Women's Problems!!!

[makubex01]

...My question is, i am planning to go do Shark Adventure in Bahamas and i calculated my period timing and it landed on the Shark adventure day. So is it posiible to swim with the sharks if i have my period.

I do not want the shark to eat me alive because they smell my period.


Another thing is, if water traps inside the wetsuit. When you pee, it traps it in there too, right? So does it traps the blood too?

 

[CON8IV]

makubex01,

Yes, you can dive. My understanding from talking to women who have experienced exactly what you are going to, is that everything will work as it usually does and you should not be concerned. They have reported absolutely no additional attention from sharks or any other sea-dwelling critter for that matter. Now for your wetsuit question: When I pee in my wetsuit(hey, why lie about it?) I pull the neck seal away from the front of my next repeatedly until I fell cool water moving down the wetsuit, all the way to my ankles. This will help ensure a good "rinse", so to speak. If you do this, I'm sure you will not endure any unwanted problems.

Bottom line: Have fun on your dive and don't worry about it.

 

[CheddarChick]

Do you use a tampon? If so there shouldnt be any leakage. Or if you are planning ahead you can get a perscription for birth control and skip the period completely. That's what I do. You do have to plan ahead.

 

[reefugee]

There was a Mythbusters a while back where they tested whether sharks are attracted to human blood. The conclusion was that they aren't. However, they went into a feeding frenzy when fish blood was introduced. But they ignored human blood.

Now the real question is - do other divers want to dive with you while your having woman issues? ;-)

 

[MissyP]

Straight from the DAN website- http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/faq/faq.asp?faqid=109



Menstruation During Diving Activities


Q: I'm just getting into diving and have a few concerns about menstruation. Will it make me more susceptible to decompression illness? Will it put me in danger of a shark bite?

A: Menstruation is the cyclic, physiologic discharge through the vagina of blood and mucosal tissues from the non-pregnant uterus. The cycle is controlled hormonally and usually occurs at approximately four-week intervals. Symptoms may include pain, fluid retention, abdominal cramping and backache.
Fitness and Diving Issues
Are women at greater risk of experiencing decompression illness (DCI) while menstruating? Theoretically, it is possible that, because of fluid retention and tissue swelling, women are less able to get rid of dissolved nitrogen. This is, however, not definitively proven.

One recent retrospective review of women divers (956 divers) with DCI found 38 percent were menstruating at the time of their injury. Additionally, 85 percent of those taking oral contraceptives were menstruating at the time of the accident. This suggests, but does not prove, that women taking oral contraceptives are at increased risk of decompression illness during menstruation. Therefore, it may be advisable for menstruating women to dive more conservatively, particularly if they are taking oral contraceptives. This could involve making fewer dives, shorter and shallower dives and making longer safety stops. Four other studies have provided evidence that women are at higher risk of DCI, and in one study of altitude bends, menses also appeared to be a risk factor for bends.

Are women at an increased risk of shark attacks during menstruation? There are few reported shark attacks on women, and there are no data to support the belief that menstruating females are at an increased risk for shark attacks. The average blood lost during menstruation is small and occurs over several days. Also, it is known that many shark species are not attracted to the blood and other debris found in menstrual flow.

In general, diving while menstruating does not seem to be a problem as long as normal, vigorous exercise does not increase the menstrual symptoms. As long as the menstrual cycle poses no other symptoms or discomforts that affect her health, there is no reason that a menstruating female should not dive. However, based upon available data, it may be prudent for women taking oral contraceptives, particularly if they are menstruating, to reduce their dive exposure (depth, bottom time or number of dives per day).

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I have never had a problem while diving during mensus.

 

[dbombtek]

I dont have a medical degree but I would guess that their are more factors to it than what you have listed.
1. Attention to detail... hormones can and do affect judgement example all guys are in heat look at the local bar.
....I was going somewhere with this but real sex is on right now.........more to follow...........

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I have never had a problem while diving during mensus.

neither have I.



it was good to meet you scubajenny. I really was going to guess that was who you were before Jill blabbered your name.





and i just realized that most of the people that read this have no clue that I'm a guy. But I am a guy. Which explains my lack of problems with menstruation while diving.

 

[tracy_from_oz]

Do you use a tampon? If so there shouldnt be any leakage. Or if you are planning ahead you can get a perscription for birth control and skip the period completely. That's what I do. You do have to plan ahead.

Agree here.

This is actually what I do.
You just eliminate the sugar pills for those 7 days and start on the new pack. This is also done if you only want your period 3-4 times a year, every 3-4 months.
However if you do this it also depends on the strength of the pill you take.

 

[Giggi]

Just got back from a dive trip where we swam with quite a few sharks, and was having the heaviest part of my period during the first two days of diving. My biggest concern was whether there was a head on the boat so that I could take care of my hygiene needs. The diving actually helped alleviate cramping (and moodiness -- but I'm sure that was a psychological and not a physiological reaction) and body aches.