Sudafed...a medicine for clearing sinuses etc.

[juggernutt]

Hi,

Anyone familiar with this medicine?
My friend was adviced this medicine when he got a cold. It would clear your sinuses and won't have trouble ith pressure then.

Is this an effective medicine?
Is the medicine safe to use?

I ask this because in Holland the docters don't supply it.

 

[scywin]

I believe you mean Sudafed. It is an over the counter anti-histamine here in the United States. Possibly it is known under a different name in your country.

I take it for allergies. There is a version advertised as a "24 hour" version that is as long lasting as anything I have found.

 

[RichLockyer]

It is great stuff... the only thing that works well for me, however, be very careful when using it (or any drug) while diving.
Sudafed has been implicated as the cause (or major contributory factor) to several cases of OxTox in divers that were well within recommended NOAA exposure limits.

If you are diving below 130ft on air, or are diving nitrox, I would recommend against it.

 

[Charlie99]

juggernutt once bubbled...
Hi,

Anyone familiar with this medicine?
My friend was adviced this medicine when he got a cold. It would clear your sinuses and won't have trouble ith pressure then.

Is this an effective medicine?
Is the medicine safe to use?

I ask this because in Holland the docters don't supply it.

Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride is a common ingredient in non-prescription cold and sinus medicines. A lot of divers use it.

It is sort of related to adrenalin, and has similar effects of increased nervousness and excitability. Some fear that it might increase sensitivity to CNS oxtox at high ppO2. As we all know, taking any medicine while diving increases risks. OTOH, a lot of divers figure that the reduced risk or ear/sinus barotrauma is worth the risk.

 

[juggernutt]

thanks no wonder i didn't find anything about this.
Sudafed it is...

I am reading alot of older threads about this. I think(correct me if I am wrong) that Oxtox only occurs if you use Nitrox or enrich air...

Again correct me if i am wrong...but I am ready for my AOC and we are going deep diving(30+ meters=how many feet?) but I think I am going to use regular air.

If it is Sudafed should be Ok I guess. Even though I see that even in shallow depth bad things can happen(see Dr Thomas incident)

 

[Charlie99]

juggernutt once bubbled...
I am reading alot of older threads about this. I think(correct me if I am wrong) that Oxtox only occurs if you use Nitrox or enrich air...

Again correct me if i am wrong...but I am ready for my AOC and we are going deep diving(30+ meters=how many feet?) but I think I am going to use regular air.

CNS oxtox is more likely to be a problem with Nitrox because it has a higher percentage of O2. At 30 meters / 100', the absolute pressure is 4 atm. Air is about 21% O2. 4*0.21 = only 0.84ata ppO2. Generally speaking, you can ignore O2 toxicity below 1ata ppO2 since the accepted exposure limit is 5 hours per day at ppO2 of 1.0ata.

 

[DocVikingo]

I suspect that you mean Sudafed, a product that comes in over a dozen different formulations. Which one you are referring to could be important.

In any event, there is a very extensive discussion of Sudafed and diving in our board archives at http://www.scubaboard.com/search.php?s=

For example, here is a search just under title within the Diving Medicine forum http://www.scubaboard.com/search.ph...=398829&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending.

Best reagrds.

DocVikingo

 

[Rick Murchison]

Please be very careful with Sudafed. While most folks tolerate it well, a surprising number do not.
In addition to the symptoms already listed, and the anecdotal evidence that Sudafed may lessen oxygen tolerance, heartbeat irregularities (tachycardia and palpitations) are the first listed side-effects of Sudafed.
In my case it causes heartbeat irregularities - so I do not recommend it.
Rick

 

[Abalone]

Almost all of these decongestants have warnings about use with high blood pressure.

 

[Cave Diver]

I heard recently that new studies have brought a change of opinion regarding Sudafed and diving.

Supposedly even DAN has changed their opinion from "don't dive while taking Sudafed" to "If you're going to take anything, Sudafed is the thing to take"

Can anyone verify this?