[do it easy]

They also spent 1.5 hours to ascend, but it seems like that was more for the fish than for the divers.

 

[offroaddiver]

well they've found all sorts of uses from desert plants.

 

[boulderjohn]

Coincidentally, I had a prickly pear episode myself a couple of weeks ago. I am in Arizona for the month, and a friend accidentally placed his golf ball in the midst of a prickly pear. I saw there was plenty of room for me to reach and and retrieve it.

That violent beast of a plant somehow embedded hundreds of thread-thick barbs in my side and in my arm. I had to take Benedryl to ease the pain and itch. It is now two weeks later, and I still have some barbed hooks in my arm that I am unable to get out.

I don't want to have anything to do with anything related to prickly pear, even if it means warding off the DCS demon.

 

[agilis]

The estimate that 80% of marine aquarium fish come from Florida is wildly incorrect. I'd be surprised if it were as much as 1%. Probably closer to .001%. Most wild caught Marine fish come from Asia, especially the Philippines, Indonesia, and a few other places. Tropical Atlantic/Caribbean fishes, which constitute only a very small percentage of commercially sold marine fish, come mostly from Brazil, and a few places in Central America. Someone was spinning fantastic tales, a documented symptom of Prickly Pear Cactus intoxication. Read Carlos Castenada for details.

 

[Kray_Z]

Yes, yes, and another major problem is you will have Baloo the bear chasing you around singing songs about it

 

[fire_diver]

Nope, sounds like an easy way to die. I do love prickly pear jelly though. I just don't believe it will do anything change the laws of nature and remove N2 from your system.

Fd

 

[SubMariner]

Has anyone ever heard of this?

"Before jumping in, they took extract of prickly pear cactus pills to ward off decompression sickness. "

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiheral...ities_neighborhoods/florida_keys/14891266.htm

Dave (aka "Squirt")

Sounds like a folk remedy to me. Time to go to DAN & check it out!