Asthmatic Divers

[nickwaah]

so is it safe to that cold temperatures is the limitation for divers with asthma?

i think my limitation is now cold water based on the replies i've been getting, won't say that i "will not" venture in foreign waters cause i'm hoping to be in the "Guinness" Record Breaking Event - The Most Divers Submerged at one time and of course other events which might attract my attention.

i do hope that those of you who rely on meds on a regular basis be very careful.

 

[Sas]

I had asthma for years and years, usually triggered by exercise or the seasons (in spring I get hayfever and used to get asthma as well). These days I only ever get asthma if I take aspirin. I don't know what 'cured' my asthma but I took a preventive medicine for about a year and then I stopped and never had an exercise-induced attack since, not sure if it was related or just a coincidence. That was when I was about 17 so it has been six years since I have needed to carry around Ventolin with me. The doctor cleared me no worries for diving and just said 'don't take aspirin before you dive'

 

[gunnergunzz]

My stepson is an asthmatic. We just finished our OW course and got our C-Card. He was cleared by his doctor to dive to 50'. He got a headache on our second day during our second dive during certification. Water temp was 58f at 32 feet for the 4 cert dives. Then we did a drift dive in Pompano Fla. On his second dive he got a headache about 3/4's thorogh that dive and we surfaced. The water temp there was 84f at 39 feet. for all of the dives we woke up early (for him anyway) and wondering if it is the time waking that is causing the headache or if there might have something to do with his athsma? Any contribution would be helpful. We will also consult his doctor.

Thanks in advance

 

[Sas]

My stepson is an asthmatic. We just finished our OW course and got our C-Card. He was cleared by his doctor to dive to 50'. He got a headache on our second day during our second dive during certification. Water temp was 58f at 32 feet for the 4 cert dives. Then we did a drift dive in Pompano Fla. On his second dive he got a headache about 3/4's thorogh that dive and we surfaced. The water temp there was 84f at 39 feet. for all of the dives we woke up early (for him anyway) and wondering if it is the time waking that is causing the headache or if there might have something to do with his athsma? Any contribution would be helpful. We will also consult his doctor.

Thanks in advance

There are lots of reasons behind headaches for divers. Here are a few links from DAN about different types so you can see if any of those seem to match what is happening with your stepson: DAN Divers Alert Network : Headaches and Diving and DAN Divers Alert Network : Headaches and Diving - UPDATED 2005

I used to get headaches when I first started diving, it was from CO2 retention as my breathing was off. Is he getting puffed out underwater? If he gets asthma then his breathing might be off and causing him to retain CO2, which causes a headache. But yea, a doctor's visit would be a good idea too. Good luck.

 

[nickwaah]

My stepson is an asthmatic. We just finished our OW course and got our C-Card. He was cleared by his doctor to dive to 50'. He got a headache on our second day during our second dive during certification. Water temp was 58f at 32 feet for the 4 cert dives. Then we did a drift dive in Pompano Fla. On his second dive he got a headache about 3/4's thorogh that dive and we surfaced. The water temp there was 84f at 39 feet. for all of the dives we woke up early (for him anyway) and wondering if it is the time waking that is causing the headache or if there might have something to do with his athsma? Any contribution would be helpful. We will also consult his doctor.

Thanks in advance

did he feel any chest pain, difficulty breathing? remember that asthma is respiratory condition (the lungs). would like to hear more about this dive & what you did (like descent/ascent rate etc)

i HOPE it's nothing dangerous like CO toxicity

 

[gunnergunzz]

The dive was very easy. We got up at 5:45am and drove 2 hours across alagator alley to Pompano. Got in the boat at 8:45 am. The ocean was slow rollers about 2 feet. We traveled 6nm to the site. We did 2 dives both of them identical drift dives. 35-39 feet in 84 degreeF water. Our decent was slow (about 3 minuts to the bottom). We were at 30 - 39 feet for 45 minutes for first dive and the same feet but only 25 minutes for the second dive. We did the first acend to 15 feet in one minute and 5 minutes at 15 feet then took 35 seconds to surface. The second dive we acend to 15 feet in 20 seconds and 4 minutes at 15 feet. We took 30 seconds to surface.

At the quarry in Maryland we did the first 3 dives to 28 feet and acend to 15 feet for 5 minutes then surface in 30 seconds. On the 4th dive we did a OOA situation 28 feet to surface in 15 seconds. Went back to 28 feet and finished other tasks.

So far the only common things are diving below 20 feet (he was fine in the pool 10') and waking up early. He is not prone to get many headaches but does on accasion like the rest of us.

 

[Web Monkey]

My stepson is an asthmatic. We just finished our OW course and got our C-Card. He was cleared by his doctor to dive to 50'. He got a headache on our second day during our second dive during certification. Water temp was 58f at 32 feet for the 4 cert dives. Then we did a drift dive in Pompano Fla. On

As mentioned above, there are all sorts of causes of SCUBA headaches and DAN has a number of good articles and suggestions.

I did want to mention that you might want to call DAN and ask for a referral to a doctor who would know about both diving and asthma for a second opinion. I could be wrong, but the "50'" number looks too convenient and arbitrary and might indicate the doc really didn't have any idea.

Terry

 

[nickwaah]

So far the only common things are diving below 20 feet (he was fine in the pool 10') and waking up early. He is not prone to get many headaches but does on accasion like the rest of us.

i do suggest you get him to a doctor, it doesn't sound like an asthma attack to me (i could be wrong too).

also when you say like the rest of us, do you mean other people had headache after the dives too?

 

[don Francisco]

I'm asthmatic and have been for 40 plus years. So far I've not needed any maintainance medication and manage with a rescue inhaler when needed. Usually attacks are excercise induced especially in cold weather, or triggered by allergies to dust, pollen etc.

I've never had an attack in the water, and very rarely on dive trips, possibly because the the marine environment is relative free of triggering allergens. For a while I was a bit concerned that the cold air from the tank might be irritating but so far in 500 plus dives it's never been a problem.

Historically my attacks are fairly slow to progress to a critical point so I'm sure that in case I had an attack during a dive, I'd have enough time to abort the dive and safely ascend. I also have a personal rule not to dive for 48 hours after being symptomatic.

Generally I feel that there's a broad spectrum in asthma as in other medical conditions and the secret to managing these in diving or otherwise is to be in tune with ones body, know the patterns and limititions of the condition and use common sense.

 

[String]

Asthma isnt a simple one size fits all problem. There are many types, causes, triggers and treatments. Some mean you can dive perfectly safely knowing limits, others are complete diving bans.

AFAIK any asthma at all though means you cant legally instruct commercially in the UK or australia.

Most headaches people get underwater are CO2 retention (especially newish divers) Although i guess in theory if asthma is modifying the breathing pattern it could cause hypercapnia and therefore a headache.