robint
Contributor
I have been having various medical tests done this past year, mostly related to a knee injury... but we have (yesterday) discovered I have a mitral valve prolapse. I have been diving for 14 yrs now, about 500 dives, many in the 100' range with zero problems. BUT my cardiologist has informed me that I should never dive again over 20' depth, if at all. I am probably having the valve repaired in the near future (he says it is a significant prolapse and will need surgery). For now I am starting on an ACE inhibitor to see how I feel, then we will go from there.
so.... my husband is not happy that his dive buddy is now a snorkeler. He thinks I should have the surgery asap, that way I can start diving with him again. True? Or is this a case of wait-and-see like my cardiologist says (might not need the surgery for years). The cardiologist says that there are 2 schools of thought - some say repair it now while I am in good health and heart is good, others say wait until it starts to fail me.
Is open heart surgery going to put me back into diving like my husband wants? Will they let me dive afterwards?
I am leaning towards wanting the surgery now, as I am only 56 and in reasonably good health. It has nothing to do with the diving, though. But if it means next year I might be back diving, well then it might make me want to get the surgery asap.
robin
so.... my husband is not happy that his dive buddy is now a snorkeler. He thinks I should have the surgery asap, that way I can start diving with him again. True? Or is this a case of wait-and-see like my cardiologist says (might not need the surgery for years). The cardiologist says that there are 2 schools of thought - some say repair it now while I am in good health and heart is good, others say wait until it starts to fail me.
Is open heart surgery going to put me back into diving like my husband wants? Will they let me dive afterwards?
I am leaning towards wanting the surgery now, as I am only 56 and in reasonably good health. It has nothing to do with the diving, though. But if it means next year I might be back diving, well then it might make me want to get the surgery asap.
robin