Troubles before my diving life even begins

[cmarkham5]

This is a vent! And maybe someone out there experienced similar.

Last year I married my wonderful husband on April 20th. We were scheduled to take our honeymoon in June with my parents to Catalina Island. My dad is a PADI instructor. We decided to get certified and learn a new hobby together. Signed up for lessons with my dad.

Long story short i wound up at my cardiologist with a list of complaints after just one day in the pool. She tested me and found a rather large PFO with major shunting. She put my dive training to a halt. I wound up shore goddess while my parents and honey dove. (I cant complain too much i found a great little ice cream shop and entire town of shopping in Catalina while they were underwater hehehe)

I wound up opting to close the PFO. I had that done in the fall. Was actually a piece of cake. I have had many echos to confirm closure and I finally got the thumbs up from my doc to proceed with my diving plans. So off to the pool and lake i went. My tickers great!

however, i noticed enormous jaw fatigue and soreness after my pool sessions. They adjusted my hose angle a bit to see if that helped. After my open water dives however... my jaw was STUCK shut! whaaaat?!?!?! I called my oral surgeon and rushed over. Yep. TMD. My disc is displaced and my stupid jaw wont open more than 18mm. It's painful. Pain shoots from my jaw joint up to my ear. Been that way for two weeks now.

Now what? I am scheduled to do steriod injections in my jaw hopefully in the next week or two. I am a dang certified diver now and i cant go enjoy my new toys!!! bah! I am scheduled to go to Cabo San Lucas April 7th!!!!

Not entirely sure what to think. Every time i try to dive my body says otherwise.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Some would say you should read into that. I'm not quite ready to be one of them. Once your jaw returns to normal get your mouthpiece changed to a SeaCure. And even more importantly remember that you don't need to nor should you bite down on your mouthpiece to keep it in place.

Your dad the instructor, what did he tell you about this?

 

[Freewillow]

I would be your husband I would want my money back. Luckily enough you are still under warranty.................:kiss2:


Ok, I agree, it is a bad one.

Bad luck but nothing beyond repair. Do not bite on your secondary, relax and you will be fine

 

[chillyinCanada]

LOL Freewillow. Was thinking something similar but managed to hold myself back.

 

[oregondiver]

I have TMD. I have has 4 surgeries to reconstruct my jaw...but that was 20 years ago (reconstruction). I still have jaw fatigue, esp when we do 5 dives a day in Bonaire...but one day I will install my sea cure mouthpiece I fitted 5 months ago. Good luck.

 

[cmarkham5]

LMAO Yes i have heard all the x rated jokes about it i can withstand. Including my SIL who is going with her hubs on this trip with us. lol

My dad thinks the cold water and my "biting" contributed. He suggested changing to a miflex hose and a seacure mouthpiece. done and done. just have not tried it yet. Its a TAD better. still locked but not so painful. I dove twice with it locked before. I think i can do it again. i did take my reg out of my mouth and put it back in to see if i could with it locked. Was not entirely comfortable but i did it ok. My two dives it was locked i supported my reg with my hand to encourage relaxing my jaw. i will try that again too. I am NOT missing out on diving in CAbo!!! i have been looking forward to the sea lions for months!!!! All of my dives are planned shallow.

 

[iamrushman]

love your tenacity and perseverance...you shall prevail.

 

[cmarkham5]

Thanks! After all i have done to GET to dive thus far i am not giving up now!

Went through mountains of tests for my PFO plus my procedure and i cant tell you how much pool and bath water i swallowed learning to no mask breathe. hahaha!

 

[Keith.M]

I can't speak for the seacure mpouthpiece, but I know I no longer get any jaw fatigue with a comfo bite mouthpiece.

 

[Steve_C]

Have a seacure. With a regular mouthpiece it often did not feel secure. With the seacure I know it is not coming out so my mouth is more relaxed. In fact I am missing a couple teeth and the seacure is almost locked in place.

One thing with seacure, you might want to remind your buddy that they definitely want to use your spare for an airshare and not your primary.