Astma attack under water

[Pam and Stella]

To everyone whom responded-Thank you!

Mario, I am in Buffalo,but thank you for your offer. To be perfectly frank,Pacific coast diving makes me a bit nervous because of the strong current,surge,and temperature.I know with asthma,the warmer the water,the better it is for my lungs. Good excuse!!!LOL!!! I saw Jaws too many times, I do not want to see any Great Whites,or Macos yet. I felt like the girl in the movie "CLIFFHANGERS",
The one who fell into the gorge in the opening scene,when I was being dragged down by my fins certification day. The girl didn't have any business being on that cliff,as Slyvester Stallone had said to his angry friend.Well,that's how I kinda feel with diving right now,so I am going to dive
only in excellent viz,tropical waters, and no deeper than 70ft. By the way, I know I am going off on a tangent,but will people be snubbing me as a buddy because of my asthma?

Pam

 

[Iguana Don]

Pam,
I agree with all the apraisals of the DM on your experience. An you should consider reporting him to the certifying agency. But at the same time you have to bear most of the blame and responsibility yourself.

1) NOBODY but YOU controls your diving, if you want to abort, BY GOLLY then abort.
2) What were you doing at 65' on your 1st dive, do you remember your training or your certification?
3) You let somebody else think for you?
4) No buddy check before the dive?
5) Mask squeeze that put blood clots in your eyes, couldn't you tell it was too tight?
6) "I wasn't paying attention to depth"
7) DECO divin on your 1st check out dive?

You know from reading this, it sounds too bad to be true or else you didn't pay any attention in class, or even have one. Is this real or am I falling for a big joke? This whole thing has red flags coming up.

Diving is a great sport. but it has to be taken seriously, if you aren't ready to make that commitment then you need to stay out of the water or at least stay on topside. U/W is a harsh & unforgiving environment, not to be taken lightly, mistakes can be costly, lead to severe, permant injury and even death.

If you are lucky God will let you make one major mistake under water and live to tell about it, sounds like you used yours up already.

If this sounds scary or harsh then so be it. I suggest you either find a QUALIFIED instructor and retake or TAKE the course to begin with, or stay out of the water. Before we all read about you in the "Diving Deaths" in Rodales.


Some people just don't know or even have a clue.

Don

 

[Pam and Stella]

Don,

My story-Hyperbole?-NOT! Did you read King Neptunes instructor horror story?Money had alot to do with my situation I'm sure.My DM had his student instructor do my buddy check,then proceeded with the BLAME GAME underwater for the lack of belt!Punches were thrown,etc..I abdicated my personal responsibilities for sure,Peer pressure mistakes-ABSOLUTELYSHAME ON ME!!!BUT-Do you remember your first dive? Being my first Ocean,Drift Dive,without safety line; in the clipping,choppy mighty Gulf Stream Atlantic-
I FROZEI wasn't thinking ! I was scouting for JAWS I was LUCILLE O'BALL with gear fear!!! The dives were
incredible,and I learned,boy did I learn!! I am off to Belize,and I have been studying and practicing my skills in a local pool. I am not the most assertive by nature,but realize if I am not comfortable with the dive, I don't dive. I have been the only girl the last three diving trips,so it is a little intimidating when agreeing on the dives.I was most at fault on C day.;-0
Pam

 

[Dr Deco]

Wow.....:all:

I am just happy that this dive story did not involve decompression-related questions, so I could just watch. This was potentially hazardous stuff!

It does indeed fall into the "live and learn" category. We can all profit from this experience. As I once heard,
[sp] "The more you know, the longer you live."

 

[Iguana Don]

Pam,
First let me say that I may have been a little harsh, and I want to apologize here and now for that. I am sorry if I offended you in any way. But if it made you stop and think then it was worth it. I'm not really a hardass, but It just makes me sick to see what some instructors are turning out. (present company exempt)

Yes, I can remember my first dive after cert. It was in a lake with 4' viz & I was REAL nervous, same conditions as my classes, didn't get to the ocean for 6 months, had 30 dives under my belt in low viz before I ever got to see the wonders of the ocean. About 90% of all my dives are in limited visibility. Even some farm ponds & golf courses.

