Those health forms -- Truth or Consequences?

[boulderjohn]

I'd answer honestly for a more major health issue, but i lie whenever it asks silly minor things, like if I get motion sick or have back problems. :shrug: I puke if I'm sitting in surge too long, and I have to go to a chiro cuz I sit in front of a computer for most of my waking hours. Nothing serious enough to declare on a form, even if it is listed. Saves me the money & inconvenience of having to go to my doc.

I don't think you are lying in either case. If someone were to ask me about those issue prior to filling out the form for my class, I would advise them to say "No."

Everyone will get sea sick in the right conditions.

Everyone will have some back problems on occasion.

The form wants to know if you have a chronic condition that will affect your ability to dive safely.

 

[oly5050user]

if it is a condition that you feel that you do not want the facility to know then simply check off where it says you take "medication" or some issue that can tie into what you have and then go to your DR and have him sign off approving your health to dive.This way the facility knows nothing of what condition you have and all bases are covered.If you lie on the form and something happens the facility may sue you for damages due to failure to disclose the truth.I do not know if they can win a case but it can cost alot just to get a lawyer to represent you.It may cost the facility nothing if they have good insurance to sue you.Even if an incident is caused by them and during discovery it is found that you lied on the form it may jeopardize your winning a suit.I had a HIV + student who checked off that he was on medications and he took me on the side and explained it to me.I told him get the form signed and it was none of my business what the reasons were.

 

[captain]

If you have a health issue that causes you to not be able to do or not do what a healthy person could do then I can see answering yes, but if you had health issues but they or your doctor doesn't put limitations on what you can or can not do then I would answer no.
I had coronary artery bypass surgery but my cardiologist cleared me to dive or any other type of physical activity with no limitations.

 

[oly5050user]

If you have a health issue that causes you to not be able to do or not do what a healthy person could do then I can see answering yes, but if you had health issues but they or your doctor doesn't put limitations on what you can or can not do then I would answer no.
I had coronary artery bypass surgery but my cardiologist cleared me to dive or any other type of physical activity with no limitations.

I have absolutely no problem with someone who has a clearance from a doctor to dive.But if a student checks off "no" on the medical and I see on their chest a "zipper"/scar from heart surgery they cannot participate in the class until I get a form signed off by the doctor.
Do not lie on the form,it may turn around and bite you.

 

[Kingpatzer]

f

I've recently acquired a health history that's way too interesting. I've got no interest in hurting myself, so I've talked over my treatments with every doctor who treats me ... oddly (in Missouri) almost every one of them has been a diver as well and has understood my concerns fully. As a result, I'm confident that nothing in my medical past puts me at increased risk as a diver.

I am recovering from trauma induced epilepsy. I have a working, sound relationship with a shop who are fully aware of my health history, who my current neurologist is, who I've seen, and on and on. They are the one's I take my classes from.

When I travel, I just sign off and say "I'm healthy, have a nice day." Precisely because even though I have forms from my neurologist saying why my condition is not a problem, no dive op who doesn't already have a relationship with me is going to accept it. They know it and I know it.

 

[Sas]

I used to be honest on these forms but I no longer bother. I have a dive medical already, am cleared to dive, so can't be bothered with the hassle that comes with writing 'yes' to anything.

My 'Yes' answers are: asthma (not been an issue for nearly 7 years now, my last major attack was nearly 10 years ago, and I have lung function tests as part of dive medical), migraines (had these for six years but no longer have them - was a reaction to the pill that I was on), fainting (I had glandular fever for about a year as a teenager and often would faint from lack of eating as I was never hungry), and finally a back injury from a car accident in 2006 (I have no problems carrying gear, etc).

Two of these will never again be an issue (unless I get glandular fever again :shocked2: but I wouldn't be diving if that happened), the asthma risk is very very low given I haven't had any issues for so many years, and the back thing I think is the only one that could be relevant but I have been diving for two years now, often carrying gear on long journeys, can comfortably climb/walk/etc with twin 100s, so think my back is holding up pretty well... it is only bad when I have to get up from lying completely flat or if I go for a few days without doing >1hr walk a day like I usually do, scuba diving has never impacted on it.

