lots of diving in the red sea and women's problems!!

[liz]

Hi,
I am doing my first trip to the red sea shortly and I will be spending loads of time diving, I am just a little worried about the heat, dampness and thrush!! Any suggestions? Any one else had any problems?

Your's hopefully!
Liz...

:sheik:

 

[Louie]

Hello

I recently did a liveaboard in the southern Red Sea (great diving) and it was scorchio hot.

Whether it's shore-based or boat diving you'll be doing, hopefully, your vehicles and accommodation will have adequate air conditioning.

The best prevention may be to get out of that salt-damp swimsuit between dives and into dry clothing.

Also, if you're barefoot on a boat, athlete's foot is always a great possibility. I always wash and spray with anti-fungals before climbing into my bunk at night.

Enjoy!!

 

[booga_roo]

Ok, it sounds disgusting but I SWEAR that it works. CAREFULLY and I mean carefully peel the paper-ish cover off a clove of garlic DO NOT top and tail it. Infact it needs to stay completely intact (Otherwise it burns like hell)

Place the clove "up there" and leave for a max of 8 hours although in the heat I would recommend less.

Garlic is a natural antifungal. You could also buy some asidophillis (or whatever the heck it is called) in tablet form. It will keep your gut flora in some sort of order - there is some evidence that keeping gut flora happy helps with thrush.

Good luck

Booga

 

[shellbird]

Being new to diving, what affect does salt water have on one's "flora". Should I be concerned? So far - healthy thank God.

 

[deignor]

I think it is not the ocean water but the fact you have a damp swimsuit for long hours day after day that leads to yeast infections (Are yeast infections called thrush in Europe?)

 

[kelpmermaid]

one of those over-the-counter treatments might not be a bad addition to the travel medicine bag for a liveaboard trip. That and the stuff that stops pain from urinary tract infections...

 

[jbd]

kelpmermaids suggestion and from the previous responses it should seem to be a good idea to pack 2 or 3 swimsuits so you could always have a dry swim suit to put on.

 

[Ladydiver]

I moved this thread into the Diving Medicine forum so we will be able to have the Docs weigh in on this as well. I know sometimes they miss medical related threads if they are in other sections. I left the redirect so you would all be able to find it.

 

[BillP]

Howdy liz:

'Round these here parts, "thrush" means an infection of the mouth and throat with the yeast Candida albicans. I'm assuming that you're talking about a yeast infection, but elsewhere.

Yeast likes it warm and moist and it hates competition. The advice to change out of wet clothing quickly is sound. Yeast are usually kept in check by the normal bacterial flora, but when the bacteria are killed off by antibiotics (taken say to prevent traveler's diarrhea) then yeast have a chance to grow.

There are various topical creams to treat yeast infections, and now there's oral medication too (cleaner/easier use than creams, but additional risks). Many of the creams are sold over-the-counter now in the US, but I don't know about the UK. The pills are by prescription only here. A visit to your chemist (pharmacist for you Yanks) or doctor should set you up with the best treatment for you "just in case".

There's a pretty good site on yeast infections at:

http://www.msu.edu/user/eisthen/yeast/

HTH,

Bill

The above information is intended for discussion purposes only, and is not meant as specific medical advice for any individual.

 

[SubMariner]

I agree with the advice already posted.

Meanwhile, I can heartily recommend taking acidophilus (lactobacilus) tabs. My physician told me about them years ago & they seem to help prevent yeast infections. Eating yogurt regularly also does the same thing.

Just my $0.02's worth,

~SubMariner~