Question on medication and diving

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

lynnemari

Contributor
Messages
94
Reaction score
5
Location
Tampa florida
# of dives
500 - 999
I have a bad back, bulging disk, I currently take pain pills for it. Is it bad to dive while taking these meds, ( my body is used to them and I have no problem driving or staying alert while on them.)
thanks
Lynne
 
Check with your doc or if your's does not know about diving you can give DAN a call and they'll look it up for you.


DAN- 919-684-2671
 
Even without a bulging disk, I get some significant backpain from long dives. Is there any way to posture yourself during the dive so your weight is not directly on your lumbra spine (maybe a slight feet down position during the dive) ???
 
I have a bad back, bulging disk, I currently take pain pills for it. Is it bad to dive while taking these meds, ( my body is used to them and I have no problem driving or staying alert while on them.)
thanks
Lynne

Specifically what meds are you using? ie name of meds....
 
yes, it all depends on meds and your injury, too.
My recommendation - You should download the medical form from PADI and have your doctor sign it that you are safe to dive to carry this with you on all trips. I only say this as I know a couple of trips (on both day trips and liveaboards) where we have seen a diver who had to produce a med form for the boat capt (liability). Some boats you must sign a waiver and it asks specifically which meds are you taking. It would be better not to lie - tell them about your back and have the form to show them your doctor's okay.
One guy I met a few years back was going to GBR liveaboard and they not only made him bring a doctor's form with him but he had to also have done a dive with an instructor within the past year to certify he was safe - he did a Refresher with my husband. So it all depends on the boat, too. He had the same back injury you mentioned although he had little pain. His doctor had cleared him to dive but required him (stated on form) that he put on and take off gear in the water so he wouldn't have to climb a ladder or carry heavy gear.

Just my 2 cents.

robin:D
 
It really depends a great deal on what kind of medication you are taking. NSAIDs like ibuprofen have very little impact on the central nervous system, and although they may have some slight effect on blood clotting, that isn't usually an issue for diving unless you get injured.

Narcotics, on the other hand, all have some degree of sedation as a side effect. This can be additive with the CNS effects of nitrogen narcosis. Although you may have habituated to your medications, that is still a concern. At the very least, you should be quite conservative about your depths, until you have a handle on how narcosis and your medications are going to mesh.

It is also a worry that your back problems are sufficiently severe to require routine narcotic medication. Are you going to have sufficient mobility to handle and move with gear? Are you going to have any issues getting on and off a boat? These are also things to think about.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom