Equalizing Question?

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av8er23

av8er23

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Location
Alabaster, AL
# of dives
50 - 99
I have really bad allergies this time of year. My nose gets stuffy and sinus cavity stays blocked. I sometimes use that nose spray you can get from the local drug store like afrin. This works great as far as I can tell. My nose is very clear for about 12 hours after using it. I know that your body can have a rebound effect from this type of drug after about 3-4 days and it will not respond. I have been using it for the past couple of days so I stopped today because I am going to dive Saturday. I plan on using that sat to help clear my sinus cavity in order to equalize my ears. I also plan on taking some suphedrine, which is a nasal decongestant. Do you think I will be ok? Does anyone else have bad allergies this time of year?
 
av8er23:
I have really bad allergies this time of year. My nose gets stuffy and sinus cavity stays blocked. I sometimes use that nose spray you can get from the local drug store like afrin. This works great as far as I can tell. My nose is very clear for about 12 hours after using it. I know that your body can have a rebound effect from this type of drug after about 3-4 days and it will not respond. I have been using it for the past couple of days so I stopped today because I am going to dive Saturday. I plan on using that sat to help clear my sinus cavity in order to equalize my ears. I also plan on taking some suphedrine, which is a nasal decongestant. Do you think I will be ok? Does anyone else have bad allergies this time of year?
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The big danger with this is that the stuff stops working while you're underwater and you suffer a reverse block when you ascend which pops your eardrums from the inside.

Basically, you need to be very certain that the effects of the medication will last beyond the end of the dive.
 
I agree with the view that the effects of the drug can cease while underwater. That implies the risk of reverse blocks on ascent.

However, I know some people who use it, and comes to surface perfectly ok. I'd say it depends a lot on your condition, and the mildness of the congestion, so I think talking to your doc is a good idea.

If it's not to bad with you, miss that one dive, the ocean will be there for you for some more time. Make sure you will, also.

Nice diving (or waiting :wink: )
 
Talk to your doctor. I have allergy problems too and my doc put me on Flonase(prescription) and Claratin (over the counter) as daily prevention. If it gets really bad I take a Sudafed but I avoid diving on that.
 
eandiver:
Talk to your doctor. I have allergy problems too and my doc put me on Flonase(prescription) and Claratin (over the counter) as daily prevention. If it gets really bad I take a Sudafed but I avoid diving on that.
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I looked into getting some flonase yesterday and it was $91.00. I do not go to the doctor unless I am sick and this is something that is expected to happen every year and there is no need to go visit the doctor. Why would you avoid diving on Sudafed?
 
$91.00!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sure am glad I have health insurance. Runs me $20.00 a month.

Because of the line of work I was in at the time (landscaping) I got very tired of being clogged up everyday so I asked my doc about it. We tried some different medicine combos and came up with the current "mix" that works perfectly.

Sudafed, being a decongestant, dries you out for lack of a better term. You need to drink alot of water to stay hydrated and if you don't when diving you run the risk of DCS. It makes me very sleepy, groggy and hard to concentrate. The Claritin and Flonase have no effects and the doc oked them for use when diving. He didnt recomend Sudafed for diving.
 
I also have allergies and use Sudafed non-drowsy 12 hour. I take it at least two hours before I begin the dive. NO PROBLEM.
 
scubaren:
I also have allergies and use Sudafed non-drowsy 12 hour. I take it at least two hours before I begin the dive. NO PROBLEM.
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I tried that one and it still made me loopy...........guess I have no tolerance for Sudafed.
 
scubaren:
I also have allergies and use Sudafed non-drowsy 12 hour. I take it at least two hours before I begin the dive. NO PROBLEM.
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That is what I take and I feel fine on it.

But I have somewhat of a concern about reverse squeeze. I read that this can be very dangerous and damaging. I think the other week during a dive I felt this a little while ascending through 10 feet or so. I did not think much about it because the pain went away as soon as i surfaced. If I felt my ears were not equalizing while commencing a acent is there anything that can be done?
 
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