No I don't have any of the horror stories like some of the other people here have, guess I am just lucky. (so far) Yeah, I've had the bolting students, the panicked students, but didn't have any of the problems the rest of them have had. But I'm sure my day will come.

Thanks for your post it made me think how lucky I have been.

Don

 

[scubadoc]

Hi Pam:

Let's get right to the point from a medical point of view. Anyone with asthma that requires the medication that you describe has no business diving.

Let me explain it another way; diving with this degree of asthma places you at grave risk for pulmonary barotrauma (burst lung), subsequent arterial gas embolism with possible cerebral damage (stroke), pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and/or mediastinal emphysema or death from drowning. This is due to the high probability of small airway disease, mucous plugs with blockage and rupture due to the pressure changes that occur with ascent.

Another major probability would be the risk of a panic attack at depth in association with the bronchospasm that can occur with cold, dry air from the tank.

In spite of what you have apparently read in your research, diving accidents and deaths do happen in association with severe asthma and you should not be lulled to sleep by the assurances of the certifying agencies and greedy instructors.

You would be well cautioned to check in with a diving oriented physician for a good examination - to include pulmonary function studies (challenge), routine chest x-rays and possibly a spiral CT scan.

Finally, take advantage of the really excellent advice that you have received from the members of this board who are quite concerned that you have not received optimum training prior to your dives. Read up on asthma at our web site at http://www.scuba-doc.com/asthma.htm and check out the really good links on the subject.

 

[Mario S Caner]

Pam,
If that post wasn't a reality check then I don't know what would be. Time to visit a compentant, knowledgable doc huh!

Mario

 

[Pam and Stella]

Dear DR.

I did get a chest x-ray,pulmonary workup-I breathed into a machine that measured my oxygen output in my lungs,before and after a nebuliser treatment.My G.I. consulted a pulmonologist with the results, and I passed with no contraindication to dive!:grrr: Now I am really scared,as well as I should be. I didn't want to go so deep on my checkout dive in W.P FLA, the D.M. took me between 90 and so ft.
:fury:
I'm furious! I know how bad the cold weather is for my lungs here in Buffalo, and am moving to Antigua within the month to work. Was planning on going to Belize as soon as I was settled in. Thank you for your message, you probably saved my life. I am going to see a scubadoc for a second opinion. You see, the reason I am on steroids now is because of the cold,dry weather here. My Dr. wants me to keep in touch with him when I move, to see if there is a change in my condition. I hope so, considering I just bought a 1,200 gear package (Oceanic) and I want to move to Belize in the near furure. This can't be true :-(

Are you allowed to give me a reference of Dr's? I have looked in my area and surrounding locales but would prefer to see someone in an area like FLA or CAL because of their greater knowledge (I would think) in Dive medicine.

Pam

 

[Pam and Stella]

Mario,

I was just going to send you an e-mail, asking if you have been to Baja to dive.I am reading up on dive locations and heard Baja is warm, great diving, and a plus being close to the states.Being in S.D. you must have had word or have been to Cabo? I want to move in the near future and open up a biz,dive.There are so many places,but many snafus to figure out as well, when attempting to relocate out of the safe haven of the U.S. But since I have been warned by scubadoc, I might just have to settle for snorkling!!!

Thank you!

Pam

 

[Mario S Caner]

Pam,
I've heard the good and the very bad when it comes to American's opening business' in Mexico's coast's. The politics that surround it are as always fueled by whatever group happens to be running the country and how greedy they are at the time. Green runs the country, and there will always be a greasing requirement... but there's really no way to tell until you jump through the hoops.

I've been to Mexico City on business, Acapulco and Puerto Vallarte on vacation, but never to Cabo. Perhaps you and I can organize a trip down huh...

Mario