Another good tip to see if your ears have a CHANCE to be OK for diving is to equalize on the surface, completely dry, then dunk your head into a sink or bathtub and try it again. If you have even the most SLIGHT difficulty doing either of these thumb the day's dive. If you have trouble equalizing under those easy conditions, just wait until you're 50 ft down and it's time to surface. Like I said earlier, it hurts like hell!
chance diving or Not?
- Thread starter craig chamberlain
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Rich Keller
Contributor
The rule of thumb I know is the cold is a week coming and a week going. If you are going to dive anyway stay away from Sudafed, if over used it is addictive and you do not want to go the rest of your life having to take it just to keep your nose from running. Actifed is a better alternative if you are going to need something. That being said I would not recommend diving with a cold on medication as stated before a reverse block is very bad and not something I would wish on anyone.
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Only thing I can add is about sinuses. I rarely get a cold, like every 7 months, but it is usually a killer and it clogs up the sinuses for 1-3 weeks, usually closer to 3. If you are like me just forget diving for that time.
AfterDark
Contributor
Note: you cannot equalize sinuses manually they either equalize on their own or they don't. Your ears are not the only consideration.
windapp
Contributor
I dove with a cold in a pool once. The sinus squeeze came on at about 6 feet. I think if I dove to any real depth in that condition, my head would implode.
The 12 hour Sudafed is very different from the 4 hour version. Where I live we have to go to the pharmacy and sign for it rather than just pick it off the shelf because it can be used to make methamphetamines. Many people do use Sudafed for the purpose of clearing out their nasal passages and aiding in equalizing, but that is only when they do not have cold symptoms. You cannot take the risk that it won't work at any point during the dive. The danger of a reverses block while diving with a cold are too severe.
A friend of mine suddenly developed a cold when he was teaching scuba class, and he could not even get to the bottom of the swimming pool. Fortunately, he could choose not to go to the bottom of the pool. He just figured, "Oh, well. Can't dive today" and got another instructor to take his place. If you suddenly get congested and can't equalize while you are diving, you have no such choice. You can't say, "Oh, well. Can't go to the surface today."
GinaRae
Registered
Ummm...
Actifed has the same active ingredient as Sudafed, but it also has an antihistamine.
Good point, Sudafed is banned in UAE and some other Mid East countries, carrying it with you even through Dubai airport if found can land you in jail quicker than you can CESA from 10m
Damselfish
Contributor
The 4 hour version of Sudafed is still pseudoephedrine same as the 12 hour version, and you have to get it from the pharmacy same way. Sudafed PE is the new version that you don't have to sign for. (And doesn't work nearly as well as far as I'm concerned.) Possibly your pharmacy isn't carrying both.
It isn't. Sudafed PE is our only choice without going to the pharmacy window and signing off on your purchase.The 4 hour version of Sudafed is still pseudoephedrine same as the 12 hour version, and you have to get it from the pharmacy same way. Sudafed PE is the new version that you don't have to sign for. (And doesn't work nearly as well as far as I'm concerned.) Possibly your pharmacy isn't carrying both.
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