Yellow / Brownish mucus + Flu with diving

[seekdiver]

Greetings to all,

I've been trying to search around for this but to no avail because I'm not sure if it's blood or not blood at all.

Every time I surface from a dive, I will clear my throat and nose and those mucus is in yellow brownish color. Are those blood mixed from the sea water? I've no problem equalizing though and never had a nose bleed underwater before. At first I thought it was from the air that I breathe from the air tank but even when I went to different places, it happens too. I did not get the chance to ask anyone else as I feel that its not much of a problem.

I'm due to a Sipadan dive in 4 days time which is on the 12th April 2011. I'm having bad cough and flu since I came back from diving on 4th April 2011. My phlegm is thick and greenish now.I still feel weak and light headed but feel better than yesterday. Cough at night is worse than day, ticklish throat.

Question is will I be able to dive on 12th? I really look forward to the dive trip and if I have not recover from the flu and insist on diving, what is the consequences or matters that I have to look out for?

Thank you.

 

[Searcaigh]

If you are that sick you should not be diving.

 

[seekdiver]

If you are that sick you should not be diving.

I was afraid someone would say that....
Really hope that I recover soon ...

 

[kiming]

It sounds like a sinus infection to me. Antibiotics may help. Diving may make it worse. You are traveling, correct? Can you locate a clinic for a physical examination? Perhaps a call to DAN could offer suggestions. Good luck. I hope you get better!

 

[Searcaigh]

I was afraid someone would say that....
Really hope that I recover soon ...

This is probably one of the most difficult decisions a diver can face after spending a lot of money to go to such an exotic dive location.

Two years ago I had some issues with my left ear half way through a dive trip with my daughter in Redang, Malaysia. I could not resist a dive to 20 M to photograph some frogfish and that was the end of my diving for 3 months due to a perforated eardrum.

If you are already in Borneo, there are quite a few land based activities, and once you feel fit enough why not climb Mt. Kinabalu, it is quite a feeling to arrive at the summit just as the sun is rising.

 

[ferris213]

I have had the same brown/yellow mucus before, although it was when I was bodysurfing. I got badly dumped by a wave and had seawater forced into my sinuses. I got a bit freaked out and asked a lifeguard, who said it was probably blood from a ruptured capillary mixed with mucus and water.

If I was as sick as you say, I wouldn't dive. People with a lot more experience than me will probably tell you the risks of diving would be a bad reverse block, if you managed to get down at all in the first place.

 

[seekdiver]

Thank you all for the response.

Now I know what it was (brown/yellow mucus), it doesn't freak me out as much.

I'm a Malaysian who lives in Penang and just came back from diving in Pulau Redang. I've already book a diving package and the air ticket which is expensive weeks ago..

Sigh...What I can hope for now is I recover soon and fast. Bad time to be sick... finger crossed.

 

[DevonDiver]

Strange question to ask, as your training course/s should have contained quite emphatic recommendations about diving when ill and/or congested.

Be aware that sickness and dehydration is a primary contributing factor to Decompression Illness (DCI). A trip to the hyperbaric chamber would be far more expensive that your diving holiday.

Congestion also prevents equalization. Again, would it be more inexpensive to postpone your holiday or to pay for ENT surgery to rectify a burst eardrum or middle ear barotrauma?

It's quite simple... don't dive when ill. Have the self-discipline to make a tough decision for your own health and safety.

I hope you recover before the date.. but don't take chances.

 

[seekdiver]

Strange question to ask, as your training course/s should have contained quite emphatic recommendations about diving when ill and/or congested.

Be aware that sickness and dehydration is a primary contributing factor to Decompression Illness (DCI). A trip to the hyperbaric chamber would be far more expensive that your diving holiday.

Congestion also prevents equalization. Again, would it be more inexpensive to postpone your holiday or to pay for ENT surgery to rectify a burst eardrum or middle ear barotrauma?

It's quite simple... don't dive when ill. Have the self-discipline to make a tough decision for your own health and safety.

I hope you recover before the date.. but don't take chances.

Haha, geez, you remind me of my instructor, he will definitely said "please don't tell anyone I taught you" if he got to know about this.

I kinda hope that someone or somehow have this kind of experience who went thru without much complications, well just to find excuses to ignore the big picture for a few days of fun I guess...

Hope I won't need to take chances though... Thank you for your firm advice, it made me think twice.

 

[TSandM]

There are several issues with diving when you have the symptoms you describe. One is whether there is any component of bronchospasm to your cough, and you probably can't evaluate that very well yourself. Bronchospasm is the same phenomenon that occurs with asthma, and the combination of narrowed airways and thick phlegm can result in air trapping in the lungs, and a risk of pneumothorax (lung rupture) or air embolism.

Another is whether you can manage a coughing paroxysm underwater. I have, and it isn't fun.

And a final consideration is whether your stamina is up to diving. Getting overtired is a recipe for a relapse.

On the other hand, I got a nasty cold less than a week before my Mexico trip, but by the time I got there, I was much better and able to dive without issues. So here's hoping this is a quick virus!