How to get cert on 50-100% without doing deco/deep dive??

[Imla]

After a hit of SkinDCS, our local hyperbaric doc told med that a connection has been seen between PFO and Skinbends with rash and bluespots on thorax. I Have been cleared to dive, and because of other potentially contributing factors (I stopped a course of antibiotics the day before the dive) we agreed to not test for PFO unless it happens again. (Or I change my mind..) However, I was told there is a very real risk that I might have it, and hence I really want to limit bubbles as much as possible

However... This has spiked an interest in figuring out how to add even more conservativism to my dives, whilst still having the possibility of doing dives to 30m.

Initially my thought was to use EAN 36-40 for most dives. (I take photos, and really enjoy the 25-5m range)
However... this still leaves the 25-30 range.
Most all of the people I dive with are tech/deep divers, and regularly use stages on our dives for trainingpurposes.
This sparked the idea of treating at deep nodeco dive as if it were to be a deco dive and use 50-100% Nitrox/O2 on later parts of the dive.
However... I cannot seem to find ANY orginization that will teach the use of 50-100% WITHOUT having to go to 40m on a real dive. I want to learn the same things, the same prosedures... however... I don't want the risk of going below 30m, (and I really don't need the deep/deco cert either)

So... Do anyone have any Idea of how I can get certd to use 50-100% without going deeper than 30?

 

[rongoodman]

I know my local TDI instructor has mentioned people such as photographers taking Advanced Nitrox by itself, to extend their bottom times on shallower dives. I don't know whether it requires deep dives to do so.

 

[FoxHound]

If I recall, TDI has an online advance nitrox course.

 

[elan]

AFIAK you need the deep dive for Decompression procedures, but you do not have to take the Deco procedures and can take advanced nitrox by itself.

 

[rongoodman]

A little digging shows the max depth for Advanced Nitrox to be 40 meters, but no indication that you're required to go that deep.

 

[Superlyte27]

IANTD standards say that you must make two dives to 100' in class to use 100% O2. Come to FL, I'll give you the class.

 

[Imla]

Thanx for your answers all...
Superlyte... I think Fl might be just a tad far to travel...
(However... You might want to consider coming to Gulen, Norway for your dives...)

 

[boulderjohn]

Let me put it to you another way.

I do not have a natural PFO, but I did have an unnatural PFO for a while. I had a surgical procedure that created the equivalent to one that needed to heal. Until I completed the test to prove that it had healed, I was not allowed to dive. At all. Zilch. Nada. Not even to do instruction in a pool.

Perhaps that was a tad conservative, but I consulted with several dive medicine experts who did not exactly say that was a foolish decision by my doctor.

 

[Superlyte27]

You pay for my trip and I'll be there.

 

[Imla]

I would assume some of the consideration there would be concerning your actual surgery and healingprocess.

Both my HBdoc, and DAN, and a couple of searches on this very forum states that diving can be done even with PFO, however one needs to do it more conservatively, and with larger margins.

In my case, my life before diving was quite influenced by up and down depression. I have not been more stable, more happy, and calmer since I started diving, and I will do just about anything to continue....
M life WITH diving is just SO much better than without... so I am willing to accept that the risk of DCS is 5 times bigger. (From 1/10000 to 1/2000 or so..)

Now... bear in mind... I have NOT been diagnosed with this... I did 2 deep dives a day after ABtreatment (Yes.. foolish.. I know)
So... I have learnt.. and want to do things more carefully in the future