Disclosure of health conditions to dive ops/fitness (thread split

[ZombieZombie]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

This thread has been split from another thread in another forum here: Georgia diver dead - Spiegel Grove, Florida It was off-topic but seems to have generated a lot of discussion. Therefore, it has been split off and saved here. Marg, SB Senior Moderator.

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Very sad.

The issue of heart health is a tough one. I had a heart attack 6 years ago while doing a cross country run... the day before heading for our first trip to Cozumel. I was pushing my limits on the run- so I don't know if anything would have happened diving. Yet as an inexperienced diver there would have been lots of opportunities for high stress so who knows.

I get stress tested every year now and I am fit as a flea with no signs of ischemia or even heart muscle damage. I have no outward signs of heart disease at all, but I had a myocardial infarction before and can't exclude the possibility again. I've told my wife that if it happens- no regrets. Better to die living. The real tragedy is for those who have to deal with finding and recovering the bodies of those who perish. I would hate that anyone was ever traumatized finding me in the water, but I still dive. Given my regular health checks, I think the risks are measured as best as I can.

Should I dive? Like many in middle age, I just say no on the declarations and go dive. I am not looking to clean out a dive op if I don't come home, but is it unfair on those who might have to drag me out of the water?

 

[Dan G]

Very sad.

The issue of heart health is a tough one. I had a heart attack 6 years ago while doing a cross country run... the day before heading for our first trip to Cozumel. I was pushing my limits on the run- so I don't know if anything would have happened diving. Yet as an inexperienced diver there would have been lots of opportunities for high stress so who knows.

I get stress tested every year now and I am fit as a flea with no signs of ischemia or even heart muscle damage. I have no outward signs of heart disease at all, but I had a myocardial infarction before and can't exclude the possibility again. I've told my wife that if it happens- no regrets. Better to die living. The real tragedy is for those who have to deal with finding and recovering the bodies of those who perish. I would hate that anyone was ever traumatized finding me in the water, but I still dive. Given my regular health checks, I think the risks are measured as best as I can.

Should I dive? Like many in middle age, I just say no on the declarations and go dive. I am not looking to clean out a dive op if I don't come home, but is it unfair on those who might have to drag me out of the water?

That's a good question you ask. Out of curiosity, have you ever checked "yes?" Is that an automatic "no" from the dive op?

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

That's a good question you ask. Out of curiosity, have you ever checked "yes?" Is that an automatic "no" from the dive op?

If you check any "yes" - you better have a doctor's note explaining why you can dive with a yes... If you left home without the note - chances are you will be an automatic "no"....

So from experience - "no" cuts through all the red tape...
Happy Diving

 

[Scott]

That's a good question you ask. Out of curiosity, have you ever checked "yes?" Is that an automatic "no" from the dive op?

After 56 years I can finally, honestly, answer a Yes to a diving medical questionnaire. Problem is, the three resorts I have visited in the last year none have asked any direct yes, no, medical questions. The closest I got was; "Are you fit to dive?."

 

[ZombieZombie]

That's a good question you ask. Out of curiosity, have you ever checked "yes?" Is that an automatic "no" from the dive op?

I went to the trouble of getting a full stress test in anticipation of doing the Rescue Diver course. The medical cert for the PADI rescue course requires that you can achieve 13 METS. My cardiologist stress tests me annually and I exceed this by some measure without any signs of cardiac distress. So I could provide a medical cert- but having done all the personal due diligence- it seems like just unnecessary hassle to produce the paperwork or take a chance on a very risk averse operator saying "thanks but no thanks". So I have not answered one of those questionnaires honestly in 6 years.

 

[tridacna]

After 56 years I can finally, honestly, answer a Yes to a diving medical questionnaire. Problem is, the three resorts I have visited in the last year none have asked any direct yes, no, medical questions. The closest I got was; "Are you fit to dive?."

OK. How many mg of Lipitor are you taking? LOL.

 

[ZombieZombie]

Back to Spiegel Grove- and my own nearest near miss diving, which is also cardiac related...
After my heart attack I was put on clopidogrel (Plavix) as a blood thinner. As I was tolerating it, the doc kept prescribing it. I had mentioned a few monster nose bleeds but he didn't seem to mind much. About 4 days before going to Key Largo- I lost about 3 pints of blood, fainted a few times, and ended up in the ER. No transfusion- just infused with fluids and discharged a day later.

What I didn't realize was how long it takes the body to recover red cells. We dove Spiegel Grove down to about 95'. I was on EAN and stayed well within all deco limits and a nice slow ascent. I got my first deco hit that night. Just a very bad headache - no joint pain or rashes- so I didn't seek any medical advice. It was not until a couple of days later it dawned on me that it must have been related to the nose bleed.

In doing a bit of digging online- it turned out to be incredibly stupid to dive that soon after such a large blood loss. Pretty much all of the computer or chart calculations can be thrown out. All sorts of bodily functions and partial pressures within the body are changed - and it was just good fortune that nothing worse happened.

 

[Scott]

OK. How many mg of Lipitor are you taking? LOL.

Zero

 

[dmaziuk]

Zero

My doctor told me last time that by federal regulations she is now required to prescribe statins to everyone whose LDL hits some magic number, all other considerations notwithstanding. So for my next lipid panel I'll double my red yeast rice and honestly answer "no" on the medical form. 'Cause it's not lipitor, it's a "non-prescription dietary supplement".

 

[Scott]

I believe that number is anything over 130.
My GP was threatening me with statins when my tests came back in October showing 128.
Diet change and LDL now sits below 100. Yeast rice works wonders.