Long term problems after diving

[Julia Benedetti]

Almost 2 years ago I went on a 2 day live aboard boat trip. I went on several dives over the 2 days despite being extremely seasick and dehydrated. Upon return to shore I felt shaky and had a sharp pain under my sternum, which I attributed to being tired from pulling myself into the boat and being sick for 2 days. The next morning after sleeping a little I began fainting. I went to the ER, but they did nothing for me and sent me home. While in the ER I stopped breathing at one point, which they claimed was probably sleep apnea. I have had a pressure/ pain under my sternum since that day. I have fainting spells when I go to elevation, including a few times on airplanes. All I know is that I felt great before that dive trip and have felt awful for almost 2 years after. I have seen 5 or 6 doctors who seem disinterested and offer no explanation as to the fainting. My question is, could this be DCS and can it last this long? And what type of medical professional can I seek out?

 

[tbone1004]

contact DAN, get their opinions

 

[Jonny Wishbone]

I will bet it is just a coincidence that it started just after your dive trip. Your body may have been sick enough from being seasick and dehydrated for these symptoms of what is truly going on inside you to rear its ugly head.

 

[tomcatbubba]

While not diving related; I hurt my sternum a few years back. Basically I tore the cartilage that holds everything together in there. It is notoriously hard to get to heal properly, as even small movements, or breathing heavily, can re-injure it. I recall it took about a year to feel normal. I don't know about the fainting however.

But, as @tbone1004 said, call DAN. They have a list of doctors that may be able to help.

 

[boulderjohn]

Does this sound possible?

Mediastinal emphysema | pathology

 

[uncfnp]

Given your symptoms and lack of solution from standard medicine (assuming you have seen appropriate providers/specialists) consider this...

Naturopathy

 

[NYCNaiad]

What types of doctors have you seen?

 

[Julia Benedetti]

What types of doctors have you seen?

Endocrinologist, cardiologist, neurologist, and allergist, as well as my gp. I did have sharp waves on my eeg, but the neurologist didn't have a good explaination for it and just kind of shrugged his shoulders like they all have.

 

[NYCNaiad]

I'm not a doctor & I think a medical professional would be better equipped to help you, but I wouldn't think this could be DCS lasting this long.

If it were me, I'd try going to different doctors to find ones who care. (I don't mean a good bedside manner since the great doctors aren't always the nicest ones, but ones who are intent on finding out what's wrong.) I'd also make sure that a full work up was done if you haven't already (full series of blood tests, vitamin deficiency tests, etc.). You could have a couple of things going on where the fainting has nothing to do with the pain. And I'd really urge you to review all the results yourself & ask if you have questions. Doctors can make mistakes. I was shocked to find I was actually badly anemic & needing immediate IV iron transfusions after the doctor's office said I was fine. But what would have happened if I hadn't checked the results myself? I might still be having horrible problems & everyone would be thinking it couldn't possibly be anemia since I had been checked for that already.

It's scary that your neurologist doesn't seem to care about the EEG results. I'd take those results to another neurologist (or 3) & see if they have different thoughts.

I know it can be soul crushing to continuously go to doctors & not get the help you need. (I've been in that exact situation). But you have to push to be your own advocate. Every month, there should be something you are doing to help yourself. If you've only seen 5 or 6 doctors in 2 years, this means you are only seeing a doctor every 4 or 5 months.

I'd probably add in an Internist (assuming that your GP practices Family Medicine. Both are great doctors, but personally, I've had better success with oddities when using doctors practicing Internal Medicine rather than those focusing on families). I'd also add in an orthopedist since as tomcat noted, problems with the muscles & cartilage by the sternum can take forever to heal (this happened with a coworker of mine).

Sending you strength & wishing you the best of luck!

 

[Blastman4444]

If you had DSC nothing can be done about it years later, but from the symptoms you describe are not what I felt when I had DSC with that being said DSC symptoms not always the same for everyone lot of times only way they can tell it was DSC by putting you in the Hyperbaric chamber see if you feel better there isn't any scan or test for mild DSC from what I was told sometimes they can see larger bubbles on CT scan or MRI since the risk of using the chamber is low just re-compress you with 100% o2 see if that helps. I can tell you from my DSC experience I did have inflammation that took 6 months to go away these symptoms felt the same just not nearly as bad it more less a mild form of it lower legs would tingle. What I would do is see if you can find a doctor who specialized in Scuba Medicine there is a Doctor here who replies under the name Duke Dive Medicine after awhile he should be able to give you more information or a referral. I have read some people who had more severe DSC had hyperbaric treatments for months and seem to help their recovery that was usually months after the DSC injury not 2 years later. I know this sounds crazy but is it possible that you could be experiencing anxiety because you think about possible DSC. After I had DSC I felt terrible for about 6 months after one year I wanted to dive again I was scared because some doctors told me I should quit diving due to the fact my DSC was unusual. I was having headaches I thought something might be wrong with my head the more anxious I got about it the worse they were. I went to a neurologist I convenience I needed an MRI of my head she did the MRI and found nothing. The same day she told me that the headaches went away I realized it was just my anxiety of DSC. I did end up diving again just to get rid of my fears which it did. The problem with DSC is since there isn't any real medical testing they can do for mild DSC everyone 2nd guesses that you ever had it.