Diving with COPD

[Pembina]

Please, I need someone to tell me that it is okay to dive with COPD. I've been diving for more than 30 years. I was a smoker but quit in 1999. I have had chronic bronchitis for many many many years and it has never affected my diving. I recently was diagnosed with COPD (49%). I'm active... even with COPD I continue to exercise, run 5Ks (albeit slowly) and refuse to ride in elevators. Can I still dive? My Dr is not a diver so I have not asked him. If I dive shallow, shorter dives, longer deco stops is it still safe? Would diving on Nitrox have an advantage? What are my risks if I continue to dive? I was really hoping to dive the Blue Hole in Feb.

 

[Jax]

Call DAN - http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/contact/

+1-919-684-2948

Mon-Fri 8:30am to 5:00pm EST.

+1-800-446-2671

 

[uncfnp]

Please, I need someone to tell me that it is okay to dive with COPD. I've been diving for more than 30 years. I was a smoker but quit in 1999. I have had chronic bronchitis for many many many years and it has never affected my diving. I recently was diagnosed with COPD (49%). I'm active... even with COPD I continue to exercise, run 5Ks (albeit slowly) and refuse to ride in elevators. Can I still dive? My Dr is not a diver so I have not asked him. If I dive shallow, shorter dives, longer deco stops is it still safe? Would diving on Nitrox have an advantage? What are my risks if I continue to dive? I was really hoping to dive the Blue Hole in Feb.

I'll let DDM and others address fitness to dive but just so you know, chronic bronchitis is a type of COPD. Emphysema is the other type.

And confused, what is the 49 percent?

 

[Hawkwood]

You really need to discuss this with someone other than us "random folks on the internet".

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) may cause air trapping.

As a diver you understand that air trapped in the lungs is a bad thing. Lung over expansion injuries are the concern.

COPD is a concern for diving and the risk should be addressed.

 

[TONY CHANEY]

You really should seek professional advice but, since you asked. Additional info is needed, i.e. age, recent ABG results, the use of home O2, Pink puffer Vs Blue Bloater, PFT results, CO2 retainer, etc. You know how us RCP/RRT 's can be.

 

[Pembina]

I've already seen what DAN has to say about it but they have to take the ultimate conservative view so I'm looking for someone who might have experience with this first hand.
And yes I do understand that chronic bronchitis is a form of COPD and I was never told I couldn't dive then so I'm not understanding why I'm more at risk now.
I'm 61, I'm not on any breathing treatments except for a maintenance inhaler once a day. My oxygen levels are good (97%) and the 49% is how they measure the severity and it puts me at the lower level of moderate.

 

[uncfnp]

Interesting, I have never seen COPD severity given as a percentage.

So if you know that you have been diving with COPD "for many, many years" what has changed?

 

[uncfnp]

My guess is that the difference is that you have gotten more symptomatic and even moderate COPD is significant. I know its not what you want to hear but you are at increased risk for air trapping and lung injury including AGE. The effect would be the same as a diver ascending while holding their breath. This is true even if you exercise regularly and are otherwise healthy. Nitrox will not change this. The risk will still be there.

I see too many divers that smoke. I am sure some of them too have COPD even if undiagnosed. Only you can decide if the risk is worth it to you and yours.

 

[Pembina]

Interesting, I have never seen COPD severity given as a percentage.

So if you know that you have been diving with COPD "for many, many years" what has changed?

I guess the fact that I started having some shortness of breath when exercising and that my Dr sent me to a pulmonologist who gave it a name and before I was diagnosed with COPD I didn't know about the link between it and bronchitis. I am still uneducated about it, thus the reason of my question. The pulmonologist basically said you have COPD , use this inhaler and come back in 6 months

 

[TONY CHANEY]

Wow, I see this everyday in the hospital. More often than not, it is stated in the patient's chart that the patient has COPD but there has never been any pulmonary function test (PFT) performed. Pure BS in my opinion. Did the good doctor have you do a PFT / spirometry test and a chest x-ray and show you the results. Please tell me that the doctor at least had you do a walk while measuring your heart rate and oxygen sat. If not then it really is just a WAG (Wild A$$ Guess). How does the doctor know that you are at, I guess a 49% lung capacity, if that is what the 49% is talking about without any test? What if it is a cardiac condition which can also make you have an increased in work of breathing and dyspnea with exercise? You smoking, simply means that you smoke and I have seldom seen anyone at the age of 61 that does not have an increased in work of breathing or dyspnea with exercise. There are several different types of COPD to include bronchitis and emphysema. Both of these diseases present with different, very different, complications and need different treatment plans.

So what drug did the doctor put you on? Since it is a once a day treatment I would guess, Spiriva which, by the way is very expensive and only used as a maintenance drug. Most of the other drugs, like Xopenex, Albuterol, Atrovent, Combivent, Douneb, etc. are rescue treatments and are taken as needed or every 4-6 hours.

Please message me back because I am concerned and care for my fellow divers. OBTW, I am a former smoker, retired Marine that work on Naval aircraft for 20 years, a technical Dive Master and a Respiratory Therapist. I hope that this helps.