Pulmonary Embolism

[Bill C]

I was recently diagnosed with PE in Right lung along with a clot behind my left knee. Been put on warfrin and inhaler, O2 at night. I've been told no exersize (gym). Now I have 3 new MD's beside my Internist (cardiologist, pulmonologist and oncologist/hematologist).

I have been told I may never dive again.

My Internist says maybe after a year, is there any real hope?

I am most discouraged. I know it has only been 3 weeks since this occurred but not having any one that can offer real prognosis as to my diving future is very frustrating.

I am having a hard time with the thought of having to give up this important part of my life. The sport has meant much to me and my children and grand children.
I saw on this forum another person going through the same problem and hoped that possibly someone had an answer, is it possible, probable I may be able to dive again? Are my diving days gone for good?

Is there any one that can offer any answer?

Thanks!

 

[kwinter]

Sorry to hear about your problem. But there are too many variables involved at this early point. My suggestion would be to make sure your doctors are well versed in diving medicine. I don't know where you are in Florida, but Doug Ebersole (cardiology) is in Lakeland and he would be a good place to start. He is probably on here as debersole and you could PM. There are plenty more that he would be hooked into. And you can always follow up with DAN.

But just in case, can I have dibs on your gear?

 

[agilis]

What caused the embolism? Two years ago, after what was supposed to be same day surgery for a minor issue I had a bad reaction to the anesthesia. I was admitted to the hospital, and two days later they were preparing to discharge me. I mentioned that I seemed to be having a little trouble taking full breaths. One cat scan later a team of serious looking physicians came into my romm and told me that I had pulmonary emboli in both lobes of both lungs. Many emboli, and probable clots in my left leg, confirmed by untrasound. I spent two weeks in the hospital with IV heparin and other fun stuff. After discharge 5 months on warfarin. I had a good hematologist who assured me that the cause of the emboli was the damned curare based anesthetic, and that there was no reason they should reappear. I immediately left for Dominica to do some diving. The hematologist(one of those super specialists who was not also an oncologist)gave me a handful of injectable blood thinners and instructed me to use them before and after every plane flight for a few more months, and that was it.

During the two hospital weeks a good friend of mine, an internist, stopped by to tell me I came close to death. For some crazy reason I thought the whole thing rather amusing, especially when I found out how many people are killed in hospitals by post surgical embolisms. I think the key question for you is what caused the embolismi and clots. Was it your blood chemistry or an episode of immobility that caused the clotting in your leg which produced the lung emboli. I'd consult a DAN recommended hematologist, at a minimum. Blood clots dissolve pretty quickly under normal circumstances. The ones that don't and make it into your lungs are the problem. If they get to your heart you are dead within a minute, just like Tom Jobim.

 

[TSandM]

There are too many variables here to be able to give you an answer on line.

For a simple DVT that results in a small pulmonary embolism, in a young person with otherwise normal lung function, who has no coagulopathy causing the clot, the answer is that a return to diving would be likely.

For someone with compromised lung function or with a big clot, it might be never.

I'm concerned about the prescription for the inhaler, because that implies that whoever has been examining you feels there is a component of intrinsic lung disease involved in your case, which makes it something other than simple.

At the moment, it doesn't sound as though anyone knows enough to answer your question.

 

[flots am]

My Internist says maybe after a year, is there any real hope?

. . .

Is there any one that can offer any answer?

When a doctor says "maybe <some time off in the future>" they really don't have a firm grasp of what you have and how it will progress or heal.

You need to talk with your existing doctor(s) and find out what they actually know, and how the magic "year" period was arrived at and what factors influence the "maybe" or if you can't get a good explanation, find another doctor.

"Maybe after a year" sounds a lot like "I'm not sure what you have, but you probably won't die before then, and I'm too busy to really dig into this"

flots.

 

[Bill C]

Was it your blood chemistry or an episode of immobility that caused the clotting in your leg which produced the lung emboli.

Waiting on tests still don't know what caused the clots.

---------- Post added May 4th, 2013 at 12:39 PM ----------

But just in case, can I have dibs on your gear?

Nope

 

[Kevrumbo]

I've had a diagnostic work-up in Honolulu for DVT & PE status-post long trans-Pacific flight and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for a type one Decompression Sickness Syndrome in Truk Lagoon, over four years ago. Also have a history of Asthma since childhood, under control with Advair 100/50 and an Albuterol emergency inhaler standing by as needed.

No recurrence of the conditions above, and I'm a 50 year-old avid traveling wreck diver flying overseas to Indo-Pacific/SE Asia Regions from SoCal, for every year since the above accident. I do at least ten technical deep dives with mandatory deco on most of these trips.

I'm thankful my bout with DVT/PE turned out to be transient & non-chronic, and I hope that you may find some treatment to manage your condition while allowing you to scuba dive once again. . .

 

[Bill C]

I'm thankful my bout with DVT/PE turned out to be transient & non-chronic, and I hope that you may find some treatment to manage your condition while allowing you to scuba dive once again. . .

Thanks, I am waiting to find out why it happened and hope I will be able to continue diving.

 

[DocVikingo]

...is it possible, probable I may be able to dive again? Are my diving days gone for good?
Is there any one that can offer any answer?Thanks!

Bummer, Bill.

I concur that the information provided to date is not complete enough to allow for a confident or safe medical opinion regarding return to diving.

However, I will offer that among otherwise healthy divers of whom I am aware that have sustained an uncomplicated DVT with PE, well more than half have gone back to scuba without incident, although they typically waited from 6 mos to a year to do so.

Best of luck.

DocVikingo

 

[carriemak]

Bill - sent you a PM.