Seroxat and diving

[Nofear]

Hello DocVikingo,

Thank you very much for your detailed information.

It has been very helpful, i want to continue diving with a few limitations.

Could you please give your comment on these? I did a lot of research on this matter and found the following advises:

- Only do one dive a day
- No deeper than 20 meters
- Taking the medicine in the evening, after diving

Once again thank you for your effort.

 

[DocVikingo]

I am not familiar with the sources of those particular pieces of advice.

The first two encourage conservative scuba and conservatism does appear prudent for a diver at increased risk whatever the reason.

It may make some sense to take the medication in the evening as opposed to prior to diving, and will not affect the drug's therapeutic activity. It should, however, consistently be taken at about the same time each day.

Also conservative would be avoiding alcohol altogether, especially shortly before and during a dive trip, and carefully researching any other drugs one may be taking for possible interactions with paroxetine.

Of course, you should discuss any steps regarding scuba with your physician.

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[Nofear]

Hi DocVikingo,

If you were in my shoes, would you proceed diving or would you find it to risky and quit the diving sport?

Regards,

joshua

 

[DocVikingo]

I am fairly clear in my mind what I would do under these circumstances. However, this is not the issue and should not affect your decision.

As was stated in one of my prior posts, your decision is a personal one to be arrived at after consultation with your doctor(s).

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[Nofear]

Hi DocVikingo,

The thing is that i believe that normal docters don't know enough about the whole diving issue.

I think that they are not aware that dept can be dangerous if using medication.

That why i started this post in the first place, to get a clear statement in this matter.

Should you dive while using paroxetine or not?

I also think that this isn't a case of an own decission, as the hart say's go for it, but the mind is in doubt.

Thnx

 

[DocVikingo]

Given the nature of your medical condition and the limitations inherent in responding to direct fitness to dive questions on a message board, I think the best plan of action would be to study the materials that I provided and then meet with your physician.

Best of luck & please do let us know what you decide.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[Nofear]

Could you please give your comment to these messages i have been receiveing:

(Dr Fred Bove Scubamed)

There are no problems diving with Paroxetine. Some people express concern about interaction of tranquilizer medications with nitrogen narcosis, so limiting you depth to 100 feet (30 meters) is always a safe rule.

Fred Bove, MD, PhD

(Dr Peter Wilmshurst has been a qualified doctor for over 25 years. He has served on the BSAC Medical Committee since 1977 and also advises the HSE on diving.)

Prozac and Seroxat are newer anti-depressants. There has been insufficient research for us to be sure that they are 100 per cent safe for use by divers, but we think from their modes of action that they should not present any problems if used on shallow air dives, provided that the divers have only mild depressive illness.

Some older anti-depression drugs have effects which might be harmful in divers and represent a bar to diving. We would not be happy for an individual to dive while taking any anti-depressant if he or she had severe depressive illness.

 

[Windwalker]

NoFear,
I believe DocVikingo cannot say what he would do in your shoes because he has a lot of medical liability.. If he said that if he was in your shoes he would go diving, and something happened, someone else related to you could sue him, regardless of any malice by you. (I could be wrong)

Its wonderful having people like DocVikingo around who can give educated opinions, I would hate to loose his insights.

I posted a similar thread here, and have done LOTS of reading and research of Depression and diving.. so here is some unsolicited opinions.

I am no doctor, and my Dive buddy is in a similar situation so I will comment.

My Buddy has a Depression disorder that he used to control with Drugs. He was able to be weaned off it, but still suffers bouts of depression, paticularly after SCUBA. However, His decision is solid, and he continues to SCUBA.

As his Buddy, I watch him like a hawk, We do multiple dives a day to depths in excess of 70 feet. Again.. he is no longer on his medication.

If I was in my buddies shoes, I would still dive. I would watch for adverse reactions and change my dives accordingly.

Also, Do you dive with a Buddy? What does your buddy say? There might be some symptoms that you do not see that your buddy or SO might. Also if something DOES happen, do you and your buddy have proper training to handle it.

Hope this helps.

 

[Nofear]

Please do not misunderstand me,

I think DocVikingo has really given realy good information here.

What i am trying to say here is that the opinions in this case are pretty different.

How could anybody make a decision if the medical world hasn't the same point of view.

As for me, i am not going to dive before i am completly off of this medication for at least half a year.

For the simple fact that i don't want to bring me or my buddy in (possible) danger.

Diving is the most beautiful thing i ever discovered, but it is clear that it isn't a sport like paying baseball.

So, i would like to thank DocVikingo once again for his input, i really apreciate taking the time to reply on my question, please keep up the good work!

Regards,

Josh

 

[dlegros]

nofear, the reason that opinions vary so much is that medical recommendations are based on research and interpretation of research.

You can get varied medical opinion in "normal" medicine because of different doctors interpreting studies in different ways - and there are a lot of studies.

The problem with hyperbaric medicine is the relative lack of hard research.

Taking paroxetine (Paxil) as an example - the side effect profile would have come from clinical trials, to get the same information for taking this drug whilt diving, you would have to round up a large number of people who are on paroxetine, then subject them to hyperbaric conditions.

Apart from the ethical aspects of such a study - it introduces just too many variables to be meaningful.

Good luck in the search for a hard and fast answer.

Dive safe

Dom