Recent Accident Should I Begin Classes

[waterdogs]

I was recently involved in a auto accident about two weeks ago took the trip to the hospital for which they diagnosed me with a concussion. I still have some feeling of motion "almost vertigo" with no dizzyness, just motion feeling, and I start my OWC classes next sunday.

Should I begin? We are scheduled to take the morning class portions and begin our pool sessions in the afternoon. I believe I am better than I was, but not 100%, about 75%.

Eventhough we will be working on our pool techniques, am i at any risk?

thanks,

waterdogs'

 

[Drew Sailbum]

I'm not a doctor. Didn't even flunk out of Med School.

Classroom is definitely o.k. but I don't know that anyone can give firm advice on getting wet without being able to examine you.

A few years ago I was in a bad accident, and had a "severe" concussion according to the doctor. The doctor ran a follow-up EEG and said the pattern observed (slowing left side theta for the MDs in the bunch) was consistent with a concussion, and that was 30 days post-accident. The effects can apparently last quite a while. :loopy:

I didn't discuss how this affected diving with my doctor, but I took 4 months off (it was winter, so easier) until I felt back to normal.

 

[ScubaJorgen]

Yo

I am not a :doctor: doctor.

In general, anything affecting the nervous system and brain gets worse or unpredictable at depth. I *guess* during diving this vertigo and nausea stuff may worsen. :bonk: I once tried to dive having a headache (obtained during a previous dive some hours earlier). I had to quit the dive after 10 minutes, otherwise the fish would have an extra meal. :dead:



I *guess* shallow pool exercises up to some 2-3 m won't be to much a problem. I wouldn't go diving.

I guess others :doctor: can give you better advise.

Bye

 

[waterdogs]

Thanks, of course we don't plan on open water at all, our training pool is approx. 10-14 ft. I would guess that our first class, feb.10th would focus on the basics, shallow water exercises (mask clearing, bouyancy, etc), but i didn't know if this would cause serious problems.

If i did have some trouble, i could easily abort the shallow exercises and just watch and assist my future wife and instructor, we have over a month before our open water.

I will contact my primary to get his opinions, just wanted to know if you guy's out there experienced anything quite the same.

thanks,

waterdogs

 

[BillP]

Hi waterdogs:

Many divers can return to diving after head trauma- even significantly more severe head trauma than you describe. But I believe that most diving medicine authorities would recommend against a return to diving until all symptoms and side effects from the injury resolve. I think most would err on the side of caution and say that, "some feeling of motion 'almost vertigo'" would be a reason to delay a return to diving. As pointed out above, the effects could be more pronounced when diving- even if shallow.

HTH,

Bill

The above is intended for discussion purposes only and is not meant as specific medical advice for any individual. Yada, yada, yada, etc. and so forth...

 

[waterdogs]

BillP, even "pool exercises", our first class we may just do basics, i.e. swim, gear, etc. in 10ft or so.

Should I try or not. Motion or slight vertigo is only occasional, limited, but it's still slightly there.

Do i bag it for another week and just assist my future wife?

 

[Ontario Diver]

Classroom should be OK, but if you are having headaches, can't concentrate, or just plain don't feel like sitting for 2 hrs - please put it off, the ocean will still be there

I'd suggest staying out of the pool . Even if it would be "safe" because it is "shallow" (I am not qualified to make that call, but my gut says "NO!"), you still aren't at 100% and that would be detrimental to your learning abilities. As well, I expect that the Instructor would want a DR. Sign-off letter anyway (or should?)

Dive safe!

 

[BillP]

Hi waterdogs:

I try to steer away from giving specific advice to individuals on Internet message boards- particularly medical advice. People make decisions based on available information. If the information I have is incorrect or incomplete, I might make a bad decision. Without much more detailed information- including a physical exam- any specific medical advice I give might very well be wrong. I think that in a discussion forum discussing general concepts and leaving it up to the diver to get specific advice from their own physician is much wiser.

For example, a normal uninjured diver can get dizzy and disoriented when diving and drown. When a diver already has a "feeling of motion" due to a recent concussion the risk is increased. The diver doesn't have to be deep for a significant problem to occur. Heck, people can get dizzy and drown in the bathtub. And the diver doesn't even have to drown to have a bad problem. They can be sitting in the shallow end of the pool, take a deep breath on scuba, feel dizzy and stand up holding their breath and get a fatal arterial gas embolism.

Diving is an inherently risky sport. It is up to the individual to decide what level of personal risk they are willing to assume. If a diver insists on having me decide what level of risk they should assume, I'm gonna cover my tail and suggest the lowest level of risk possible. So if someone insists on having me answer the question, "Should I dive?" my answer would be, "Absolutely not. Diving is dangerous!" But if they ask, "What are the risks if I choose to dive?" I'll be happy to discuss it with them to help them make their own informed choice. And even that discussion will be inherently limited in this format. You just can't cover all the bases in a discussion forum.

Make sense?

Bill

 

[waterdogs]

I have 8 day's until my first class and I sincerely appreciate all the information, although your right, diver makes that determination, and I don't plan on starting off on the wrong foot with this either. If I make sensible decisions now, I hope to make those again later. So, with all that said, I will wait until friday, possibly even get reevaluated by Primary, and make my decision then.

Maybe we can do must classroom work, then pool within two weeks. Our instructor will be off the following Sunday so that would give me two additional weeks to rest up.

again, thanks,

waterdogs

 

[BillP]

Sounds to me like you're thinking along the right lines. Hope it works out well for you!

Bill