I have copped all sorts of flack on SB when I have posted about this in the past though, but yea I have a dive medical and if I cark it on a dive, I wouldn't want anyone to be sued anyway.

 

[hunter_williams]

I am in the same boat. I declare my asthma on any form that asks me about health issues. I believe in the whole CYA approach, but I must admit it is a pain in the rear as I have to explain to the charter operator everytime that my asthma is well controlled and that I have passed a lung function test in order to get my OW....

But, I do keep a recent photocopy of my last medical in my log binder so that I can pull it out and show them I've been cleared recently... My only drama will be this year as my doc said to me he wants me to undergo another saline challenge with a specialist to see 'how my asthma has changed' ... I believe it has gotten better since I started diving!!

But yes - honesty is always the best way. I look at 'planning the dive, and diving the plan' and believe that my 'plan' includes having the necessary docs that'll get me out on the boat!

 

[Crowley]

I'm somewhat amazed and slightly disappointed by some of the comments here which amount to: "I know I am fine so I lie on the medical"....

The RSTC (or whichever form you are required to complete) is there to protect both the diver and the instructor and organisation. Some of the medical requirements are very serious - an epileptic fit or an asthma attack underwater would most likely result in a fatality. That is not to say that people who have suffered from these conditions cannot dive, and there are guidelines for physicians on how to diagnose potential problems that might be associated with diving.

New research by various bodies has allowed asthmatics and diabetics to dive whereas ten years ago it would have been an all-out "No". Some of the conditions, yes, may not be so serious, but they are listed on the form because under pressure, at depth, they may cause significant complications. Scar tissue from a major injury operation can increase a person's susceptibility to DCS because the blood flow in the scar is severly restricted. Some prescription medications may cause a change in blood pressure, some have a narcotic effect that might be heightened at depth. Ear or sinus surgery can create problems with equalisation.

Some examples: An intern at a place I used to work lied about his epilepsy. He had a fit on his Rescue Course and although it happened at the surface (thank goodness), he was medically classed as near drowning. Another guy (actually 3 separate cases) lied about their asthma and after being witness having an attack or taking their inhaler after stepping onto the dive boat were sent packing, not because of their asthma, but because they lied about it. Not long ago it took me 7 minutes to surface an AOW student from a safety stop because she didn't admit to having a deformed eustachian tube; she was in agony.

Falsifying information on a medical can, in the worst case, lead to fatalities. Whether right or wrong, this is probably going to result in families losing loved ones, and the instructor being dragged through the courts, potentially at vast personal expense, in what might well ruin careers and lives - it might be rare, but it happens.

If you have a medical condition and you are concerned about the fitness to dive medical, do everybody concerned a favour and get clearance from a physician, preferably trained in hyperbaric medicine. the Diver's Alert Network (DAN) can assist with locating one. I can't speak for other agencies but by PADI standards it is valid for a year, unless the condition changes.

Thank you to those who are honest, and to those of you who think you're fine and don't see the need for honestly disclosing your condition, please do not come within a country mile of my dive centre.

Thank you very much.

Safe diving,

C.

 

[boulderjohn]

I have a couple of conditions that require a medical OK. I am also at an age where it makes sense to have a physical every year. When I do, I hand my doctor a fresh RSTC form to sign. It takes a minute or so. I then add it to my files in case I need it in the coming year. No extra hassle at all.

 

[Peter Guy]

I don't have any significant medical issues so I don't face the questions some of you face. That written, I don't care what people write on their forms -- BUT if I am your buddy, I really do want to know possible medical issues.

Case in point. Last November I was doing some cave diving with someone who was new to me. We did simple dives but we were 45 minutes back in the cave (1200 feet or so? away from the surface). He never did tell me he was a diabetic -- that came out after we had finished the several days of diving.

Was that an issue he SHOULD have told me? I think so. By not telling me he denied me the option of refusing to dive with him if I thought the risk was too great. I don't believe that is his right to deny me the chance to make my own risk assessment.

Had he told me, we could have discussed it and then gone diving -- but I believe he had an obligation to fully inform me -- just as I have an obligation to fully inform.

I think there is a lot of similarities with full disclosure to a dive op -- but, of course, there are no scuba police UNTIL and UNLESS something negative happens.