MS and Diving

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Messages
2
Reaction score
2
Location
Krugersdorp South Africa
# of dives
100 - 199
Hi guys

I am new here and dont know where to start.
I'm msd and just been diagnosed with MS.
About 3 weeks ago the first wave off attacks.
I dont worry about MS that but the big questions is could I dive?????
Is there any body out there that could help

morne
 
NOT A DOCTOR. THE FOLLOWING IS IMHO AND IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE.

I dove with a gentleman who has MS three weeks ago. MS is one of the condition Handicapped SCUBA Association (HSASCUBA.com) certifies for diving and trains dive buddies to dive with (such as myself). You need to sit down and talk with your doctor and have him/her confer with Divers Alert Network (DAN) if he is unfamiliar with the requirements of diving. With MS, heat will often set off an attack, so you want to avoid getting hot. That means you need to get suited up and into the water quickly to avoid overheating. Fatigue is also another factor, so your dive buddy may need to provide more assistance. Your dive buddy of course should be informed as this affects them as well. My father-in-law had MS.

By now you have probably discussed the course MS will take or read about it on line. MS is an interesting illness and can take many paths. Each person is different, but you may be able to continue diving for many years even if you use a wheelchair.

You of course should take precaution, such as calculating your dives as conservative and when using your dive tables add 3 meters to your actual depth for all calculations to add an additional margin of safety. The challenge is of course that MS and DCI share the same symptoms, so it will be more difficult to tell after a dive if you had DCI or if you MS is kicking up. This of course is not a good thing if you dismiss a DCI hit as just you MS the consequences could be, well, not a good thing.

People with MS can get certified to dive through HSA. Divers who experience a life changing event such as an accident or illness like MS are encouraged to re-certify in their new bodies to learn about techniques to use (how a paralyzed individual exits the water etc) and to demonstrate that they can still preform all the necessary skills. There are several HSA instructors in South Africa. Visit Handicap Scuba Association and use find a member to locate them. You can also use the website to locate trained dive buddies or to find training to have your friends trained as dive buddies. Dive Buddy training will educate them on how to better assist you in your diving.

AGAIN NOT A DOCTOR, just a HSA dive buddy, The above is only IMHO.
 
Gary D.'s wife, has MS. She dives and she has some very interesting results from diving with Nitrox. Talk with them, they are great people. I think you might like what you hear.
 
Good for you! I always wished that I had the chance to get my mother underwater. Unfortunately, her MS took an extremely fast, destructive, and unusual path.

But, enough about that. I hope it goes well for you!
 
Enjoy the diving and remember, plan the dive and the suiting up so you minimize the opportunity to get hot. Avoid long swims as you may get tired quickly. Dive safely and add 3 meters to your depth when planning the dive for additional margin of safety.

Have fun, live to the fullest each moment and be safe.
 
Hi. My partner has had MS for about 6 years. he is 38. he got certified a few years ago. he initially had some problems with the Open water pool lap swims in training, though he was given another chance to do the swims and got there. cramping and exhaustion. he has suffered mild symptoms like fatigue. he is an Advanced open water diver now, over a hundred dives. he's had some "core" like pain ( he tells me deep in his body, hard to explain ) that has stopped him diving, and cancelled dives. most of the time he is fine, and can dive with the best of them, no problems. when he is "symptomatic" now he sometimes chooses to not dive. or just do a shallower shore dive. I hope you just like us continue to enjoy your diving for a long time to come. cheers , sue.
 
Gary D.'s wife, has MS. She dives and she has some very interesting results from diving with Nitrox. Talk with them, they are great people. I think you might like what you hear.

Walter, I'd love to talk to Gary D., but I can't seem to find him, either clicking the link or by searching for his user name.

Is he still on the board?
 
I'm sorry to hear that. I think you may find the most help by contacting DAN. I'm sure that they have information on diving with MS.
 

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