We call them Pulmonologists in the US!I have been cleared to dive by a respiratory doctor (what do you call those?)
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We call them Pulmonologists in the US!I have been cleared to dive by a respiratory doctor (what do you call those?)
In my case though I had never had an asthma attack, it was diagnosed only due to the reduced lung capacity associated with the infection.
The asthmatics I have dived with use the don't ask don't tell rule, so I can't give you numbers
as they're implementing the SGO rule, So Go Diving
combined with the SAC rule don't think about it and their comfort increases like the SAC rate
No, I didn't take your question as dismissive. No problem. In the world of internet 'experts' I do not wish to appear to be self aggrandizing by stating my 'credentials'. I would point you towards a plethora of diving medicine texts to garner the views of the physicians. It can be overwhelming but the devil is in the details and you must in the end make your decisions based on those details. Note that in my opinion over time standards have changed to placate certifying organizations quest for more of the pie. The more 'flexible' the standards, the more students they can attract for that bigger piece of the pie.That was meant as an actual question not a dismissal. I am curious what other organisations have to say about it (regardless of whether or not it affects my own decision)
Thanks - there are some good tips in there as well that I can add to my repertoire. It's interesting that they suggest taking an extra reliever before diving rather than an extra dose of a preventer.Thank you for sharing your experience Nic! I’ve been reading up on it and your method aligns with the recommendations from the UKDMC here:
To minimise the risks of diving with asthma we recommend the following:
* The diver should do their peak flow (PF) twice a day for at least three days before diving & during the diving period. Should it drop 15% below that individuals normal best they must not dive, until it has been normal for 48 hours
* If the diver has had to use a reliever inhaler they must not dive until their PF has been normal for 48 hours
*Should the diver become short of breath or wheezy on the surface or underwater the dive should be abandoned
* Due to the theoretical risk of barotrauma all ascents should be slow but within the recommended computer ascent rate. In particular the last 5 meters should be very slow
*It may be a good idea to take a reliever inhaler half an hour before diving to decrease the risk of bronchospasm .
*If there is any change in the diver’s overall asthma control they should seek further advice from their GP & then their diving physician before further diving.