chance diving or Not?

[craig chamberlain]

hI ALL

I AM OFF TO HURGHADA IN 11 DAYS FOR 1 MONTH TO DO SOME DIVING. MY MUM HAS CAUGHT A COLD ABOT 4 DAYS AGO AND I HAVENT GOT IT. I WAS HOPING TO DO ABOUT 23 DAYS DIVING AND WAS WONDERING IF I CAUGHT A COLD ON THE PLANE HOW LONG IT WOULD LAST ABOUT? ALSO IF YOU COULD TELL ME WHAT THE BEST MEDICING TO TAKE TO HELP EQUALISATION WITH A COLD IS, FOR EXAMPLE ACTIFED OR SUDAFED OR NASAL DECONGESTION OR A MIXTURE? IF YOU COULD TELL ME WHAT WORKS 4 YOU AND HOW MANY DAYS DIVING I WOULD MISS THAT WOULD BE GRAET? ALSO CAN U DIVE DURING THE INCUBATION PERIOD WITH A COLD?


CHEERS 4 THE ANSWERS/REPLYS.

 

[TSandM]

The reason one doesn't dive with a cold is because the congestion that comes with one can interfere with equalization of the nose and sinuses. If you are not symptomatic, there is no reason not to dive. Nobody can predict whether you will catch your mom's cold or not, but if you haven't developed any symptoms by a week to ten days after exposure, you probably won't get it. Colds most often last about a week, but how much of that time you will be sufficiently congested as not to be able to dive is not at all predictable, and will depend on the severity of the cold, and how difficult equalization is for you when you are well.

It is very unwise to use medication to be able to equalize while you are ill. Should things worsen during a dive, or should the medication wear off, you could end up with a severe reverse block that could do permanent damage to your hearing or your balance.

 

[jebsurf]

Why are you yelling?

 

[craig chamberlain]

was not "yelling" (shouting) i simply left the caps lock on, thanks for the answers, anymore wood b appreciated

 

[Searcaigh]

I agree with TS&M above, if congested don't dive after using Actifed or Sudafed, having once suffered a reverse block many years ago, Iwould have no wish to repeat that experience, and would not wish anyone to either.

Plan for alternative activity should you do catch a cold and can't dive for a few days.

 

[craig chamberlain]

i thourght there was a 12 hour sudafed tablet that you can dive with?

 

[gbf]

TS&M is not your "run-of-the-mill giver of advice on scubaboard".

Go look at her profile if you haven't.

Then take heed.

 

[SnorkelLA]

TS&M is not your "run-of-the-mill giver of advice on scubaboard".

Go look at her profile if you haven't.

Then take heed.

Though never having met her personally or dove with her, I'm pretty damn sure that Lynne knows what she's talking about. No disrespect to you, but I second her advice, do not dive with a cold or congestion. I've dove with a cold before, after taking a Mucinex in the morning, it wore off on the night dive that we had done down to about 45ft, you talk about painful! If I remember correctly I drank whiskey all that night to dull the pain (no diving for me the next day). Lasted until the next morning, and when I yawned, the flood gates opened and they equalized to surface pressure- it felt incredible to have all that pressure gone!

EDIT: Also, by the sound of your post- you are quite young, I doubt she'll get you sick if you have normal interactions short of drinking 5 seconds after her. You are also a very, very lucky dog.

 

[freewillie]

TSandM is an ER physician. I would take her advice very seriously as she is not a lay person in a chat room giving random opinions. She knows what she is talking about from a true medical perspective.

DAN would recommend aborting a dive if you are not feeling well. Basic PADI recommendations are also that you do not use medications to dive if you are not feeling well. One, if you are sick and have a cold you should not be engaging in any activity let alone scuba diving. Two, you might suffer a reverse block and that may be very dangerous. If the effects of the medicine wear off while you are underwater you will not be able to surface without physical problems equalizing. At best you will suffer barotrauma and ruptured ear drum on surfacing. That would require minimum 3-6 months out of the water with no further diving until it heals. At worse you can have permanent damage inner ear and persistent veritigo and would not be able to dive at all after that type of injury.

As the old saying goes, "discretion becomes the better part of valor." better to thumb a dive and be able to come back again.

 

[GinaRae]

This is exactly why I missed out on the Long Lake clean-up on Saturday. I woke with a head cold.