Diving After 50

[jupitermermaid]

I did not start diving until WELL over my 50's. Didn't realize it was an issue (luckily). My GP questioned my desire to dive as I have (had) claustrophobic issues in my airborne life. Interestingly enough, they got better as I made communion with the underwater creatures and found a better breathing pattern while communicating with the underworld. More and more I believe my mermaid heritage is more real than previously questioned, and find myself more at home at depth (not narcosis depth, mind you, just plain water). There are times I feel more at home in the water than I do out of it. Must explore this option(?) further.

 

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

RoatanMan-

I'm in Colorado and I lucked out because my dentist is a diver! He understood completely when I told him I didn't want my cavities refilled until after my last vacation! Well it was just another excuse too to put it off.... I'm all good now

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Let's see now. Donald Sutherland was diving shallow, easier for camera, lighting, safety crew and cast, then flew from Australia to Los Angeles. While at lunch with his wife at least two days after diving he experienced chest pain and was taken to Cedars Sinai, where a doctor pronounced it a dive injury. No treatment from a hyperbaric chamber nor anyone trained in hyperbaric medicine followed, yet his doctor convinced him that diving over the age of 50 is dangerous. If I was Mr. Sutherland, I would get a second opinion. Perhaps Dr. House would be a better bet.

 

[agwatts]

I'm 54 yrs young. I started in 2001, took a few years off and returned with zeal in April of 2007 with my AOW. I just completed my Divemaster certification and moving onto the AI and IDC. Nothing short of my last breath will keep me from getting wet.

Greg

 

[DandyDon]

Someone said it earlier. It's just a publicity ploy in the wake of him washing up...

 

[kbuschmann]

There are no medical contraindications to diving based on age. Of course, as we add on more years, we are also more likely to acquire medical problems that may be problematic for diving. Seems obvious. Stay fit, inherit good genes and get a bit lucky - you could dive forever.

Yes, there certainly are a lot of misinformed 'medical' opinions out there. While the buyer should always beware, some sources are more reliable than others - DAN, UHMS, 'ScubaDoc'. There will always be some diversity of opinion regarding medicine and SCUBA, but such s not the case concerning age specific limitations to diving. There aren't any.

Kim B - Diving Medical Officer, Flight Surgeon, Sports Medicine Physician

 

[DandyDon]

Kim B - Diving Medical Officer, Flight Surgeon, Sports Medicine Physician

Welcome to SB. You can put that info in your Sig and/or profile, too. Have you talked to anyone about a badge? Having that info known about you would be beneficial, along with your continued posting - hope to see a lot of you...

 

[irishsquid]

Sure ... I get all my diving advice from newspapers. That's where I learned that divers breathe from oxygen tanks ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[cudachaser]

56 years.... 4 digit PADI instructor number... PADI instructor 30 tears.... FSDA instructor..... 3 digit instructor number low 200's..... Scuba tanks - steel Hundreds made in Oct 1970...... Absolutely WORE OUT!!!! my Scubapro MK 5 made in 1976 Scubapro ansy about their life time warranty...... Wore out my Scubapro X-L Jet fins....... Wore out Scubapro BC vests..... Killed multiple SPG's....... Dove all over including cave dives (NO not cave certified but did quit doing cave dives - mostly).... Dive over 130 feet!!!! - not that YOU can prove..... Still teach..... Volunteer each year at BSA Sea Base..... Doc still says have fun see ya when ya get back...... Stress tests etc. each year.... Doc says cardiac of 20 year old....... Says output actually better now than 5 years ago - go figure!..... Knees shot.... Back shot..... Still can out dive vast majority of divers regardless of age...... the older I get the better I was!!!!!...... Still cuter than a bugs ear!!!! Meg says so...... ???? Plan to die by being shot by 21 year old husband of 19 year old blonde haired girl friend...... Or while diving when I am in excess of 80 on a deep reef in an exotic location with a very pretty lady dive buddy so I can just drift down to the abyss to save on burial expenses.... I real cheap & gonna be buried there anyway....... OK you other over 50 divers..... What did I forget?
Grady MSDT

amjority of divers regardless

I'm 57 almost 58.... Still instructing....my original PADI instructor was # 1361. Teaching thru another agency now

Joe

 

[capt.bill]

Well, I am 67 and counting. After my phyisical last month I asked the doc can I still keep diving. " you bet" he said, your in better shape than most 50 years olds. I am no where close to handing up my fins just yet! The advice to quit diving at 50 is pure bull to my way of thinking. Besides, if I listened to his doc I'd have missed out on 17 years of diving. Not to mention the one in the future....